The Honeys made an appearance and the crowd was really into them. For those of you who aren’t familiar with them, they were kind of a girl companion band to the Beach Boys in the 60s and they also sang backing vocals on some of Jan and Dean’s greatest hits. Dick Dale also jumped up on stage for a 30-minute set of reverb-drenched surf classics with stage presence that was mighty impressive considering he’s a 71-year-old cancer survivor. He was followed by Carnie and Wendy Wilson (of Wilson Phillips) who told stories of their uncle teaching them how to drive his Bentley while they were still in elementary school and singing a selection of “Carl songs.”

Prior to Brian Wilson’s set, the foundation auctioned off Beach Boys collectibles, including a rare Rickenbacker guitar signed by Brian that sold for $4600 and the hand written lyrics to “God Only Knows” that I would have gladly paid ten thousand dollars for, but I couldn’t find anybody at the bar willing to loan me the money.

Brian Wilson closed he evening with an amazing 45 minute set that included several classics that had the audience singing along with every word. Although he spend the entire set singing from a stool at center stage, his voice is as harmonious as ever. Seeing and listening to him in an intimate setting like the Roxy is a treat that I’ll always remember. Scott Bennett joined him onstage as did Jardine for “Help Me Rhonda.” The closing number was a group jam where everybody got up for “Barbara Ann.” The only thing missing were some beachballs and hot rods.

But the real star of the evening was the late Carl Wilson, whose prescence was felt from the tributes and the song selection.

If you would like to find out more about the Carl Wilson Foundation or would like to make a contribution, their website is located at www.carlwilsonfoundation.org.

—photos and text by Scott Schultz