Summer Splash III : Looking For Hot Tips? Well, We Recommend . . . : Pop Music

To sample the best in pop music this summer, you’ve got to be a little adventurous--open to everything from steamy hard rock to spirited country. You’ve also got to be willing to travel from the Wilshire District to Tijuana.

Five of the entries on the list of the summer’s most promising events are concerts. The sixth is a Tijuana club: Iguanas, a 1,000-capacity room within walking distance of the border that may be the best venue of its size anywhere. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster.

The selections are in chronological order.

1. Elvis Costello (tonight, Tuesday, Wednesday, June 3 and 4 at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles). Costello is such a gifted and prolific writer that he alone may have given us almost half of the memorable rock songs to come out of Britain since the punk uprising in the late ‘70s.

2. Iguanas (especially June 15 for Dinosaur Jr.). Besides terrific sight lines and sound, the club has three side balconies to add to the room’s intimacy. It’s worth checking out regardless of who is playing, but Dinosaur Jr. (sharing the bill with Nirvana) is especially recommended. The Massachusetts band, which combines post-punk energy and J Mascis’ strong songwriting sensibilities, also plays the Hollywood Palladium on June 14.

3. Garth Brooks (June 29 and 30 at the Universal Amphitheatre). Brooks--who wins you with his mainstream country songs and disarming enthusiasm--will also open for the Judds on June 23 at the Pacific Amphitheatre as part of the duo’s lengthy farewell tour, but he’ll probably do a longer show when he is on his own at Universal.

4. The “Lollapalooza Tour” (July 20 at Southwestern College’s Devore Stadium in San Diego, July 21 and 23 at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre). Jane’s Addiction, the darkly absorbing L.A. rockers, is enough of an attraction alone to make the list, but this novel package also includes Living Colour, Ice-T, the BH Surfers, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Nine Inch Nails and Rollins Band.

5. Guns N’ Roses (July 29 and 30, Aug. 2 at the Forum in Inglewood). Axl Rose is hot, he’s sexy and--unlike Jim Morrison--he’s alive. The most compelling hard-rock bestseller to come out of Los Angeles since the Doors, the band previewed material from its upcoming Geffen albums at the Pantages earlier this month and it seemed quite strong.

6. Aretha Franklin (Aug. 23 at the Greek Theatre). The premier female soul singer of her generation, Franklin can be a somewhat stiff performer whose shows are marred by slickness, but this is her first Southern California concert in years and there are bound to be a few moments when her vocals about love and regret will give you chills.