The day began like any other day at Abbey Road on the River as a plethora of talented bands performed, but excitement hung in the air as crowds awaited today's headliner, The Beach Boys.
My day, much like the other attendees, consisted of catching a few bands in between waiting on the Belvedere's lawn for The Beach Boys. One of the bands I was able to watch was Beatolution. I was impressed with this young band. I saw Beatolution last year, and I could tell they had progressed as musicians.
I made sure to catch Wingsbanned since I missed them yesterday. I always love hearing Wings' songs, and this band does a great job playing them.
Watching BritBeat's last show at Abbey Road on the River was an absolute must. Can you tell they're my favorite?
Before BritBeat took the stage, the band Classicstone performed. I was taken aback by their performance as their singer, for lack of a better term, "dropped the F bomb" right in the middle of an early Beatles song (I think it was "Eight Days a Week.") Since Abbey Road on the River is a family-friendly event, I did not think that was appropriate or necessary, but I digress.
Of course, the highlight of the night was watching The Beach Boys. I'm usually wary of seeing bands from the '60s that I love because they rarely sound the same as my records. This was certainly not the case with The Beach Boys. Somehow, The Beach Boys were still able to hit the same high notes that they did 50+ years ago. It was fun to hear The Beach Boys tell stories of their interactions with The Beatles - stories of George in India, Paul writing "Back in the USSR," and meeting the woman behind the song "Dear Prudence." They even played some Beatles tunes in addition to their own hits like "California Girls," "Help Me Rhonda," "Kokomo," "Barbara Ann," and so many more.
Today marks another excellent day at Abbey Road on the River. Even though it's technically a Beatles festival, this event celebrates everything 1960s - peace, love, and music. Tomorrow, members of the military will get in free to Abbey Road on the River with a valid ID, so come and celebrate!
Photos by Jenna Foster
