Following the Longhorns’ win on Saturday, fans draped in burnt orange headed just a short walk from the stadium over to the LBJ Lawn to feel “The Warmth of The Sun,” radiating from The Beach Boys.
“Here to spread some ‘Good Vibrations’ as only they can do it,” archival footage played on the screen. “Here is America’s number one group. You are looking at musical legends.”
Though the rain only let up slightly, The Beach Boys took the stage 15 minutes after the Texas-Vanderbilt game as part of a free Longhorn City Limits performance and their 2025-26 Sounds of Summer Tour.
The current Beach Boys lineup consists of founding member Mike Love, longtime member Bruce Johnston and touring members, including Love’s son, Christian Love. The founding members included brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine. In June 2025, the last surviving brother, Brian Wilson, passed away at 82 years old. He performed his last show with the band in 2022 before stepping away due to his declining health.
Christian Love joined the band alongside his father in 2005 on rhythm guitar, harmony and lead vocals. On Saturday, he took lead on the soul-stirring “God Only Knows,” from Pet Sounds, certainly proving his lineage to the original singer on the track, Carl Wilson. The pivotal album celebrates its 60th anniversary in May.
Despite the looming threat of inclement weather and a brief interruption by a crasher who tried to jump on stage, the show went on. With iconic hits such as “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “Good Vibrations,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and their rendition of “California Dreamin’,” The Beach Boys managed to get the crowd to dance through the storm — literally.
While the group didn’t perform a specific tribute to Brian Wilson, visuals showing the band’s early days reminisced on multiple lives well lived. The Beach Boys celebrated living members and friends, including footage of Johnston surfing in 1966 and a photo compilation of John Stamos, whose long-term relationship with the band allows him to perform with them frequently.
The band gave credit where it’s due. They performed their cover of the Ramones’ “Rockaway Beach,” which initially served as a response to their cover of “Surfin’ Safari.” They also credited Chuck Berry, who directly inspired “Surfin’ U.S.A” and “Fun, Fun, Fun.”
During “Little Honda,” fans tossed around a small orange and white beach ball, repping school colors. The Beach Boys also gave a shoutout to the Longhorns during “Be True To Your School,” singing “Ain’t you heard of my school, it’s number one in the state” and their groovy closer, “Fun, Fun, Fun,” with Texas-inspired graphics.
Despite limited movement — nothing new for The Beach Boys’ stage presence — 84-year-old frontman Mike Love showed that having “Fun, Fun, Fun” faces no age restrictions. 64 years later, minus most founding members, “America’s Band” still gave a show that attendees should look back on with gratitude for years to come.
