How the Beach Boys outlived The Beatles

MANILA, Philippines - While The Beach Boys emerged as America’s No. 1 rock and roll band in the `60s, another of its greater and more enduring claim to fame lies in the fact that it was the only act able to challenge the over-arching success of The Beatles, the era’s fastest-rising pop superstars, among both mainstream listeners and the critical community.

As history proved, The Beach Boys not only mounted a strong competition against the Fab Four from Liverpool but even outlived them with the break-up of the latter in 1970 while they continued on throughout the next four decades.

The legendary band, which rose to fame with the hit singles Surfin’ USA and Good Vibrations, will conquer music fans with its golden harmonies and exceptional style when it performs at its much-awaited concert on Jan. 27 at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Billed as The Beach Boys Live In Manila!, the one-night show to be mounted by Ovation Productions marks the return to the concert scene of the pop group almost four years after its sold-out debut performance here in October, 2005 also at the Big Dome.

Special guest is Ramon “RJ” Jacinto.

Headed by lead vocalist and founding member Mike Love, The Beach Boys will perform a repertoire of classic songs, such as their first hit, Surfin’, Surfin’ USA, Surfer Girl, Fun, Fun, Fun, I Get Around, California Girls, Help Me Rhonda, Barbara Anne, Good Vibrations, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Rock and Roll Music, Kokomo, and many more.

Starting with their 1961 debut with the regional hit, Surfin’, written by Mike Love, the five youngsters (with the addition later of Al Jardine) became an instant sensation for creating the most intricate, gorgeous harmonies ever heard from a pop group.

At the end of 1966, a poll in one of England’s music papers found The Beach Boys topping The Beatles as the No.1 vocal group in the world.

In the same year, The Beach Boys emerged as America’s pre-eminent pop group and ultimately throughout the world when it produced an incredible record of 21 Top 40 hits and chart-busting albums at the height of Beatlemania.

The Beach Boys received 32 RIAA Platinum and Gold record awards for their amazing record of worldwide album sales estimated at over 100 million copies. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and won the NARAS Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2001 Grammy Awards ceremonies.

Aside from Mike Love, other Beach Boys members are veteran Bruce Johnston (vocals/keyboards), Mike Kowalski (drums), Adrian Baker (guitar/vocals), Chris Farmer (bass/vocals), Tim Bonhomme (keyboards/vocals), John Cowsill of The Cowsills (keyboards/vocals/percussion) and Scott Totten (guitar/vocals).

Beach Boys Live In Manila! is sponsored by Imarflex, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, etc, 2nd Avenue, Jack TV, RJ 100.3 FM and ABS-CBN.

Other supporters include the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, The Philippine Star, BusinessWorld, Philstar.com, GetzMo!, OptimaSignsolutions, NU 107, 105.1 FM Crossover, 105.9 FM Underground Radio, Power 104.3, 96.3 Easy Rock and 97.9 Home Radio.

Tickets are priced at P3,800, P3,500, P2,800, P1,800, P800 and P500 and are available at Ticketnet outlets at all SM Department Stores. For details, call Ticketnet at 911-5555 or Ovation Productions at 532-8883.