Groups Plan to ‘KIIS & Unite’ at AIDS Benefit

A bill of pop, rock, rap and R & B acts will converge at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre on Saturday for an eight-hour AIDS benefit.

Amy Grant, Luther Vandross and Richard Marx are among the performers featured in the 15-act program, which runs from 4 p.m. to midnight. All tickets to the benefit, dubbed “KIIS & Unite” are being given away over the air on KIIS-FM (102.7). Ticket recipients are being asked to donate $1 at the door.

The benefit’s tentative schedule, in order of appearance, includes Kenny G, Jody Watley, the Smithereens, P.M. Dawn, Firehouse, Shanice, Eddie Money, Heavy D. & the Boyz, Tony Terry, Celine Dion, Luther Vandross, Color Me Badd, Keith Sweat, Amy Grant and Richard Marx.

KIIS also will raise money by taking pledges from listeners, and by auctioning more than 100 prizes donated by celebrities. The auction will take place during a two-day radio-thon that begins Friday at 6 a.m. Among the auction items are a guitar autographed by the members of U2, one of Rod Stewart’s stage suits, a basketball game of “Horse” with Vlade Divac of the Los Angeles Lakers, and a set of “his and hers” motor scooters donated by Sting.

The benefit’s goal is to raise more than $100,000 for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, a Santa Monica-based charity primarily devoted to developing treatments for infants and children who have the disease.

SST GETS BAZOOKA: Bazooka, the all-instrumental trio whose Cream-with-a-saxophone style bridges the gap between be-bop and power-rock, has signed with SST Records. Band manager Sam Lanni said that SST’s track record with instrumental music figures to be a plus for Bazooka.

While the label is best known for launching alternative rock bands like Husker Du, the Meat Puppets, Sonic Youth and Black Flag, it also has a substantial catalogue of all-instrumental releases by such acts as Pell Mell, Gone, Elliott Sharp, Cruel Frederick, the Alter Natives and Universal Congress Of.

The instrumental albums haven’t been big sellers, according to SST spokesman Ron Coleman, “but we’ve managed to carve a little niche and had some success with instrumental music.”

Bazooka--saxophonist Tony Atherton (who also plays in Cruel Frederick), drummer Vince Meghrouni and bassist Bill Crawford--will aim for a late summer or early fall release, Lanni said.

ACADEMY GOES CRAZY, AGAIN: The Crazy Horse Steak House in Santa Ana continues to monopolize the Academy of Country Music’s annual award for country nightclub of the year. The Academy recently announced that the Crazy Horse has won for the sixth straight year. Awards in the various musical categories will be presented Wednesday at the Universal Amphitheatre in ceremonies to be televised on NBC.

MOVING TO LONG BEACH: Promoter David Gaar, whose Westminster-based Sin Fronteras Productions specializes in Cajun-zydeco dance concerts, is moving a series of monthly shows from the Meadowlark Restaurant in Cypress to the Foothill Club, 1922 Cherry Ave., Long Beach. Gaar said the Foothill Club, a 1930s-vintage hall that formerly hosted touring country acts, has a large wooden dance floor that will better serve his format. John Delafose & the Eunice Playboys, one of the top Louisiana-based zydeco bands, will play May 15, and the Cheryl Cormier Cajun Band will appear June 19. The shows run from 7:30 to 11 p.m., with free dance lessons available. Information: (714) 373-0102.

YET ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE: Joining the ranks of clubs featuring live alternative rockers is JJ’s Lounge in Orange, which has been putting on local bands every Monday Tuesday and Wednesday. Owner Jim Virgilio said he has run the 70-capacity club for 30 years, and decided to dip into the local alternative scene a few months ago at the suggestion of his son, Jimmy. Next week’s schedule at JJ’s has the Court Jesters on Monday, Eating in Bed on Tuesday and Funky Sex Machine on Wednesday. The club is at 1815 E. Chapman Ave. Information: (714) 532-4920.