Beach Boys in Concert Long Beach Photos Review Queen Mary Summer Concert Series
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A look at the Beach Boys in concert, 2010 in the city where they first placed as the Beach Boys.
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The Beach Boys in California
It was Fun, Fun, Fun, until someone took the microphone away. And it wasn't Barbara Ann. The Beach Boys, the iconic Southern California lifestyle band, highlighted the 2010 Summer Concert Series at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA, on Thursday, Aug. 19. With Mike Love still singing lead vocals and Bruce Johnston on the keyboards, the "modern day" Beach Boys played all the hits of the original band and turned back the clock to the free-wheeling 60s for two hours. Yes, they still "get around."
For this show, they got around at the same old strip, for it was in Long Beach that the band first played as The Beach Boys. "It was Dec. 31, 1961," Love told the crowd. The show was at the Long Beach Memorial Stadium as a memorial for Ritchie Valens. The band earned $300. And Wouldn't It Be Nice later! At the most recent Long Beach concert, Love was almost as entertaining talking as he was singing. He told stories and started an amusing banter with "part time" band member John Stamos, who was sitting in with the band on what was his birthday.
Stamos, the actor who first gained notoriety on the ABC sitcom "Full House," showcased quite a lively personality. In addition to playing straight man to Love's punch lines, he said "I saw The Beach Boys as a teenager at the Queen Mary. I thought it would be great to some day meet them. And here I am on stage with them!"
There was lots of Love on the stage, too. Love's son, Christian, was on guitar and daughter Ambia sang a song. There was hardly a Beach Boys song left on the charts they did not sing: God Only Knows; Sloop John B; California Girls, Surfin' U.S.A.; Good Vibrations... Love even did one "for Americans in uniform. Cheerleaders!" That was Be True to Your School. The one song that was missing was In Your Room. Somewhat ironically, exactly one week earlier Brian Wilson was on the Sunset Strip to help launch GuitarTown, artist-painted replica Gibson guitars that now line the famous L.A. street. Wilson, as well as Al Jardine, are expected to join Love in 2011 for a series of concerts marking the band's 50th anniversary.
The Long Beach show took place at the Harry Bridges Memorial Park adjacent to the Queen Mary. It's a good setup for any concert but is ideal for The Beach Boys. It's an intimate park that is parked on the edge of the water – a few boats anchored off the shore to take in the show – with the Queen Mary watching from a few hundred yards away and neon-colored downtown Long Beach glowing in the distance. The Summer Concert Series has featured Joan Baez and Smokey Robinson. Grammy Award- winning folk-rock artist Lucinda Williams and special guest JP, Chrissie & The Fairground Boys are scheduled for Thurs., Aug. 26 (7:30 p.m.), and more concerts are due to be announced. The Queen Mary is hosting these concerts as part of the summer-long 2010 Long Beach Sea Festival. Food stands provided BBQ sandwiches, burgers and more, and there was also a portable bar on site. Tickets for the Queen Mary shows can be purchased through Ticketmaster, at the Queen Mary box office, or online at www.queenmary.com/ To join the Queen Mary concert series email list for early announcements and ticket specials, email concert series@queenmary.com |
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