The Beach Boys have cancelled their two Epcot Eat to the Beat dates on November 11 and 12, and John Stamos is stepping in with a group called the California Sound. For anyone who’s followed the band, the swap makes sense. Stamos has played drums with the Beach Boys on and off for more than four decades, making him about as close to an honorary member as it gets.
The reason for the change is serious. Mike Love, 85, is facing health challenges that haven’t been publicly detailed and has stepped back from touring. At recent shows in Cincinnati and Nashville, he appeared frail and performed from a chair. In a note shared before the Nashville show, the band described Love as a fighter who insists on being on stage, saying he needs his band, the audience, his friends and his drummer surrounding him to lift him up. The Beach Boys’November 13 date at Hard Rock Live in Bristol, Virginia still lists the band as headliners, and a spokesperson has not commented.
No details are out yet on the California Sound lineup or what the setlist will look like, but surf-rock classics seem like a safe bet. It’s a bittersweet moment for one of the most enduring acts in pop music, and a reminder of how much these songs still mean to multiple generations of fans.
Would you catch the California Sound at Epcot, or would you rather wait for the Beach Boys to return at full strength? Let us know in the comments.
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