Starlight Bowl

Jackson Bell This summer's Starlight Bowl concert season features a mix of crowd pleasers from years past with promising first-time performers, organizers said. The Fab Four, Burbank Philharmonic Orchestra and The Answer -- bands that have had strong turnouts in the past -- are scheduled to return, said Garth Nelson, deputy director of Parks, Recreations and Commu- nity Services Department, which oversees the Starlight Bowl. Another mainstay, Captain Cardiac and the Coronaries, will close the season Aug. 15. Also on the schedule this year for the first time are "An Evening with the Rat Pack," ABBA tribute band Bjorn Again and Herman's Hermits, featuring original singer Peter Noone.

Paul Andersen, Weekend HILLSIDE DISTRICT -- Glance over Poncho Sanchez's schedule for the next few months, it's guaranteed you will feel winded, if not full-fledged tired. He's long been called the hardest-working man in Latin jazz, and the proof is on his Website. Sanchez, who appears Sunday at the Starlight Bowl for what has become an annual visit, will criss-cross the nation and Japan in August as the summer jazz festival season heats up. So when he recently had a Saturday night cancellation, he did what anyone in his position would do -- he gladly gave his band the night off. "I can't remember the last time that I was actually home on a Saturday night," he says with a laugh.

Mariachi Sol de Mexico, led by Jose Hernandez, will show its versatility in classical, pop, jazz, swing and Broadway tunes when the 14-piece group stops this Sunday at the Starlight Bowl in Burbank. Its premier achievements are being the first mariachi group to be nominated for a Latin Grammy and the first to perform in the communist countries of China and North Korea. The group has recorded with such stars as Willie Nelson, Lucha Villa and Linda Ronstadt.

Amber Willard BURBANK -- As July 4 approaches, so does fire season and reminders from public safety officials that fireworks are against the law in Burbank. "No fireworks of any kind are approved in the city," Burbank Fire Marshal David Starr said. That includes "safe and sane" fireworks, such as sparklers, sold in other California cities. Fireworks have been banned in Burbank for at least 10 years, officials said. Instead, the city will provide a professional fireworks display at 9 p.m. July 4 at the Starlight Bowl, 1249 Lockheed View Drive.

Paul Andersen, Weekend BURBANK -- One look at the lineup for this year's summer concert series at the Starlight Bowl and you'll realize that the old adage, "Something for everyone," just might not be one of the world's oldest cliches after all. From the big band of Horace Heidt Jr. to the Gershwin celebration featuring the Burbank Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestra, the Starlight Bowl will be the place to be...

Joyce Rudolph, Weekend BURBANK -- Kids On Stage, the children's performing arts experience sponsored by the Burbank parks department, is returning this week to the Starlight Bowl in Burbank. Rob Bowers of Burbank is artistic director and master of ceremonies for the morning interactive workshop that continues for two weeks and is aimed for children 4 to 12. This year's theme is "The Music, The Mask and The Magic." Limpopo, a group that combines Russian folk music and American rock 'n' roll, is the featured attraction the first week, Bowers said.

Joyce Rudolph BURBANK -- Captain Cardiac and the Coronaries is the featured act for the next segment of the city's summer concert series at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Starlight Bowl. The group plays rock 'n' roll classics from the '50s and '60s with an energetic flair. Opening act is The Alley Cats, an a capella quartet specializing in doo-wop classics of the '50s and '60s. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children 3 to 12 and seniors 60 and older.

Robert Blechl HILLSIDE DISTRICT -- Let the music and sky show begin. But plan ahead, tickets must be purchased in advance. The All-American Fourth of July Celebration will be at the Starlight Bowl from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. Musical entertainment includes the Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra and the Fife & Drum Trio. The grand finale will be an aerial musical fireworks show. The cost is $20 for box seats, $10 and $15 for reserved seats, and $5 for grass seats and wheelchair users.

Molly Shore For Natalia Vignali's big acting break, she landed the role of a magical Mexican jumping bean. Natalia, 5, is one of the cast members in the Missoula Children's Theatre musical production of "Jack and the Beanstalk," on stage tonight at the Starlight Bowl. AnnChris Warren, one of the show's directors, said that at auditions on Monday, she looked for uninhibited children. "They have to be willing to put themselves out there and not be afraid to be anything," she said.

JOYCE RUDOLPH Captain Cardiac and the Coronaries will be rocking and rolling with music from the good old '50s and '60s Sunday at the Starlight Bowl. Their repertoire stretches from Graceland to Surf City, with classics such as "Wipe Out," "Jailhouse Rock" and "Respect," to name just a few. But this year, the group's got a few surprise songs they've been practicing, like the famous Monkees' song "I'm a Believer." The song's popularity was renewed after an updated version was featured in the animated film "Shrek."

