(editor’s note – Billy Joel was advertised as the opener, but there is considerable uncertainty as to whether that actually happened.)
32,000 attend Beach Boys concert
by Richard S. Taskin, North Adams Transcript, August 27, 1976
That the Beach Boys’ concert last evening at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center attracted a near-record crowd of around 32,000 people is in itself a tribute to the group’s longevity and the vibrancy of their music. It now seems that the Beach Boys can go on indefinitely, being the kids on an extended summer vacation without appearing self-conscious or exploitative.
The Beach Boys’ audience is as diverse a group as any one might find at a rock concert. There were many teens and pre-teens, for whom the Beach Boys’ music past and present is as new and exciting as any of the rather mediocre fare being released these days. On the other end of the spectrum, one could see many people who looked like they plunked down 78 cents back in 1962 for the Beach Boys’ first national hit “Surfin’ U.S.A.” and then saw the group (and the U.S.A.) stumble through numerous changes during a bewildering and often self- destructive era. To these people, the Beach Boys are survivors, and their music provides a vehicle for momentarily recapturing a much simpler past.
Since the present tour is the largest and most extravagant in the Beach Boys’ 15-year history, they are sparing no expense. For each show, their crew assembles a monstrous set featuring a neon-lit sailboat and palm trees to provide an appropriate backdrop. The Beach Boys boost their instrumental sound with a four- piece horn section, an extra drummer, and assorted multi-talented musicians.
The Beach Boys were greeted onstage by a thunderous roar of approval, and their brightly colored costumes, along with their red, white, and blue lights, nicely conveyed the upbeat mood of the music. They ran through their hits without a hint of weariness despite the fact that over the years they’ve toured as frequently as any major rock group.
The group chose to emphasize sound rather than developing individual public identities like the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Yet despite their basic modesty, The Beach Boys’ charm and eccentricity have made each member of the group a fascinating personality, a claim which can be verified by the spate of articles on The Beach Boys recently in popular journals.
Though he is near 35 and constantly wears hats to cover his balding head, Mike Love has changed little in his onstage demeanor over the years. He still handles much of the banter between songs, and his behavior remains stridently obnoxious. To his credit, at one point last evening, Love dedicated a song “to all the senior citizens in the audience – that is, everyone over 25.” Love paused for a moment and then commented sincerely, “I wonder what I’ll be like at 25.”
Love has sung lead on almost all the “fast” Beach Boy tunes from “Surfin U.S.A.” through their most recent hit, “Rock and Roll Music.” His nasal singing is the quintessential California voice, and his range makes his one of the best untutored voices in rock.
Alan Jardine seems content to play the role of the “invisible” Beach Boy. Whereas his voice was once scratchy, he has matured into a fine singer, and his impassioned vocal on “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” was the showstopper last night. Jardine makes a nice foil for Love’s many excesses, and their interplay of vocals on the offbeat “Casual Look” was one of the highlights of their concert last night.
Stoic Carl Wilson is the onstage leader of the group. He handles most of the ballads and also plays lead guitar. “God Only Knows,” “In My Room,” and “Good Vibrations” were all given sensitive vocals by Wilson’s much-imitated tenor.
Dennis Wilson is still the group’s heartthrob, and he embodies the hedonistic image of the group which the shyness of his two brothers belies. Nevertheless, Dennis still somehow carries a certain insouciance about him despite his past affiliation with the darkest side of 60’s hippiedom in the person of Charles Manson. Actually, Wilson is an underrated singer and a respectable drummer. One couldn’t help but chuckle in admiration of the Paul McCartney-like sweetness in his few public utterances last evening.
Brian Wilson did not perform with the band last evening. The man who, along with Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and Chuck Berry, must be considered for the honor of being labeled the seminal figure in American rock music is apparently back home in Bel Air struggling to come up with new material.
Many of the group’s cultists looked forward to hearing the new, much deeper voice Brian sports on “15 Big Ones,” but apparently Wilson is still unable to overcome his legendary shyness. The rest of the band has come a long way to adjusting to life without big brother, but quite clearly The Beach Boys’ future as a commercial group rests solely with Brian Wilson.
The Beach Boys performed for almost two hours and followed their regular set with a lengthy encore. Despite thunderstorms which thoroughly soaked the thousands of people congregated on the lawn, the audience was relatively peaceful and very few seemed dissatisfied with the show. The Beach Boys long ago mastered the art of showmanship and usually lead the faithful through impressive singalongs during most of the tunes.
The Beach Boys performed about half of the material on their new album, “15 Big Ones.” The new material seemed to go over pretty well, and in their new single “It’s O.K.” the band finally seems to have a sure-fire monster single which literally jumps out at you on the car radio.
I am more than happy with the new record, and after catching their live act for the fourth time last night I look forward to the next album and the accompanying tour. The Beach Boys will probably never say anything profound about the human condition, but over the last 15 years they have consistently sung some of the most ethereal, spiritual, and prettiest music I’ve heard. They’re not the best rock ‘n’ roll group ever – just my favorite.
The Post-Star, August 26, 1976
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