Leading into the tour, The Beach Boys released an album which was surprisingly good. It sold respectably, and was favorably reviewed in most major newspapers and music publications, online and printed. The album was written and overseen by Brian Wilson and Joe Thomas, and new and archived tunes were recorded and sounded less formulaic than my ears expected. As usual, there were advance raves and references to a "Life Suite" that sounded interesting. Upon release, That's Why God Made Radio was conventional, with twelve distinct and separate tracks.
The Beach Boys released Doin' It Again, a dvd documenting the lead up to the tour, and portions of a May 2, 2012 live concert in St. Augustine, Florida. Many Beach Boys fans purchased the dvd, thinking it was a live concert. It turned out that it was instead a collection of interviews, archival footage, and a few songs from St. Augustine. Many buyers were disappointed by the short length of the film and a dearth of anything really new being said. The diehard fans bought it, and loyally raved about it on message boards and review columns on Amazon.com and similar types of internet locations. But those of us old timers who had enjoyed the new cd felt a little burned by the product.
The faithful held out hopes for a dvd of a complete show. The length of concerts varied, from roughly 42 songs up to 62 in London. There were clearly great shows along the tour. Friends of mine began to follow the band across the country, and several folks raved about the Grand Prairie, Texas show, The Colorado Red Rocks Amphitheater Show, The Chiba, Japan show, The Barcelona, Spain show, and many more. The Blu-Ray version of Live In Concert: The 50th Anniversary offered:
1. Do It Again
2. Catch A Wave3. Hawaii
4. Marcella
5. Isn't It Time
6. Little Deuce Coupe
7. 409
8. Shut Down
9. I Get Around
10. Heroes And Villains
11. Sloop John B
12. Wouldn't It Be Nice
13. All This Is That
14. That's Why God Made The Radio
15. Sail On Sailor
16. Good Vibrations
17. California Girls
18. Help Me Rhonda
19. Rock And Roll Music
20. Kokomo
21. Fun Fun Fun
The lineup omissions are obvious....Surfin' USA, God Only Knows, Forever, All Summer Long, Dance Dance Dance, Surfer Girl, Don't Worry Baby, When I Grow Up, Kiss Me Baby, Little Honda, Barbara Ann, In My Room, Surfin' Safari, Cottonfields, Disney Girls, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Wendy, Kiss Me Baby, Please Let Me Wonder,,,,,,and several more. The comparison with other products from other groups becomes painful. When you have a song catalog as deep and wide as The Beach Boys, it seems that even if the price was, say, $40.00, people WOULD PAY IT. If the problem is royalties, pay them, and raise the price! Most of the Beach Boys' fans are Boomers, and can afford it. To offer an example, I just paid $20.00 for the archival The Who Live at the Isle of Wight 1970, which has two full cds and a live dvd. Visually, The Beach Boys are Beach Men, and although they are older men, the ability to see the incredible band and David Marks firing off amazing licks would be worth the higher price. This is a veteran unit, who can play complex Brian Wilson tunes, or who can thrash out the punk flavored numbers like Surfin' Safari.
Which brings me to the latest Reunion product, which is a double cd live concert compilation on compact disc of tunes from the 50th Anniversary Tour. The set, entitled The Beach Boys Live-The 50th Anniversary Tour, compiles several of the musical highlights of this tour, with a total of 41 songs presented. It sounds like a few different shows were utilized to compile this live set. I hear selections from Chiba, Barcelona, Grand Prairie, Texas, Arizona, and possibly Red Rocks, as well as possibly St. Augustine. The sound here is variable, and with a few exceptions, fairly straight forward. There are studio sweetened moments, and in some cases, the sources for many of the tunes concert-wise are identifiable, with studio tinkering obvious. The reviews across different media are varied and all over the place. This is a case where those who were emotionally uplifted by the sheer power of Brian Wilson's music live don't always find that experience replicated on cds, which like any medium of reproduction, can never replace the EXPERIENCE of being there....of hearing a legendary group dig deep and reel out live performances,with all the mistakes and triumphs that live performance offers.
With all these caveats, there are some great moments here. I love the Tour beginning with Do It Again. It has always been one of my Beach Boys favorites. It is almost as if the tune has found it's true home. The surf guitar licks on Do It Again and Little Honda are great, and David Marks speaks guitar as well as any man I know. The surf music medley is energetic but predictable. My favorite is Surfin' Safari, as the tune's garage punk roots are evident. Surfer Girl's elegance as a composition is in evidence here. Brian's vocal on the bridge gets a big crowd roar, evidence of the audience's affection for him. The Little Girl I Once Knew is a nice addition to the first set. The countering vocals between Jeff and Brian are fun. Jeff's lead is mixed a little too brightly, but that is not his fault. Wendy is refreshing, and sounds like a new song in the set, simply beautiful. The harmonica on the bridge is a nice touch and it's nice to hear Bruce as well. Although some reviews have been contentious about David Mark's lead vocal on Getcha Back, I hear him singing it the way Dennis Wilson would have done it. Had he lived, I have always believed a Dennis Wilson lead vocal was in order for that song. Then I Kissed Her is great, and showcases Alan Jardine's marvelous voice, the best in the surviving Beach Boys.
