Exactly how remarkable is the Beach Boys' parade of hits?
Let's just say it barely mattered that most of the original band was missing Thursday night at Verizon Theatre and its lead singer struggled to stay in tune. The music is still that powerful.
America's greatest group during its mid-'60s heyday, the Beach Boys of today bear little resemblance to the five cherubic California kids whose photos popped up on a screen throughout the two-hour concert. Carl and Dennis Wilson died years ago, and creative mastermind Brian Wilson and singer-guitarist Al Jardine have splintered off on their own tour, which, coincidentally, comes to Verizon on June 24.
That leaves Bruce Johnston (keyboard, vocals) and main singer Mike Love, who holds the exclusive license to tour under the Beach Boys name. The nasal-voiced Love was admittedly not much of a singer to begin with, and his lead vocals sounded particularly disheveled Thursday.
But the songs still soared, thanks in large part to flawless singing from the razor-sharp five-man stand-in band. Scott Totten - whose guitar solos were dead-on all night - and Jeffrey Foskett expertly handled the high lead vocals originally sung by Brian and Carl Wilson in "God Only Knows," "Don't Worry Baby" and "You're So Good To Me." The angelic barbershop harmonies that define the Beach Boys were intact, too, especially during an a capella version of the Four Freshmen's "Their Hearts Were Full of Spring."
Johnston - a Beach Boy since 1965, when he replaced future "Rhinestone Cowboy" Glen Campbell - turned in a convincing lead vocal on his 1971 composition "Disney Girls." And Love was a perfectly entertaining front man, full of quips, sly grins and hand gestures that showed off his multiple gold rings.
Yet it was the songs that carried the show, from the teen anthems about cars, girls and surfing to the Technicolor phantasmagoria of "Good Vibrations," still sounding mystical with a synthesizer replicating the famous theremin part.
At 74, Love cracked several jokes about his age. "Now we'd like to take an intermission, followed by a nap," he said after the sixth song. Johnston had to motion for the audience to stand up, and then - aware of his aging demographic - he motioned for them to sit back down as soon as a fast song ended.
But sitting or standing, it didn't matter. With songs this glorious, every Beach Boys concert is one long singalong.
By Thor Christensen
