Just came home from seeing the opening night of Brian Wilson new tour that began tonight in Bangor Maine.
What can I say ? The band was spectacular, and seeing Pet Sounds performed in its entirety was a real treat.
As for Brian himself ? I am kind of at a loss-- he was helped to the stage ( wearing a full leg brace) and sat at the piano all night which I am not sure he played. He took about half the vocals this evening, but they were kind of monotone, almost like he was talking the lyrics rather than singing them ( the exceptions being Love and Mercy & Good Vibrations ) the rest of the time he just seemed to sit there. It was almost like he was a prop.
The real stars of the evening were Al Jardine ( he did an outstanding job ) and Blondie Chaplin- he took the vocals on Wild Honey, Feel Flows ( an old Carl Wilson number ) and of course Sail on Sailor-- he also played some really good guitar.
So all in all, the night was fun, the music great. I was happy to see Brian Wilson again, but wonder if he's going to make it through the rest of the tour.

Opening Night? Hasn't he been playing Pet Sounds for like a year now? I don't think this is new.

Having said that, I've heard its very good. For the last 20 years you've had to accept Brian for what he is. He's essentially a big child. Yes, he's basically a prop but he has been for awhile. He wrote the songs and gets a great band to play the music so I and many others think it works. Adding Jardine and Chaplin only makes it better. I saw him do Smile like 15 years ago and it was amazing. Just seeing him is a dream, even though everyone gives him a major handicap. What the hell, he deserves it. With the life he had, he shouldn't even be alive. Not saying he can't be bad, but as long as the band as good you just gotta go see Brian and know what you're seeing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-10-28 07:45 by RollingFreak.

I saw this show two years ago.

He should retire. He's never been that good of a front man in his solo touring, but he has had some major back problems and surgeries the past couple of years. It can't be easy for him to travel with those problems.

The last time I saw Brian was a brief set at Neil Young's Bridge benefit in '14, and that was enough. I saw Al Jardine play a club show a few weeks ago (with his son Matt) and enjoyed that more than some of Brian's shows. Brian's original PS tour in the early '00s was pretty good, though, along with the Smile tour.

This is being billed as Brians last tour playing Pet Sounds. I know he did a PS tour a few years back, but perhaps he's hitting places he did not get to then, hence Bangor Maine.
Don't get my initial post wrong: I love Brian Wilson, and it was great seeing him again. I just thought he would be more engaged with things. He had very little audience interaction, and it seemed like he was listening to the music on stage rather than performing it.It was the 1st night of his tour, so perhaps as dates progress he will be more into it.
When he was really involved it was magic: His best moments of the evening were God Only Knows, Caroline No, Good Vibrations and Love & Mercy.
Would I go see him again ? Of course.

I remember a conversation I had with Lindsey Buckingham where Lindsey, a diehard Beach Boys fan, told me he didn't like the way they were just sort of propping him up there at the piano. That was back in 1981. I love Brian. I was at his very first solo concert in 1999 and even scheduled my wedding for that day so that Brian could, in effect, be my wedding singer. I also dragged myself out of bed, even though I had a bad case of the flu, because there was no way I was going to miss seeing his Smile tour in 2003. But I stopped seeing him about 10 years ago because I now see it the way Lindsey saw it. They really are just sort of propping him up there, dragging him around on a never-ending farewell tour, for no other reason than that it keeps infusing certain people's bank accounts with cash.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2018-10-28 15:40 by tatters.

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DandelionPowderman
I saw this show two years ago.

I saw him play Pet Sounds in its entirety with a full orchestra in 2000. Oddly enough, my favorite parts of the show were the instrumentals, "Let's Go Away for Awhile" and "Pet Sounds," where Brian would sit on a stool with his back to the audience and "direct" the orchestra, like it was 1966 and he was in the studio.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2018-10-28 15:53 by tatters.

From Wiki:

Whether Wilson truly consents to his semi-regular touring schedule since the 2000s is a subject of debate among fans. In 2011, after speaking to some of Wilson's acquaintances, biographer Jon Stebbins speculated that "Working in the studio and especially touring is not really his choice. His handlers, managers, and wife insist that he work. It's all a bit Landy-like when you look behind the curtain." Although Wilson often says that he enjoys touring, Stebbins writes of a "recent interview [where he was asked] what he disliked the most about touring, Brian replied that it was going on stage and performing. ... Upon hearing Brian say that, his 'handler' quickly reminded Brian, through a fake smile, that he loved performing".

