Sure, you can expend time, energy and gas money by traveling hours from the Grand Strand to be a lemming at Corporate Sponsorship Arena or Faux Cool Frat Fest at McCookie Cutter Amphitheater.

But why go anywhere when we’ve got quality concerts right here at home throughout the summer - and in some instances right in our backyards, and some of them for zero bones?

Exhibit A: To see Melvin Seals and JGB at Moe’s Alley in Santa Cruz, Calif. on Friday, it would cost you $20 for tickets. But in August, you can experience Seals and JGB at JerryFest at the Boathouse for free. And you don’t have to go all the way to the Left Coast. Sounds like a deal to us.

If you’re a music lover, summer and concerts go hand-in-hand, as you gather with friends, groove to vibes, perhaps relive the glory days, and forget about your troubles for awhile. That’s what an excellent concert can do - provide an escape from the daily grind.

And the summer is the bread-and-butter for the concert industry as well, as old warhorses trot out reunion tours, hot acts get prime time exposure at the cool festivals du jour, and up-and-comers work the circuit playing neighborhood pubs and intimate theaters.

OK, so here at our little tourist outpost by the sea, we don’t get those mega-tours that flood those behemoth venues in nearby cities and states, but that’s a good thing, because you have the chance to see some talented artists and acts in a more up-close-and personal setting - and isn’t that what it’s really all about - performers connecting with the audience?

So our crack crew of writers sifted through all of the gigs coming through the Grand Strand this summer to hand-pick a dozen we think are sure-fire winners, separating the wheat from the chaff so you don’t have to.

Summer doesn’t officially begin until June 20, but we don’t care about no stinkin’ calendars, our summer concert preview kicks off with a show on Sunday - how’s that for timeliness?

Enough babbling already, here is the fifth annual Surge Must-See Summer Concert Preview.

JUNE

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

When | Sunday, show starts around 4:30 p.m.

Where | The Boathouse Waterway Bar & Grill

How much | Free

Why you should go | A chance to see the biggest band in alt-rock music that no one has ever heard of at an outside venue, with the warm sun on your back and a nice breeze off the Intracoastal Waterway on your face - duh, no brainer.

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus hails from small-town Florida. The background of TRJA is similar to almost every other band around, playing the home town crowd, eventually wanting more, playing the record company showcases, and eventually landing a deal and producing a hit record. Familiar tunes are "Face Down" from the 2006 album “Don’t You Fake It” and "You Better Pray," from the 2007 album “Lonely Road.”

After being freed from the clutches of a major label deal, the guys in TRJA took it upon themselves to produce their 2010 album, “The Hell or High Water.” Led by original members, singer, Ronnie Winter and guitarist, Duke Kitchens, the band took to the virtual streets and employed the power of social media to market the album. With the help of their fans, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus has stood the test of time, which is a testament that good old fashioned word of mouth still works in today’s corporate-run America.

At the show, expect to see a band that loves its fans and delivers rock ’n’ roll with heart and a little scream-o thrown in for good measure. I saw The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus live at House of Blues a few years back - they were sandwiched between The Plain White T’s and Buckcherry. TRJA came on stage and I had only heard “Face Down” and wasn’t expecting much, to be honest, but when baby-faced singer Winter let out his first primal growl, I was hooked. If you decide to go to the show - pay attention, these guys have that great combination of melody and power - exactly what you go to see at a rock show.

Abby Sink, Weekly Surge

The Jason Connelly Band

When | 8 p.m. June 8

Where | Fresh Brewed Coffee House

How much | $5 at the door

Why you should go | This duo is proof that when it comes to powerful music, size isn’t everything. Listen to their music without seeing them live and you’ll be surprised that the Jason Connelly Band is only two guys: band-namesake Jason Connelly, responsible for acoustic guitar and lead vocals, and drummer/percussionist/songwriter Keith Hirsch.

The band formed in August 2010 when Hirsch moved from Columbus, Ga. to Atlanta to start the project with Connelly. Since then they’ve become a live music fixture on the Atlanta scene and are gathering an increasingly devoted following around the Southeast.

