EVERYBODY'S GONE SURFIN'

"The best way to describe our show is that the audience will hear the biggest hits of the Beach Boys — and some of the less bigger hits," said Jason Biggerstaff, vocalist and percussionist for the band. "You'll see seven of us up there on stage having a good time and hitting those harmonies that we've spent an amazing number of countless hours working on. We'll also have some video production behind us, synced to every song."

The band, based in the Kansas City area, has a combined 300 years of musical experience. They understand the power of the music of the 1960s, especially the music made popular by the Beach Boys. Formed in 1961, The Beach Boys had an impressive string of hits through the 1960s and into the late 1980s, with songs like "Kokomo" released in 1988.

"I think it's still relevant because a lot of it has to do with the innocence and the longing from that time," Biggerstaff said. "Nowadays there's not the same romanticism for things like cars. And I don't think someone in the Midwest would have directly related to surfing, but it is part of the California myth that we grew up with. It was such a romanticized thing and I think it still makes you feel good."

Surfin' USA will bring a touch of Californian good-time music to the Minden Opera House for a 7:30 p.m. concert on Jan. 27. Tickets are $25.

For those who remember the 1960s, the music of the Beach Boys helps to define an era.

"It drives our imaginations," Biggerstaff said. "We don't get our imaginations driven enough anymore."

The members of Surfin' USA have toured in various high-profile acts around the United States. The band even features members of the Kansas Music Hall of Fame. As a way to honor The Beach Boys, members of Surfin' USA focus on quality musicianship and soaring harmonies in hopes of accurately recreate the music of The Beach Boys.

"We spent a lot of time charting the harmonies," Biggerstaff said. "Analyzing the musical part was a lot easier. Some of the 'Pet Sounds' era songs, maybe from 1965 and on, had a little more challenge to them.

I was lucky because if I came across a hard question, I was able to reach out to Scott Totten who, up until last year, was the musical director for The Beach Boys for 22 years."

Biggerstaff used Totten as a resource for his technical questions about the music of The Beach Boys.

"And one of the nice things is that technology has changed in recent years and it's allowed people to break down the tracks of the songs," Biggerstaff said. "They can bring out segments of the music to help us hear it a little better. Back then the harmonies were all recorded on a four-track so they are all blended together. You can't separate them out easily."

Beyond all the technical aspects of the music, Biggerstaff recognizes a sense of magic in the music.

"The first time I heard the harmonies to 'Sloop John B,' I just thought, 'Oh, my gosh, that's amazing,'" he said. "It sounded so complex. But once we got into it, it was like a lot of these songs; it is complex, but it's mostly just brilliantly clever and smartly written, the way Brian Wilson arranged a lot of those harmonies. The more time we spent with it, the more it seemed a little less magical, but it's still absolutely incredible that one person came up with all that stuff."

Most audience members have a strong connection to the music of The Beach Boys.

"We do get a surprising number of younger people," Biggerstaff said. "The Beach Boys had their fourth No. 1 hit in 1988 with 'Kokomo.' That opened up a whole new audience to them. I'm 48. I was born in 1975 so there are people even younger than me that remember their music."

Biggerstaff hopes to encourage younger audience members to attend. The band keep the shows family friendly.

"This is very much an all-ages show," he said. "The way we present ourselves is extremely family-friendly. It would be nice to see people bring in their kids or their grandkids with them. I remember taking my daughter to a handful of concerts. One of her first concerts was actually a Beach Boys' show. She loved it. She became a fan and she's seen them several times since. It's really great music and it is a magical time."

[email protected]

God Only Knows

WHAT: surfin' USA featuring music of the Beach Boys WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27 WHERE: Minden Opera house at 322 E. Fifth st., Minden ADMISSION: $25 CONTACT: 308-832-0588; MindenOperahouse.com