A big-ticket summer at the fair

Suzie Harrison

Fireworks will be lighting up Costa Mesa’s nights long after the

Fourth of July, with the Pacific Amphitheater’s sizzling schedule of

summer concerts.

The Pacific Amphitheatre, which is part of the Orange County Fair,

is opening after an eight-year hiatus. The venue first opened July

29, 1983, and had a run until 1995.

Its reopening is part of a master planning process, OC Fair

general manager Becky Bailey-Findley said.

“We’re reintroducing the amphitheater back to the fair,”

Bailey-Findley said. “It’s part of our programming, offering fun

stuff for the community.”

Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Steely Dan and the Doobie

Brothers are part of the lineup, as is Alanis Morissette, Melissa

Etheridge and Joan Osborne. Cake, Devo and 311 will appeal to a

younger audience.

“There’s a lot of great acts with a brand new launch of the final

series, which will be announced next week,” deputy general manager

Steve Beazley said. “Expect some really big surprises. The biggest

are yet to come.”

Getting Dylan to agree to perform was a big deal.

“Bob Dylan, that was hard. So many people want him, to be able to

land him is big, anchoring to the whole summer,” Beazley said.

Another coup is that Steely Dan will play its opening leg of its

tour at the amphitheater.

“It’s their first concert in Costa Mesa, it should draw a big

buzz,” Beazley said.

Crosby, Stills and Nash had played the venue before. The

amphitheater used to draw such big names as Madonna, Sting and Liza

Minelli.

The fair will be sharing some of the same acts with other venues

like the Greek Theater and Universal Amphitheater.

“We started formulating the strategy before January,”

Bailey-Findley said. “Everyone has their own wish list, and we strive

seriously for a diverse program.”

Other draws include Juan Gabriel and Amy Grant, who is playing

with Michael W. Smith.

“There are 10 different genres of music to speak to everybody,”

Beazley said. “Amy Grant is only playing two dates this year, the

‘Today Show’ and here. We’re really fortunate in that respect.”

Bailey-Findley said that they plan on selling out every night.

“We knew we needed to book 21 nights, a little something for

everyone,” Bailey-Findley said. “We wanted to make sure that there is

something great every night of the fair.

The theater seats 8,500. Every ticket includes admission into the

fair.

“Even our terrace seats are close to the stage,” Beazley said.

They have yet to announce opening night, but have hinted that she

is a certain jazz singer.

So far, the biggest seller is Crosby, Stills and Nash, with

Boston, Steely Dan and 311 among the top sales.

The fair has expanded from 17 to 21 days.

“There’s nothing better than being outside on a summer night and

seeing a concert under the stars in Orange County,” Beazley said.

Tickets are available at the Orange County Fair Box office on Fair

Drive in Costa Mesa.

For tickets, call (714) 740-2000 or Ticketmaster or go online to

www.ocfair.com.