That's an ugly notion. I wouldn't feel comfortable seeing someone like that...hell, you could potentially say the same about Ozzy Osbourne, but maybe not to the same extent.

I saw BW play in Edinburgh a couple of months ago, and it definitely felt like a 'goodbye'. He looked so much more frail, sang way less, sang and less well than when I had previously saw him in the early 2000s.

Nevertheless, I was singing along, grinning and crying through virtually the whole show, like some @#$%& mad man, just looking at the stage and thinking 'that, up there is BRIAN WILSON!'. One of my biggest heroes and one of pop's biggest successes and harshest casualties. I love Brian, but am happy for him to spend the rest of his days relaxing in the tranquility of his home.

Jeff Beck's comments on his 2013 tour with Brian are worth revisiting. It was immediately after this tour that Jeff Foskett relinquished his role as Brian's bandleader, saying "I can't do this anymore."

[ultimateclassicrock.com]

[ultimateclassicrock.com]



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2018-10-28 20:55 by tatters.

I went to Doncaster races to see him , admittingly it was to see our friends as well, but I really enjoyed the sounds.

It is what it is, every dog, has is day.

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tatters
Jeff Beck's comments on his 2013 tour with Brian are worth revisiting. It was immediately after this tour that Jeff Foskett relinquished his role as Brian's bandleader, saying "I can't do this anymore."

[ultimateclassicrock.com]

[ultimateclassicrock.com]

Brian's family was furious with Jeff for saying that and I can't say I disagree with them. Brian wiped Jeff's tracks off the album they were working on after he said that. I saw that tour at the Beacon and I agree that Brian's band, Blondie and Al in particular, were fantastic. Had no idea that Blondie was such a good player. I was 4 rows in front of Brian and let's just say it was "interesting" watching him sitting with a blank stare for the most part. He's doing the Christmas Album at the St. George Theater near me and, much as I'm tempted, I'll skip this one. God bless him though, such a genius.

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tatters
Jeff Beck's comments on his 2013 tour with Brian are worth revisiting. It was immediately after this tour that Jeff Foskett relinquished his role as Brian's bandleader, saying "I can't do this anymore."

[ultimateclassicrock.com]

[ultimateclassicrock.com]

THAT was a great concert, seeing them at the Greek in L.A. in 2013. They did Pet Sounds beginning to end that night too.

His last solo album "No Pier Pressure" and the last Beach Boys album from a few years back "That's Why God Made the Radio" were so enjoyable-- For me, ranked right up there with some of his best stuff.

So, it was kind of sad to see him so detached last night in Bangor. When he was "on" he was the Brian Wilson of legend. But much of the night he was very remote.

But don't get me wrong-- the show was spectacular-- also thanks to Al Jardine who was a great wing man to Brain and Blondie Chaplin. I never knew he was such a good guitar player. Also so entertaining to watch !

Don't let my review put you off from seeing his show when he comes to town-- you WILL have a great time if you go !

I’ve seen Brian many times over the years, starting in the 70’s with the horrid “Brian is back” tour with The Beach Boys. I saw his last show with Carl in the band in about 95 in Chicago, and then his comeback tour and many of his tours since.

He’s been more engaged - or less - on different tours. The standout tours were the comeback tour, the first Pet Sounds tour, the Smile tour, and That Locky Old Sun tour.

The Jeff Beck tour was pretty bad, though Jeff’s playing was great.

At first, Jeff Foskett covered the high parts with him when they were the lead parts of the song. For the past ten years or so, Brian has stopped trying the high parts, and more songs have been turned over to others.

In addition to his voice, his health, especially his back, has clearly deteriorated a lot the past decade. He has trouble moving.

The last time his singing, and his engagement in the concert, were at a high quality, was for the reunion tour in 2013. He was (unexpectedly) great at that concert. His closing with his then-new, final Beach Boys song, “Summer’s Gone,” was goosebump-inducing.

