BEACH BOYS AT KIRKWOOD
BEACH BOYS ATTRACT RECORD CROWD AT KIRKWOOD COLLEGE
Sitting in the 4th row about 30 feet from the Beach boys was the closest that I have ever been to the group. My first occasion to see them was in 1966. They played about 15 songs in 45 minutes and were gone. Saw them twice in the 80’s and for numerous reasons have not seen them since. Now in the 21st century there they were. Two have died and two others have their own bands. However, the group that gets the big attendance is this one. It is Mike Love, Bruce Johnston and others. The sound is incredible.
The play list has changed. There are 10 songs played in a medley that takes a half an hour. By then I was exhausted. I waited 6 hours to see the group. A Gazette reviewer sat next to me. To my right looked like an executive. A man right down front knew play list from last year.
What is new is a harmonic version of SUMMERTIME BLUES, a Bruce and Terry hit SUMMER MEANS FUN, and SURFIN’ SAFARI from the SUMMER IN PARADISE ALBUM. They also reprised other album cuts like WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE.
During the first set, I for an instance was walking from my car to the concession stand of a drive-in movie. It was all in my mind, but to see Mike and Bruce perform brought a few emotional moments.
After the first exhausting 30 minutes, Love started in with some cornball humor that could reach even the slowest fan.
The patter gave the band a chance to rest. Then came some slow ballads and then hit after hit after hit. Of their 90 charted singles, they played 50. The concert went 1 hour and 45 minutes with only one short three minute break. After that came SURFIN’ USA and a huge flag rose from behind the band. It was followed by BARBARA ANN and finally the foot stomping’ finger popping FUN, FUN, FUN.
At the beginning, hundreds of youngsters headed toward the front of the stage. As they were dancing, middle age types followed to relive their youth.
Love explained to the numerous teens in the crowd what a single 45 record meant. He also described the A side and B side of a record. Of course, he also had to explain that at one time there were little 45 record players that most kids owned.
The crowd was perhaps 10 to 12 thousand people that were surrounded by vendors and a bike track in the very back. Fireworks ended the event.
The Beach Boys are America’s band. Love and company delivered. It really was GOOD VIBRATIONS. For a short while last night it was as if you could turn on the radio and get the Beach Boys, Beatles, and Stones. The night was young, we were driving Dad’s car and we had no particular place to go on the horizon.