The Beach Boys
concert reviews and tour history

Sadly disappointing!
The day started brightly with Buddy Holly & the Cricketers, an excellent tribute performance which warmed up the crowd and had everyone singing along. Lulu followed and, despite my initial concerns, the talented 76-year old gave us a performance well worthy of a headline act. At one point, Little Miss Dynamite was even accompanied by David Bowie (albeit virtually!) for 'The Man Who Sold The World'. Big 'Shout' out to the little lady! David Essex followed with an adequate set full of his 'greatest hits' including 'Rock On', 'Lamplight' & 'Stardust', but with little crowd interaction and some embarrassing 'Dad Dancing'! It was as if he resented being a support act.
Finally the act we had all been waiting for, The Beach Boys featuring co-founder and lead singer Mike Love, alongside longtime member Bruce Johnston and accompanied by a much newer line-up. The recognisable surf music started up and all were ready for a treat full of vocal harmonies and adolescent-oriented lyrics. As soon as Mike started singing, we knew this was a step too far for the band. Sadly, whilst the lyrics are still there, the voice is not what it was, the harmonies have gone and, were it not for the valiant efforts and excellent work of Brian Eichenberger, many more would have joined the steady trickle of audience members leaving the show, preferring to remember them as they were, not as they are.
Perhaps if the sun hadn't gone down on the Englefield Estate, it may not have gone down on the band. Sorry guys, musically fine but, for a band that was built and clever vocals and great harmonies, they are just not there any more.

short songs, much too load. not as good as they were 10 years ago

We went to the concert having been a big fan of the Beach Boys since we were kids. The weather had begun to be threatening with high humidity and thunderstorms.
Magnificent Seven from Perth was their support act and they were just awesome playing county rock that was so polished and clean.
The Beach Boys came out and told everyone they’re not stopping if it rains.
John Stamos was their featured drummer and he would have been in his peak of his TV career.
From memory they had a big blow up hot rod up on top of their stage.
I think Brian introduced Be True to Your School with a lot of passion about how great your school could be. I remember thinking how different our culture is as most of us Aussies couldn't care less about our schools and not much about the message in the song.
When everyone was leaving I remember the amazing happy vibe that was in the crowd with everyone saying how awesome the concert was and how much they enjoyed it.
The best concert I’ve been to in my life.

Super fun show. I remember it being hot and sunny that day. All acts were good but as you might guess The Beach Boys were the highlight of the day/night. As the Beach Boys played, the crowd passed LOTS of beach balls all over the place. Some of the beach balls went up on the stage while they played. At one point Mike Love stopped the band (in the middle of a song) and addressed the crowd. He informed the crowd that Brian (Wilson) had just got out of the hospital and that he was having a real tough time with the beach balls. The passing of the beach balls came to an end and the show resumed. Great show...even after scolded by the Beach Boys :-)

The beach boys played both as the warm up band dressed in t-shirts and jeans singing all the b-sides and then in their chinos and striped shirts. In all they played two sets lasting all night absolutely great.

If Kid Creole and the Coconuts were with them, i have been there . It was fantastic! Great playlist and performance, a milestone of my concert history.

What do you do when you have to take the stage after Little Feat has whipped the crowd into a chicken fried, boogie fueled froth? If you’re The Beach Boys in 1974 you relax and have fun. The crowd knows almost every word of almost every song on your set list and they are gonna have a good time. Yeah the audience has changed a bit since 1967 but so have you and you have Ricky Fataar and Blondie Chaplin in the band now so turn it up and give the people what they know and love.
And that’s exactly what they did for 90 mins. I ‘m typing this in 2023 and this concert ranks among the best I’ve ever seen.

Truly a fun show, I remember beachballs and surfboards being in the crowd. Also recall Brian wandering around the stage then sitting behind the drums for a cigarette break during the show.

My first concert with a wonderful friend and we were about 50 meters from the stage,
I was only 14 ❤️

I was there. Slept over and was 4 sleeping bags from the stage. I remember Carlos being incredible. I also remember the skies got dark and threatening when Fleetwood Mac was playing but it did not rain and when the Beach Boys hit the stage the sun broke through. It was as if the weather was choreographed. Great day and an awesome concert.