America kicks off OC Fair’s summer concert series
Several icons of American music — plus, for that matter, a British band named America — will take the Pacific Amphitheatre stage this summer during the OC Fair.
Fair officials announced the full schedule Tuesday for the Toyota Summer Concert Series, with 24 nights of rock, pop, country and more extending from July 16 to Aug. 16.
Last year, the series kicked off with the Orange County punk-rock band the Offspring making its debut at the fair. This time, organizers picked a much mellower opening act, as the band that dominated 1970s radio with hits like “Sister Golden Hair” and “A Horse with No Name” will join Pacific Symphony on the outdoor stage.
It will be a first for the OC Fair, but not for Orange County: Last year, Pacific Symphony concluded its 2013-14 season with a performance alongside America at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
“I’m very fond of them,” said Dan Gaines, the fair’s entertainment director and general manager of the Pacific Amphitheatre. “I kind of grew up with that music. I think we were looking for a way to engage our friends over at Pacific Symphony, and in doing a little bit of research, we found that America was available — that they have performed not only with a symphony, but Pacific Symphony in the past.
“So we saw that as an opportunity to add a show and do something with Pacific Symphony, which we’re always looking to do.”
As usual, the Toyota Summer Concert Series spans the last half-century, with acts dating to the 1960s (the Happy Together Tour, featuring an all-star lineup), the 1960s and 1970s (Steve Miller Band, Jefferson Starship, Three Dog Night), 1980s (Berlin, Echo & the Bunnymen, B-52s, Huey Lewis and the News) and recent decades (Charli XCX, Capital Cities, the Offspring, sharing a bill this time with the Interrupters).
Also slated to perform are country singers Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss, British group Spandau Ballet, comedian Gabriel Iglesias, the Beatles tribute band the Fab Four and many others.
The fair, celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, will run from July 17 to Aug. 16. In addition to the Pacific Amphitheatre, the fairgrounds’ Hangar and Action Sports Arena will host events throughout the summer.
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2015 Toyota Summer Concert Series
July 16: America with Pacific Symphony
July 17: Gabriel Iglesias
July 18: Iration, Common Kings
July 19: Willie Nelson & Family, Alison Krauss & Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas
July 22: Charli XCX, Bleachers
July 23: The Band Perry, Annie McQueen
July 24: Steve Miller Band
July 25: Capital Cities, Big Data
July 26: The Happy Together Tour
July 29: Spandau Ballet, DJ Richard Blade
July 30: The Offspring, the Interrupters
July 31: Three Dog Night, Jefferson Starship
Aug. 1: The Fab Four, Wings Band
Aug. 2: Huey Lewis and the News
Aug. 5: Juanes
Aug. 6: Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo — 35th Anniversary, Dennis DeYoung: The Music of Styx
Aug. 7: Echo & the Bunnymen, Berlin
Aug. 8: Fifth Harmony, Debby Ryan & the Never Ending, Bea Miller, Natalie La Rose
Aug. 9: Dirty Heads, Magic!
Aug. 12: Deep Purple, Foghat
Aug. 13: Chris Young, Danielle Bradbery
Aug. 14: The B-52s, the English Beat
Aug. 15: Steel Pulse, the Wailers
Aug. 16: Austin Mahone, Kalin and Myles