As part of its 35th Anniversary Season initiatives,
Pacific Symphony has created a new
musical endeavor, Wavelength Festival of Music, to be held this summer at the OC Fair & Event Center at
Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa on Aug. 22, 23, 24 and 25. Over four summer evenings, Wavelength
features a dazzling and diverse array of contemporary musicians, in most cases performing with members
of Pacific Symphony.
The iconic Bonnie Raitt opens the festival Thursday evening, Aug. 22. Dubbed “indie night,” Friday,
Aug. 23 opens with Delta Spirit and then heats up with The Airborne Toxic Event performing with Pacific
Symphony. On Saturday, Aug. 24, the festival’s media sponsor, KCRW, presents an evening curated by Jason
Bentley, the station’s music director and host of their signature weekday show “Morning Becomes Eclectic”
and “Metropolis” on Saturday nights. The evening will feature a special DJ set by Jason Bentley and special
guest artists to be announced in the coming days. The final concert of the weekend on Aug. 25 presents The
Music of Pink Floyd – “The Dark Side of the Moon” played in its entirety with Pacific Symphony in celebration
of the album’s 40th anniversary.
The festival will feature two stages: the Mainstage in the Amphitheatre and Concourse stage. The Concourse
stage will showcase various 2013 OC Music Awards-affiliated bands, local up-and-coming indie artists as well
as individual Pacific Symphony musicians. Nightly concert festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. on the Concourse
stage followed by mainstage performances beginning at 7 p.m.
Having recently been named to a Lifetime Achievement honor at the 2013 OC Music Awards, Music Director Carl
St.Clair is no stranger to the importance of popular music and its connection to the Symphony.
“Pop music has a long history of linking up with classical musicians. From The Beatles to Motown to contemporary
indie bands, artists have recognized the sonic power unique to an orchestra. Our goal with Wavelength is to
present diverse genres of high-quality music, often in direct collaboration with musicians from the orchestra,”
said Maestro St.Clair. “I hope audiences will spend the entire weekend with us to open their ears to
worlds previously unknown to them. I like the diversity of the offerings, which I hope will be the ongoing appeal
of Wavelength over the years.”
“The idea for Wavelength sprang from a desire to serve Orange County and the region with a new and distinct popular
music experience which demonstrates the versatility of the musicians to collaborate with a wide range of artists,”
said John Forsyte, president of Pacific Symphony. “Through a long-standing relationship with Steve Beazley, former
CEO of the Fair, I have come to learn about the exciting developments at the OC Fair and Pacific Amphitheatre.
It’s a great venue for live music. Over a million people attend the OC Fair every summer and many attend popular
music concerts at the Amphitheatre. Steve and I saw a great opportunity for Pacific Symphony’s name to get in front
of a wider audience base.”
“We welcome the Southern California Mercedes-Benz dealers as the festival’s presenting sponsor,” continues Forsyte.
“Their sponsorship assures us that during this critical first year we can concentrate on delivering the best experience.
“Our relationship with the OC Fair too is key to the success of this major new initiative. The Fair administration and
board has been very generous in providing resources and has been quick to identify ways to produce the project efficiently.
The orchestra has performed numerous times at Pacific Amphitheatre, so we’re confident that all expectations will be
met—from superlative acoustics to all aspects of patron comfort.”
Additionally, in a very unique promotion, interested Wavelength attendees should buy tickets early and use their Wavelength
ticket to "Bounce Forward" into the 2013 OC Fair, July 12-August 11. Wavelength ticket holders can attend one of the 23
days of the OC Fair for FREE by showing their Wavelength ticket.
“Wavelength celebrates music at its best, an art form without boundaries,” said Executive Producer Steve Beazley.
“Blending orchestral and contemporary music is Wavelength’s approach and one which I believe will change the
landscape of music in Orange County and Southern California.”
Tickets for Aug. 22, 23 and 25 range in price from $25 to $95 and are on sale at 10 a.m. May 15 through
Ticketmaster.com. VIP Packages are also available through
Ticketmaster.com. Aug. 24 ticket prices and on-sale
details will be announced in the coming days.