Both are extremely gifted musicians and songwriters who craft indelible lyrics that add new dimensions to otherwise everyday subjects such as relationships, hard economic times and just trying to figure out the meaning of life. On “Dirty Liar,” for instance, Connelly’s voice, by turns angry and plaintive, turns those two simple words into a painful accusation dripping with both sarcasm and sadness. “Father Father” is a moving tune that will resonate with anybody who’s ever been homesick, disillusioned and missing their folks, while “Daddy’s Little Princess” shows these guys can also turn on the down-and-dirty blues side at will.

What ties it all together is the sheer strength and multilayered nature of their music, which crosses effortlessly from Americana to rock, pop, blues and R&B, with the occasional hint of folk and country thrown in for good measure. Few acts performing around the region right now can evoke as many different motions and styles using only guitars and drums.

Connelly’s powerful solo work has recently been featured on a solo acoustic CD “Homemade Wine” available for sale at live shows. The band has also released “Leave Your Hat at the Door” and “Songs from Inside the Attic.”

Christina Knauss, for Weekly Surge

Gov’t Mule with Dr. John

When | 8:30 p.m. June 12

Where | House of Blues

How much | $32.50 – $77.50

Why you should go | Consider yourself lucky. This Gov’t Mule gig is only one of five on the tour featuring Dr. John. Malcolm John “Mac” Rebennack Jr. aka Dr. John is a 71 year-old, New Orleans legend. He has spent the last 50 years creating a voodoo brew out of blues, jazz, R&B, zydeco and rock. In the past, his stage shows have been elaborate ceremonies celebrating the funkiness of Nawlins. He just released a new album, “Locked Down,” but don’t let the title fool you – Dr. John sounds rejuvenated and free on the album. And he boogies harder than he has in years. This is a chance to catch him during his resurgence.

But that is just the start of why you should go. As if you need more motivation – one of the world’s greatest guitarists returns to the beach. Warren Haynes, Gov’t Mule’s leader and a master of blues and boogie, is a veteran of the House of Blues stage. He always brings a bristling energy as the Mule chugs through marathon sets.

In the ‘80s, Haynes was a member of The David Allan Coe Band before joining up with The Dickey Betts Band, which led to a stint with The Allman Brothers Band’s reunion back in the ‘90s. From this deep pool of talent, Haynes recruited a rhythm section and created a blues and funk goliath of his own.

Since then Gov’t Mule, which is popular on the jam band circuit, has produced a string of studio and live albums that define current blues – from hard-driving propulsive blues to the sweet soul of rhythm and blues on Haynes’ most recent album, “Man in Motion.” A Gov’t Mule show provides a workman, old-school attitude but delivered with a loose, funky feel that is timeless.

Derrick Bracey, for Weekly Surge

Vince Gill and The Time Jumpers

When | 7 p.m. June 14

Where | The Alabama Theatre

How much | $49.95 - $65.95

Why you should go | With one of the most recognizable voices in pop music, a voice that transcends genres, Vince Gill, 56, sings like an angel and plays guitar well enough that Mark Knopfler once asked him to join Dire Straits.

The Ohio-born singer and instrumentalist cut his chops on bluegrass music in the 1970s, his high lonesome tenor voice and quick picking fingers a perfect accompaniment to the genre. Though better known for a string of commercial country hits from the early `80s through the 2000s, Gill will perform at The Alabama Theatre with his bluegrass band, The Time Jumpers. North Myrtle Beach is one of only 12 cities (at press time) to score a Time Jumpers show. That may change after the band releases a studio album this fall.

In 1980 Gill scored his first hit as lead vocalist for ‘70s country rock band Pure Prairie League, “Let Me Love You Tonight” although he was not in the band when it scored the more recognizable hit “Amie.” Gill left Pure Prairie League in the early `80s and his solo career skyrocketed. Some 30 years later Gill’s trophy case is jam packed – 26 million albums sold, 18 Country Music Association awards, 20 Grammy Awards, and plenty of accolades including induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007. His reputation as a humanitarian, family man (he married Amy Grant in 2000), and all around good guy, has helped secure Gill’s place in the hearts of fans around the world.

Fans expecting to hear only Gill’s greatest hits may be disappointed with The Time Jumpers, but real fans, and fans of good music in general, should expect one of the best acoustic-based concerts of the year led by one of the biggest names in modern music history.

Paul Grimshaw, for Weekly Surge

The Cult with Against Me!

