The Beach Boys Return to the Stage in Cincinnati With Mike Love Seated

The Beach Boys played their first public concert since July on Saturday night at Cincinnati’s PNC Pavilion, ending a stretch of last-minute cancellations and unelaborated statements about Mike Love’s health.

Before the set began, longtime band guest John Stamos addressed the crowd. “[Mike] is here tonight,” he said. “He’s been going through some health issues. He’s had to cancel some shows. But he would not miss tonight.” Stamos then walked Love out and sat him in a chair, where he remained for the duration of the show.

The band opened with “Do It Again,” traditionally a Love lead. Guitarist Brian Eichenberger sang it instead. “Surfin’ Safari,” another song Love usually fronts, was handled by his son and longtime bandmate Christian Love. For the rest of the night the group traded lead vocals, with Love joining in on background at times. He said little beyond a “thank you for showing up” after the opening number.

The specifics of his condition remain undisclosed. Love has said publicly that the death of his sister Maureen, combined with recovery from bronchitis that developed into COVID, took an emotional and physical toll. After three nights at the Hollywood Bowl in June, the band pulled the remainder of its dates through September, first announcing a break to “recharge,” then going quiet as venues told ticket buyers the shows were off “due to circumstances beyond our control.” A private October 3 performance in Dana Point, California, showed Love working from a chair once more.

Cincinnati makes the arrangement explicit: the Beach Boys can still tour, but the voice that carried much of their catalogue is now one the band has to work around.