THE BEACH BOYS/THE RASCALS – TOYOTA OAKDALE THEATRE

By Marisa Torrieri Bloom

The Beach Boys and The Rascals at Toyota Oakdale Theatre (11/05/23)

In 1967, The Beach Boys’ fresh wave of guitar-driven surf-pop had swept the nation, as fans latched onto their sunny tunes and infectious, barbershop-quartet-style harmonies. In an era defined by the Civil Rights and Women’s Rights movements, anti-war protests, and psychedelic rock, the American band offered a fun escape to young fans like my mom. She was just 18 when she hitched a ride to University of Virginia with a beau to see them in April of that year.

It’s no surprise that some of the earliest memories I have of my 1980s childhood are of my mom and dad singing along to The Beach Boys‘ hits like “California Girls” and “Fun Fun Fun.”

So, when a mom friend won two tickets to the November 15 th Oakdale arena show in Wallingford, Connecticut — some 56 years after that 1967 show — I jumped on at the chance to join her. Opportunities to see iconic rock acts of the 1960s and 1970s are dwindling. The only original member of the Beach Boys’ touring band is 81-year-old Mike Love. But I couldn’t help but wonder: Would a new breed of musicians effectively capture the sound of a bygone era and transport me to a place called “Kokomo?”

When the concert kicked off around 7:30, and opening band The Rascals took the stage, I wasn’t so sure. While I was intrigued by the idea of seeing The Rascals, a rock-and-soul band formed in 1965 in Garfield, New Jersey, the energy in the auditorium didn’t match my high hopes. The Boomer-leaning crowd stayed seated and clapped politely after each song. This was frustrating: I wanted to get up and dance — I was raised in the ’80s, after all — but was afraid of blocking someone’s view.

But gradually I accepted my limitations, bopping my head to the beat as co-lead vocalist and keyboard player Felix Cavaliere led his band into a string of early singles from the 1960s, including “A Beautiful Morning” and “Groovin.’” I also loved that as The Rascals played, a video montage of their early performances played on a big screen behind. Seeing all the early band footage from the band’s heyday added to the ambiance.

The Rascals saved the best for last, finishing off their 45-minue set with a rousing rendition of “Good Lovin,’ which prompted a handful of elderly women to rush to the front of the stage to dance.

Soon after, The Beach Boys cruised onto a stage decked out in faux palm trees to roaring applause, as they kicked off their set with “Do it Again,” “Surfin’ Safari,” and “Surfin’ USA,” my mom’s favorite.

The vocal harmonies were as tight as ever, with Love singing lead vocals in his traditional baritone range — albeit, a little weathered — accompanied by guitarist Christian Love (his son); high tenor guitarist Brian Eichenberger; longtime keyboard player Bruce Johnston; and drummer Jon Bolton. Saxophone/percussion/flute player Randy Leago;lead guitarist John Wedemeyer, and bass player Keith Hubacher completed the touring lineup, belting out background vocals as needed.s

The new players brought an undeniably fresh energy: Eichenberger’s high tenor harmonies would have made Brian Wilson proud, especially during songs like “California Girls,” and “Barbara Ann,” which wouldn’t have sounded authentic without a Wilson-esque head voice. The crowd went wild after every one of Wedemeyer’s guitar solos, cheering as he tossed guitar pics to the dancing fans who stormed the stage during the second half of the set (including this writer, accompanied by a feisty elderly lady). Bolton’s drumstick twirling and boyish enthusiasm kept the energy high during singalong standards like “I Get Around.”

A couple of unexpected covers — The Mamas & the Papas’ “California Dreamin’” and The Ramones’ “Rockaway Beach” — were perfect additions to the set, which flowed beautifully as video footage of The Beach Boys’ past concerts and images of former members who had passed away —notably brothers Carl and Dennis Wilson — streamed in the background. It was also super groovy to hear “Wouldn’t it Be Nice” — a Pet Sounds single that was given new life in the 2004 Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore hit movie 50 First Dates.

Yet it is impossible to pick a single favorite moment of the Wednesday night The Beach Boys set.

Seeing The Beach Boys in real life, and experiencing their music live, truly lifted my spirits. I can only imagine that this is how my mother felt in 1967 when she saw them playing for the first time, and how happy she was to bask in that feel-good energy. While I’m hesitant to say I’ll see The Beach Boys again, I really hope that I do — and that it’s my mom who’s dancing with me in the front row.

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