When | 7 p.m. June 15

Where | House of Blues

How much | $32.50-$77.50

Why you should go |If you are familiar with both ‘80s/’90s rockers The Cult and political punkers Against Me!, then you are probably already dumbfounded as to how they ended up on a bill together, both seemingly coming from different worlds. To add another element of “WTF” to the bill, the singer of Against Me! has recently come out as transgender. So, does this mean the band’s set will be fronted by singer/guitarist Tom Gabel or singer/guitarist Laura Jane Grace (Tom’s new name, after transitioning to female)? Well, according to a recent article in Rolling Stone, the answer is Grace. As one of the first shows of the tour, this will also be one of the first shows with a female fronted Against Me! and will sure to be a new and exciting experience for both the band and the audience.

Although iconic singer Ian Astbury probably won’t be sharing eyeliner with Grace, British rockers The Cult has been known for their mix-mash of makeup heavy glam rock, metal, and ‘80s alternative. Mixing dark themes of sex and drugs with riff-heavy guitars, The Cult has been a thriving force since 1983. Astbury and original guitarist Billy Duffy are currently touring on their newest album, “Choice of Weapon”, which was released May 22 and represents a return to form.

Against Me!, from Naples Fla., is an aggressive, political punk rock band, and is mostly noted for the song “Thrash Unreal.” Although currently fronted by a transgender, the sound is by no means feminine, or even androgynous, and the band will they definitely throw a high-energy performance.

Opening the show will be The Icarus Line, a hard rock/alternative band from Los Angeles.

- Michael Wood, for Weekly Surge

Lil Jon

When | June 21

Where | The Afterdeck

How much | $30

Why you should go | Yeeeeeeeeeah! How many people have made a living off of being the musical embodiment of that affirmation? Count rap/hip-hop impresario Lil Jon as one of the select few. The self-described King of Crunk brought the Dirty South rap style – and the mouthful of precious metals known as grills – to the forefront of pop culture in the early 2000s – and he’s been a contestant on Donald Trump’s “The Celebrity Apprentice” and of course hilariously lampooned on “Chapelle’s Show.”

And who could forget his guest appearance on Usher’s ubiquitous 2004 Smash “Yeah!”?

Whether he’s rapping or deejaying, Jon knows how to get the crowd bumping with bass-heavy beats, electronic flourishes and catch-phrases. According to billing, this June 21 show at The Afterdeck will feature Lil Jon in a “very special DJ performance.”

Bonus: With a pool on-site at the open-air Afterdeck, there’s sure to be plenty of eye candy on display to add visuals to the music.

Kent Kimes, Editor

The Queers

When | 8 p.m. June 29

Where | Island Bar and Grill

How much | $8 in advance, $10 day of show

Why you should go | Don’t you want to show how evolved you’ve become, like President Obama, and hangout with The Queers? No, we’re not suggesting you attend a same-sex marriage, rather you can witness the union of a legendary punk act with a neighborhood bar. New England’s The Queers is often confused with the queercore movement embodied by such bands as Pansy Division and God Is My Copilot but these guys are definitely after the nooky and not the knobby, as evidenced by the 1993 track “Ursula Finally Has Tits.” Other humorous, but sophomoric titles include: “Boobarella,” “Gay Boy,” “I Can’t Stop Farting,” and “You Make Me Want to Puke.”

“While some of their songs border on sexism and homophobia, they are simply too goofy and good-natured to mean any harm with their left-back-four-grades, dumb-ass shtick,” reads an excerpt from The Queer’s biography at www.allmusic.com.

The three-piece band has seen many personnel shifts since forming in 1982, with lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Joe Queer (Joe King) as the lone constant.

Musically, The Queers specialize in quick, fast two-minute poppy punk songs along the lines of The Ramones.

The band’s breakthrough was the 1993 politically incorrect “Love Songs for the Retarded” album issued by Lookout! Records.

Bonus: A triumvirate of local punk-influenced acts Bamboo Forest, Grave Intentions and the reunited Beatholes will warm up the crowd before The Queers take the stage (11:30 p.m.).

Bonus, part two: The Queers have been known to perform a punked-up version of The Who’s “The Kids Are Alright.”

