Righteous!

It would be tough enough shopping for a birthday present for a 100-year-old friend. They’ve probably gotten everything over the years so you couldn’t exactly surprise them.

But how about a 100-year-old city?

The city has already received a number of gifts in honor of the centennial: the McFadden Square Legacy sculpture, a float in the Rose Parade and an exhibit in the Nautical museum.

So what now? Newport Beach officials felt a Righteous Brother concert could fill the bill. Bill Medley, that is.

“We wanted to do our part to honor the city and its residents,” Irvine Co. representative Nina Robinson said. “We felt that Bill, being a resident, would be the perfect person to head up the series, and give back to the community.”

Another surprise gift came right before the concert as Mayor Don Webb announced a $1.6 million donation, a sort of birthday present from Donald Bren, chairman of Irvine Co., intended for improvements to the Upper Bay.

The concert, which drew a crowd of about 2,500, flowed out of the provided chairs and onto blankets on the grass and standing room where it could be found. The concert marked the beginning of the 2006 Fashion Island Summer Concert Series, a set of six weekly performances held Wednesdays in the Bloomingdale’s courtyard of Fashion Island.

Medley is the first Newport Beach resident to be featured in the summer concerts, Robinson said.

“We have an annual concert series every summer, but this is the first time we have ever tied in with a local resident in honor of a event that is happening,” Robinson said.

Medley opened the evening with “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’.” That song pretty much set the tone for the evening with Medley sticking close to his hits from his Righteous Brothers days as well as his solo work. He covered well-known hits such as “Soul Inspiration,” “Unchained Melody” and “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life,” from the movie “Dirty Dancing,” which he performed with his daughter, McKenna Medley. Medley also shared the stage with his son, Darrin Medley, for a cover of “Little Latin Lupe Lu.”

With more than two dozen albums, he had plenty of songs to choose from, but did not mind sticking to a list of his most popular work.

“You would think after 40 years of those songs you’d go nuts,” he said. “Oddly enough, the minute I walk on stage I become 25 years old again ? and the audience gives you that love; the song becomes new, and everything becomes fresh.”

The 65-year-old singer/songwriter felt grateful in being asked to help the city celebrate 100 years of history and community.

He even shared a little humor with the audience about his time in Newport Beach.

“One hundred years ? Holy Moly! -- I remember every minute of it,” Medley said.

“I am very proud of Orange County. They have been so wonderful to me, on the good, bad and the ugly.

“I am real proud to be from there.”