Come on a safari with me.......
Yes... The Beach Boys! Remember them? Yes, I know that two of the Wilson brothers have passed away, and some other members left the band a long time ago, but two of the original Beach Boys are still touring and yesterday they were at Casino Rama, in Orillia, Ontario with their current band.
I, with about 30 friends, piled into a yellow school bus and took a rattly bumpy ride for almost 2 hours to the small town of Orillia. On the way we enjoyed assorted hors d'oeuvres and yummy snacks provided by a few of our group. Eating made the bumpy journey go fast!
Casino Rama opened in 1996 and is located on the reserve land of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation. Of course, there's a huge gambling area with 2500 slot machines (not my cup of tea), and a hotel, restaurants and sports venue. And a 5000 seat theatre!
The Beach Boys filled every seat. And the show was terrific!Mike Love (age 74) and Bruce Johnston (age 73) are the remaining originals, backed up by Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill, Randell Kirsch, Jeffrey Foskett and Scott Totten (all a lot younger).
They gave us all the classic Beach Boys songs: Barbara Ann; God Only Knows; Good Vibrations; California Girls; Kokomo; I Get Around; Help Me Rhonda; The Sloop John B; Little Deuce Coupe; Fun Fun Fun ('til her Daddy takes the T-Bird Away) ..... and loads more, backed up by footage of the original band members showing on the big screens behind them. Remember all those songs? I bet you are humming at least one of them right now!
It was a high energy concert that went on for a full two hours without a break. For a couple of septuagenarians, they had great harmonies and a spirited performance, and everyone on stage looked like they were enjoying themselves. I was singing along and dancing in my seat. No worries about annoying my seat mates as they were singing and dancing too. Arrived home well after midnight with Surfin' songs running through my head. What a blast from the past..... loved every Surfin' minute!
Great memories and sounds like so much fun.
ReplyDeleteNow a have a couple of those songs swirling around in my head too.
How could you NOT know them, considering what a run they had on radio stations around the world. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I remember the Beach Boys. I would had hopped into that bus and no worries about the bumpy road. Awesome!!!Sounds like you had a great time!!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing outing for you and your friends. High energy fun. And now I have several ear worms competing in my head...
ReplyDeleteMusic takes us back to then.
ReplyDeleteSurfing USA, it always makes me think of summer, yet when the single was released in March 1963, here in the UK the thaw was just starting after one the coldest winter’s on record!
ReplyDelete1963 was some year – J F Kennedy was assassinated in November.
Two of the Beatles singles reached number one in the UK charts, “Please Please Me” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, it was the start of Beatle Mania.
The Great Train Robbery took place on the Glasgow to London Royal Mail Train.
Government minister John Profumo resigned as a result of misleading Parliament over his affair with Christine Keeler.
Martin Luther King made his speech “I Have a Dream”
Alcatraz Prison closed, it was first used as a prison during the American Civil War.
The launch of the long running Dr Who series took place with the first episode “An Unearthly Child”
Yes 1963 was quite a memorable year.
I still have Surfin' Safari in mono. My seventh grade (or was it eighth?)girlfriend gave it to me at a Christmas party. I even surfed by the Atlantic beaches where I grew up. Boy that was a long time ago.
ReplyDeleteI bet it was a great show, those old timers know just what a crowd want to hear and crank out all the hits. I used to run Bobby Vee's fan club, and until he became ill recently he used to work a crowd so well. They've had enough years of experience to know just what to sing, and what not to sing.
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty classic, you can't help thinking of the surf and summer when you hear their music.. I bet you had a brilliant evening S.
ReplyDeleteWow! Sure, I remember and I love them too, principally Brian Wilson!
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you enjoyed that great show!
I have a wonderful DVD , "Party At The Palace", that was a concert held in London in 2002. The event was in commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, and was held at Buckingham Palace Garden. It was the pop/rock equivalent of the Prom at the Palace, a classical music event.
Amongst others, performes included the best BRIAN WILSON, Paul McCartney, Bryan Adams, Queen, Elton John, Shirley Bassey, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Phil Collins, Ray Cooper, Tom Jones, Annie Lennox, Ricky Martin, Ozzy Osbourne, Rod Stewart, Tony Bennett, Emma Bunton, The Corrs, Cliff Richard, Will Young etc.
I think you will like this DVD.
Wishing you and yours a happy Sunday!
"Party at the Palace - The Queen's Concerts, Buckingham Palace" link to amazon.com
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Party-Palace-Queens-Concerts-Buckingham/dp/B0000687F4
California girl is obligated to love the beach boys. I would have been singing right along with you!
ReplyDeleteAh, the memories!
ReplyDeleteYes indeed. It was so full of youth, enthusiasm, and the future. How I loved it....:)
ReplyDeleteAaahhhhhh--the Beach Boys. Lucky you !!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun time. I would be humming their tunes for weeks afterward, I'm sure. A friend of mine went to see the Beach Boys in Montreal when she was pregnant with her first child.. about 1978. She felt the baby move for the first time during Good Vibrations. What a.. kick.
ReplyDeleteOh, The Beach Boys! I would listen to their music on the radio call-in-music program. Music has a magical power to unite people who liked and listened the music no matter where we were. It evokes some emotion of the particular time. I think I know how you were excited. As a fan of Billy Joel, I rocked with him at the Osaka Stadium on his last visit to Japan.
ReplyDeleteYoko