A $12.7-million renovation of Memorial Field has ignited a debate about where John Burroughs High School will host its May graduation, with administrators arguing that the facility needs to be protected and students calling for a return to the traditional commencement site. “I definitely want to graduate at Memorial Field,” said senior Austin Ross, 17. “My mother graduated on it, my brother graduated on it and my sister graduated on it. I just feel like it has been a tradition for years at Burroughs.” The high school hosted graduation at its field for decades before a much anticipated overhaul - kicked off in January following years of planning and fundraising - forced officials to move it to the Starlight Bowl last year.

With temperatures expected to reach the high 90s this holiday weekend, authorities are warning Burbank residents to celebrate July 4 responsibly. Burbank Police Sgt. Robert Quesada reminded residents that all fireworks are illegal, and those found to be in possession of them face fines and possible jail time. “We want everybody to have a good time and enjoy themselves, but you have to be responsible,” Quesada said. Despite the annual warnings, the July 4 weekend typically brings its own set of headaches for public safety officials responding to emergencies brought on by alcohol.

It wouldn’t have been a John Burroughs High School graduation without a bit of musical theater, and there was plenty of that on Thursday at the Starlight Bowl as members of the class of 2011 lined up to accept their diplomas. A vocal performance of “Feeling Good” by the school’s celebrated choir was followed by a kazoo-accompanied rendition of Journey’s rock anthem, “Don’t Stop Believing,” that quickly evolved into an audience sing-a-long. The amphitheater — Burroughs Memorial Field, the school’s traditional commencement setting, currently is under construction — proved an apt setting for the wave, which flowed through the 603 graduates several times.

The Verdugo Hills were alive with the sound of music, family fun and the colors and blasts of pyrotechnics as Burbankers gathered at the Starlight Bowl on Sunday evening for the annual Fourth of July celebration. Along with celebrating the 234th anniversary of the approval of the Declaration of Independence that set America on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation, this annual event also served as the kick-off to the Starlight Bowl's 2010 Summer Concert Season. Since its reopening in 1992, the hillside amphitheatre has provided residents from Burbank and the surrounding region with Sunday evening concerts that run from the Fourth of July till the end of August.

Thousands of people filed into the Starlight Bowl on Sunday night to hear some live music, watch some fireworks and relax with family and friends. The event was called a "Salute to the Soul of America" and marked the beginning of the Starlight Bowl's 2010 Summer Concert Season. Armed with coolers filled with food and drinks, they trekked up the hills to the venue. Tickets ranged from $11 to $22, depending on how close one wanted to get to the stage. Ron Black came to the concert as a spectator, but said he would love to come out as a performer next year and do some country singing.

It was a family affair, both in the audience and on stage as Colin Hay Colin Hay and his wife, Cecilia Noël , took to the stage of the Starlight Bowl on Sunday evening. Early arrivals who staked out prime picnicking spots on the lawn included Art , Jamie and Sophia Martin , Jeanne and Alfredo Arzubiaga , Timithie and Nicholas Norman , John and Joelene Sevey , and Clara Lee . In the box seats below the lawn, Lynne, Cindy and Cathy Beaumont joined Tracye Cavanaugh in a pre-concert toast while wine bottles were being uncorked in the adjacent box of Sara Viola, Gino Cuellar, Dena Troxell and Joe Cusumano . A stickler for keeping things on time, Recreation Services Manager Kris Smith , who coordinates the Starlight Bowl concerts, gave the signal for the festivities to begin and Cecilia Noël flamboyantly pranced on stage in a hot red dress along with her 15-piece band, the Wild Clams.

TODAY Shakespeare at Play will have a yard sale from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 328 N. Brighton St., Burbank. Donations of new or gently used items are needed. They can be brought to the residence ahead of time, or the same day if need be. Volunteers are also needed from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For more information, call (818) 566-1925. ? Life Boy Scout Brandon Coria will be hosting a Movie and Dinner Night fundraiser to finance his Eagle Scout Project at 5:15 p.m. at Magnolia Park United Methodist Church, 2828 W. Magnolia Blvd.

LA PROVIDENCIA GUILD DISPLAYS SALUTE AMERICA The members of Burbank’s La Providencia Guild of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Thrift Shop decorate the shop and window displays with a new theme each month. This month’s window was created to coincide with the theme of the city of Burbank and Burbank Philharmonic Orchestra’s concert on July 4 at the Starlight Bowl — “Star Spangled Salute to America.” La Providencia Guild’s theme for its windows is “Celebrate America” and displays include a kicked-back Uncle Sam picnicking at the Starlight Bowl in one window and teddy bears playing, flying kites and having a “Teddy Bear Picnic” in the second window.

BURBANK — Thousands crammed into the Starlight Bowl for a set of Fourth of July performances and a fireworks spectacular Saturday funded by the city, even as it has struggled to cut costs during the recession. Children danced between picnic baskets and lawn chairs in the hill above the sold-out venue, while grown-ups sipped wine and took in the sounds of the Burbank Philharmonic. As the three-hour event came to a close, the bowl’s lights were shut off and the crowd of more than 4,000 turned their gazes — and cameras — skyward for a $25,000 pyrotechnics show.