CALIFORNIA ROCK NEWS

by Alex Kluft

The Get Together Foundation paid tribute to America’s Favorite Band the Beach Boys for their annual benefit show. This would also honor Brian Wilson especially as he had passed less than a month before the event took place. The show kicked off with an opening set from the Steve Bardwil band followed by longtime Brian Wilson collaborator, Steven Kalinich, who was presented with a Lifetime Achievement award and then read one of his beautiful poems. This concert marked the 10 year anniversary of the group Tribe. The lineup included former Beach Boys member David Marks who played guitar on the groups first four albums and was part of the 50th anniversary tour in 2012 as well as the Brian Wilson/Jeff Beck tour in 2013, Blondie Chaplin a member in the early 70’s who recorded on the albums Surf’s Up and Holland and frequently performed with Wilson since 2013 through his last tour in 2023. There were also performances from The Honeys – a girls group discovered and produced by Wilson, consisting of Wilson’s first wife Marilyn and her cousin Ginger Blake; Wilson’s daughter Carnie, and grandkids Lola Bonfiglio, and Leo Knudson, Wrecking Crew member Don Randi who played keyboards on a number of Beach Boys hits including the famed “Help Me Rhonda,” the event’s executive producer (and drummer) Kevin Wachs, GTF’s Special Events Director/Publicist Lauri Reimer, actor and musician Rob Morrow, Gary Stockdale who was the evening’s vocal director, legendary bassist Freebo, musical director Steve Bauman, Wings former lead guitarist Laurence Juber, legendary backing vocalist Rosemary Butler, The Immediate Family’s Steve Postell, renowned guitarist Grant Geissman, keyboardist Jeffrey Alan Ross, and many more. 

A number of the Beach Boys biggest hits were performed including. “Fun Fun Fun,” “Kokomo,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” the incredible Carly Smithson delivering a stellar performance of  “God Only Knows,” “Sail On Sailor,” sung by the original Blondie Chaplin, and “Good Vibrations,” which was the grand finale with all of the Wilson family and cast. This was truly an incredible night – one for the books.