SUMMER SPLASH II: Orange County : Our Hottest picks for a Jam-Packed Summer : POP MUSIC

Orange County wades into its second hundred years facing a summer that’s filled with a wider range of arts and entertainment activities than ever.

The Calendar staff of the Times Orange County Edition selects highlights among the hundreds of choices offered at the county’s theaters, art museums, outdoor amphitheaters, concert halls, comedy clubs, movie theaters and elsewhere to stave off any summer doldrums that might dare to take roost.

Other than folk music and jazz, where the pickings are typically scarce, Orange County concert venues offer good variety this summer. Rock fans have the widest choice, but there are some prime pickings in blues, country and R&B.; Here’s a genre-by-genre rundown of shows announced so far.

Rock

* Michelle Shocked and John Wesley Harding, Coach House, May 29. Texan Shocked offers a sure hand with rootsy styles from folk to blues; Harding is a cheeky young Brit who likes clever wordplay.

* Little Feat, Pacific Amphitheatre, June 3.

* Mojo Nixon and the Paladins, Coach House, June 7.

* Fleetwood Mac and Squeeze, Irvine Meadows, June 8-9.

* L.A. Guns, Y&T; and Circus of Power, Irvine Meadows, June 10.

* King Sunny Ade, Coach House, June 11.

* Tom Verlaine and Shawn Colvin, Coach House, June 12. Solo performances by Verlaine, whose ‘70s underground band, Television, primed the pump for punk rock, and Colvin, a newcomer in the Suzanne Vega urbane-folkie mode.

* Erasure and Wire, Irvine Meadows, June 15. The KROQ techno-pop crowd goes wild for Erasure. Wire, one of the early British post-punk rock bands, has influenced R.E.M., among others.

* Concrete Blonde, Coach House, June 16-17. After experimenting with a quartet format that freed singer Johnette Napolitano from bass-playing duties, these L.A. faves are back to performing as a trio and sporting a new drummer.

* Don Henley and Innocence Mission, Irvine Meadows, June 17.

* Cowboy Junkies and Townes Van Zandt, Coach House, June 18, 21.

* Midnight Oil and Hunters & Collectors at Irvine Meadows, June 22. An all-Australian night led by the politically-committed Oils, whose 1988 concert at Irvine was that year’s best live show.

* Todd Rundgren, Coach House, June 23, 25, 26, 28. The Wizard is playing some club dates to sharpen his band for an upcoming live recording.

* Jimmy Buffett and Zachary Richard at Irvine Meadows, June 24.

* Chris Isaak and Tony Gilkyson, Coach House, July 7.

* Poco, Celebrity Theatre, July 14.

* Allman Brothers Band, Pacific Amphitheatre, Aug. 3.

* Ramones, Deborah Harry, Tom Tom Club and Jerry Harrison, Irvine Meadows, Aug. 3. OC’s IMA hosts a reunion of acts that started out at NYC’s CBGB.

* Moody Blues, Pacific Amphitheatre, Aug. 30. A quarter century since “Go Now!” and they still haven’t.

* K.T. Oslin, Ricky Van Shelton, Baille and the Boys, Pacific Amphitheatre, Sept. 7.

* Frank Sinatra, Pacific Amphitheatre, Sept. 8.

* Beach Boys, Pacific Amphitheatre, Sept. 9.

* Across the Line: Orange County rock fans know by now that Bogart’s in Long Beach is a place to look for good alternative music. Among the worthwhile Bogart’s shows that won’t be playing in Orange County proper are the Silos, June 2; Joe Ely Band and the Gyromatics, June 20; Poi Dog Pondering, June 21; Something Happens, June 23 and Firehose, June 30.

R&B;

* Luther Vandross, Celebrity Theatre, June 14-16, 18. One of the top R&B; draws takes his show to a smaller setting.

* Janet Jackson and Chuckii Booker, Pacific Amphitheatre, June 23-24.

* Al Green, Coach House, Aug. 4.

* Ray Charles, Coach House, Aug. 9-10.

* Anita Baker, Irvine Meadows, Aug. 12. Baker can inject a frisky playfulness into her shows, although dusky romance is her calling card.

* Natalie Cole, Coach House, Aug. 24.

Blues

* Benson & Hedges Blues, Pacific Amphitheatre, June 9. The lineup features Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Cocker, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Irma Thomas and Dr. John.

* James Harman Band, Coach House, June 15.

* Albert King, Coach House, June 29.

* B.B. King, Coach House, Sept. 1-4.

Country

* Jann Browne, Crazy Horse, June 18. This Orange County singer has begun to make a national impression with her “Tell Me Why” album.

* Jerry Jeff Walker, Crazy Horse, June 25.

* Reba McEntire, Travis Tritt, Celebrity Theatre, July 13.

* Alabama, Clint Black, Irvine Meadows, July 15.

* The Judds, Highway 101, Pacific Amphitheatre, Aug. 4.

* Emmylous Harris, the O’Kanes, Celebrity Theatre, Aug. 18. Harris remains a classic country voice, while the O’Kanes are one of the better songwriting duos in Nashville.

* Ronnie Milsap, Celebrity Theatre, Aug. 25.

Reggae

* Sunsplash ‘90, Irvine Meadows, June 2. With Burning Spear, Freddie McGreggor, Marcia Griffiths, Shinehead, Shelly Thunder, U-Roy and the 809 Band.

* The Wailers, Coach House, June 7.

* UB40, Pacific Amphitheatre, July 7.

Folk

* Leo Kottke, Coach House, May 31. Kottke combines technical excellence on the guitar with a skewed sence of humor.

* Queen Ida and her Bon Temps Zydeco Band, Saddleback College Gymnasium, June 16. Transplanted Louisianan who began playing music in her 30s has long been the leading female performer in the zydeco field.