His concerts since then have showed a lot of deterioration. I saw an early show in the Pet Sounds tour, and while the band, Al, and Blondie were great, as was Matt Jardine, Brian didn’t sing very w ll or show much interest.

Go to see a good show of a great album. Just have realistic expectations about Brian.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-10-29 16:21 by bam.

I also saw Brian in concert this year @ Doncaster, UK.
Have to echo the comments above. Enjoyed the concert, but just a nostalgia trip really. It did seem like watching an ageing heavyweight boxer, going through the motions...in order to pay his back taxes. Though in Brian's case, money surely is not a problem?
Better for him surely to stick to the studio and put out some albums, either covers or original material if the creative juices are still there.

Ozzy is a good comparison. Honestly, its a sad thing to think but it shouldn't really be a surprise at all. Like I said, Wilson is essentially a child. Not that keeping him on the road is better than doing nothing, but really what else would he be doing if not on the road? Doesn't seem to be affecting his health, he gets good money, and its not that demanding while also making millions of fans happy. And its a very good show, the band isn't sleeping through it.

I think the fact that Brian has also been like this in one form or another for the last 40 years is what makes it kinda unsurprising. I certainly don't wish anything negative to him or his health, but he's been a prop when needed going back to the Beach Boys in the 70s. I never really thought he "wanted" to be there, especially when touring. I think Ozzy's touring does have a lot to do with Sharon just keeping him out but also I truly don't think Ozzy would have anything else to do, and he does like being up there. He's kinda like a kid who doesn't get when its time to leave the party. Brian is a guy who doesn't really know where he is on or offstage. If he wasn't touring, I don't think he'd be any more creative in the studio, so personally I'd rather he stay out on the road doing great shows with his great backing band than do literally nothing. Of course unless it started taking a toll on his health. And because sometimes there are genuine human moments like these, which as a fan I love to see:

[www.youtube.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-10-29 01:56 by RollingFreak.

Compared to Brian Wilson, Ozzy is quite in control of his faculties.

And even though I have MAJOR problems with how Sharon conducts business, I don't think she's pushing him out on the road against his will. I think he enjoys it while he's doing it, but without her driving the business, he'd probably be content to just piddle around his house and get up to no good.

The routine of the road probably keeps him out of trouble.

Agreed. Just saying, they are similar in that sort of brainless vessel sort of thing. Ozzy I think really likes being on the road, and I agree he's not being forced. But just saying he has someone pulling the strings, at least to get it done. They are both childlike, and I love them both.

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bam
I’ve seen Brian many times over the years, starting in the 70’s with the horrid “Brian is back” tour with The Beach Boys. I saw his last show with Carl in the band in about 95 in Chicago, and then his comeback tour and many of his tours since.

He’s been more engaged - or less - on different tours. The standout tours were the comeback tour, the first Pet Sounds tour, the Smile tour, and one after that.

The Jeff Beck tour was pretty bad, though Jeff’s playing was great.

At first, Jeff Foskett covered the high parts with him when they were the lead parts of the song. For the past ten years or so, Brian has stopped trying the high parts, and more songs have been turned over to others.

In addition to his voice, his health, especially his back, has clearly deteriorated a lot the past decade. He has trouble moving.

The last time his singing, and his engagement in the concert, were at a high quality, was for the reunion tour in 2013. He was (unexpectedly) great at that concert. His closing with his then-new song, “Summer’s Gone,” was goosebump-inducing.

His concerts since then have showed a lot of deterioration. I saw an early show in the Pet Sounds tour, and while the band, Al, and Blondie were great, as was Matt Jardine, Brian didn’t sing very w ll or show much interest.

Go to see a good show of a great album. Just have realistic expectations about Brian.

Agree with this summation -- I've seen Brian and his band about 8 times over the past 19 years and his engagement varies. And yes he is the world's worst front man. But 6 of the 8 shows were among the greatest musical performances I have ever witnessed. His band is always exceptional, presenting a wide array of Wilson's brilliant work including lots of deep stuff for hardcores like me. And always with enthusiasm and love. That I saw most of these in intimate theaters added to the experience. Brian generally seemed very upbeat to content if occasionally distracted -- he is after all mentally ill and it is a miracle we have gotten these shows. But it may be time to get off the road -- who would have thought we'd get 20 years of Brian Wilson live?

