August 18, 2003

Palm trees swaying softly in the warm evening breeze. Cool white sand like silk beneath your feet. The sound of steeldrums wafting through the air. It's Monday morning here in Central Oregon, and I can hardly tear myself away from the lingering immersion in a weekend of paradise islands, sun, pirates, and Beach Boys tunes.

It all started on Saturday with a visit to the big screen to see Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

I actually don't remember the last time I've had so much unbridled fun at the movies. From the dazzling visuals, to a breathless and (in sharp contrast to most other movies this summer) logical storyline, to Johnny Depp's delightfully nutty performance as Pirate Captain Jack Sparrow, these 100-something minutes of celluloid rope you into their world, make you laugh out loud, keep you on the edge of your seat, and make you feel oh so sorry at the end that the fun is already over. (Full movie review to follow tomorrow).

On Sunday though the frolicking continued for me at The Beach Boys concert in Bend. Although the band started half an hour late (preceeded by one of the most god-aweful stand-up comics I've ever seen ... and who's name not surprisingly escapes me now ... Ron Something, from Portland), cheers went up in the anxious crowd as The Beach Boys finally stepped on stage. After a few slow warm-up songs, their 40-something years of stage experience kicked in, and with humor and enthusiasm, they got an amazing 95% of the crowd (most of which looked like they required a walker to even stand up straight) on their feet and on the grass, dancing, by song number 5.

Aided by seductive tunes that conjured up sandy palm beaches in Jamaica ("Kokomo"), blond surfer-dudes and babes ("Surfin' USA", "California Girls"), and 50s-style innocent romance ("Help me Rhonda"), The Beach Boys managed to time-warp back into the days when hotrods, surfboards, and radio were at the height of cool. Clad in breezy yellow Hawaiian shirts, and armed with a sense of humor that made mostly fun of their ...::cough::... advanced age, the band charmed their way into even those people's hearts who had expected to see a legendary, but nonetheless a bit dusty band.

As it turned out, the combination of a super-mellow vibe in the crowd, 80 degree temperatures on a cloudless evening, and 90 minutes of good, old-fashioned beach music made for the just about the most perfect concert experience anybody could ever wish for.

As for myself - I left the stadium barefoot, sunglasses and beachtowel clutched under one arm, humming to the tune of "Good Vibrations", and with a mood so good, it still lingers into today.

Now all's I have to do is find my way back into reality.