Kent Kimes, Editor

Randy Houser

When | 6 p.m. June 30

Where | The Beaver Bar @ The County Line

How much | $15

Why you should go | If you’re a country music fan and don’t know the name Randy Houser, give it a few weeks. The rising country artist behind the 2008/2009 hits “Anything Goes,” and “Boots On,” as of press time has another single racing up the Billboard country singles chart, “How Country Feels.” If the tune continues to connect with an audience Houser may just be at the top of the charts in time for his late June show in Murrells Inlet.

The Mississippi-born songwriter-turned-performer first came to the attention of the Nashville elite after co-writing “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” which became a huge hit in 2005/2006 for Trace Adkins. The 36-year-old Houser then embarked on a performance career and is finding his way through the muck and mire of the music business, with a pure country voice and rock ‘n’ roll instrumentation backing him. Houser is a part of the Jagermeister Presents tour, which kicked off a 16-city headlining journey April 26 in support of his new Stoney Creek Records single release.

Interestingly, Houser, known as a songwriter, did not write or co-write his new single. In an interview with www.theboot.com, he talks about great songs wherever they may come from. “I didn’t even know who wrote [“How Country Feels”] when I heard it,” said Houser. “I was like Bam! I’ve got to have that.” Lyrically the single offers an interesting take on usual country fare, in that it attempts to relate to the millions of country music fans who’ve “never been four wheelin’,” “watched the sunrise from the bed of a pickup truck,” and “ain’t never heard a rooster crow” – but who’d like to. The catchy chorus invites the city gal to “let your hair down, getcha some of this laid on back, kick your shoes off, I’ll take you up and down these hollers and hills, let me show you how country feels.”

- Paul Grimshaw, for Weekly Surge

JULY

Ledisi with Eric Benet

When | 9 p.m. July 3

Where | House of Blues

How much | $29 to $70.50

Why you should go | The weather will be sweltering around here by July 3, and nothing goes down quite so smooth on a hot summer night than some pure, old-fashioned soul and R&B. If you’re a fan of these genres and dying to hear some artists who know how to do it right, you need look no further than New Orleans native Ledisi, who is, simply put, one of the most talented and multifaceted singers to emerge from the genre in the past decade. She hits HOB as part of her “Be Good to Yourself (B.G.T.Y)” tour, the second in support of her most recent CD “Pieces of Me.”

Starting with 2000’s “Soulsinger: The Revival” and the award-winning jazz exploration “Feeling Orange But Sometimes Blue,” she has emerged as one of the most original and hard-to-define artists on the R&B scene.

Ledisi’s vocal style is hard to pin down but never boring, mixing elements of jazz, gospel, old school soul, rhythm and blues and pop into a sound that’s timeless and yet completely modern. 2011’s “Pieces of Me,” was a triple Grammy nominee (Best R&B album, performance and song). The title song is a classic example of Ledisi’s music: thoughtful, affirming lyrics about the complicated decisions women face, layered over smooth-as-butter soul grooves. She’s a master at everything from romantic ballads to upbeat, pop-soul songs like “Shut Up.”

Most people might know Benet better as Halle Berry’s ex, but he’s also an extremely talented soul and R&B singer who is simply great at the kind of classic slow jams heard rarely these days as more and more artists slide irrevocably into auto-tune Hades. He’ll also likely perform the extremely fun throwback soul/funk single “Red Bone Girl,” which he recorded as a duet with rapper L’il Wayne. Christina Knauss, for Weekly Surge

B-52s

When | 8 p.m. July 20

Where | House of Blues

How much | $37.50-$82.50

Why you should go | The B-52s, from Athens, Ga. have been THE party band for more than 30 years, by throwing new wave, post punk, garage rock, and pop into a blender with an end result of a wacky dance party cocktail. The group’s signature male/female shout-back and sing-along vocals, wacky fashion, and overall positive and fun vibe have made them a long-standing crowd pleaser, and helped earn them two platinum albums, and three gold. With the release of “Funplex”, the first full-length recording in 16 years, in 2008, they picked up right where they left off with 1992’s “Good Stuff”, but even more amp-ed up and dance party-ready. Lyrics like “you turn them on and they turn you on!” on “Love in The Year 3000” (a tale of sex robots of the future) and singer Fred Schneider’s yelp of “ There’s a G Spot, pull the car over!” in “Ultraviolet” show that they have not lost their crazy sense of humor, or adventure. Usually, when a veteran rock band that was big in the ‘80s plays a new song, that means it’s time to go get a drink from the bar. But that’s not the case with B-52s, as the new material is just as enjoyable as the oldies. Since “Funplex”, they have been touring non-stop, and the recent set list is a well-rounded roller coaster from “Private Idaho”, “Roam”, “Love Shack”, and “Rock Lobster” to some early deep cuts and a few new tracks. These guys and gals may have some years under their belt, but they have not forgotten how to have a good time, and are sure to provide one.

