GANG GANG DANCE - Indie act plays the Beachland.

The summer concert season unofficially kicked off a few weeks ago when metal stalwarts Heaven and Hell rolled through Time Warner Cable Amphitheater. It was suggestive of the kind of summer we're in store for. Fronted by Ronnie James Dio, who's like 80 years old, and including a guy named "Geezer," the group puts the "old" in old-school. The guys kicked some serious ass (especially on the signature track "Heaven and Hell"), yet they are, to misappropriate a Dio line, the "first in line" of a slew of flashback acts designed to make this summer a VH-1 Classic moment.

With '80s acts such as Def Leppard and Styx (July 13, Blossom), the Police (July 16, Quicken Loans Arena), Meat Loaf (August 9, Time Warner Cable Amphitheater) and Rush (August 30, Blossom) all coming to town, you could be forgiven for thinking you accidentally happened upon some kind of time machine. Hell, there's even a big benefit show at Cain Park called "Geezeroo" (August 12) that caters to septuagenarians with its tongue-in-cheek title and a line-up that includes Dave Mason, J.D. Souther and the not-so-new New Riders of the Purple Sage.

If you're a long-in-the-tooth rocker looking to see acts you'll recognize, the Rib Cook-Off at Time Warner Cable Amphitheater is as good a place to start as any. The Memorial Day Weekend festivities commence with recently reunited jam-rockers Rusted Root (May 25) and include appearances by American Idol crooner Elliott Yamin (May 26), perennial roots rocker Southside Johnny (May 26), R&B; legends the Temptations (May 27) and '80s rocker Pat Benatar (May 28). The month of May comes to an end with a slew of good shows, including Primus madcap bassist Les Claypool at the House of Blues (May 29), hippie rockers Tea Leaf Green at the Beachland (May 30) and a hard-rock triple billing of Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin and Puddle of Mudd at Time Warner Cable Amphitheater (May 31).

June begins with a double bill of old-timers, Riders in the Sky (June 1) and Commander Cody (June 2), both of which are at the Kent Stage. Other highlights in early June include the seminal hip-hop act Slum Village (June 3, Grog Shop), indie rockers Gang Gang Dance (June 8, Beachland), a rare visit from power-pop aficionados Fountains of Wayne (June 9, House of Blues), and newly fit-and-toned singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado (June 9, Time Warner Cable Amphitheater). Singer-guitarist Ben Harper will undoubtedly preview songs from his forthcoming album when he plays the House of Blues on June 12, and veteran rocker Richard Thompson has a new disc to push, too. He's at the House of Blues on June 18.

BEN HARPER - In town to preview his new disc.

Two great jazz/classical artists coming through town in June are vocalist Kurt Elling (June 14, Nighttown) and pianist Christopher O'Riley (June 16, Beachland). O'Riley will play a mix of the Elliott Smith, Radiohead and Nick Drake tunes he's rearranged for classical piano. Other June events of note include: Helmet guitarist Page Hamilton, who gives a talk at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (June 20); jazz fusion icons Spyro Gyra, who play the Tangier in Akron (June 22); country power couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill at Quicken Loans Arena (June 29); and blues favorite Guitar Shorty at Wilbert's (June 30).

July starts out with several big shows, including singer-songwriter John Mayer (July 1, Blossom), prog-metal rockers Tool (July 1, Youngstown Chevrolet Center), and indie-rock icons Built to Spill (July 2, Grog Shop). The month's big outdoor shows include Weird Al Yankovic (July 6, Plain Dealer Pavilion), a Fourth of July "Grateful Fest" (July 4-8, Nelson Ledges), Nickelback, Staind and Chris Daughtry (July 10, Blossom), Ratdog (July 16, Cain Park), country singer Kenny Chesney (July 17, Browns Stadium), neo-bluegrass act Nickel Creek (July 18, Cain Park), and the Sounds of the Underground Tour (Time Warner Cable Amphitheater). That's an eclectic set of acts that encompasses everything from metal (Sounds of the Underground) to comedy (Weird Al).

The clubs are active, too, with veteran storyteller Ramblin' Jack Elliott (July 6, Beachland Ballroom), intellectual rapper Sage Francis (July 11, Grog Shop), polka favorites Brave Combo (July 11, Lime Spider/July 13, Beachland Ballroom) and blues veterans Roomful of Blues (July 20, Wilbert's) all coming to town. Other club shows of note include jam-rocker Xavier Rudd (July 24, House of Blues) and the Cary Brothers (July 27, Grog Shop).

The postponed-and-rescheduled Incubus show kicks off a busy August (August 1, Time Warner Cable Amphitheater) that finds Ted Leo (August 1, Beachland Ballroom), the Warped Tour (August 2, Time Warner Cable Amphitheater), 311/Matisyahu (August 3, Time Warner Cable Amphitheater), and the Kottonmouth Kings (August 4, Agora Theatre) all vying for the attention of the younger demographic. Older concertgoers can choose between Etta James (August 9, Cain Park), Bryan Adams/George Thorogood (August 10, Time Warner Cable Amphitheater) and the Cowboy Junkies (August 10, Cain Park).

In addition, Packy Malley's Midwest Reggae Festival makes its debut at Nelson Ledges on August 10-12, and the Dave Matthews Band returns to Blossom on August 20. Nü-metal diehards Linkin Park take over Blossom on August 17, and Irish rockers the Saw Doctors return to the House of Blues on August 25. Fittingly, the summer concert season comes to an unofficial end when Donny Osmond, who's still "a little bit rock 'n' roll," plays the Taste of Cleveland (September 2, Time Warner Cable Amphitheater), bringing that whole time-machine concept full circle.