As lessons in the history of American rock and roll go, they really don’t come much better. Credit: Starlite Occident
by Kirk Blows
The Beach Boys revelled in bringing their glorious brand of Californian sunshine to Marbella’s Starlite Occident festival on Monday, July 28.
The legendary group, who include co-founding frontman Mike Love and long-time member Bruce Johnston – both in their mid-80s – were augmented by a magnificent eight-piece band.
And on what was a fittingly hot evening on the Costa del Sol, they disappointed nobody as the iconic outfit romped through a back catalogue of more than 30 hits that rolled back the years, aided by video and photographic backdrops that brought the memories flooding back.
Highlights included classics such as ‘Surfin’ USA’, ‘I Get Around’, ‘California Girls’, ‘God Only Knows’ (sung by Mike’s son Christian), ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’, ‘Sloop John B’, ‘Darlin’’, the underrated ‘I Can Hear Music’, the inevitable ‘Good Vibrations’ and closing ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’.
But they also surprised with a cover of ‘Rockaway Beach’ by US punk rockers the Ramones and Eddie Cochran’s ‘Summertime Blues’, while ‘Forever’ and ‘Kokomo’ were also welcome inclusions.
However, the line-up left the stage for a studio recording of ‘Brian’s Back’ in a touching tribute to Brian Wilson – the musical brains and harmonic genius behind the band – who sadly passed away in June, while videos of his brothers Carl and Dennis, who are also no longer with us, reminded fans of the triumph and tragedy experienced over the years.
But for Mike Love it’s always been about keeping the summer alive and he deserves thanks for perpetuating the Beach Boys as a touring entity for so long.
Lead vocal duties were shared around various members of the group – an ensemble cast of excellent musicians – with drummer Jon Bolton (nicknamed ‘The Bolt’ because of the energy he brings) one of the stars of the show.
With only one new studio album in the last 30 years (2012’s ‘That’s Why God Made The Radio’) and Brian having ceased touring with the group back in their 1960s heyday, it’s easy to suggest they’ve long become their own tribute act.
But nostalgia never felt so good and as lessons in the history of American rock and roll go, they really don’t come much better.
Other Starlite Occident events include Santana (August 3), Gypsy Kings (August 4), Tom Jones (August 5) and Texas (August 11)…
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