Book review: The Beach Boys In Concert by Ian Rusten and Jon Stebbins

Backbeat Books www.backbeatbooks.com

You could sum this review up simply as this book is perfect for the avid Beach Boys fan. It lists nearly all of their concerts from their early days up until their 2012 reunion, although the later years have selected gigs only in the gig list. Added to this are rare concert photos and memorabilia, plus fascinating little insights into the band’s history (and there are plenty of temper tantrums and strops recorded as you’d expect) and how gigs went. There are funny parts to including Mike Love’s rant about David Lee Roth! You can also see the timeline of Brian Wilson’s fragile relationship with the band often having to be coaxed back onto the stage in the middle of concerts. We are very lucky he still performs and makes music, with the band’s reunion album ‘That’s Why God Made The Radio’ proving a hit and Brian Wilson giving some of his best performances in recent years.

The book also rounds-up the various solo shows the band members’ have played with Mike Love and Brian Wilson touring the most.

Review by Jason Ritchie

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 2 March 2025.

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Power Plays w/c 7 April 2025

SEVEN BLOOD To The Unknown (indie)
FROM FALL TO SPRING Incomplete (Arising Empire)
POP EVIL Side Effects (MNRK Heavy)
ERJA LYYTINEN Abyss (Tuohi Records)
SKY VALLEY MISTRESS Too Many Ghosts (New Heavy Sounds)

Featured Albums w/c 7 April 2025

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Singer Songwriter)

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