Hello,

How about this for a set-list?

CALIFORNIA GIRLS
THEN I KISSED HER
DANCE, DANCE, DANCE
SURFER GIRL
HAWAII
DRIVE-IN
YOU'RE SO GOOD TO ME
WHEN I GROW UP
SALT LAKE CITY
DO YOU WANNA DANCE
DON'T WORRY BABY
I GET AROUND
DO IT AGAIN

ALL SUMMER LONG
CATCH A WAVE
GIRL DON'T TELL ME
IN MY ROOM
PLEASE LET ME WONDER
I'D LOVE JUST ONCE
LITTLE GIRL I ONCE KNEW
BREAKAWAY
HEROES AND VILLAINS
ADD SOME MUSIC
SLOOP JOHN B
GOD ONLY KNOWS
SAIL ON SAILOR
MARCELLA
GOOD VIBRATIONS

JOHNNY BE GOODE
HELP ME RHONDA
BARBARA ANN
SURFIN' USA
FUN, FUN, FUN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Great weather,a beautiful setting,a friendly and mellowed-out crowd...everything was set fair for another top BW show.I just wish someone had stood out front when they sound-checked though,because you couldn't hear some of the musicians hardly which is a crime given how talented those guys are.

Still enjoyable though,and I got to meet a childhood hero too-Mr. Bill Oddie.Mind you,from the appalling photo it rather looks as though Bill was more,ahem,relaxed than me.He wasn't!

















Cheers,

Si.

Sounds Great, did make it myself. first missed event.

Nice setlist ...... & Brian looks healthy.

Thanks for posting. Looking forward to "That Lucky Old Sun", his next masterpiece!

Love & Mercy!

Ross

dude, you met Mr Springwatch, himself!!
was the scrummy Kate Humble, there, at all?

Hi A-L,

Nah,unfortunately no sign of La Humble,nor Graeme Garden,Tim Brook-Taylor or their 'trandem'!

The band are at The RAH tonight-chance of top seats at bargain prices if you look on Ebay.
Just a thought,like!

Cheers,

Si.

Do his hands ever actually touch the keys on his keyboard?

Hi Tatters,

For probably 95% of the time,no...but that's not to say that he isn't able to play,as I've seen him do so and pretty niftily too.

It always brings me up short when I remember that BW only hears all that beautiful music in mono:he is almost deaf in one ear!

He cuts a far more sorted figure onstage nowadays,a far cry from the frankly terrified man who I saw back in 2002.Now he can joke about things,as I saw last Saturday when he missed a cue to sing but laughed it off and apologised to the band.That would never have happened back then!

Cheers,

Si.

Kenwood is so cool! I love the little refectory where you can eat snakes.

I was there too. And I took my 11 week old daughter Karianne so Brian Wilson is her first ever rock concert. Not a bad start in life. She particularly like Little Surfer Girl. Shot some film there and when I figure out how to do it I'll post a clip up here.

Nice to see the big guy playing bass!

Sounds wonderful (no pun intended)! I saw Brian and his divine band about 3 yrs ago in Chicago - one of the best shows I have ever witnessed (or heard). Did he play anything off of his new "Lucky Old Sun" work? I am curious but not terribly excited about it, though open as anything to hearing it.

Either way it is good to hear BW and his band are 'doing it again' (pun intended that time).

Did he tell the cigarette lighter joke?

Quote
Ross
Nice to see the big guy playing bass!

Well, he's HOLDING a bass, at least. Not sure he's playing anything, but no matter, it's still one of those iconic images that makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck when you see it in person.

Saw him at the Albert Hall yesterday. Barely played his keyboard, let alone the bass. I agree with Tatters about the image (soooo well put that, Tatters). He made a very quick edit from the stage too - a wave and then he bolted.

Still, there were some spectacularly beautiful moments in the gig. Just wish he'd do more of his solo songs - like Rio Grande and She Says That She Loves Me.

Quote
Elmo Lewis
Did he tell the cigarette lighter joke?

He didn't last night. He said "It's nice to be at the Royal Festival Hall! ... I mean the Royal Albert Hall!!!". Not entirely sure he was joking. He usually plays the Festival Hall in London and might have been confused.

What is the cigarette lighter joke?

It's a weak stab at humor on the live at the Roxy CD.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-07-02 13:26 by Elmo Lewis.

