Greek and Universal Offer Full Summer Pop Menu

Look for lots of diversity this summer and much of the rest of the year at the Greek Theatre and Universal Amphitheatre.

The list of nearly 100 attractions announced Tuesday by the two concert facilities ranges from veterans Frank Sinatra and Bob Dylan to teen newcomers Tiffany and Debbie Gibson. Among the musical styles that will be represented: reggae, gospel, country and Latin jazz.

But the most surprising entry involves the latest twist in the “Dirty Dancing” saga.

First, there was “Dirty Dancing”--the film, last year’s left-field box-office smash.

Then, “Dirty Dancing”--the album, an even more unlikely hit. The collection of rock oldies and contemporary mainstream pop songs has sold more than 5 million copies and spent more weeks at No. 1 on the national charts (14) than the latest releases by either Michael Jackson or Bruce Springsteen.

Then, “More Dirty Dancing”--the album sequel, an oldies-dominated set that remarkably has also leaped into the national Top 10.

And now: “Dirty Dancing”--the tour.

Alex Hodges, who has joined the Nederlander Organization (which operates the Greek on a lease from the City of Los Angeles) as vice president and head of concert booking, said the “Dirty Dancing” package will be headed by Bill Medley and Eric Carmen, both of whom had hit singles from the film.

The “Dirty Dancing” package, he added, is expected to be at the Greek in mid-July, though the exact date depends on the routing pattern for the 150-city national tour which will begin May 29. The show will also include singer Merry Clayton and the “Dirty Dancing” Dancers.

Among the 44 other attractions scheduled for the Greek: Bob Dylan and the rock group the Alarm (Aug. 2-4), Julio Iglesias (June 16-18), Buster Poindexter (July 15), Bruce Hornsby (Aug. 20) and the Moody Blues (Aug. 28-30).

Meanwhile, the trio of Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. (July 7-10), Steve Winwood (July 26-29), Billy Ocean (Aug. 19-21), the Judds and Randy Travis (Sept. 21-24) and James Taylor (Nov. 2-5) head the list of more than 50 artists on the Universal Amphitheatre’s “extended” summer schedule.

(Martin’s status on the Sinatra-Davis dates is still tentative. The singer dropped off the national tour last month on doctor’s orders. He reportedly needed several weeks rest due to a kidney problem.)

Tiffany and Debbie Gibson, the teens whose debut LPs have both been in the Top 10 for weeks, will headline separate shows at the Universal and the Greek on July 3-4 and Aug. 8, respectively.

Phone and mail orders for all the Universal concerts will be accepted beginning April 17. Tickets for the shows will go on sale through Ticketmaster or the amphitheater box office about six to eight weeks before the performances.

Subscription mail orders (with a minimum of six sets required) will be accepted beginning today by the Greek. Tickets for most individual shows will be sold starting May 22.

While the number of concerts was down at the 6,187-capacity Greek from 70 in 1986 (for a gross of nearly $7 million) to 50 nights last year (an estimated gross of more than $5 million), Greek general manager Susan Rosenbluth said the decrease was due to fewer acts touring last summer rather than any softening of the L.A. concert market.

Rosenbluth, who predicted that the Greek will be open about 80 nights this season, said, “I think most people in our business agree that Los Angeles is still the biggest concert market--far bigger than New York or London.”

Larry Vallon, executive vice president of the 6,251-capacity Universal Amphitheatre, agreed there is more concert activity this summer. (The amphitheater, which is open all year, grossed an estimated $18 million last year with 148 shows.)

“We are finding an enormous amount of artists touring and a lot of them are in our capacity range,” Vallon said. “It’s cyclical in a way. Some years, you’ll see more arena acts on the road and the number of shows will go up at the Forum, then there’ll be more stadium acts and you’ll see more shows at the Coliseum or Anaheim Stadium.”

Jim Guerinot, director of booking at Universal, said the flood of available talent contributed to the diversity of this year’s scheduling.

