Steve Miller, Culture Club to hit stage

Steve Miller, fresh from last month’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, headlines a lineup of classic acts that also includes Culture Club, Foreigner, Olivia Newton-John and Pat Benatar during the Pacific National Exhibition’s Summer Night Concerts series.

“The Fair at the PNE is one of British Columbia’s most beloved and iconic events,” Mike McDaniel, president and CEO of the Pacific National Exhibition, said in a release.

“With a diverse and exciting lineup of all-new exhibits and shows, and returning favourites, the 2016 Fair at the PNE provides the best ticket value in B.C.”

The PNE, which runs Aug. 20 to Sept. 5, features 14 free concerts on the PNE Amphitheatre stage starting Sunday, Aug. 21 with Great Big Sea lead singer Alan Doyle and his touring band, the Beautiful Gypsies. Saskatchewan rockers The Sheepdogs, who made history in 2011 when they became the first unsigned band to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, will play Tuesday, Aug. 23.

The 72-year-old Miller, best known for his string of ’70s hits like The Joker, Fly Like An Eagle, Jet Airliner and Take The Money and Run, will hit the stage on Aug. 24. The rest of the lineup: Simple Plan (Aug. 25) Olivia Newton-John (Aug. 26) Foreigner (Aug. 27), Culture Club (Aug. 28), Monster Truck (Aug. 30), A Tribe Called Red (Aug. 31), Dru Hill with Sisqo, Nokio, Jazz & Tao, 20th Anniversary (Sept. 1)

Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo: We Live For Love Tour (Sept. 2) Tim Hicks (Sept. 3) TheMonkees—GoodTimes:The 50th Anniversary Tour (Sept. 4), Chris Isaak (Sept. 5). All the concerts are free with admission into the PNE. The Fair kicks off on Saturday with the Kiss Radio W ham B am, a paid music festival featuring Vancouver’ s Hedley. That concert isn’t free, however, as tickets range from $46.75-$74.50 plus admission.

Other highlights of this year’s Fair at the PNE include a nightly magic show at the Pacific Coliseum, the Angry Birds Universe featured exhibit, an expanded Craft Beer festival and a celebration of late Vancouver band leader Dal Richards.

General admission into the Fair is $17 (or $13 online), $8.50 ($6.50 online) for seniors, and free for children 13 and under.

GERRY KAHRMANN Musician Steve Miller, known for hits like Fly Like an Eagle and The Joker, is part of the lineup for the PNE’s Summer Nights Concerts series.