On a chilly Wednesday evening, fans flocked to the Toyota Oakdale Theatre on November 15 for The Beach Boys. The Beach Boys currently have four shows left in the Northeast on their “America’s Band” tour with the final show being November 19 in Schenectady.
Despite this version of The Beach Boys looking slightly different than the Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) lineup, Mike Love and Bruce Johnston still remain. Joining Love and Johnston is Tim Bonhomme on the keyboards, Christian Love, John Wedemeyer, and Brian Eichenberger on guitar, Keith Hubacher on bass, Randy Leago on saxophone with Jon Bolton on the drums.
Prior to The Beach Boys hitting the stage, the Garfield, New Jersey native band, The Rascals warmed up the crowd. Led by singer Felix Cavaliere, The Rascals had a short 30-minute set that featured classic songs and prepared the audience for the main event.
As the clock struck 8:30, the house lights dimmed and the screen behind the stage lit up with a video montage that featured The Beach Boys in pop culture. The montage featured the band’s appearance in Full House, being referenced in Good Morning Vietnam, and having Mathew Perry in his role as Chandler Bing in Friends sing “Kokomo.” The entire theatre rose to their feet as the band jumped into “Do It Again,” off of their 1969 album 20/20.
The Beach Boys played for a total of an hour and a half and within that hour and a half, the fans loved it. Inside the venue, it would have seemed like you were in a time warp back to the 1960s. Fans were dancing with their significant others in the aisles and women were running up to the stage trying to get a closer look at the band. Even during certain songs, long after lighters were ditched, fans took out their cellphones and flashlights to wave back and forth.
During the show, The Beach Boys ran through all their hits and even played a few covers. The most impressive cover that the band played was their version of “California Dreamin’” which was originally sung by The Mamas & the Papas and is from their 1966 album If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears. Bolton while drumming was also on lead vocals for this song and did an outstanding job and gave the entire audience goosebumps while Leago provided the groovy solo in the middle of the song.
The entire band sounded great. Love and Johnston have an excellent band playing alongside them and each musician compliments each other very well. During the renditions of “I Get Around,” “California Girls,” and “God Only Knows” the harmonies sent shivers down the spines of the most hardcore Beach Boys fans and made them transport back to the heyday when the band ruled the world.
As the band took their final bow after “Fun, Fun, Fun,” fans filed out of the theatre and jumped into their cars blasting the Beach Boys music as if it was the ‘60s again. Fan rolled down their windows as they drove off knowing that for one night, there was nothing but “Good Vibrations” throughout.
Setlist: Do It Again, Surfin’ Safari, Catch a Wave, Rockaway Beach, Surfin’ U.S.A., Surfer Girl, Don’t Worry Baby, Little Deuce Coupe, 409, Shut Down, Little Honda, I Get Around, Be True to Your School, In My Room, Getcha Back, Good to My Baby, When I Grow Up (to Be a Man), Help Me, Rhonda, Darlin’, God Only Knows, Sloop John B, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Then I Kissed Her, California Dreamin’, California Girls, Do You Wanna Dance?, Rock and Roll Music, Barbara Ann, Kokomo, Good Vibrations, Fun, Fun, Fun
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