O.C. Concert Halls Reshuffle Schedules

Concerts announced for the coming month at Southampton, a dinner-theater-turned-concert-hall in San Clemente, either have been postponed and moved to Hamptons in Santa Ana, or canceled altogether.

Shows by Billy Preston, Spencer Davis and Curtis Mayfield have been postponed and relocated, and a show by the Coasters and Brother John is off. The operator of the two halls said the changes were made primarily to accommodate remodeling at Southampton but also cited sparse booking at both clubs, which switched from dinner theater productions just last month.

Al Hampton, who owns and operates the facilities with his wife, Barbara, said he now feels that launching both concert halls at the same time was too difficult. The focus for now, he said, will be on establishing Hamptons as a venue. The 325-seat Southampton will probably reopen with concerts in March, after work to reduce the size of the stage and overhaul the sound system.

Todd Hartmann, hired recently to help the Hamptons line up concerts for both halls, said that by the time Southampton reopens it will be booked for several months. So far, he said, the Yellowjackets and Doug Kershaw have been signed.

Southampton and Hamptons (490 seats) have had some booking conflicts with the 450-capacity Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. The two new clubs have advertised some shows that they later dropped because of exclusive contracts between the acts and the long-established Coach House.

Hartmann said Hamptons and Southampton now are trying to avoid encroaching on Coach House turf. “We’re working around their schedule,” he said. “We don’t want to conflict with the Coach House at all.”

Schedule changes at Hamptons and Southampton:

* Billy Preston will play Jan. 26 and 27 at Hamptons (originally scheduled for this Friday and Saturday at Southampton).

* The Association will sing Feb. 14 at Hamptons (originally scheduled there Jan. 16).

* Spencer Davis will play Feb. 4 at Hamptons (originally scheduled Jan. 19 at Southampton).

* Curtis Mayfield will sing Feb. 1 and 2 at Hamptons (originally scheduled Feb. 2 and 3 at Southampton).

* The Coasters and Brother John concert, originally scheduled for Jan. 20 at Southampton, is canceled.

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