A medley of hits for summer

Back for its 39th installment, the 2006 Fashion Island Concert Series promises to draw a crowd and rock the house with musical acts every Wednesday for the next six weeks.

The series opened Wednesday with a performance from Newport resident Bill Medley. The Righteous Brother covered all of his hits, sharing a duet of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” and “Little Latin Lupe Lu” with his son, Darrin. Daughter McKenna opened the concert with three songs, and later joined her father and brother for “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life.”

The courtyard behind Bloomingdale’s was packed, but this is only the beginning for the summer series, promising stars from all the past eras of rock ‘n’ roll and pop music.

Flo and Eddie of the Turtles are scheduled for July 19. Known for their hits “It Ain’t Me Babe” and “Eleanor,” the group will give the audience a show to move with.

Get ready to rock out to Eddie Money on July 26 as he performs hits spanning two decades, including “Two Tickets to Paradise,” “Take Me Home Tonight” and “Baby Hold On.”

Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean will visit from his home in Huntington Beach to perform “Surf City,” the song made in collaboration with Beach Boy Brian Wilson. The surf-rock music legend will perform all the hits inspired by the Southern California sun and surf.

On Aug. 9, walk on the Australian wild side with Colin Hay of Men at Work as he brings back his hits of the ‘80s “Who Can it Be Now?” and “Down Under.” Hay, known for his humorously soulful musical style, came back into the spotlight after his work on the “Garden State” soundtrack in 2004.

The series wraps up Aug. 16 with a performance by Grammy-winner Poncho Sanchez Latin Band. Sanchez has been a tradition of the series for years with his percussion ensemble, where behind every song there lies a story.

“The community looks forward to this event every year,” said Laura Davis, spokeswoman for Fashion Island. “It gets bigger and better every year.”

Shows begin at 7 p.m. and seating is free, with 400 VIP seats available for $20 each. However, VIP seating for some of the shows is already sold out.

For those who don’t want a chair, bring a blanket and sit on the grass wherever a free space can be found.

For more information, call (949) 721-2000. dpt.14-happs-3-BPhotoInfoJ11SU58920060714j2danencCredit: KENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT Caption: (LA)Bill Medley dpt.14-happs-1-C.1PhotoInfoJ11SU56S20060714j2dal9ncCaption: (LA)Bill Medley, of the Righteous Brothers, performs during the opening night of the Summer Concert Series at Fashion Island on Wednesday.