Deejays on the Move

The biggest wave landing on talk radio this summer will be the July 1 debut of John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou on KABC-AM (790) from 5 to 9 a.m. Though the arrival of “The John and Ken Show,” which used to air on rival KFI-AM (640) during afternoon drive, was dictated by contractual requirements rather than by the season, KABC is also timing it for the start of the summer quarterly Arbitron rating period, July 2 to Sept. 23.

Mostly, however, summer is time for hosts to give their indoor mikes an outdoor airing and break out the sunscreen.

KLSX-FM (97.1) has Tom Leykis hitting the clubs on three Fridays with live broadcasts and listener parties from 3 to 7 p.m.: this Friday at Buzz in Newport Beach, June 11 at Yankee Doodles in Woodland Hills and Aug. 6 at Sagebrush Cantina in Calabasas.

The station will cap that on Sept. 24 with a big end-of-summer “97.1 Talk Beach Blast” in Newport Beach, broadcasting live from 3 to 10 p.m., first with Leykis, then with evening hosts Tim Conway Jr. and Doug Steckler. KLSX promises surf bands too.

Music stations are also going the outdoor promotion route this summer. For example, though they’re not exactly Normandy and Utah on D-day, two local outlets are establishing beachheads at Venice and Malibu in attempts to get a foothold on ratings territory.

Taking a cue from MTV, which has made a beach house setup its base of operations for several recent summers, KIIS-FM (102.7) last year settled into a seaside pad. The pop giant plans to do the same this year, with weekend broadcasts and activities--live concert broadcasts, parties of contest winners, etc.--planned for a Venice locale.

And now KYSR-FM (98.7), which got into the seasonal swing with a ski lodge for special events last winter, is heading for sea ‘n’ sand as well this year, having secured the use of a Malibu spread. Listen for details of concerts and parties planned for gatherings of a few hundred listeners at a time.

The big station-sponsored concerts continue to grow as the dominant music radio events of the summer. KIIS, which raised the stakes to the stadium level with last year’s Wango Tango at Anaheim’s Edison Field, does it again this year June 12 at Dodger Stadium with a superstar-laden lineup topped by Will Smith, Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias and Blondie.

Alternative-rocker KROQ-FM (106.7), arguably the originator of these events, returns with its annual Weenie Roast at Irvine Meadows on June 19, though as usual the station is playing it very close to the vest regarding the lineup and even on-sale information. Expect a roster featuring some of the hottest young rock acts (Blink 182 is set, for one) and veterans launching comebacks (don’t be surprised if the Red Hot Chili Peppers and/or Stone Temple Pilots, each with a new album coming out soon, are headliners).

Hip-hop outlet KPWR-FM (105.9) is set for its All-Star Powerhouse July 10 at the Arrowhead Pond, with Nas, Krazy Bone, Eminem, Jermaine Dupri and Da Brat among the performers. Urban rival KKBT-FM (92.3) is also planning its annual Summer Jam for Aug. 15 at Irvine Meadows, with lineup and ticket details to be announced in the last week of June.

Concerts for Oldies,

Rock, Country Fans

On the oldies front, KCBS-FM (93.1) has the Arrowfest for Father’s Day, June 20, at the Irwindale Speedway with Joe Walsh, Kansas and REO Speedwagon. KRTH-FM (101.1) will debut deejay Huggy Boy’s Latin Rock ‘n’ Soul concert July 18 at the Greek Theatre and will sponsor the Pasadena SummerFest on Memorial Day weekend and the Taste of Orange County on June 25 through 27 at the Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro, with Hank Ballard and the Midnighters headlining a concert on June 26. (KABC-AM also will do some broadcasts from that event.)

Still in the planning stages is a show for modern rocker KLYY-FM (107.1), to be called the Summer Carnival, in the mode of the station’s inaugural Winter Recital. Hopes are to have the event close the summer on Labor Day weekend at the Universal Amphitheatre, with attendees able to have private access to the Universal Studios theme park after the show.

And country KZLA-FM (93.9) will do its best to stretch the summer out, hosting its Country Cookout on Oct. 24 at Universal, with Jo Dee Messina, Tracy Lawrence and Ty Herndon already booked and at least 10 more acts to be lined up.

Finally, adult alternative station KACD/KBCD-FM (103.1) is putting together a World Class Rock Around the Park at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 11 after the game, with plans for a top act of the current swing music revival.

Meanwhile, many stations are planning the traditional song

countdowns for Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day weekends, with Memorial Day features including KROQ’s top 106.7 songs based partly on listener voting, KRTH’s Top 300 and KLYY’s Southern California 500--the latter taking music made only by artists native to or associated with this region.

On the classical front, KKGO-FM (105.1) will present a live concert of the Pacific Symphony on May 27 at 8 p.m. from the Orange County Performing Arts Center. On July 4, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., the station will feature music of American composers.

KCRW-FM (89.9) world music deejay Tom Schnabel will broadcast six of his “Cafe LA” shows (Saturdays and Sundays, 2 to 5 p.m.) live from the Hollywood Bowl during the premiere season of “World Festival 99.” Dates are June 26 and 27, “Brazil Nights”; July 11, “Tango and Romance”; July 25, “African Pulse”; Aug. 1, “Roots, Rock and Rhythm”; and Sept. 12, “Tropical Heat.” Each of the shows will highlight music of the artists appearing later onstage and will feature an interview with one of the performers at 4 p.m.

And in Espanol: The summer schedule for L.A. and Orange County’s Spanish-language stations is heavy with concerts and benefit events, sometimes both at the same time.

KLAX-FM (97.9) is staging a dance at the Anaheim Convention Center featuring the regional Mexican group Los Tuscanes on May 29 and will again play host to a weekend radio marathon to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital on June 12 and 13.

Also, beginning June 6 and running for 12 straight Sundays, the station will conduct daylong concerts at East L.A.’s Belvedere Park featuring top-name regional Mexican music artists.

Meanwhile, rival KLVE-FM (107.) will, for the ninth consecutive year, play host to a daylong concert and fund-raiser at Hansen Dam to support the Los Angeles Police Department’s Jeopardy program for at-risk youth. The July 18 event will feature a variety of music groups and carnival rides for kids. Admission is $5 for adults.

KLVE’s sister station, KSCA-FM (101.9), will stage a free Father’s Day concert of regional Mexican music at the Pico Rivera Sports Arena, beginning at 11 a.m. The lineup of bands has not been completed.

The four-station Liberman Broadcasting group will also be busy Father’s Day weekend, joining the San Fernando Chamber of Commerce in hosting a two-day street fair June 19 and 20 in downtown San Fernando. The event will feature carnival rides, games, live music and Mexican food booths.

Spanish pop station KSSE (97.5) is moving its star-studded Reventon (blowout) concert from the Universal Amphitheatre to the Arrowhead Pond. The all-day event is set for Aug. 7 and will benefit the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. The lineup of a dozen artists will be announced Tuesday.

Judith Michaelson and Kevin Baxter are Times staff writers; Steve Hochman is a freelance writer.