Winter is still in full swing, but organizers for two local concert venues are already in preparations for summer: summer concerts that is. Both Fayetteville’s Villages Amphitheater and Peachtree City’s Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater recently announced their 2007 schedules for the annual summer concert programs. The line-ups boast a mixture of past favorites and first timers. Tickets are on sale now for current subscribers and ticket packages and individual tickets will be on sale shortly.

The Fred:

The Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater (The Fred) recently announced the 2007 Lexus of South Atlanta Summer Concert Series I presented by Webb, Lindsey & Wade and Canongate Golf Clubs.

“We are very excited to welcome back some of our favorite acts in addition to bringing in some performers who have never been to The Fred,” said Lauren Yawn, executive director for the Peachtree City Tourism Association.

Opening the season on April 13 and 14 is Grammy nominated Paul Rodgers of Bad Company. Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Rodgers has been an international hit since 1970, writing and recording some of rock’s greatest hits including "All Right Now," "Can't Get Enough," "Feel Like Making Love," "Rock n' Roll Fantasy," "Shooting Star," "Radioactive" and "Satisfaction Guaranteed," among others.   

Best known for their Oscar nominated and Grammy award-winning hit “Eye of the Tiger,” Survivor will hit the stage on April 27 and 28 playing their chart-toping songs such as “The Search is Over,” “High On You,” “Can’t Hold Back,” and “Burning Heart.”

On May 11-12, legendary vocalist and original dream girl Mary Wilson of The Supremes will capture the audience as she performs classic songs and modern greats with her distinctive rich voice. Concert goers will be able to sing along to songs including “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” and “Stop! In the Name of Love.”   

Returning this year to The Fred is classic rock’s Foreigner. Throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s Foreigner produced scores of smash hits like, “Feels Like the First Time,” “Cold as Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Urgent,” “Jukebox Hero” and “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Foreigner’s thrilling mix of blustery blues and impeccable crafted pop continues to captivate generation after generation of music fans.

Closing out Series I is Aaron Neville and his Quintet featuring Charles Neville. With a voice and style uniquely his own, Aaron Neville will bring flavors of gospel, country, rhythm and blues, jazz and rock when he sings songs like “Tell It Like It Is,” “All My Life,” “Don’t Know Much,” “Everybody Plays the Fool” and many others.
 
“There is a little something for everyone in this season’s line-up,” said Yawn. “We are looking forward to all of our loyal patrons being a part of the 2007 Fred experience.”

The Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater is also pleased to announce the 2007 sponsors. Diamond Level Sponsors include BellSouth Real Yellow Pages, Cooper Lighting, Rinnai America, SMC3, Talbot State Bank, Kroger, Magic 98.1, Panasonic and The Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center. Gold Level Sponsors are Alcan Packaging and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Silver Level Sponsors are Coweta-Fayette EMC, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Delta Community Credit Union, Kiewit Southern Company, Peachtree City Golf Cars, The Graphic Connection, The Guide, Golf Rider, TCIS, Atlas Fabric Gallery and Distribution By Air. The Bronze Level Sponsors are AJAKO, Inc., Beat Down Productions, A Blue Lady Florist and Huntington Learning Center. The Fred Level Sponsors are The Red Room, The Show Business, Happy Dog Studios, Miscela Bella and S.S.F.W Landscape Management.

Series ticket renewals for Series I started Feb. 7 and new series tickets will go on sale March 3 at 9 a.m. Individual tickets will go on sale March 20 and are available at the amphitheater box office and through TicketMaster at www. ticketmaster.com, at any TicketMaster retail location or by calling 404-249-6400. For more information about The Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater, please visit www.amphitheater.org.

The Villages:

Fayetteville’s Villages Amphitheater will host a variety of performers this summer during their 2007 Summer Concert Series sponsored by Sun City Peachtree by Del Webb.

