DATE: Sunday, June 15, 1997                 TAG: 9706150097

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B8   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Music review

SOURCE: BY JEFF MAISEY, CORRESPONDENT 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   55 lines

BANDS SHARE A FUN, FUN, FUN SATURDAY IN THE PARK WITH FANS

``Fun, fun, fun.''

For those who couldn't get a ticket to the sold-out Jimmy Buffett show last week, Plan B for many was a nice contingency as the Beach Boys and Chicago performed a great Saturday night concert at the GTE Virginia Beach Amphitheater.

Lawn-sprawling ticketholders occasionally had to implement Plan C - an umbrella.

The crowd of more than 16,000 people gave the tour its largest drawing to date.

Slightly surprising, the Beach Boys served as the opening act. Mike Love and company started with the happy-go-lucky ``California Girls.'' The multitudes in the audience clapped along with every beat.

Surfing is a California pastime, and the West Coast pop rockers of yesterday rode the well-mixed sound waves of ``Do it Again'' and ``Surfin' USA.'' Always a strong part of their music, the harmonies were on the money. Fantastic!

From the late 1950s, the Beach Boys played the doo-wop Del Vikings' ``Come and Go With Me.'' And after joking about their age, the quartet played their classic love song, ``Surfer Girl,'' to everyone's delight.

The band and the crowd alike reminisced on The Ronettes' ``And Then I Kissed Her.'' Two bad Brian Wilson wasn't around to sing ``Don't Worry Baby,'' but it still sounded as good as ever.

Love powered the melodic ``Little Deuce Coupe'' and the driving ``409'' in a string of classic automobile tunes, which also had Love playing saxophone on ``Shut Down.''

The Beach Boys' set shifted into overdrive on the rocking ``I Get Around.'' The crowd revved its vocal chords in approval.

Guitarist Carl Wilson, who survived a bout with brain cancer, sang on ``Without You'' as the rock icons dug deep into their endless sand bucket of hits, which included the flowing ``Sloop John B'' and ``Wouldn't it Be Nice.''

The psychedelically melodic harmonies of ``Good Vibrations'' were preserved in perfect condition as Carl Wilson again sang lead.

Although they lacked energy on stage, the power of the Beach Boys' hit factory couldn't have been stronger than with ``Help Me Rhonda'' and the rolling ``Barbara Ann,'' which had throngs of jubilant fans shakin' and dancin.'

Celebrating 30 years as a band, Chicago, originally known as Chicago Transit Authority, had a towering list of hits to deliver as well. What better way to open than with ``Saturday in the Park.'' The brass section was blaring with sonic brilliance on ``Make Me Smile,'' as Chicago took a step down memory lane.

The melodic barrage of notes laid gracefully upon the ears of the nearly sold-out crowd as the band performed ``Colour My World.'' It was peacefully majestic.

Spring nights don't get much better than this one.

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