This past Sunday I attended an amazing show by Brian Wilson and his band where they played the entire Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" album, as well as about 90 minutes of other Beach Boys and Brian Wilson hits. I am always surprised when I attend a Brian Wilson concert at the sheer number of songs he wrote which were hits and I clearly remember, usually able to sing along.
The 11-piece band was spot on perfect, with a drummer, percussionist, keyboardist, second keyboardist and vibraphone player, Brian Wilson sound-alike and guitarist (Al Jardine's son), bassist, guitarist, wind instrument guy (and music director), jack of all trades (guitar, trumpet, French horn, theramin, percussion, keyboards, etc.), Brian (himself), and nearly all of them singing as well. On a few songs, the always entertaining Blondie Chapman came out and sang and played some 70's style ripping guitar solos. At the end of the show his old female backup singer joined the whole band in the really popular old sing-along hits.
Brian is very old, and he cannot sing well anymore. To make up for that, Matt Jardine sings the high parts and sometimes took the lead for the entire song. He has an amazing voice, but he still struggled with some of the higher notes. But Brian was there, holding court over an amazing band and doing his part, though often poorly, but pretty damn well for a 74 year old man who had serious mental health and substance abuse issues throughout the 70s and most of the 80s.
Al Jardine was on stage for the entire show, playing Rhythm Guitar and the occasional banjo, and singing amazingly well. Al took the lead on a bunch of Beach Boys songs Brian wasn't a part of in the 1970s and was very good at it. He is aging really damn well.
Since the show was at the Moody Austin City Limits Live auditorium (where they now film Austin City Limits), the sound was spot on. Clean, clear, dynamic, well-balanced, and not so loud as to make my head blow off. The only complaint I had about the venue was the abundance of pot being smoked around me which was thick enough to give me a headache and make my tinnitus go ape-shit (even though I was wearing my 10dB earplugs). I have learned over the past 10 years that marijuana sets off my tinnitus like a bitch and I get serious headaches from it. So much for smoking pot with I get old and retire.
Anyway, it was a great show, an enthusiastic audience, and a perfect rendition of "Pet Sounds", to boot.
The 11-piece band was spot on perfect, with a drummer, percussionist, keyboardist, second keyboardist and vibraphone player, Brian Wilson sound-alike and guitarist (Al Jardine's son), bassist, guitarist, wind instrument guy (and music director), jack of all trades (guitar, trumpet, French horn, theramin, percussion, keyboards, etc.), Brian (himself), and nearly all of them singing as well. On a few songs, the always entertaining Blondie Chapman came out and sang and played some 70's style ripping guitar solos. At the end of the show his old female backup singer joined the whole band in the really popular old sing-along hits.
Brian is very old, and he cannot sing well anymore. To make up for that, Matt Jardine sings the high parts and sometimes took the lead for the entire song. He has an amazing voice, but he still struggled with some of the higher notes. But Brian was there, holding court over an amazing band and doing his part, though often poorly, but pretty damn well for a 74 year old man who had serious mental health and substance abuse issues throughout the 70s and most of the 80s.
Al Jardine was on stage for the entire show, playing Rhythm Guitar and the occasional banjo, and singing amazingly well. Al took the lead on a bunch of Beach Boys songs Brian wasn't a part of in the 1970s and was very good at it. He is aging really damn well.
Since the show was at the Moody Austin City Limits Live auditorium (where they now film Austin City Limits), the sound was spot on. Clean, clear, dynamic, well-balanced, and not so loud as to make my head blow off. The only complaint I had about the venue was the abundance of pot being smoked around me which was thick enough to give me a headache and make my tinnitus go ape-shit (even though I was wearing my 10dB earplugs). I have learned over the past 10 years that marijuana sets off my tinnitus like a bitch and I get serious headaches from it. So much for smoking pot with I get old and retire.
Anyway, it was a great show, an enthusiastic audience, and a perfect rendition of "Pet Sounds", to boot.