Bill Medley’s kickoff of the Fashion Island Summer Concert Series earlier this month drew a huge crowd.
Every parking space at the mall was filled when the Righteous Brother hit the stage, said Gerald Ishibashi, producer of the event.
During its six-week run, the free Wednesday concerts at Bloomingdale’s Courtyard attract about 30,000 people,and shoppers.
The mall doesn’t measure the “bounce back,” or people who watch the concert and shop, said Laura Davis, marketing director for Fashion Island.
It doesn’t have to. When that many people are coming week after week, mall stores are seeing a spike in shopping, she said. The concert series, which debuted in 1967, also establishes an intangible bond between customer and mall, Davis said.
Ishibashi, owner of Stonebridge Productions, has been producing the event since 1991. Ishibashi also sings in a jazz, R & B; and soul band, Stonebridge, which performs at least once a week in the area.
When Ishibashi took over as producer of the Fashion Island concerts, it was a jazz series. He broadened it.
“My forte is to define a need,” Ishibashi said.
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Fashion Island concert: Bill Medley kicked off summer series |
Fashion Island wants to draw large crowds and make them happy, he said. Ishibashi and the Fashion Island marketing team decide on the acts together. Ishibashi then books the acts via their managers or agents.
With many artists, including Medley, Ishibashi already has a rapport, so he calls them directly.
Ishibashi sees his job as twofold: pleasing Fashion Island and keeping the entertainer happy.
“I feel like I have their career in the palm of my hands,” he said. “I’ve been entrusted with their well-being at the moment.”
He tries to bring in less fussy entertainers, the ones who don’t require a certain color of M & M; or fancy hotel suites to perform. He also has to stick to a budget.
“That’s where relationships come in,” he said.
Eddie Money already has appeared to sing “Baby Hold On.” The Turtles are in this year’s lineup.
Ishibashi has been producing concerts since the 1980s, when he booked shows for Hard Rock Cafes. He put on the Taste of Newport musical events for several years before the work was taken in-house. He’s also the entertainment chairman for the Newport Centennial event Oct. 8.
Poncho Sanchez and his Latin band close the concert series, as they do every year. Ishibashi said Sanchez is easy to work with. One phone call and the booking is a done deal.
You may not be able to sing along to Sanchez’s songs, but he’s a crowd favorite. Ishibashi attributes that to his charisma and the band’s infectious rhythm.
“He draws people in,” Ishibashi said.
Marketing Lexus, Tracking Fletcher
The recently opened Newport Lexus dealership has been spreading the word on radio, TV and in newspapers.
“Our big push is radio,” said Allen Moznett, general manager.
Radio has the biggest reach, he said.
“We’re on a lot of stations right now,” Moznett said.
The dealership is on track to meet its first month’s sales goals, he said.
Newport Lexus expects to open its coffee bar this week and its service facility in the next two weeks.
“Our putting green is open,” Moznett said.
Meanwhile, nearby Mercedes dealer Fletcher Jones Motorcars isn’t sweating.
Fletcher Jones’ Newport Beach dealership set a sales record of $307.8 million for the first six months of the year. That’s up 13% from a year ago. It sold 3,216 new autos and 1,039 used during the period.
The Lexus competition will bring more people to the area and make sure Fletcher Jones keeps improving, said general manager Garth Blumenthal.
Fletcher Jones just finished redoing the blacktop on its lot and is renovating customer lounges.
“We’re going to work extremely hard,” Blumenthal said.
Fletcher Jones supplies members of the Breakers, a Newport Beach tennis team, with a new Mercedes while they are in Orange County competing in the World Team Tennis competition.
South Coast Swing
South Coast Plaza’s Beachworks store is set to host the Element skateboard team on Aug 2.
Barbie has a brand new bag,a Dooney & Bourke bag,and she’ll be showing it off at the Teen Vogue Barbie event on Aug. 26 at Dooney & Bourke. The store sells colorful handbags.
Meanwhile, Isabelle von Boch will be sharing tips on accessorizing table settings on Aug. 26 at South Coast Plaza’s Villeroy & Boch store.
