2005-08-1519:36:35
JILL WING, The Saratogian08/14/2005

Beach Boys solve one of life's great mysteries

OK. Maybe it was just one of my life's greatest mysteries.

To build the suspense -- like any mystery writer does -- you'll have to wade
through other diatribe to get to the exciting climax and the answer to the great
mystery ...

You had to wonder what was going through the Boys' minds as their tour bus
surfed -- dipping, weaving and cresting -- through waves of grain to get to
their appearance a couple weeks ago at the Equine Advocates benefit gala in
rural Schuylerville's rural hinterlands.

The narrow, twisting country road that leads to Stone Bridge Farm was an
automotive red carpet that night.

People driving Hummers, Mercedes, Bentleys, Beemers, farm trucks and the
occasional combine wove through the rural countryside to see these California
surfer dudes kick up some sand in upstate New York's rich dirt.

Even some of the stoic, staid Brits from Fasig-Tipton wore jams, Hawaiian shirts
and, gasp, flip-flops to the party.

Although two of the original bandmates -- Mike Love and Bruce Johnston -- are a
little long in the tooth, an ensemble of younger surfer dudes, who probably
weren't alive when the Boys were in their prime, propped the old guys up with
the group's timeless harmonies.

Love and Johnston are stand-up versions of the other original member Brian
Wilson, who will shuffle onto the SPAC stage tonight and take his seat behind a
keyboard. At least he knows when to sit down.

A lot of us watching the Boys at the horse farm held our breaths as Love dropped
to one knee to praise the guitar player and then struggled to get back up.

The old Boys aren't as flexible as the Tin Man in 'The Wizard of Oz.' But if you
closed your eyes, you could almost hear the crashing waves and squeals of gulls
on any beach U.S.A.

I looked around as the Boys opened with 'California Girls' and saw others in the
audience -- in their 50s, 60s, even 70s -- singing along. It reminded me of my
parents singing along with Mitch Miller on TV in the '60s. As horrifying as that
memory was, I couldn't not sing along.

When chair dancing and singing weren't enough and the good libations began to
loosen their joints, boomers got off their seats and danced in the dirt.

I hadn't danced in probably 10 years -- no rhythm then and less now. I don't
think 'The Pony' is cool, anymore. But I thought it was appropriate, given the
horsey crowd and the arena/amphitheater. People dancing nearby noticeably gave
me extra room to perform my galloping gyrations.

(The suspense must be killing you. We're almost there -- to life's greatest
mystery solved.)

The Boys sang every song they have ever sung, and then some. They even threw in
'The Duke of Earl.' And who knew? Turns out Bruce Johnston wrote Barry Manilow's
hit single 'I Write the Songs.' The Boys sang that, too.

My eureka moment was when they broke into 'Surfin' U.S.A.'

You know that line, 'Let's go surfin' now, everybody's learnin' how, come on a
safari with me'?

For 35 years I've wondered what a safari had to do with surfing. And then, in a
rare moment of clarity, I realized it was 'surfari' not safari.

Aren't you glad you stuck with me?



regards,


Russ
http://blomstedt.n0.be