Rangeley audience enjoys music of the Beach Boys

The Beach Boys wowed an estimated 2,000 people Monday night at a benefit concert hosted by the Rangeley Region Rehab and Wellness Pavillion. Mike Love, an original Beach Boy, sings "Catch a Wave."

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- Ann Bryant/Sun Journal

The Beach Boys wowed an estimated 2,000 people Monday night at a benefit concert hosted by the Rangeley Region Rehab and Wellness Pavillion. Mike Love, an original Beach Boy, sings "Catch a Wave."

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- Ann Bryant/Sun Journal

The Beach Boys wowed an estimated 2,000 people Monday night at a benefit concert hosted by the Rangeley Region Rehab and Wellness Pavillion.  Jillian Rizzo, right, dances with Katie Rankin. Both summer in the Rangeley area.

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- Ann Bryant/Sun Journal

A father and son from Unity settle in to enjoy the Beach Boys concert Monday night in Rangeley. The concert was a benefit for the Rangeley Region Rehab and Wellness Pavillion.

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- Ann Bryant/Sun Journal

RANGELEY— As the summer sun started to set over the waters of Rangeley Lake, an estimated audience of nearly 2,000 settled in to hear the music of the Beach Boys Monday night on the lawns of the Rangeley Region Rehab and Wellness Pavillion on Dallas Hill Road.

While Jean Bloomberg and Leonard Bachman, whose families return to the Rangeley area each summer, said they were there to support the health center, audience members of all ages were looking forward to the “happy” sounds of the California music featuring Mike Love, 69, singing lead and Bruce Johnston, 68, backing him up.

“I've listened to them ever since I can remember,” said one fan from Unity, who came with his 16-year-old son. “My brother had an eight-track player in his car and when I was 9 I'd go listen. They were my favorite.”

Nearby, Ron Beedy, 68, of Livermore, who has a camp in the Oquossoc area, said he has “always liked the Beach Boys,” and it was a “spectacular night” for the concert with a light breeze moving the bugs away.

The concert followed an Adirondack chair auction, both to benefit the health and wellness agency. Five custom-painted chairs by local artists were sold with one large double seated chair hand-painted by Ashley Gray of Rangeley selling for $8,000 and another painted by Nancy Teel of Farmington selling for $3,000.

Paul Reynolds of Tacoma, Wash., who quietly raised his hand for the $3,000 chair in response to auctioneer Larry Koob's query for the bid, said he knew Teel. He said he wanted to support the health center.

This was the second rock show sponsored by the Rangeley Region Health and Wellness Partnership, which supports fitness, nutrition and immunization efforts in Rangeley and nearby towns.

Vendors offered a variety of snacks as the audience gathered and waited for the music to start.

It was a family affair for volunteer CJ Inness of Old Orchard Beach. His parents, Ed and Zenna Inness of Rangeley, and a brother were all there to support the health center and help make the night of music a success, he said.

abryant@sunjournal.com