I got hooked on The Beach Boys music when I was in elementary school. My mom liked it, so I heard it in our house. Their lyrics about the sun and the beach, their beautiful harmonies and the fun in their songs was magic. From “Surfin’ USA” to “Little Deuce Coupe” to “Barbara Ann” to “California Girls,” I knew them all. I couldn’t sing, but I sure loved how they could.
Today, only two of the original band members are still alive, so when I had the chance to see Al Jardine and his Pet Sounds Band at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts last Sunday, I made a date night out of it with my wife. She, like me many years ago, has heard The Beach Boys in our house – as have our kids – and knows many of the songs. That’s the beauty of The Beach Boys. They are as a family-friendly a group as you’re going to find – all their songs are pretty much rated G – and the audience on Sunday night reflected that. In front of us were a couple of 20-somethings, next to them was a couple probably in their 70s and across the aisle was another couple in their 30s. And everyone sang along with Jardine and the band, which is a 12-piece ensemble that harmonizes The Beach Boys’ hits as well as the original band did.
The show was, in a word, awesome. It wasn’t rehearsed; it was authentic. Shoot, when the lights in the theater darkened to indicate the show was starting, Jardine and the band casually walked on stage with big smiles and casual waves. No opening act, no grand gestures, just a pro who appreciates that people still enjoy his work. He even thanked everyone for attending a few times, told stories about The Beach Boys – which formed in Hawthorne more than 65 years ago – and played for about two hours.
At 84 years old, Jardine is remarkable. His voice is strong and his appreciation for his accomplishments is humble. He shared how certain songs came about, sang lead Sunday night on many of them, and together we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the release of the Pet Sounds album, which sold more than 28 million copies.
Al’s son Matt has a big part in the band. He’s an exceptional singer with a wide vocal range. For much of the night when he sang lead, if I closed my eyes I could feel the original band – Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Mike Love and Jardine – on stage. He’s that good, as is Darian Sahanaja, a keyboardist and multi‑instrumentalist who is the musical director and recreates the arrangements of Brian Wilson’s catalog. Debbie Shair, the lone woman in the band, plays keyboard and does much of the behind-the-scenes work that keeps things on track.
The first half of the show was largely dedicated to popular hits by The Beach Boys, and Jardine brought on stage two other members of The Beach Boys (not originals) who played key roles in its early success: Bruce Johnston and David Marks. When the three of them sang “Do You Wanna Dance” with Matt next to them, it was magic.
“Having Bruce and David on stage gave it a lot of energy,” Jardine said afterwards. “It was really great. It was new all over again. It had that energy.”
Similarly, Jardine said returning to SoCal to play – where The Beach Boys got their start – was also fun. “We had so many family and friends there, it was a great time. The support was there.”
Ater a quick break for intermission, the band came back with songs from the Love You album, and during that time Jardine brought Brian’s daughter Carnie and Brian’s second wife Marilyn on stage. It was a bit emotional, given that Brian had written and arranged most, if not all, of the songs and this tour is a tribute to Brian’s work, but heartwarming to see them share the experience. Jardine wrapped up the evening with couple Beach Boys classics, returned for an encore before leaving to a standing ovation – and signing a few autographs on his way out.
When it was over, even my voice was hoarse from singing.
Jardine and the band perform again in SoCal on Oct 22 at The Soraya in Northridge.