Michael Wood, for Weekly Surge

AUGUST

Jerryfest featuring Melvin Seals and JGB

When | 4:30 p.m. August 12

Where | The Boathouse Waterway Bar & Grill

How much | Free

Why you should go | It’s been 17 years since Jerry Garcia’s death. He was born on Aug.1, 1953 and he died on Aug. 9 1995. Say what you want about Grateful Dead fans, but they’re a loyal bunch. So it’s a no-brainer that fans of The Dead would congregate in the first couple weeks of August to celebrate the life and music of Garcia. Eight years ago, Myrtle Beach held its first installment of Jerryfest and six years ago The Boathouse started hosting the event. There has always been a large turnout for the happening and this one should be no different – an open invitation to hordes of Grateful Dead and jam-band fans alike to roam The Boathouse’s grounds while dancing to a soundtrack for the Godfather of the extended jam.

This edition of Jerryfest is a part of The Boathouse’s “Sunday Funday Outdoor Summer Concert Series” and features Melvin Seals and JGB. Formerly known as The Jerry Garcia Band, Melvin Seals played organ and keyboards in Garcia’s band from 1980 until his death in 1995. Seals has propelled the band forward in the spirit of Garcia. Surrounding himself with jam-band alumni, Seals guides the music from his captain’s seat, behind his Hammond B-3 organ. The music bounces along waves of blues, jazz, funk, country and rock – a meaningful meandering of musical styles. JGB keeps the essence of Jerry floating around a party atmosphere, braving the currents of chord progressions and improvisation that could take them wherever the collective consciousness may lead.

No need to stand out front looking for an extra ticket because it’s free – Yes, a free day full day of smiles and swirling sundresses. The smell of patchouli will permeate the salt air.

Derrick Bracey, for Weekly Surge

SEPTEMBER

Steamboat Springs Band

When | 7:45 p.m. September 8

Where | Myrtle Beach Train Depot

How much | SXSE Members $20, non-members $25 (includes food & beverages)

Why you should go | In the golden age of F.M. radio and vinyl records called the 1970s, in a world where the term “classic rock” did not exist because it was current music, long-haired rock bands ruled the roost. In 1974 Steamboat Springs Band was Myrtle Beach’s hometown act with a house gig at the long forgotten Pickin’ Parlor, a club that once existed not too far from the Family Kingdom Amusement Park. The six-piece act played originals and popular covers with a decidedly funky southern twang. In the mid-‘70s FM radio across the nation mixed British progressive rock (Genesis, Pink Floyd, Yes), with American country rock (Pure Prairie League, Marshall Tucker Band, New Riders of the Purple Sage), with R&B (Stevie Wonder), blues (The Allman Brothers), and just about everything else young adults wanted to hear. Steamboat Springs Band was there with the best of them and was “always one hit away” from national success, according to Bucky Ferguson, the band’s fulltime sound engineer.

After years on the road the southern rock jam-fusion band eventually called it quits, but reunited in 2010 in the memory of an old friend, local record shop owner Jeff Roberts, dubbed Myrtle Beach’s “Minister of Music” who passed away in January of that year. After the highly successful 2010 reunion at 2001 Nightclub in Myrtle Beach, the band has decided to come back for another round of magic. “This band was Jeff ‘s favorite band, ever,” said local musician Sam Hannaford. “The guys had so much fun at the reunion, they decided to do it again.”

Local music education and concert non-profit organization South By Southeast will produce this 2012 reunion show billed as “Jeffest” at the historic Myrtle Beach Train Depot. Very limited seating (180 – 200) requires advance registration via an e-mail to southbysoutheast@aol.com. Tickets not purchased and redeemed by 7:15 p.m. the evening of the show may be sold to others, as the show is likely to sell out.

Paul Grimshaw, for Weekly Surge