Frederik Meijer Gardens or ‘Love Shack’? The B-52’s, Steve Miller Band, Wynton Marsalis, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals announced for 2012 summer concert series

With this week’s unseasonably tropical weather, does anybody need an even bigger tease that summer is still three months away?

How about this? Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park today officially revealed four concert bookings for its 2012 summer amphitheater series: The B-52’s on June 1, Steve Miller Band on June 17, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals on Aug. 16, and Wynton Marsalis on Aug. 29.

Once again, that follows the pattern of bookings the past few years at the popular-but-intimate outdoor amphitheater, which has a capacity of about 1,900: a mix of established rock acts, up-and-coming indie bands and well-respected jazz and blues artists.

Hey, how about even more diversity and edginess in the rest of the series lineup when it’s announced in April? Wouldn’t it be fab to see acts like country rebel Steve Earle, roots-rocker Alejandro Escovedo, indie-pop phenomenon Florence & the Machine, folk faves Bon Iver and Mumford & Sons, or R&B’s Bruno Mars in Meijer Gardens’ setting? I’m just saying …

Still, the party attitude of The B-52’s (“Love Shack,” “Rock Lobster,” “Roam”) and stage energy of Grace Potter (“Ah, Mary,” “Paris (Ooh La La))” will undoubtedly rev up crowds.

And devoted older fans of Steve Miller (“The Joker,” “Fly Like an Eagle,” “Jet Airliner”) and Wynton Marsalis (Grammy-winning albums “J Mood,” “Marsalis Standard Time, Vol. 1”) will surely pack – and likely sell out – the amphitheater.

By the way, Meijer Gardens boasted nine sellouts out of a record 22 shows last year; it’ll be interesting to see how many concerts they book and how many sellouts they register in 2012.

Ticket prices weren’t announced as part of this “leak,” but as usual, Meijer Gardens members will get first crack at discounted tickets during a special pre-sale period that this year will run April 28 to May 11.

Hey, I know lots of folks who sign up to be Meijer Gardens members just to get in on this; some shows will even sell out before they get to the public. Details online at its website.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on May 12, with details to be announced when the full series is disclosed in mid-April, according to Meijer Gardens.

All I know is that summer sure FEELS like it’s right around the corner…

Email: jsinkevics@gmail.com