Delsener Series Rides Again
The promoter Ron Delsener and East Hampton's Guild Hall have teamed up for another summer concert series - this one with an even larger palette of performers than last summer's successful Grolsch series. Guild Hall announced the lineup on Monday.
The country icon Willie Nelson will open "the Seagram's Mixers Summer Concert Series" with a performance on May 25, and the folk singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie will close it out on Aug. 16. In between, the series will spotlight an eclectic mix of everything from comedy to cabaret and jazz, including such names as George Carlin, Spalding Gray, George Benson, and Billy Bragg.
The lineup - with several more acts and dates to be announced - looks like this: Willie Nelson (May 25, $70), Echo and the Bunnymen May 30), George Shearing and Joe Williams (July 4, two shows, $60), Andrea Marcovicci (July 11 and 12, $35), Spalding Gray, "It's a Slippery Slope" (July 18 and 19, $40), George Carlin (July 25, $70), John Kelley in "Paved Paradise - The Songs of Joni Mitchell" (July 26, $35), Howie Mandel (Aug. 6, $60), George Benson (Aug. 15, $70), and Arlo Guthrie (Aug. 16, $35).
Comedy And Cabaret
"Like last year, it's a real pastiche sort of deal," said Robert Long, Guild Hall's public relations director, referring to 1996's span of acts from Elvis Costello to the '50s era cabaret singer Rosemary Clooney. "This is a somewhat more eclectic line-up," Mr. Long said, "It's going to be good."
The ticket prices are also more eclectic. The Grolsch series ranged from $50 to $80, while this year's shows run from $35 to $70. Guild Hall's John Drew Theater seats roughly 385.
While the Grolsch series was built largely around more current, pop-realm acts - Shawn Colvin, Mr. Costello, The Robert Cray Band, Laurie Anderson, Squeeze - the Seagram's series centers more on individuals and represents different genres. Mr. Delsener had hoped to bring comedy, for example, to last summer's stage, but wound up with all music.
Jazz And Folk
This year, the series boasts two established comedians, as well as a new monologue by the innovator of that genre, Mr. Gray. "It's a Slippery Slope" deals with the part-time Sag Harbor resident's trials in learning to ski.
The Seagram's series also gives a more vigorous nod to jazz and cabaret. George Shearing, the English jazz-piano legend, will team up with Joe Williams, an equally important jazz vocalist whose roots trace back to the big-band era.
George Benson, another prominent jazz figure, is a veteran guitarist who made pop breakthroughs with songs like "Breezin' " and a remake of "On Broadway" that became the title song of the film "All That Jazz."
Phony Joni
The cabaret singer Andrea Marcovicci is no stranger to Guild Hall's stage. She is a favorite in New York as well, playing regularly at the Algonquin Hotel and other respected venues.
Probably the most colorful musical act in the lineup is John Kelley's "Paved Paradise - The Songs of Joni Mitchell." Mr. Kelley has been pulling in rave reviews for his impersonation of Ms. Mitchell's alluring voice and persona.
The series' originally scheduled second act, Billy Bragg, a politically oriented British folk singer, was canceled this week. But Guild Hall announced the addition of another British act, Echo and the Bunnymen, a new wave band that made its mark in the '80s.
Nelson's Encore
Like Elvis Costello last summer, Willie Nelson may be the marquee act of the series as well as the opening act. The soft-spoken singer has not played in the area since appearing with the Highwaymen at the 1992 Back at the Ranch Concert.
Tickets for all shows go on sale Saturday at 11 a.m. They can be purchased at the Guild Hall box office (cash only), or by credit card through all Ticketmaster outlets and American Express Gold, at (212) 307-GOLD.
The Guild Hall box office will be open Thursday through Sunday throughout May and June, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In July and August the box office will stay open seven days, also from 11 to 5. On show days, the box office will be open until show time.