Thirty years ago, Jeff “Big Tiki Dude” Hanson stumbled across surf music via an Insect Surfers show at the Doll Hut in Anaheim. He had heard 1960s groups like the Surfaris and the Pyramids via his dad’s 45 collection, but he didn’t dive into the genre until he noticed how Insect Surfers, a surf revival band who have been active since 1979, incorporated sounds inspired by spaghetti western film scores into their music. “They’re mixing the chocolate and the peanut butter, surf and spaghetti western,” says Hanson. That led him to regular surf shows at the Doll Hut and Huntington Beach’s Surfing Museum and on CD shopping trips through the South Bay. Today, Hanson has amassed an ample collection of CDs and vinyl across the genre. He also founded the Surf Guitar 101 festival, which celebrates its 17th annual event at Garden Grove Elks Lodge from Friday, July 31, through Sunday, August 2, with a lineup that includes Los Straightjackets, The Bomboras, Boss Martians, Slacktone and many more.
Hanson threw the first Surf Guitar 101 festival at Suzy’s Bar and Grill in Hermosa Beach. “We had over 100 people and people were overflowing out into the parking lot,” he recalls. “I was like, this is cool, but I need to find a new venue.” Over the years, the festival traveled through various venues in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. In 2023, it settled in at Long Beach’s Golden Sails Hotel and expanded to a multi-day extravaganza. With the hotel’s closure, though, Surf Guitar 101 had to move again.
This year, Surf Guitar 101 returns to the Garden Grove Elks Lodge, where the 2011 event was held, while keeping the weekender format intact. It’s all ages and is a bit of a cross between a music festival and a convention. In addition to the live performances, There will be conversations with figures from the 1960s surf scene, music-making seminars with members of Slacktone, vendors carrying everything from tiki wares to effect pedals and lots more. But, says Hanson, “the bands are the focus.”
The weekend’s headliner is Los Straightjackets, the long-running surf outfit recognizable for the luchador masks. Their set on Saturday night will feature the return of founding member Danny “Daddy O Grande” Amis. “We’re really happy that he’s coming back to join them because he’s a big part of the band,” says Hanson. Plus, Los Straightjacket’s Eddie Angel will headline Friday night with Eddie Angel’s Guitar Party, as part of the weekend’s tiki-themed day, which also features Hilo Hi-Flyers and Tikiyaki 5-0.
Also for the event, The Bomboras will be playing Saturday with a lineup that includes members of The Boss Martians, who are also performing Saturday evening. Texas surf bands Death Valley and The Thunderchiefs will play rare reunion shows on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The lineup includes bands of various generations of surf music fans, amongst them San Francisco Bay Area band SPF 1985, Portland’s Trabants and locals Draculina.
Sunday will also feature a tribute presentation on Jon and the Nightriders, the Southern California band that’s credited with sparking the surf music revival of the 1980s, which has continued in various waves through the 1990s and to the present day.
Since Hanson has been involved in the surf music scene since the 1990s, he has seen many changes. “Anyone that was 40 when I met them in the mid ‘90s, they either passed away or they’ve gotten older and don’t go out as much,” he says. “That’s a little bit of a bummer to not see some of the people that I met back then.”
He adds, “There are always new fans and a few bands that are younger, like in their 30s or 20s, but most of the bands are 40 and up.”
Outside of the big events, Hanson says, surf shows are still small, local affairs drawing a niche audience. “I hate to say this, also, there are some people in the general public that don’t like surf. Because there’s no singing, there’s a disconnect,” he adds. “They don’t understand. They’re like, why is there no singer?”
But, for those who are interested in the genre, Surf Guitar 101 offers a better overview of what’s out there than a YouTube or Spotify playlist would, showcasing the connections between surf, tiki, rockabilly, garage rock and other scenes. Says Hanson, “If you had 20 to 30 bands that all sounded like one band, what would be the point?”
Head over to Surf Guitar 101’s website for more info and to purchase tickets and/or that cool Shag concert poster.
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Follow on Instagram or sign up for the weekly, Beatique newsletter for updates on new stories and gigs.
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