Just for comparison, Mike Love's 'Beach Boys' set list from Brighton this year;

1. Do It Again
2. Don't Back Down
3. Catch A Wave
4. Hawaii
5. Surf City
6. Surfin' Safari
7. Surfin' USA
8. Surfer Girl
9. Good To My Baby
10. Good Timin'
11. You're So Good To Me
12. Darlin'
13. Dance Dance Dance
14. Do You Wanna Dance?
15. The Warmth Of The Sun
16. Wendy
17. Kiss Me Baby
18.Let Him Run Wild
19. The Little Girl I Once Knew
20. Then I Kissed Her
21. I Can Hear Music
22. Ballad Of Ole Betsy
23. Still Cruisin'
24. Getcha Back
25. Dont Worry Baby
26. Little Deuce Coupe
27. 409
28. Shut Down
29. I Get Around

INTERVAL

30. California Girls
31. When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)
32. Why Do Fools Fall In Love
33. California Dreamin'
34. Kokomo
35. Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring
36. In My Room
37. Everyone's In Love With You
38. All This Is That
39. Cool Head, Warm Heart
40. Here Today
41. You Still Believe In Me
42. Disney Girls
) 43. God Only Knows
44. Help Me Rhonda
45. Barbara Ann
46. Wouldn't It Be Nice

ENCORE:
47. Good Vibrations
48. Fun Fun Fun

Say what you will about Mike but he's a grafter, he also really did play tambourine.....

Duglas from Glasgow band THE BMX BANDITS is a huge fan and even named is daughter Rhonda, after Help Me..
I knopw Duglas wuite well and he was telling of the time he interview BRian for BBC Scotland, on meeting him he told him " I have a daughter called Rhonda
To which Brian replied " WOW I wrote a song called " Help Me Rhonda "

Last time I saw the Beach Boys (2001), the newest song they did was Kokomo (1988). The second newest song they did was Do It Again (1968). The third newest song they did was Good Vibrations (1966).

Great pictures, as ever.

Sorry I missed him this time around but fingers crossed, he'll get round to playing up t'north before long.

I love the Bill Oddie photo!!

I saw BW in Niagara Falls last night and sat for 24 hours before I decided to post about it. It was a very strange experience.

I know his history of illness, recovery and returning to performing, and admire his courage and talent. No question he is a genius. And so many of his songs are iconic. So I felt very unsettled when I left the show.

He was on stage for 90 minutes with a set list similar to those listed above. But he did not touch an instrument, just perched on a stool mid-stage. He displayed very little emotion, even in his interaction with the band. There was no energy between him and the band or the audience. He would sing part of a song - often very poignant or meaningful lyrics - but be looking off over everyone's heads and as soon as the verse was delivered, turn away and sip a drink (I'm not suggesting alcohol - he appeared sober and I believe it was coffee or cola) demonstrating no connection to the song at all. He was frequently itching his face, head, arms, ear, etc and looked uncomfortable. I'm not sure if it was just a bad day, or if this is the result of the early years, but in interviews he has seemed much more engaged.

The 6 musicians / singers appearing with him were very good and one did most of the speaking for BW. But it was strange to see songs like God Only Knows delivered with such a flat affect. In many songs, he would sing the opening bars or verse, then the other singers would essentially take it over and his mic was turned down low, but his singing was excellent when did sing.

I had always wanted to see him, and am glad I did, but it was more of an anthropological experience than a musical one - it was very distracting to watch him. I really do admire his courage and creativity, and there is a new album coming out in September. I expect he is much more comfortable in the studio and hope it does well.

I am still unsettled by the experience - mostly I hope he is well. He gave a lot to music at a very dynamic time. I feel mean even writing this.

Quote
SomeTorontoGirl

He was on stage for 90 minutes with a set list similar to those listed above. But he did not touch an instrument, just perched on a stool mid-stage. He displayed very little emotion, even in his interaction with the band. There was no energy between him and the band or the audience. He would sing part of a song - often very poignant or meaningful lyrics - but be looking off over everyone's heads and as soon as the verse was delivered, turn away and sip a drink (I'm not suggesting alcohol - he appeared sober and I believe it was coffee or cola) demonstrating no connection to the song at all. He was frequently itching his face, head, arms, ear, etc and looked uncomfortable. I'm not sure if it was just a bad day, or if this is the result of the early years, but in interviews he has seemed much more engaged.

No, you didn't catch Brain on a bad day. What you described is a perfectly typical day for him. Considering the state of his mental and physical health in, say, 1982, it is truly amazing that 25 years later he is capable of doing what he does and doing it reasonably well. Consider yourself lucky that he is even still around and that you got a chance to see him.