Beach Boys Return With Mike Love Performing From Chair — SkimNews
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- Mike Love returned to the stage in a chair at Cincinnati's PNC Pavilion Saturday for the Beach Boys' first public concert since July, visibly diminished
- John Stamos addressed the crowd saying Love "has been going through some health issues" but "would not miss tonight," then walked him to a chair where he remained for the set
- Love attributed his gaunt appearance in June to the death of sister Maureen on the first anniversary of cousin Brian Wilson's death, compounded by bronchitis and COVID
- With Love unable to handle lead vocals, guitarist Brian Eichenberger sang "Do It Again" and son Christian Love took "Surfin' Safari" — both songs the frontman traditionally performed
- September tour dates were canceled at the last minute with venues citing "circumstances beyond our control" while the band issued no public explanation
- On the same Sunday, the only other surviving original Beach Boy Al Jardine performed 2,000 miles away at California's Cerritos Center with Bruce Johnston, Blondie Chaplin, David Marks, and Marilyn Wilson
- Bruce Johnston's presence at Jardine's show stands out — he left Love's Beach Boys in February after a six-decade run, amid "quite strained" Love-Jardine relations
Why it matters: Mike Love's visibly frail performance from a chair in Cincinnati coincides with the only other surviving original Beach Boy, Al Jardine, performing 2,000 miles away that same Sunday with Bruce Johnston — who quit Love's Beach Boys in February after 60 years.
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