The Beach Boys

Through the generosity of a friend, we attended the Beach Boys' concert last night at State Fair.

They have really big speakers, really, really big background screens, and really old fans.

Mike Love is now 81 or so, and sounds like it.  He did stuff that no AutoTune could correct without frying its circuits and going splodey-boom in a spectacular sparks-and-smoke exhibition.  The rest of the band was decent, but not prize-winning.

All the usual hits.  Still good to hear them.  Then some 'new' stuff which was tired re-working of the 'old sound'.  They shouldn't have done it.  Love intro'd one of those with a monologue about sitting on a mountaintop with some swami and John Lennon (?).  Vapid "Imagine" lyrics followed.  Ugh.

What was a lot of fun, though, was watching the Old Farts try to reclaim their youth by waving and more-or-less 'dancing' to the tunes.  State Fair probably had a couple extra ambulances there with hip-replacement tools and equipment.

Also notable?  At least one fan who had his "Mike Love Wannabee" costume:  Hawaiian shirt, baseball cap, ponytail.  Sheesh.

All in all, a good time, especially the people-watching part.  As to musicianship?

Nah.  Loud and bluesy-endings, horrible vocals, bass sax?  Nah.