Review: Beach Boys, the Temptations, Tower of Power team up for a delicious State Fair treat

Who has "California Girls" and "My Girl" back-to-back on their playlist? Hello? Speak up. Anyone? Didn't think so.

Nonetheless, pairing the Beach Boys and the Temptations — two grand names in American popular music from the 1960s and beyond — made sense Monday night at the Minnesota State Fair grandstand. Add in Tower of Power as the opening act and the evening was like a banana split treat gobbled up by 9,250 fans.

When was the last time you had a banana split? Probably can't remember.

This time every flavor, er, group delivered even if it wasn't exactly what you expected.

The first scoop was Tower of Power, the Oakland horn-propelled funk band featuring new singer Mike Jerel. At 33, the 2020 competitor on "The Voice" is young enough to be the son of TOP cofounder Emilio Castillo. But, in a fast-paced 50 minutes, Jerel clearly invigorated the group, with youthful energy and unpracticed showmanship. He's mastered James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World," which he'd done on "The Voice." But his mashup of the 1973 Tower of Power hit "What Is Hip?" with "Soul Power" was like the whipped cream and cherry on top.

The Temptations, the legendary Motown vocal quintet, also have a new singer, bass vocalist Jawan Jackson, 32, fresh from the hit Broadway musical "Ain't Too Proud." He added a youthful vigor to the Temps slick choreography, but it was really Tony Grant, 54, who carried the day, an impassioned soul man whenever he took over lead vocals. He got revved up on "I Wish It Would Rain," turned it out on "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" and celebrated on the finale, "My Girl," which was introduced as "the Temptations' national anthem."

Not everything about the Temps was Motown smooth. Ron Tyson, 74, the group's other lead singer, reminded us how much we miss the late Eddie Kendricks' falsetto. Moreover, overall, this incarnation of the Temps — there have been 27 different members over 60-plus years — was not as vocally impressive as the cast of "Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations" musical that played at the Orpheum Theatre this summer.

But, at least, fairgoers got to witness Temps cofounder (and lone original member) baritone Otis Williams, 80, whose memoir inspired the musical, and an unimpeachable catalog of songs. Think of the Temps performance as sort of that ice cream scoop with caramel topping when you were expecting pineapple. It was still delish.

Like the Temps, the Beach Boys have an unbeatable jukebox full of hits and a long list of former members. Frontman Mike Love has had a litigious relationship with the other surviving members, Beach Boys architect Brian Wilson and Al Jardine, and won the rights to use the name. Wilson has toured with his own group, featuring Jardine.

At 81, Love still has the sunny California spirit but not the singing voice. His has grown thinner and more nasally. He remains a bit of a card, joking 15 minutes into the set that it was time for an intermission — or at least a nap. (The Temptations waited 45 minutes before singing a number while perched on stools.)

(His Minnesota joke: He said his nephew Kevin Love used to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves. "He once had a beautiful apartment looking over the glacier. I mean river.")

Love relied heavily on eight musicians, six of whom sang harmonies which compensated for his vocal shortcomings. Sometimes he turned over lead vocals to appealing high-tenor Brian Eichenberger, a guitarist originally from Apple Valley.

Love and company cruised through a couple dozen songs about surfin,' cars and things that teens (or those still in touch with their inner teendom) like to do like dance, get around, and have fun, fun, fun.

Maybe he summed up the night when he said, "That's a heck of a lot of music tonight."

Like a banana split, the evening was delectable if a bit too filling. Isn't that what the State Fair is all about?