Classic Rock Fans Line Up to Buy May Fair Tickets

Classic rock fans with a bit of gray in their hair showed up early Friday morning to buy the first tickets for the Steppenwolf and Eric Burdon and the Animals show at Dixon’s May Fair. The line wasn’t as long as several days previously when tickets went on sale for concerts by Trace Adkins and Selena Gomez.

Second in line Friday was Janet Mercurio of rural Davis, buying a ticket primarily to see Eric Burdon and the Animals. She’s wanted to see the band live ever since she was traveling with her family through New York City in 1964 and saw posters for a performance.

“I really wanted to stay and watch then, but we were with the whole family and I knew that wasn’t going to happen,” she said. “That’s when their song 'The House of the Rising Sun' was out and I was trying to learn it on the guitar. I have the original 'Best of the Animals' (LP) album. I’m from the olden days.”

“I’m going to buy the best seat I can get,” she said, adding that this would be her first May Fair concert. She said she’d seen a write-up of the entertainment slate in the Davis Enterprise, and said to herself, “Eric Burden’s coming to Dixon? OK!”

Next in line were Frank and Cathy Bueno, of Vacaville. They were also most interested in Eric Burdon. She said they were looking forward to  "a lot of his good old classics such as 'San Franciscan Nights'. And I’m looking forward to Steppenwolf, too. … That was our youth. … My husband used to be in a band back in the late '60s.”

The Buenos have fond memories of Willie Nelson and Elvin Bishop playing the May Fair.

Also waiting to buy tickets was Pete Wells who’d driven over from Fair Oaks, but grew up in rural Dixon. He’d seen Steppenwolf 17 years ago over on the north coast and was looking forward to renewing the acquaintance.

“I’m going to take my wife, and my buddy and his wife,” said Wells. “I’ve seen ZZ Top (and other top classic rock bands) here before.”

He said in his youth, “I showed sheep here,” adding “I like seeing old friends at the May Fair. Dixon’s a small community.”

Ticket buyers Enrique and Mary Garcia, of Elmira, were divided in their tastes, with him favoring Steppenwolf and she tending toward Eric Burdon. They attend the May Fair almost every year, and in the fair itself love the corndogs. He vividly remembers Steppenwolf’s music from the 1970s.

“'Born to Be Wild' was our class song,” added Mary. Enrique joked that he was going to attend the concert with his walker and cane.

Inside the fair’s offices, staffer Sandy Boensteel said Eric Burden will open the concert, and that the entire production should last around three hours. Of the other nights’ concerts, she said the Trace Adkins concert was 29 percent sold out and the Selena concert was 37 percent sold out.

Jack Murphy, the May Fair’s CEO, said: “This year’s May Fair offers one of the strongest lineups the Fair has had. The performers touch every age group. Selena (Gomez), especially, is on fire – she’s sold out wherever she appears. And the (Adkins-Haggard concert) is the strongest country-western appearance we’ve ever had here.”

“People come from all over the area,” Murphy added. “Probably more come from west of Dixon – from as far away as Napa and Oakland.”

Murphy said the acts cost a lot to bring in, so there’s always the element of risk in choosing the best musical lineup.

The entertainment on the final night of the May Fair is the annual demolition derby. Murphy said that they’re working hard to keep the action as continuous as possible by being able to remove immobile vehicles from the track faster than during previous years.

This year’s May Fair runs May 4-8. Entertainment tickets can be purchased at the fair’s box office at 655 S. First St., in Dixon from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (tickets are also available online through Ticketmaster).

Entertainment tickets also provide admission to the rest of the May Fair on the day of the performance. The fair’s contact number is (707) 678-5529 and its Internet site is www.dixonmayfair.com. To just attend the fair, which is quite a show in itself, ticket prices are $7 prior to the fair and $12 during for adults. Kids 5-12 attend for $7, while those four and under are free. Seniors and military pay $8