THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 12, 1996 TAG: 9608100042
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CRAIG SHAPIRO, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 85 lines
AFTER A SUMMER that has seen local stages booked to the rafters, this sounds a lot like a broken record. But another big week of music kicks off Wednesday when Jimmy Buffett steps on stage at the amphitheater.
The schedule doesn't lie: Neil Young and James Taylor play the shed the next two nights. The buffet, however, only begins in Virginia Beach. Venues of all sizes are hosting artists for all tastes.
Has Hampton Roads arrived? You have to ask?
Wednesday
Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band. So he's a pirate looking at 50. So he hasn't had a hit album in, what, 20 years? This is how much that matters to his loyal and loving Parrotheads: They grabbed all 20,000 seats for his concert in less than an hour, and that's when they went on sale five months ago. Whip up a margarita and PAR-TEEE!
8 p.m. Wednesday at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater. Sold out.
Thursday
Neil Young and Crazy Horse. Ol' Neil was last around here on the heels of 1990's ``Ragged Glory.'' He's since become an Oscar nominee and taught Pearl Jam how to rock. ``Broken Arrow'' is his latest, but the beauty of Young's shows is they're likely to go anywhere. And anywhere is good. The Gin Blossoms and the Ben Folds Five open.
7 p.m. Thursday at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater. $17.75 to $32.75, plus parking and service charges; order at 671-8100.
Reba McEntire. With that mane of red hair, lovely Reba could stand on stage for 90 minutes and the guys would go home happy. But that voice. A fave with the country set, she's at home caressing a ballad or belting out honky-tonk. Billy Dean and Linda Davis get it rolling.
7:30 p.m. Thursday at Hampton Coliseum. $30 and $42, plus service charge; order at 671-8100.
Friday
James Taylor. He might qualify as ``adult contemporary'' these days, but if you haven't seen J.T. live, you're in for a treat. His songs have lost none of their appeal and he always has a crack band in tow. And forget the ``shy'' and ``retiring'' tags - he has lots of fun on stage.
8 p.m. Friday at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater. $15.75 to $34.75, plus parking and service charges; order at 671-8100.
Clarence Clemons. How many knew the Big Man was born in Chesapeake? That's one reason to catch his show. Since his ex-boss, that would be The Boss, dismissed the E Street Band, Clemons has done fine on the solo circuit, serving up tasty helpings of blues, R&B and roadhouse rock 'n' roll.
7 p.m. Friday at Waterside Live!, Norfolk. $10; 622-3654.
Saturday
The Indigo Girls. With Alanis Morissette kvetching all over radio, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers couldn't hit the circuit at a better time. Theirs is a world view, they harmonize like nobody's business and they're as likely to cover Bob Dylan and Gladys Knight as they are Neil Young and Buffy Saint-Marie.
9 p.m. Saturday at the Boathouse, Norfolk. $15 advance, plus service charge; order at 671-8100.
Sunday
Little Texas and Neal McCoy. Little Texas hit the bigtime with ``Big Time.'' Three singles off that album - ``What Might Have Been,'' ``God Blessed Texas'' and ``My Love'' - reached No. 1. Neal McCoy has done OK, too. ``No Doubt About It'' and ``You Gotta Love That'' went platinum. More country? Rhett Akins (``That Ain't My Truck'') is first up.
3 p.m. Sunday at Little Creek Amphibious Base, Norfolk. $14 advance plus service charge, $17 day of show; order at 671-8100.
Next Monday
Tori Amos. ``Musically, I always allow myself to jump off of cliffs.'' That's Amos talking about ``Boys for Pele.'' It fits all of her albums, though, since 1992's ``Little Earthquakes.'' Given the industry's paint-by-numbers mindset, she earns points for wading outside the mainstream.
8 p.m. next Monday at Chrysler Hall, Norfolk. $23.50 plus service charge; order at 671-8100.
Aug. 20
The Verve Pipe. Can't hardly talk about a big week of music without a rep from the modern-rock playlist. Meet The Verve Pipe, the pride of East Lansing, Mich. The quintet has made inroads on radio thanks to the single ``Photograph.'' The Drag opens the show.
9 p.m. Aug. 20 at The Abyss, 1065 19th Street, Virginia Beach. $8 advance, plus service charge; order at 671-8100. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Neil Young and Crazy Horse
Photo
Clarence Clemons by CNB