With the sun shining benignly above, the unusual warm weather and mock American bars behind me, it was easy to believe I was at a music festival in the USA.
However, this was Hyde Park in London, and I was at the British Summer Time festival to see the all-American Beach Boys.
Now in their seventies, original band members Mike Love and Bruce Johnston look decidedly un-rock n’roll.
But when Mike started singing and the rest of the band launched into their set, the fact that band members are no longer in their prime seemed irrelevant.
I imagine hits such as Surfin Safari’ and Surfer Girl sound just as good as when they came out more than 50 years ago. Although I wasn’t around, or even a twinkle in my parents’ eyes, when the Beach Boys burst on to the music scene in 1961, it felt like a real blessing to have the opportunity to hear them now.
People of different generations bopped along to old favourites and a few more recent numbers from what is arguably one of the USA’s finest ever groups.
When they launched into Good Vibrations, my evening was made. I knew it couldn’t get any better than that.
There were a whole (decidedly younger and bored) generation who were not excited and were eagerly awaiting headline act JLS.
Ironically, they did not get that The Beach Boys originally ushered in the boy band phenomenon and JLS are merely following in these well-worn footsteps.
Sadly this unappreciative lot did not seem to realise what a gift they had on their door-step and only perked up when The Beach Boys finished.
Although I have nothing against JLS, who clearly had bags more energy and were very appreciative of their fans, there was simply no comparison to The Beach Boys, a very hard act to follow.
Syma Mohammed
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