The Beach Boys – The Surf Ballroom – Clear Lake IA – August 16th 2021

The Surf Ballroom presents The Beach Boys

Review and photos by Todd Johnson

If you looked up American music institutions, The Beach Boys would be at the top of that list. Another American music institution is the Surf Ballroom in Cedar Lake, Iowa. It is the place where “music died” back in 1959 when a plane crashed carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and “the Big Bopper.”

Seeing a legendary band in a venue such as the Surf Ballroom is kind of like seeing your favorite band in a your high school’s gymnasium. It is very intimate and seems kind of out of this world because the capacity is only around 2100 people. It was also cool that most of the decorations and memorabilia there revolve around the 1950s and 1960s so it was like going in the DeLorean back in time. 

There are very few original members in this version of The Beach Boys. In fact, only one. That member is the infamous Mike Love who was one of the founding members when the band started in 1961. However, before seeing The Beach Boys at Surf Ballroom I did not realize he was such a controversial figure in the history of The Beach Boys. Bruce Johnston, while not an original members,  is the person in this version of The Beach Boys that is been in this versions of the band 2nd longest (starting in 1965.) I had the opportunity to talk to Bruce briefly before the show when he signed my Beach Boys album and I told him that I was going to frame the album and put it next to my autographed Foo Fighters album. Without missing a beat, Bruce said “I love the Foos” and walked towards the restaurant across the parking lot from the Surf Ballroom. As far as the other current touring members of the band are: Tim Bonhomme – Keyboards, Scott Totten – lead guitar, John Cowsill – Rhythm Guitar, Christian Love (Mike Love’s song) – rhythm guitar, Brian Eichenberger –  bass, Randy Leago – saxophone, Keith Hubacher – bass.

If my math (and setlist I found) is correct, The Beach Boys played 41 songs at this show. Of course they played all the hits from ‘Surfin’ Safari’ to ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’ & everything in between. They did a few cover songs too such as ‘Rock and Roll Music,’ ‘California Dreamin’” and “Here Comes the Sun” (although i think they should work on that version of it a little bit more). Everyone went crazy when they played the opening notes of “Kokomo” and it seemed like everyone simultaneously was recording video of the song. 

If you haven’t see The Beach Boys in concert before, I highly recommend doing so as soon as possible. While they tenaciously tour like a band in their 20s, it is easy to take seeing The Beach Boys for granted, but one thing I have learned during COVID is to NOT take ANY concert opportunity for granted. Cherish every concert like it might the last because you never know what we will happen when we go through in this thing called life.