“The series reflects input from thousands of 2006 concert patrons who were surveyed,” said Nancy Price, director for Main Street. “For our smaller venue, we have a diversified line-up including classic rock, oldies, soul, country and variety acts. Several of our acts have Top 10 and Top 20 hits including a five-time Grammy winner.”

The series will kick off May 5 with Starship starring Mickey Thomas. In 1979, Thomas joined the Jefferson Starship as lead vocalist, after the departure of Grace Slick and Marty Balin and immediately scored a #1 hit with “Jane.” With a new sound and powerful new vocals, the group was renamed Starship and began producing hits such as “No Way Out,” “We Built This City,” “Sara,” and earned an Oscar nomination for the #1 hit “Nothing Gonna Stop Us Now" from the movie “Mannequin.”

The series continues June 30 with country artist Lee Greenwood, best known for the massive hit, “God Bless the USA,” which has remarkably made the charts in the ‘80s, ‘90s and again in 2001. His first hit single, “It Turns Me Inside and Out,” made it to a spot in the top 20s of the country charts and both “Ring on Her Finger” and “Time on Her Hand” landed him in the top 10.

On July 14, British rock band Herman’s Hermits, starring Peter Noone, will take stage to perform hits like “I’m Henry the Eighth (I Am),” “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter,” “I’m Into Something Good,” and “Wonderful World.” The band, which formed in Manchester, England in 1963, became part of the British Invasion of the 1960s.

The undisputed master of mimicry, Rich Little, will have the audience laughing as he takes the stage July 21. Little has gained international recognition as one of the most gifted and popular performers in the entertainment business.
Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Little has had a gift for impersonations since his school days. He began performing professionally in night clubs at 17 and broke into American show business in 1963 when he landed a job on a variety show starring Judy Garland. He is arguably one of the most famous impressionists in show business.

Five time Grammy winner Dionne Warwick will perform on Aug. 11 at the Villages. Warwick has, over an illustrious four-decade career, established herself as an international musical legend. Her reputation as a hit maker has been firmly etched into public consciousness, thanks to nearly 60 charted hits since "Don't Make Me Over" began its climb up the charts in Dec. 1962. As a performer, she has charmed and entertained audiences on every continent, amassing a worldwide audience. Some of Warwick’s most notable hits include “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” “Alfie,” “Heartbreaker,” “Deja Vu” and “That’s What Friends Are For,” for which she won a Grammy.

The summer series will close out Sept. 8 with country act Lonestar. The band began its climb to fame with hits like “Tequila Talkin’” and their first #1 hit “No News,” which spent three weeks at the top of Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart in 1996. Lonestar's signature song is "Amazed," a ballad which spent eight weeks at #1 on Billboard's country chart during the summer of 1999. The song subsequently climbed to the top of Billboard Hot 100 chart, the first country act to accomplish the feat since 1983's "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. Other songs the band is recognized for include “I’m Already There,” “What about Now,” and “Tell Her.”

Sun City Peachtree by Del Webb will be the title sponsor for the series. Sun City Peachtree is an active adult oasis that is rising east of Fayetteville in Spalding County and will provide baby boomers an unequaled lifestyle environment.

“We’re excited about our partnership with Sun City Peachtree,” said Price. “Del Webb is nationally recognized for its Sun City concept and its active, rockin’ personification fits in well with the spirit of our amphitheater.”

The cost for all six concerts remains at $150 and $120 for lawn seats. Cash, check or Visa, Mastercard and American Express are all acceptable forms of payment.

Current series ticket holders will have the opportunity to renew their seats until Feb. 16, at 5:30 p.m. Letters are already in the mail to the season subscribers. New series ticket holders can purchase tickets at the Train Depot or by phone beginning Monday, Feb. 26. Individual tickets will go on sale March 5.

Call the Main Street Office for information at 770-719-4173 or email at nprice@fayetteville-ga.gov or jcleland@fayetteville-ga.gov.

login to post comments