POP MUSIC / THOMAS K. ARNOLD : 80,000 Stopped By the Bay for Concerts at Humphrey’s

The Concerts by the Bay series at Humphrey’s on Shelter Island concluded its eighth annual season last week with a six-show, three-night stand by pop-jazz saxophonist Kenny G that attracted a total crowd of 6,000.

It was the most successful booking in the most successful season to date, said promoter Kenny Weissberg.

Total attendance at the 42 nights of music--40 double-headers and two singles--was 80,000, surpassing the previous record-breaking 1987 season, when total attendance was 77,000. Last year, 70,000 people showed up.

The five most successful bookings in the 1989 season: Kenny G, Sept. 27-29, 6,000; Hiroshima, June 7-8 and Sept. 22, 4,864; George Benson, Sept. 19-20, and Gallagher, Aug. 3-4, each with 4,000; and Spyro Gyra, June 15-16, 2,900.

On the bottom end, each with less than 1,000 people for two shows: the Rippingtons, Sept. 8; Ricky Skaggs, Aug. 24; Judy Collins, July 20; Gene Pitney, Aug. 20; and Little Anthony and Lesley Gore, July 30 (with a dismal 729).

The biggest surprise: David Benoit’s July 28 double-header. “He sold more than 1,700 tickets for two shows, way up from last year,” Weissberg said.

The biggest disappointment: Johnny Cash, July 19. “I thought he would sell out well in advance,” Weissberg said. “He did 20,000 people last year at the Del Mar Fair, and I didn’t think there would be any problem getting 2,000 of them to come back to Humphrey’s this year and see him up close.

“As it turned out, I was wrong. He sold less than 1,100 tickets.”

Weissberg’s evaluation of the 1989 Concerts by the Bay series: “My decision to de-emphasize country this year was a good one; I only did two country shows, and what do you know, neither one of them did very well.

“Oldies were hot and cold. Shows by the Four Tops, Ray Charles and Harry Belafonte were sellouts, but shows by Gene Pitney and Little Anthony were total stiffs.

“And, as usual, pop-jazz did the best, accounting for four of the five most successful bookings we had: Kenny G, Hiroshima, George Benson and Spyro Gyra.”

LINER NOTES: The Rolling Stones are definitely not coming to San Diego. They’ve just added a fourth show at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Oct. 18--the only date San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium would be available during the West Coast leg of the group’s 1989 reunion tour. . . . Two local rock ‘n’ roll singers have hit the big time: Joe Leste, from Chula Vista, with hot new heavy-metal band Bang Tango, and Perry McCarty, from Clairemont, with Steve Stevens Atomic Playboys. The latter group, fronted by Billy Idol’s longtime lead guitarist, will appear Friday night at the Bacchanal in Kearny Mesa. . . .

Sitting in on drums with San Diego rhythm-and-blues band Everett King’s Modern Rhythm last Thursday night at Kelly’s Pub in the College area: Country Dick Montana of the Beat Farmers. “Their regular drummer was sick, and, since they’re old friends of mine, I agreed to help out,” Montana said. “My pay was $50 and all the beer I could drink--and that’s good enough for a Thursday night.” The highlight of the evening, Montana added, was “when some poor gal’s wig fell off on the dance floor. She was horrified, but we were all thoroughly entertained.”. . .

Local lounge lizard emeritus Kirk Bates is at the Copacabana Restaurant in Middletown, every Tuesday through Saturday night. The man who professes to be San Diego’s “Mr. Entertainer” is equal parts Tom Jones, Wayne Newton and Engelbert Humperdinck. Would somebody please do us all a favor and put this guy on a plane to Las Vegas?. . .

Best concert bets for the coming week: the Fine Young Cannibals and the Tom Tom Club, tonight at Starlight Bowl in Balboa Park; Billy Preston and Monkey Meet, Thursday at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach; K.D. Laing and the Reclines, Friday at the California Theater downtown; Kenny Loggins, Martika, and Kid Curry, Saturday at the 32nd Street Naval Station in National City; Q-Jam ‘89, with New Kids on the Block, the Jets, Sweet Sensation, D.J. Jazzy Jeff, and Seduction, Saturday at San Diego State University’s Open Air Theater; the Average White Band, Sunday at the Bacchanal; and the Stray Cats, Sunday at Iguanas in Tijuana and Oct. 9-10 at the Bacchanal.