Hodges and Guerinot are both new faces in the annual Greek/Universal “star wars” booking competition. Hodges, a high-powered agent who has represented such acts as the Allman Brothers and Dire Straits, joined Nederlander in February. He oversees the booking department, which also includes Hal Lazareff and Ken Scher.

Guerinot, who moved from the Avalon Attractions concert promotion firm to Universal last August, is director of booking. He works on talent buying with Vallon and vice president Jay Marciano.

Following is the remaining 1988 Universal schedule:

Morris Day, May 6; Love and Rockets, May 8; Belinda Carlisle, May 11; Dave Brubeck Quartet and Joe Williams, May 15; Gladys Knight & the Pips and Alexander O’Neal, May 20-21; B.B. King, May 22; Kool & the Gang, May 28-29; Dan Fogelberg, June 1 and 3; New York Doo Wopp show, June 4.

Bob Goldthwait, June 10; Tony Bennett with orchestra in a tribute to Irving Berlin, June 11; Kenny Rogers with the Smothers Brothers, June 16-19; Chuck Mangione, June 23; Jay Leno, June 24-25; the Winans, June 26; Smokey Robinson, July 1-2; Hall & Oates, July 16-19; Emmylou Harris, July 24.

Dwight Yoakam, July 30; Rick Springfield, Aug. 5-7; Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aug. 8; Hank Williams Jr., Aug. 10-11; Howie Mandel, Aug. 12-13; Four Tops, Aug. 14; Spyro Gyra, Aug. 18; the Rascals plus Tommy James, Aug. 23; Yellowjackets, Aug. 25; Temptations plus O’Jays, Aug. 26-27; Joan Armatrading, Aug. 29; Michael Tomlinson, Aug. 31.

George Strait, Sept. 1-2; Louie Anderson, Sept. 11; Peter, Paul & Mary, Sept. 17-18; George Benson, Sept. 25-26; Kenny G., Oct. 15-16; Lee Ritenour, Oct. 28; the Cramps, Oct. 29; Oak Ridge Boys, Nov. 6; the Whispers, Nov. 11-12; Engelbert Humperdinck, Nov. 14-15, and Rosanne Barr, Dec. 9. In addition, there are bookings for Siouxsie & the Banshees for two nights, but no dates have been firmed.

Besides those acts already cited, the Greek lineup includes “Sounds of the Highlands,” a Scottish concert and fair featuring the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, May 1; Ricky Skaggs, May 13; Sarah Vaughan, May 27; “Reggae Sunsplash ‘88” featuring Toots & the Maytals, May 29-30; Earl Klugh, June 5; Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock, June 8; Sandi Patti, June 10.

Club Nouveau, June 26; “Rockin’ Blues Night” starring Gregg Allman, July 8; the Nylons, July 20; David Benoit and Keiko Matsui, July 21; Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie, July 22; Maria Conchita Alonso, July 23; “Gospel America” starring Pat Boone and Deniece Williams, July 29; Celia Cruz and Tito Puente, July 30; the Charlie Daniels Band, July 31.

The Royal National Ballet of Spain, Aug. 5-7; Debbie Gibson, Aug. 8; Dizzy Gillespie festival featuring Gillespie, Airto and Monte Alexander, Aug. 10; Gloria Estefan & the Miami Sound Machine, Aug. 12-13; Milton Nascimento, Aug. 14; Petra, Aug. 19; “Latin Jazz Spectacular” starring Tania Maria and Dave Valentin, Aug. 26.

James Brown, Aug. 27; Dionne Warwick and Burt Bacharach, Sept. 2-3; UB40, Sept. 7-8; Jose Jose, Sept. 9-10; Yes, Sept. 11; Harry Belafonte, Sept. 13; Gordon Lightfoot, Sept. 17; Wynton Marsalis and Nancy Wilson, Sept. 22; Tom Jones, Sept. 23-24; Anne Murray, Sept. 25; Kenny Loggins, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1-2; Stevie Ray Vaughan, Oct. 5-6; John Denver, Oct. 7-9; Barbara Mandrell, Oct. 22, and Wayne Newton, an October date still open.