Surf’s up in Long Beach this summer, and you don’t even have to get in the water to catch the beach vibes thanks to the return of the Surf Guitar 101 Festival and Weekender.
“It is definitely going to be a big party in the vEIn of viva Las Vegas or a tiki weekender,” said Jeff Hanson, founder of the festival.
The event takes place Friday, Aug. 1 through Sunday, Aug. 3 at the Golden Sails Hotel in Long Beach, where people can expect to see more than two dozen acts with bands that cover the gamut of the genre.
On the lineup are acts like the Jimmy Dale Trio, led by the son of late guitarist Dick Dale who put instrumental surf music on the map at the turn of the 1960s by melding instrumental rock and his distinctive “wet” reverb sound with Middle Eastern and Mexican influences.
“He plays just like his dad did,“ Hanson said. “Some would say it was the forefather of heavy metal and punk. It’s 110% energy and it’s that feel of riding a 10-foot wave and it crashes on your head,” he added, referring to Dick Dale’s music.
Also on the lineup are The Phantom Surfers from San Francisco, plus Jackie and the Cedrics and the Surf Coaster from Japan, who all perform high-energy, garage-style surf music.
The Aqua Velvets, a laid back surf/tiki music group, will be doing a special reunion set as well.
“I like to call it hammock surf because it’s perfect music for laying in a hammock between two palm trees,” Hanson said, describing the Aqua Velvets’ sound.
The closing band on Sunday night is Deadbolt, which Hansen said is known as “the scariest band in the world.”
“They have a lot of surf elements to their guitars and all their songs are dark and spooky. They’re going for the darker images of goth and the darker side of life. We like to mix it up,” he said.
Besides music the festival will include a marketplace where people can buy CDs, records, musical instruments and all other surf music-related stuff.
Surf Guitar 101 Festival
When: Aug. 1-3
Where: Crystal Ballroom at the Golden Sails Hotel, 6285 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach
Tickets: $49-$206
Information: www.stellarshows.net/