Summer concerts celebrate centennial

Fashion Island has announced the lineup for its annual summer concert series, bringing in six chart-topping acts with famed tunes nearly everyone knows.

“We try to pick bands that will really remind you of growing up,” Laura Davis of Fashion Island said. “We try to get a band from every era.”

This year’s series, dedicated to Newport Beach’s 100th birthday, opens with Newport Beach resident and Righteous Brothers member Bill Medley on July 12. Famous for songs like “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’,” “Soul and Inspiration,” “Unchained Melody” and “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life,” with Jennifer Warnes for the movie “Dirty Dancing,” Medley was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 and has won a Grammy.

July 19 brings the Turtles, featuring Flo and Eddie. They will be entertaining with pop hits like “Happy Together,” “Elenore” and “It Ain’t Me Babe.” Together, the group has sold 60 million records worldwide with nine Top 40 hits.

Eddie Money will perform his popular hits from the ‘70s and ‘80s on July 26, including songs “Two Tickets to Paradise,” “Baby Hold On,” “Walk on Water” and “Think I’m in Love.” Money has enjoyed success in the business for over 25 years with more than 10 Top 40 singles and a Grammy nomination for “Take Me Home Tonight.”

Huntington Beach’s Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean fame will perform his surf-inspired rock tracks, including “Surf City,” “Deadman’s Curve,” and “Little Old Lady from Pasadena.” He’ll play August 2. Together, Jan and Dean performed more than 13 top 10 singles and sold more than 10 million records worldwide.

On August 9, Colin Hay of Men at Work will rock the crowd with his 80s hits including “Who Can it Be Now,” “Down Under” and “Be Good Johnny.” His Australian band has had number one singles and albums in both Australia and the U.S.

The series wraps up Aug. 16 with a performance by Grammy-winner Poncho Sanchez Latin Band, the traditional closing act for the series. For three decades, the respected conga percussionist has been performing and recording Latin jazz.

“It’s nice because you have all the community coming out to enjoy the event; it’s really Orange County,” Davis said. “We get a lot of people, usually over 5,000; and the first one, which is in conjunction with the Newport Beach centennial ?, that will be very special.”

For more information, call (949) 721-2000.