A new summer concert is bringing the Long Beach Symphony out of its gilded home at the Long Beach Terrace Theater and onto the shores of the Alamitos Bay Marina this weekend with a special themed program featuring the greatest hits from the ’80s.
The show on Sunday, June 12, adjacent to Boathouse on the Bay is akin to the symphony’s playful POPS! shows at the Long Beach Arena, a concert series in which popular music gets the symphony treatment. Music by George Michael, Wham!, Bryan Adams, U2, Billy Joel, Bonnie Tyler and others will be performed by a full 28-piece symphony orchestra and the ’80s rock and roll cover band Rewind, who performed with the symphony last in 2019 for the “Rewind—Celebrating the Music of the ’80s” concert.
“They were hugely successful, it was the most fun most popular concert we’d done in years and we thought we would feature them again,” symphony President Kelly Ruggirello said.
Opening the show will be King Salmon and the Funk Yard Horns, a funk, soul and rhythm and blues rock band who’ve performed in Long Beach many times over the years, frequently at the Gaslamp.
This will be the first time the symphony performs at the restaurant. The collaboration was made possible by Boathouse on the Bay general manager John Morris, the same guy behind the Big Bang on the Bay fireworks celebrations, who thought why not make their stretch of shore a summer destination outside of Independence Day while also helping support the city’s resident symphony.
“That we are the beneficiaries of the ticket sales, it was an extraordinary offer of generosity,” said Ruggirello. “His (Morris’) goal is really to help promote the arts and Long Beach to create a summer series that benefits the arts, and we enthusiastically agreed.”
The symphony is in the process of building a stage along the west side of the restaurant with professional-grade sound and lighting as well as a dance floor. The show will have stadium-style seating, however there is some grassy area for guests to picnic if so inclined. Attendees are also allowed to bring their own food and beverages, but there will also be food and drinks available for purchase on-site.
Tickets are available for the concert ($100) and special dining options with 14 participating restaurants in the area for $150. These include Boathouse on the Bay, Ballast Point Brewing, George’s Greek, Mahé, Malainey’s Grill, Michael’s on Naples, Naples Rib Company, Nick’s on 2nd, Nico’s, Ola Mexican Kitchen, Riley’s on 2nd, Saint & Second, San Pedro Fish Company and Tantalum.
Tickets to dine at Boathouse on the Bay are $500 but include a $50 dining credit, guaranteed seating in the first five rows in front of the stage, exclusive VIP tent access with a private bar, two drink tickets, reserved parking, and a meet-and-greet with the band. Those who dine at one of the other restaurants will get general admission seating but will get a $50 dining credit at the participating restaurant.
All ticket sales benefit the Long Beach Symphony. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Boathouse on the Bay is at 190 North Marina Drive.
Editors Note: This story has been updated to note that the concert will be held in an area adjacent to the Boathouse on the Bay restaurant.
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