Orange County Native's Gwen Stefani is Farewell Act for Irvine Meadows

LAKE FOREST, CA — It's not her first time headlining a concert at Irvine Meadows, but her show will be the last. Orange County native Gwen Stefani is set to take the stage Oct. 29 and 30 in the final show at that venue. At the end of the month, 16,000 fans will gather over two nights to say goodbye.

Irvine locals, indie recording artists Young the Giant and Save Ferris will open the swan-song show both nights to say goodnight to the over 35-year-old concert venue.

With concert promoter Live Nation's long term lease on the property expiring as of 2017, the land beneath the famed Irvine Meadows will become home to a new housing development, making the farewell even more bittersweet for the Grammy-Award winning solo artist..

"I'm devastated," she told the Orange County Register in an interview on the subject. She recalled going with her parents to see UB40, but most of all, her first time taking the stage.

"I remember the first time playing there," she said. Her band opened for Ziggy Marley in 1990.

"I remember thinking, 'How on God's great Earth are we playing here?'" she said.

That was the first time No Doubt played at the Meadows, but not the last. They returned with the release of "Tragic Kingdom," as well as appeared in conjunction with several KROQ annual Weenie Roasts, in 1996 as the main-stage act. She returned for "The Sweet Escape," her second solo tour with two sold-out shows in 2007. No Doubt played their Return of Saturn tour in 2000, played four sold out shows in 2009.

The 2016 "This is What the Truth Feels Like" solo tour was chosen by Live Nation as the send off to Irvine Meadows.

"I have so many memories at Irvine Meadows," she said in a statement. "It has been such an important part of my life both as an artist and as a fan and it will always hold a special place in my heart. I am humbled to perform there once again as it comes to a close."

Save Live Music Irvine, described by Stan Frazier of Sugar Ray, weighed in on Facebook with his thoughts.

"If you had a band poster on your bedroom wall growing up, that band played here (at Irvine Meadows)," Frazier said in his video. "The stage might go silent, but the music doesn't have to stop. Let's keep live music in Irvine."

Stefani has played Irvine Meadows with No Doubt, one of the multitude of recording artists to do so. Some of the greatest hits of the concert venue include large scale tours such as Lollapalooza, Vans Warped Tour Festivals, KROQ's annual Weenie Roast, bands such as Oingo Boingo, Poison, X, Crosby Stills and Nash, Kool and the Gang, Def Leppard, Blink-182, the Dave Matthews Band, Coldplay, as well as single performing artists Jimmy Buffett, John Denver, Frank Sinatra, Prince, Michael Jackson and Nobel prize winning recording artist Bob Dylan.

Have you been to a concert at Irvine Meadows? Tell us your favorite #MeadowsMemory in comments...

(Photo/Jason H. Smith via Flickr Creative Commons)