CLEARFIELD – A sea of the Beach Boys’ fans, many of whom were adorned in vibrant shades of blues, reds, yellows and oranges, descended on the grandstand Tuesday night at the Clearfield County Fair.
By show time, the best-selling American band of all time quickly distracted focus from the cloudy skies overhead with their sun-drenched melodies of Southern California.
“My husband has me hooked. He’s loved them since he was a teenager,” said Ruth Reinsel of Clarion. She said husband, Bud’s musical collection includes virtually all of the recordings by the Beach Boys.
(Bud) Reinsel said they are around the same age as the group members and grew up with their music. Both said they’ve attended more than a half-dozen live performances.
(Ruth) Reinsel said she always “tries to nab” a beach ball, which are oftentimes bounced through the crowd. She currently has two in her collection.
“The first one that hits me is mine,” she said.
The Beach Boys opened with six-straight, including “Surfin,” “Catch A Wave” and “Surfin’ Safaria.” Mike Love, a founding member, pointed out only a small crowd of a dozen or so had formed in front of the track seating.
“We just sang all those fast-paced songs, and no one is dancing,” he said, poking fun at the “mellow” concert attendees. They then belted out “Surfer Girl,” which elicited a growing fan base near the wooden barrier.
Security, however, would instruct the fans to return to their seats. Looking back toward Love on stage, they waved goodbye and screamed “I love you.”
But their absence was a short-lived one while classics “I Get Around” and “409” brought them back down front.
Love then joked that the band was going to take an “intermission,” which would be followed by a “nap.”
“No. We’re not going to do that,” he said. Instead, he said they’d share a love song about a car, “Ballad of Ole’ Betsy.” They followed with a dedication to “women in uniform,” or cheerleaders, with “Be True to Your School.”
Fans were again told to return to their seats but would form a train and weave through the track to the sounds of “Good Vibrations,” “California Girls,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Surfin’ USA.”
The Beach Boys would later walk off stage for a moment; however, they returned to take their fans on trip.
Love then said rumor had it that it “gets cold up here in Pennsylvania.” They finished off the night with “Kokomo” and “Fun, Fun, Fun.”
Bill Anderson of Warren said he’s been a fan of the group for years and years and referred to himself as a “big fanatic.” He saw the Beach Boys perform live for the 19th time Tuesday night.
Anderson first saw the group at Edinboro State College in 1973 and later in their entirety at the Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo, NY. But his fan experience was highlighted by a show in Chicago, IL.
“It was the first time I had a front row seat,” he recalled, noting he also collected an autograph from Love. “It was unbelievable. I’ve never been disappointed. It’s top-shelf entertainment.”
Anderson said he’s attended other concerts, but none have ever compared to the Beach Boys. For him, the group offers a journey back to the 1960’s and 1970’s.
He said, “I have so much appreciation for their music. Growing up in Western Pennsylvania, you’re always next to a creek or dam. Their music is all I play. It’s always summer and like you’re on the Pacific coast.”
