Still rockin’ after all these years
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Angelique Flores
The surf culture that thrived here in the 1960s will resurrect for the
Endless Summer Rock ‘N’ Roll Jam in Newport Beach this weekend.
Like the Rendezvous Ballroom Reunion concert that began in 1999 and
has twice sold out, the legendary lineup includes Dick Dale, The
Chantays, The BelAirs, Jon and The Nightriders, Deke Dickerson and the
Johnny Lopez Band.
“It’s not just the bands that are going to be there performing, but
it’s the whole surf music community who is going to be represented
there,” said Bob Frederickson, chair of the Huntington Beach
International Surfing Museum.
In part to benefit the museum and in part to rock out like the old
days, the event will host seven hours of music, vintage woody cars, the
museum’s mobile exhibit and concessions.
The night will culminate with the All-Star Jam to include notable surf
musicians from bands such as The Nocturnes, The Del Tones, The Vandells
and others.
“We wanted to get the guys together,” said Jim Frias, executive
producer of the event and original member of The Chantays and The
Nocturnes. “There’s a lot of camaraderie between us.”
Whether it was to meet the pretty girls, dance with their friends or
celebrate surf culture, the musicians and their audiences alike got
together weekly at the local concert halls back when these bands played
regularly.
Striking up as many chords as memories, the surf bands will play their
hit music as well as more current songs. And some of the older musicians
from the 1960s will show the youngsters that they can still rock as hard
as they did back then.
Premiere Entertainment, producers of the concert, hope to make it an
annual event. But some of these same musicians won’t wait for next year’s
Endless Summer Jam to return. They will come back out for the Rendezvous
Ballroom Reunion show scheduled for October. This concert is named after
the Rendezvous Ballroom, which was the hot spot for surf music during the
1960s. Located on the Balboa Peninsula, it burned down in 1966.
The surf museum dedicates its exhibits to the surf culture and houses
not only visual arts but music, film and archived material. Proceeds from
the concert will help the museum continue its current exhibitions as well
as help fund the Ultimate Museum that is in the works.
FYI
What: Endless Summer Jam
When: 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday Where: Hyatt Newporter Hotel, 1107 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach
Cost: $45-$150
Call: (714) 960-3483
Web site:o7 https://www.ESJAM.comf7
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