THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 28, 1996 TAG: 9604250218
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: BEACH BEAT
SOURCE: JOHN HARPER
LENGTH: Short : 49 lines
Local concert fans looking for some bigger venues this year have a couple of good nearby options - one of them brand new.
The Virginia Beach Amphitheater is nearing completion and will be ready for a May 15 grand-opening performance by homegrown Grammy award winner Bruce Hornsby.
Plenty of other big-name performers, who used to skip Hampton Roads because there's no place big enough to play, will follow Hornsby into the 20,000-seat outdoor setting.
The opening of the amphitheater is especially good news for Outer Banks concert-goers. Instead of driving four hours to Raleigh, fans of Jimmy Buffett, Sting, Steely Dan and James Taylor can make the trip to Virginia Beach in about two hours.
Tickets for Virginia Beach Amphitheater events are available at all Ticketmaster locations.
Among the Ticketmaster outlets, and the only one in the Albemarle area, is Atlantic Music in Elizabeth City.
Atlantic Music manager Mike Mercer says he started the Ticketmaster outlet in February.
``I've been going to shows all my life,'' Mercer says. ``I hated to have to drive out of town to get tickets. A music store should have it.''
Mercer says he recently sold 280 tickets in 40 minutes for the Jimmy Buffett show scheduled for Aug. 14 at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater. He also sold 95 Eagles tickets in 40 minutes.
Tickets must be purchased in person from the Atlantic Music outlet. No credit cards or checks are accepted.
It is also possible to charge tickets by phone, but you must use the Ticketmaster phone center in Virginia. That number is (804) 671-8100. For general information about the new amphitheater, call (804) 368-3000.
The old stand-by for road-trip concerts is The Walnut Creek Amphitheater in Raleigh, which has 32 shows scheduled. Tickets for these shows can also purchased at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call (919) 834-4000. For general information on the summer series, call (800) 48-CREEK. MEMO: John Harper covers Outer Banks entertainment for The Carolina Coast.
Send comments and questions to her at P.O. Box 10, Nags Head, N.C.
27959. by CNB