The Beach Boys have provided the soundtrack to our Summer’s now for over half-a-century. They are a timeless treasure in the annals of American music and on a blistering July evening at Conner Prairie in Fishers, IN, the band were joined by the Indiana Symphony Orchestra for an unforgettable night of surf-rock hits in front of an enormous crowd.
Patrons were welcomed into the venue with coolers, picnic baskets and any type of snack they could get their hands on, a gesture that certainly adds a lot to the concert experience for those of of used to $13 beer and $10 pizza slices. The crowd, both young and old filed into the venue hours before start time as they tried to procure their spot on the prairie (most sought out the few locations where shade was provided) and readied themselves to be immersed in a night of good vibrations.
After a brief trip backstage before the show to meet the guys, I was able to tell band co-founder and singer Mike Love thanks for keeping the music alive and that he was a true legend. “Is that another word for old?” he asked jokingly. Keyboardist and member since 1965 Bruce Johnston was eager to talk about the band’s new album “The Beach Boys with the Royal Philharmonic,” and fondly recalled the band’s appearance on the hit TV show “Full House” back in 1988.
The show began promptly at 8:30 PM and from the beginning, it was clear that a memorable night was in store. The sound was spectacular as the Indiana Symphony Orchestra added a tasteful thickness to each song and while key band members like Brian Wilson and Al Jardine are not involved with the Beach Boys currently, the vocal harmonies were spot on. And really, keeping this music alive is what it’s all about at this point. This may not be the band’s classic lineup from 1965, but this is clearly a group of guys that are passionate about this music and making sure it lives on.
“Mike (Love) is so passionate about this music.” Guitarist and musical director Scott Totten said in a recent Music Mania Podcast interview. “My job is to play all the right notes and sing the right words and keep everyone on track.”
The nearly two-hour show (including a brief intermission) covered every hit from the Beach Boys 57-year career including such highlights as “Surfin’ USA,” “California Girls,” and “Wouldn’t it Be Nice.” The crowd of nearly 10,000, young and old, sang along gleefully to every song and hundreds made their way up to the front of the stage to dance along to their favorite song. Older fans sat in their lawn chairs, clapping along, children hit beach balls back and forth as this event displayed the epitome of Summer fun.
