26,892 jammed into SPAC for Beach Boys concert
by Dan Collins, The Saratogian
The largest crowd of the 1975 season, 26,892, was on hand last night at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center as they clapped, chanted and danced to the “Good Vibrations” of the Beach Boys.
The California group drew the third largest crowd in the history of the center.
The record is still held by The Who, which drew a crowd in 1971 of 33,652. Chicago in 1971 drew a crowd of 27,037.
The second largest crowd for the 1975 season at SPAC was 26,601 for the Eric Clapton concert on June 26.
Most of those in the crowd were too young to remember the Beach Boys of the 60’s, so it couldn’t be called an evening of nostalgia, but the elaborate stage decorations, the high pitch of excitement for the group, and screams of the crowd as they played oldie after oldie certainly carried a nostalgic flavor through the air.
Time after time, The Beach Boys built the crowd into a frenzy with their past hits as Dennis Wilson played the role of master of ceremonies and comic to the delight of everyone.
Wilson, in fact, was so successful with his frequent remarks and calls for crowd participation those in attendance never seemed to realize the Beach Boys were only at half strength.
Of the original five who started over 20 years ago, only Carl and Dennis Wilson and Al FJrdine made it, backed by several musicians. Brian Wilson, perennial leader of the group, famous for his clear falsetto, and Mike Love were not to be found on stage.
The concert was delayed for about 45 minutes, with the Beach Boys reportedly in transit, finally starting about 9 p.m. Stagehands busied themselves in the meantime, readjusting the huge plastic palm trees that covered the lighting poles, setting miniature palms along the stage and placing numerous wicker stands and chairs, all reminding one of a movie set.
Sensing their arrival, the crowd began to chant as the lights slowly dimmed to a soft red and the Beach Boys burst forth with “Sloop John B”, “Help Me Rhonda” and “In My Room.”
Dozens of lawn spectators began the run down the aisle as the group urged the crowd to join in the singing of “Sail On Sailor”, knocking over chairs and pushing the ushers aside.
Shortly after, a crew of SPAC security began moving through the aisle, removing the “crashers,” and several minor disturbances broke out.
The Beach Boys continued to build excitement among the crowd as they remained with the oldies such as “Surfer Girl”, “Catch a Wave”, “Little Deuce Coupe”, “California Girls,” “The Girls on the Beach” and “Wouldn’t It be Nice.”
Although the absence of Dennis as lead for most of their hit tunes may have been evident to some, the majority of the huge ensemble were overjoyed with Carl and Brian’s alternating leads and harmonizing.
Each time the group appeared to be capturing the crowd, a mechanical failure broke the spell, and several fist fights among the listeners left those around them obviously uneasy. The group’s performance lasted only about an hour, but no one left the grounds as thousands called for their reappearance and they responded with “Surfin USA,” “Barbara Ann” and “Fun, Fun, Fun.”
Ambrosia, one of the newest groups on the Pop charts, performed for about an hour before the Beach Boys’ entrance; however, few appeared to even notice them on stage.
The group, which bills themselves as the last of the acid rock groups from Los Angeles, is like most hard rock, too loud for the inside of the amphitheater.
“Something extremely pleasing to taste or smell, the food of the Greek and Roman gods” is the group’s definition according to Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, and they’re anything but.
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