Forty seven years ago, The Beatles whomped a stale music industry, saving rock ‘n’ roll from square American moms, dads, the Payola Scandal, and HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee). England and isolated parts of the U.S., however, seemed uninfected by this repression, with surf music in SoCal providing a mega-ton bomb of guitar intensity (see: Dick Dale, ’61-’63).
On February 11, 2011, The American Cinematheque at The Egyptian Theater in Hollywood will present the re-convening of that teenage explosion with The Beatles on full-throttle stun in the wake of their “Invasion” of America on the Ed Sullivan Show (February 9, 1964). Two days later, they performed their first U.S. Concert at the Washington D.C. Coliseum, and this supreme kick-in-the-ass was videotaped for a boxing-style closed circuit concert presentation that screened in theaters nationwide during early March of that year. Filmed at NBC studios in Burbank, The Beach Boys segment – still all playing Fender gear in this live performance – gives a stompin’ taste of the band’s early, pre-Wimp surf rock roots. Later in the year, Beach Boys lead guitarist Carl Wilson would switch from his surf-guitar-ready blonde Fender Jaguar guitar, blonde Showman amps and blonde outboard reverb unit…. to the less-surfy, more Beatlesque “A Hard Days Night” Rickenbacker. Less wet. Less Rendezvous Ballroom-Dick Dale sound circa 1961. Less “Baja” (The Astronauts’ 1963 nautical-sounding deep reverb tank glory). Dig?
The Beach Boys’ look in this video concert footage is also more consumed by early ’60s surf craze duds than their move by end of the year toward Pop in general (and away from surf music). “Trademark” striped shirts had not yet been purchased. They were still down with playing at dances in early ’64, though they were already tremendously successful with a bunch of cool hit records between ’61 and ’63. Dennis Wilson, the one true surfer and hot-rodder in the group (he did actually surf – a lot – plus tinkered with… and raced… his Cobra at Lion’s Drag Strip), lands some tough bottom end bang on his drum kit throughout the show. Plus, you get to see that on-fire Beatles concert too.
Tickets for this one-time only anniversary happening can be purchased at (800) Fandango: it’s the first time the concert videotape has been screened in full since March of 1964, right here, right now at The Egyptian Theater, 6712 Hollywood Boulevard at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, February 11th. A sample of the action is featured above.
Filmed at NBC studios in Burbank, The Beach Boys segment - still all playing Fender gear in this live performance - gives a stompin' taste of the band's early, pre-Wimp surf rock roots.