Lastly I'll say the most amazing and moving of these great shows was seeing the redemption of Smile at Carnegie Hall. Grown men were weeping (me). I encourage folks to find the "Beautiful Dreamer" video that includes the saga and the full opening night live performance in London. Just fantastic.

I love the BB and have enjoyed seeing Brian "live", although his vocals aren't 1965 quality anymore. I too give him a pass because of the great songs.

Keith may be a better comparison than Ozzy - although I think Keith really likes touring.

On a related note, check out my review of a recent Dylan show in the Bob Dylan thread.

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Wry Cooter
Lastly I'll say the most amazing and moving of these great shows was seeing the redemption of Smile at Carnegie Hall. Grown men were weeping (me). I encourage folks to find the "Beautiful Dreamer" video that includes the saga and the full opening night live performance in London. Just fantastic.

I was reading your post and about to quote it by saying something, and then got to this and that was exactly what I wanted to say. My father and I adored the Beach Boys and Brian and him doing Smile at Carnegie Hall was my very first rock concert and it holds an extremely special place in my heart. I was 12 and surprisingly have such vivid memories of that show. I can confirm, many were weeping, my father and I included, but especially my father because he spent years trying to create that record Brian could never finish so to see it finally done and presented to him by Brian was more than words to him and many Beach Boys fans. A very special moment and an incredible show. I was lucky to be like 7th row, 2 rows in front of Van Dyke Parks! There was truly nothing like that.

Between that and his vastly underrated live album Live At The Roxy Theatre (which I personally think is the best live recording of Beach Boys songs) Brian gets a lifetime pass for me. As you say, its amazing we have him still here at all. The man has lived several troubled lives and in theory shouldn't still be in one piece walking around, so he is zombie-esque but thank god he's still with us.

Agree that Live at the Roxy is a great album.

I interviewed Brian a year ago: https://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2017/12/brian-wilson-take-3/

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RollingFreak

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Wry Cooter
Lastly I'll say the most amazing and moving of these great shows was seeing the redemption of Smile at Carnegie Hall. Grown men were weeping (me). I encourage folks to find the "Beautiful Dreamer" video that includes the saga and the full opening night live performance in London. Just fantastic.

I was reading your post and about to quote it by saying something, and then got to this and that was exactly what I wanted to say. My father and I adored the Beach Boys and Brian and him doing Smile at Carnegie Hall was my very first rock concert and it holds an extremely special place in my heart. I was 12 and surprisingly have such vivid memories of that show. I can confirm, many were weeping, my father and I included, but especially my father because he spent years trying to create that record Brian could never finish so to see it finally done and presented to him by Brian was more than words to him and many Beach Boys fans. A very special moment and an incredible show. I was lucky to be like 7th row, 2 rows in front of Van Dyke Parks! There was truly nothing like that.

Between that and his vastly underrated live album Live At The Roxy Theatre (which I personally think is the best live recording of Beach Boys songs) Brian gets a lifetime pass for me. As you say, its amazing we have him still here at all. The man has lived several troubled lives and in theory shouldn't still be in one piece walking around, so he is zombie-esque but thank god he's still with us.

Wow-- thanks for the story -- love that you and your pop were there! I'm probably around his age; my introduction to Rock and Roll was hearing "Surfin' USA" on the radio while my mom was doing laundry. Was pretty much a fan to this day including years it was extremely unhip to be such. The music of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys covers so much ground -- from the catchy hits to the great experiments to the odd jobs. But there is always a spiritual, emotional aspect that is very healing for me -- something that Brian has mentioned as crucial in his process.

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roller99
I interviewed Brian a year ago: https://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2017/12/brian-wilson-take-3/

Good job -- thanks for that link. I know Brian isn't the easiest interview but he seems pretty upbeat here. Seems psyched about performing as well, giving the lie to some of the theorizing. Also interesting he has never seen the Stones and prefers digital to analog.

I see the article was for "Bass Musician" -- I've always felt that particularly in the hit years Brian's care for the bottom and groove of these records is overlooked and underappreciated. And he did play bass live.