“These musicians are a unique group of people — they’re incredibly talented, but they’re also incredibly big hearted.”
Kevin Wachs is talking about The Tribe, a group that began 10 years ago with the idea to bring Los Angeles musicians together for a cause. Their first event was a tribute to Wachs’s favorite band, The Beach Boys, and the harmonies created by the late icon Brian Wilson. In partnership with Get Together Foundation, a nonprofit Wachs started with his wife Mare that looks to solve the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles through food, clothing, shelter, music, and support programs, the event raised money for City of Hope.
A decade later, The Tribe is still raising funds, and hands. With dozens of performances over the years in support of causes like homelessness and suicide prevention, the group brings together Los Angeles’s best for a night of fun and fundraising. The “collective,” as Lauri Reimer, production manager and self-proclaimed “band mama” calls it, is like a family; they hug, they argue, and they love. “Egos are left at the door in The Tribe,” she says.
And this September, they are recreating that first Beach Boys event with a charity concert at The Granada Theatre. The one-time performance will bring together members of The Tribe, special guests, and several local performers onstage for a one-of-a-kind evening.
Wilson Phillips and The Honeys, along with the Folk Orchestra of Santa Barbara, will appear onstage for special orchestral versions of Brian Wilson’s signature hymns. “This is going to be a three-generation affair,” says Reimer, who adds that along with Carnie and Wendy Wilson, Brian Wilson’s grandchildren Lola Bonfiglio and Leo, Beau, Jesse, and Willem Knutson will join the family onstage.
Performing the surf tunes for the first time live is the newest addition to the lineup, Kenny Loggins. “Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys were big influences on me musically,” says Loggins. “Their music, their tonalities, permeated my writing. Because of [Brian Wilson’s] passing, I felt I wanted to do something.”
The event’s festivities will benefit the Santa Barbara chapter of The Surfrider Foundation and Adam’s Angels. “I’ve been aware of Adam McKaig and Melissa Borders [co-founders of Adam’s Angels] but we finally decided to partner on an event,” says Wachs. “This is the first big event we’re doing,” says McKaig. “We’ve helped others raise money, but we’ve never helped ourselves.”With no overhead and no paid salaries, 100 percent of the money raised for Adam’s Angels will go directly toward their causes.
Join the family at the Granada on September 27, for An All-Star Celebration of the Music of The Beach Boys & Brian Wilson. Tickets can be purchased at https://bit.ly/46xbeo3.
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