Best Upcoming Summer Concerts In Orange County
Hootenanny with Rancid, Reverend Horton Heat and more
Oak Canyon Ranch
5305 E. Santiago Canyon
Irvine, CA 92676
www.thehootenanny.com
Price: Tickets from $39.50 to $100
Date: Saturday, July 7, 2012 at 12 p.m.
The 20th anniversary of Rancid takes center stage at this festival, which captures the scent of rock n' roll lovers in Orange County and beyond. Rancid takes Main Stage A (6:42 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.), just two minutes after The Reverend Horton Heat is scheduled to finish firing up the crowd at Main Stage B (5:46 p.m. - 6:40 p.m.). There will be an abundance of entertaining acts, including Lucero, The Bouncing Souls, The Growlers, Not In The Face, The Supersuckers and more. Legendary acts at an affordable price cannot be taken for granted, and Hootenanny promises to provide both spectacle and sound.
Orange County Fair
Pacific Amphitheatre
88 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
www.ocfair.com
Price: Tickets start at $29.50 and include free Fair admission
Click here for a calendar of events
A remarkable collection of musicians are a central part of this special fair, and Orange County music fans are sure to be excited about this summer's star-studded line up. This includes concerts from classic performers such as Willie Nelson (July 13), Matisyahu (July 15), Adam Lambert (July 19), Sheryl Crow (July 25), Earth Wind & Fire (July 28), Tears For Fears (August 1), Heart (August 9), and Duran Duran (August 11). Upcoming artist Brent Michelle is also playing at the OC Fair on July 22.
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City National Grove of Anaheim
2200 E. Katella Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92806
www.citynationalgroveofanaheim.com
Chris Isaak
Price: Tickets range from $55 to $75
Date: Wednesday, August 1, 2012 8 p.m.
California native Chris Isaak may be known for a "Wicked Game" and for doing "bad, bad things," but his fans still embrace him with all the good in their hearts. Isaak has ranked as high as number 68 on the VH1 list of the 100 sexiest artists, and his seductive songs are far more than just the soundtrack to many classic films. Isaak's recent show the "The Chris Isaak Hour" on The Biography Channel attracted everyone from Trisha Yearwood to Stevie Nicks to the Smashing Pumpkins as guests. With Isaak as inspiration, anything is possible in the world of Orange County.
Los Lonely Boys
Price: Tickets range from $35 to $39.50
Date: Thursday, August 2, 2012 8 p.m.
Coming to the same Orange County location the day after Chris Isaak, Los Lonely Boys bring their magic to Anaheim. Having won Grammy awards, opened for the Rolling Stones and recorded with such iconic figures as Carlos Santana and Willie Nelson, this group brings the best "boy-band" music palette anywhere. Their "Tex-Mex" roots rock, and their songs tackle complex sociological and economic issues affecting people throughout the world. A band known to "Believe" in love, and to bring an authenticity of meaning to their music, Los Lonely Boys rock on as their California audience enjoys.
Neil Diamond
Honda Center
2695 E. Katella
Anaheim, CA 92806
www.hondacenter.com
Price: Tickets start at $55
Date: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 8 p.m.
Living legend, Kennedy Center Honoree, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist Neil Diamond already had sold more than 100 million records by the time of the millennium. "Sweet Caroline" has famously become the theme song for Red Sox Nation and a sing-along song at numerous sporting events (the Carolina Panthers play it at the end of each home game when they win). Diamond made fans of the Monkees band exclaim "I'm a Believer." Also, Diamond's 12 Songs album, produced by Rick Rubin in 2005, included back-up vocals from Beach Boy legend and "California Girls" co-writer Brian Wilson. An artist of Diamond's significance is a perfect fit, worthy of the sophisticated Orange County audience.
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