Al Jardine and the Pet Sounds Band caught a wave into Maryland Hall in Annapolis, Maryland, on Thursday, August 6, 2026. Since Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson’s passing, Jardine, a founding member, and close friend of Wilson, and with the current tour of Mike Love’s incarnation of the Beach Boys postponed or canceled, Al continues to carry the mantle of the Beach Boys’ musical legacy. Jardine is the last Beach Boy still on the road.
Al and the band ran through a ninety plus minute set of thirty-three classic Beach Boys songs kicking off with the classic, “California Girls” and surfing through “Catch a Wave” and “Do It Again.” The intent of Al’s tour is to not only highlight the classic popular songs of the Beach Boys but also pull out and perform lesser-known songs such as “Roller skating Child” and “Airplane” from the “Love You” album. The goal of Al and the band is to keep all these songs in the heart, mind, soul, and ears of the fans. Al’s current tour highlights the Beach Boys’ 1977 “Love You” album which they played in its entirety. That album included the popular songs “Let’s Go on This Way,” “Johnny Carson” and “Ding Dang.”
As it is also the 60th anniversary of the classic and influential album, Pet Sounds, the band ran through nine of the eleven tracks from the classic Pet Sounds album. Matt Jardine (Al’s son and longtime Beach Boys and Brian Wilson backing band member) flawlessly sang the lead vocals on “God Only Knows” and “Don’t Worry Baby,” and “Hawaii.” Matt takes the reins for most Brian’s high falsetto vocal parts.
Rob Bonfiglio, also a Beach Boys family member as he is married to Carnie Wilson, Brian’s daughter, managed the lead vocals on “Sail on Sailor” and filled in harmonic background vocals throughout the show. Members of the band included several from Brian’s touring band, Bob Lizik on Bass, Paul Von Mertens on sax, flutes and harmonicas, Darian Sahanaja who handle lead vocals on “Darlin’” and “I Can Hear Music” and is a walking musical encyclopedia of Brian Wilson’s music, Mike D’Amico on drums. D’Amico kept the beat and the band moving throughout the night. Rounding out the band were longtime Beach Boys backing band member Gary Griffin on keyboards, Emeen Zarookian on lead guitar and vibes, Jim Laspeda on percussion and shared lead vocals for “Solar System” and Debbie Shair, who was a long-time touring member for the band Heart, on keyboards and the self-described cheerleader of the band.
As the band ended and left the stage the fans were on their feet cheering clapping wanting more, only to have Paul Von Mertens return to the stage to introduce the band and then they ended the show with Al’s most popular lead vocal, “Help Me Rhonda” which the audience handled singing the chorus, with the echoes of “help me Rhonda, Help Rhonda, help me Rhonda yeah, get her out of my heart” vibrating off of the walls of the venue. The band ended the night with the classics “Surfin’ USA” and “Fun, Fun, Fun” which the audience had all night long.
Review and Photos by Scott McAllister
