Friday, May 2, 2003 | 9:47 a.m.
As recently as the 1990s Southern Nevada was a regular stop along many major summer touring routes.
The Grateful Dead, the Eagles and the Lollapalooza festival, among other significant headlining acts, visited Sam Boyd Stadium during that decade.
Scan through Southern Nevada's upcoming concert schedule, however, and you won't find many outdoor options. Despite a consistently pleasant climate, the area offers few musical choices aside from its many indoor venues.
And now comes word that for the first time in 11 years, KKLZ's classic rock "JuneFest" festival will not take place. For the past decade the concert had been staged at Silver Bowl Park, the soccer fields near Sam Boyd.
"We're taking a hiatus this year," said Tom Davis, director of sales for the Beasley Broadcast Group, which includes KKLZ 96.3-FM. "The decision was based on the fact that we needed to go to the next level with the event, and in order to do that we felt we had to secure better talent. "We felt it was best to take a hiatus and look forward to next year."
Just two years ago the Dave Matthews Band played two May concerts at Sam Boyd, and N'Sync performed one show at the stadium.
But this year there are no top-tier headliners scheduled to play outdoors in Southern Nevada. Sam Boyd is slated to host just two concerts both one-day festivals this summer: X-treme Radio's "Our Big Concert 6" May 17 and KLUC's "Summer Jam 4" May 24.
The area's other major outdoor venue, Mandalay Bay's Beach, is closed for construction and is not expected to reopen until July.
This summer's major touring music festivals -- the Vans Warped Tour, Ozzfest and the revamped Lollapalooza -- are all skipping Southern Nevada.
Daren Libonati, director of facilities for Sam Boyd, the Thomas & Mack Center and the Cox Pavilion, said much of the difficulty in staging outdoor concerts in Las Vegas during the summer stems from the searing heat.
"We pretty much back off stuff when we get into late June, when it gets real hot," Libonati said. "And they're also not that interested in coming to Vegas when it's that hot."
Still, those festivals are all stopping off for outdoor shows in the Phoenix area, which is typically several degrees hotter than the weather in Las Vegas.
The stadium's switch from artificial turf to natural grass in 1998 -- a move for the benefit of its football program -- has also limited its ability to stage shows during the months leading up to the Rebels' fall season.
"A lot of times we're in a transitional phase growing grass for the next season, so we have to pass on some touring shows in September and October, which are usually good weather times," Libonati said.
That might not be a long-term obstacle, however. Libonati said that stadium and university officials are considering going back to turf. That artificial surface could be rolled back for concerts to host concerts on cement, as it was for the Grateful Dead's annual runs at the stadium from 1991 through 1995.
Another positive development for outdoor concertgoers: a plan to turn a 10-acre field north of Sam Boyd Stadium into a potential venue. "The Legends of Rasta Reggae Festival Tour" will break in the new space May 10.
"The back field will hold more people than we have now in the stadium, and it allows us to have a better layout because it's all fenced in," Libonati said.
"We'll have the flexibility of being more multipurpose, with athletic events in the stadium, and concerts and festivals either in the stadium or on the back field."
Though U2 or Paul McCartney aren't visiting Sam Boyd Stadium, there are still plenty of outdoor concert choices in Southern Nevada.
"Our Big Concert" brings together such hard rock bands as the Deftones, Social Distortion, Mudvayne, the Used, Taproot and Taking Back Sunday. Rapper LL Cool J and R&B vocalist Kelly Rowland headline "Summer Jam 4."
Here are a few other places you can go to see music under the stars this summer:
Paris Las Vegas' pool: Four Saturday night concerts have been announced for the venue: Dishwalla and Lifehouse June 21, Old 97's singer Rhett Miller and Uncle Kracker July 12, Aimee Mann and Duncan Sheik July 26, and Bering Strait and Susan Tedeschi Aug. 30.
Stratosphere Outdoor Events Center: Six shows are on tap at the outdoor theater, behind the tower and its adjacent hotel: Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors May 10; LeAnn Rimes May 17; Hootie and the Blowfish May 4; Kansas, Blue Oyster Cult and Paul Rodgers May 31 and the Beach Boys June 20 and 21.
Clark County Government Center Amphitheater: The grassy amphitheater's annual, free "Jazz in the Park" series kicks off May 10 with saxophonist Bob Sheppard. A big-band show is slated May 24, vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater performs June 7 and saxophonist Rick Margitza wraps it up June 21.
Whiskey Amphitheater: Green Valley Ranch Station Casino's outdoor venue is set to host two upcoming shows: jazz duo Norman Brown and Brian Culbertson June 14 and Al Jarreau Sept. 26.
The Skin Pool Lounge: The Palms' outdoor venue hosts Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir's band RatDog May 16.
The Club: The Cannery's expandable music venue features outdoor seating for many of its live concerts. Among the upcoming acts: the "KOOL Oldies Summer of Fun Kick off Party" featuring the Buckinghams, Bryand Hyland and the Rascals May 31, "Viva! Tribute to Santana" June 13 and 14 and John Earl & the Boogie Man Band June 20 and 21.
Several city and country parks and amphitheaters also house concerts during the summer months, including the Henderson Pavilion (361-6783) and Desert Breeze Park (455-8334).
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