With Mike Love in the headlines, I figured I'd dust off my favorite Mike Love story. Ten years ago, I went with my Dad and my friend Kayvon to see Mike Love & the Beach Boys.
We had front row seats. There was no opening act. The Beach Boys played two sets with an intermission. At the break, Kayvon says he wants some nachos. So we go up to the concession stand.
Kayvon buys the biggest platter of nachos I've ever seen. Just enormous. As he was paying, the Beach Boys start their second set. I said, "Let's go back to the seats." Kayvon said, "I can't eat these nachos in the front row."
I said, "What are you talking about? The Beach Boys don't care if you're eating nachos." So we go back to our seats. Everyone's standing and dancing. The Beach Boys are playing "Fun, Fun, Fun."
Kayvon sits down and starts eating his nachos. Immediately, Mike Love zeros in on Kayvon and glares at him while he's singing "Fun, Fun, Fun."
As soon as the song is over, Mike Love says, "There's a guy in the front row who is just shoveling nachos in his face. Can I get a spot?" So they put a spotlight on Kayvon.
Mike Love says, "How are those nachos, guy? I'm up here trying to sing and this fella's stuffing nachos in his mouth. He's got nacho cheese all over his face. Can I get him a towel to wipe off this nacho cheese?"
So the drummer tosses Mike Love one of his unused sweat rags, and Mike Love hands it to Kayvon and says, "Wipe that damn nacho cheese off your face."
For the rest of the show, in between songs, Mike Love would look at Kayvon and say something like, "Are you done with those nachos yet?"
I guess the lesson of this story is, if you ever go see Mike Love and the Beach Boys, and you're in the front row, don't eat nachos.
A lot of people are pointing out that you SHOULD eat nachos in front of Mike Love. So yes, please, if you go see the Beach Boys, sit in front and eat nachos.
Some are asking if this story is true. It is. It took place on 8/2/09 at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA. Here’s a photo I took of Mike Love scolding Kayvon for eating nachos.
I didn’t tell Kayvon I was posting this story. I love that he found out from Har Mar Superstar.
@alexscordelis @patrick_brice Kayvon was right!
@alexscordelis If I ever see Mike Love in concert and I’m in the front row, I’m bringing the biggest platter of nachos you can buy and I’m gonna wear a giant sombrero.
@alexscordelis i hope van dyke parks sees this and it makes him smile
@alexscordelis Beach Boy < Nacho Man
@alexscordelis @BrianHastie I don’t know what the moral of this story is, but it was damn funny. Thanks!
@alexscordelis Similar story with the The Rolling Stones. Miami. 2005 I think. Keith did an acoustic sit down version of “The Worst” and a guy is snarfing nachos in the front row. Keith says “this ain’t a fast food restaurant, pal.”
@alexscordelis Saw the Beach Boys in the early 80s, and went backstage (I worked there, and was allowed). They were all lovely, except for Mike Love, who went out of this way to be a rude asshole. Now I wish I'd brought a huge plate of nachos.
@alexscordelis This is a super shitty thing for him to do, but it also seems like something straight out of Seinfeld
@alexscordelis I can't understand why anybody would put their hard-earned money in that guy's pocket to see his shitty re-creation of a great band. Mike Love's"Beach Boys" might as well be Creedence Clearwater Revisited. You're much better off seeing the top-notch crew that Brian tours with.
@alexscordelis I can’t believe Mike continues to milk The Beach Boys- actually, I can. He wants rights to Back in the USSR I’m sure
@alexscordelis Is Kayvon ok? He lived a nightmare.
@alexscordelis @VicBergerIV I don't like Mike Love at all
@alexscordelis How loaded were the nachos? Would you say fully?
@alexscordelis @danielralston Hahahaha that’s a hilarious story and shows Mike Love was a horrible person long before he decided to play a Trump fundraiser.
@alexscordelis This is an A+ story. Thank you
@alexscordelis He sounds like a dick
@alexscordelis Not a fan of ML, but now want to go to upcoming quasi-beach boys show just to eat sloppy nachos and laugh at the jagoff.