The Smiley Smile Message Board

Hi all,

I have just been reminded about the BB Stomp conventions that have taken place for years. I am sorry if anyone has mentioned this recently! I am not sure if one was held last year but there is one in the UK on the 15th October if anyone is interested? Now I have never been to one myself, my Mum has and that's how I know about it but are they worth going to? What is discussed, what's the usual plan?

I don't know whether to go but surely with Smile being released only a couple of weeks later, it's a pretty good time to be a 'new' Beach Boys fan! I don't know why I wasn't this interested when I was constantly singing '409' as a 4 year old! Oh well, I am glad I finally found the wonders of their music properly!

More like December 3rd and 4th I think.
http://www.beachboysbritain.org.uk/index.php/50-years-under-the-sun-event.html

Where did you get that October date from?

Oh, I hadn't seen that one but I googled Stomp and got this one instead: http://bbstomp.co.uk/

Is it not the right one? This one is a lot closer to me than the 50 years event.

To be perfectly honest - the Stomp Conventions (as opposed to the BB Britain events) are not what they used to be (when attendance in years gone by was easily into 3 figures). Sadly, the last one I attended - 2 or 3 years ago - was a pretty lapse affair, with few attendees and fewer trading stalls than in previous years. The 'special guest' was also no more than a video link that year. I truly hope that it manages to recover, it used to be a 'must-go' event, but I fear the importance/relevance of Stomp is no longer there. I guess it also depends where you're coming from and how far you have to travel ... but unfortunately I won't be making the 3 hour drive ...

That's Beach Boys Britain, not Stomp.  ;D

Entirely true - we used to get 325/350 regularly, then there was some nonsense in, 1999 I think it was, and numbers dropped sharply... then as they were building again, the decision was made to move it from London (OK, Greenford) to Frimley in Surrey... which is fine for me, much closer, but hardly for anyone else. Last one in 2009 was pitiful: maybe 50 if you pushed it. Last years just, well, just didn't happen and a 31-year continuity was broken, for no adequate reason.

How sad, that is a great shame. I wonder if many people will attend this one or whether that is the end for Stomp.

It's very sad - I still enjoy going to just to speak to like minded fans of the music but I feel the various Internet forums and a lack of new "merchandise" have kind of diluted the need for the convention - possibly. I'll still be going to both Stomp and BBB events this year...

These things creep me out. I just imagine bathroom stalls with circular holes cut into the walls. Hey there friend you like b-b-b-boys? He stutters

What's this nonsense you speak of?

My bad... I hadn't realised ther are 2 events... which begs for the question: if I'd like to attend one (2 is a bit too much), which one should I go to?

By the sounds of it, the BB Britain one. Maybe I won't bother with Stomp.

It depends what you're looking for. The Stomp events are a good deal more...ah..."formal" than the BB Britain ones (though I've only been to one BBB event), and are certainly a good place to pick up rare vinyl, boots & memorabilia, but as Andrew has stated, these events are a mere shadow of what they once were.