30 years ago today Expo 86 opened, so I wrote about the music they booked

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      Thirty years ago today--on May 2, 1986--a thing called Expo 86 kicked off in Vancouver.

      The real legacy of the event may be the gridlock Metro Vancouver suffers from today, but on the bright side there were some decent concerts.

      Here's the article I did on the music lineup, which might help you remember some of the gigs you went to.

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      Whether you're in favour of Expo 86 or not, one thing you have to admit is that Jimmy Pattison and company have not skimped when it comes to live music. The on-site entertainment program during the 165-day exposition will feature thousands of musical performances, from the mainstream to the most obscure styles. Without a doubt, 1986 will be the most exciting year of entertainment that Vancouver has ever seen.

      The biggest name acts coming to Expo will perform at Expo Theatre, a 4,100-seat outdoor amphitheatre. The lineup for this particular venue includes such rock acts as Eurythmics, Joe Jackson, Bruce Cockburn, and Parachute Club.

      There is also something for lovers of jazz (Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis), country (Loretta Lynn and the Gatlin Brothers), folk (Pete Seeger/Arlo Guthrie), funk (Kool & the Gang, Billy Ocean), gospel (Andre Crouch, Al Green and the Mighty Clouds of Joy), and other musical flavours (for details see Time Out).

      Unfortunately, Expo Theatre's limited capacity has made several of the shows instant sellouts. (Of the first 30 acts announced for Expo Theatre, eight sold out within hours of going on sale.)

      The most expensive Expo Theatre music shows are those by Eurythmics and Anne Murray ($22.50 each), and the cheapest are for Rolf Harris ($10). Tickets for evening concerts entitle the holder to free admission to the Expo 86 site 1 1/2 hours prior to show time, although matinee tickets are useless without an Expo pass. It should also be noted that the Expo Theatre is a covered, outdoor theatre which is open at the sides and back. As such it is possible for some rain to enter the seating area on a windy, rainy evening. But then, how many windy, rainy evenings do we have in Vancouver anyway?

      Also taking place at the Expo Theatre, on 12 Sundays starting June 1, will be the Legends of Rock 'n' roll Series.

      Highlights include performances by Carl Perkins (June 1), Spencer Davis (June 8), the Everly Brothers (July 13), the Righteous Brothers (July 20), Gary U.S. Bonds (Aug. 3), Roy Orbison (Aug. 10), the Ventures (Aug. 17), and Ray Charles (Aug. 24).

      Hosts include radio personality Red Robinson, Ellie O'Day of CFMI and the Georgia Straight, Province music critic Tom Harrison, and TV/radio personality Terry David Mulligan. Tickets for all the Legends shows will be on sale May 2.

      The second largest musical venue at Expo 86 is the Xerox International Theatre, a 1500-seat covered amphitheatre which will host K.D. Lang & the Reclines, who perform as part of the July 1 Canada Day celebrations (she also appears with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at the Expo Theatre May 19), an Inuit rock band called Northern Haze (part of the Arctic show June 17-22), and the Cambridge Buskers, a satirical sendup of classical music from Britain (July 8-13). Also performing at the Xerox International Theatre will be Quebec's thrilling jazz/fusion group UZEB (June 23-27), Cape Breton's Rita MacNeil (July 30-Aug. 3), the Merry Men from Barbados (Aug. 27-31), and local acts Herald Nix, Randy Raine-Reusch, and Connie Kaldor.

      The Plaza of Nations, adjoining the British Columbia Pavilion at Expo, will provide live entertainment Tuesday through Saturday.

      Tuesdays will be dedicated to the classics, and feature such young B.C. prodigies as Corey and Katya Cerovsek. Wednesday will be dedicated to dance and fashion, with the B.C. Danceworks and Style '86 Showcases.

      On Thursday there'll be Jazz at the Plaza, with acts like Paul Horn, the Fraser McPherson Quartet, Lloyd Arntzen's Classic Jazz Band, P.J. Perry, Skywalk, and VEJI (the Vancouver Ensemble of Jazz Improvisation).

      Fridays are reserved for Country Gold, and groups like the Lonestar Cattle Co. and Midnite Rodeo Band.

      Rockin' on the Plaza takes place Saturdays, with top locals acts such as Doug & the Slugs, Powder Blues, and Bill Henderson with Chilliwack. Also on weekends, there will be concerts by Connie Kaldor, Valdy, Jane Mortifee, Joelle Rabu, and Rick Scott.

      Two more venues keeping the beat at Expo will be the Expo Centre Bandstand and the European Plaza Bandsand, which will be active daily from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm and from 3:30 to 7:30 pm. The Expo Centre Bandstand will host such acts as the Arygles, a four-piece a capella group from Winnipeg, and Victoria's Big Band Trio. The European Plaza Bandstand will feature groups from Toronto (the Great Lakes Quintet), Seattle (Bochinche, Katamba), and Britain (the English Guitar Quartet), as well as local Celtic folk/rockers Spirit of the West.

      Then there's Folklife. Tucked away in the eastern corner of the Expo site, Folklife is a horseshoe-shaped group of cedar buildings clustered around a grass common, with a huge wood-burning brick oven and open-pit barbeque in the middle. This is where, as Folklife's assistant producer Gary Cristall puts it, Expo patrons "will be able to discover parts of Canadian culture that perhaps they did not know even existed."

      Each week a different facet of our culture will be highlighted. There will be an Inuit Week, a Black Nova Scotia Week, a Metis Week, an Acadian Week, and so on.

      And as if the entertainment lineup at Expo Theatre, Xerox International Theatre, the Plaza of Nations, bandstands, and Folklife weren't enough, check out the talent booked for the Eighty Six St. cabaret. B.B. King, Tower of Power, Robert Cray, Queen Ida, UZEB, and Skywalk will all be playing the 700-seat club. And the best thing about it is that, once you've entered the Expo gates, all those acts are free!

      If there is such a thing as an overdose of good music, Expo 86 is providing it.

      click to enlarge

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