Brian's vocal on Marcella rocks. His vocals on the tune are gritty and almost bluesy. The tag is definitely bluesy. Isn't It Time sounds studio enhanced, but still translates well into live performance. Why Do Fools Fall In Love is stunning in it's harmonic clarity. There is a tinny tone to Mike Love's lead vocal on When I Grow Up. The backing vocals are excellent. Disney Girls is true to the studio version from Surfs Up. It is a highlight of the set. Be True To Your School is rendered in it's first few notes in a self-parody type of style, which is understandable, given the fact that 70 year old men are singing about high school spirit. It still is performed "straight" once the actual song's structure kicks in. The obligatory hot rod set is next, and is a perfect run of tunes to end the first half of the show. The hot rod set features Mike's "nasal voice" throughout, and is a continuation of that self-caricature from Be True To Your School. In listening to Little Deuce Coupe, 409, Shut Down, and I Get Around, I just want comment how even early on, Brian was writing off the bass root, and the rhythm guitar lines on all four of these tracks are marvelous. These selections are from the Mesa, Arizona concert. Overall, this is a satisfying selection of songs in the first set. To get the surf and hot rod sets out of the way in the first half of the show was a wise decision. Compliments to the drum and percussion as they highlight rather than overwhelm the unusual chord changes that many of Brian's tunes showcase.
The second part of the album begins with a thrilling rendition of the title track from the Pet Sounds album. David Marks plays his ass off, and shows why he is probably the best guitarist to ever be a member of The Beach Boys. This is as close as Brian ever got to a jazz instrumental composition. Add Some Music offers a track from the Sunflower album. Brian's lead sounds a little draggy on the first section, but improves as the song continues. Alan's vocal is outstanding on the bridge. The drums and percussion are tasteful and understated. Bruce's voice lends a familiarity for us old timers. I have seen lots of carping about Heroes and Villains on this set. Brian's vocal is enthusiastic if not always on key. It is a thrill to hear Mike replicate his bass part live. Whoever dubbed the crowd noise during "healthy, wealthy, and wise" should be aware that crowds don't just suddenly appear and disappear like that. The acapella outro is great. Brian's lead on Sail On Sailor appears to be from Chiba, Japan. Knowing that Brian hates the song, it is remarkable that he carried off so well. Again, his vocal has balls. He sounds like the man who wrote the song. The backing vocals are heavenly. Hearing California Saga live is a thrill. The harmonies are great, Mike's vocal is solid and authentic. Definitely a thrill to hear Alan do the third verse. The banjo is mixed too low in the mix.
The version of In My Room here is sung by some world weary men. This is no longer a song about an abused boy. Brian's contribution here is moving, as is Alan's. The high harmony at the end is Brian. The version of All This Is That here is strong. I love Brian's and Mike's parts on this tune. Carl is sampled on the tag, and I don't begrudge their decision. That 45 seconds is sublime and irreplaceable. That's Why God Made the Radio sounds heavily sampled from the studio recording. That's too bad, because I know they could pull it off live. The tributes to Dennis and Carl, Forever and God Only Knows, respectively, are also heavily sampled. Nevertheless, they are moving. Continuing in Pet Sounds mode, Brian takes lead on Sloop John B, with Mike doing his part beautifully. The flute is a cool touch. The last section sounds like Brian with Alan behind him. Again the drumming and percussion are tasteful. Wouldn't It Be Nice features a great lead from Alan. Mike's nasal bridge is rocky. The shimmering guitar in the background is spectacular. Solid, and performed as one would expect to hear it.
We begin the close with Good Vibrations. Brian is great on the opening stanza. Mike's old part on the chorus is almost out of his vocal range....too high. Brian and Alan have a gob of energy going on this tune. The mid range theramin is now a vocal part. Lots of audience, which would be expected. The cello triplets are sampled. Overall, very nice as a live recording.The intro to California Girls leads into a lead vocal from Mike that is reedy and probably studio augmented. His voice sounds blown out on this one. Perhaps it would have been better to use a lead from an early tour show. The acapella break is awesome! Bruce is there on the tag, singing his part from the original album. Help Me Rhonda is spectacular, again because Alan's vocal is so authentic. Mike does nice backing work here. In short, this could be the 1974 Beach Boys. The rhythm/lead guitar is audible and solid. Rock and Roll Music is probably better placed in the first half the set. As a closer, it kills the closing momentum. Mike's vocal is again reedy and thin in the upper register. Surfin' USA is perfectly placed, and is a great closer. The amount of studio augmentation to Mike's voice is distracting from the tune. It sounds like he is singing in a barrel. Kokomo has always struck me as a gold plated dookie. Sorry...again it has been heavily studio augmented. The doubled lead vocal is absurd. Barbara Ann kills when they play it live, 'nuff said. Great harmonies here, and a nice sax solo on the bridge from Paul and guitar solo presumably from David. Fun Fun Fun is the tradtional closer, and we have another nice lead vocal from Mike here, probably studio augmented. David plays the guitar solo with flames shootin' out of his guitar, and continues through to the close. Bless whoever played the Gershwin quote at the end.
Well, did you expect that this would sound like the shows? If so, you are probably disappointed. Nothing can replace the energy of being there in person. As a document of a wonderful and unexpected gift from a bunch of guys who hadn't spoken as a true group since Carl's death, this is an unexpected and welcome gift. Take a look at what happened a few weeks after the London shows, and thank your Higher Power the wheels didn't come off midway through the tour. This one was a gift to the fans, and a financial bonanza for the Boys. Did you ever expect to have one last live set? I didn't, and it is welcome. There are technical criticisms that are valid. There are repertoire decisions that perhaps did not meet everyone's needs. As a document of the latter days Beach Boys, it is better than I expected, and I would give it a solid "B" in terms of listenability. Nothing can replace the earlier live documents by The Beach Boys, but it is a tribute to their musicianship that it sounds so powerful at this time in their career. Kudos to the the incredible band, made up mostly of Brian's touring unit, with great drumming from John Cowsill, and guitar from Scott Totten. With Beach Boys playing, Brian's music is always the star, and so it is here as well.
Well, what about the other performances circulating? There are audience recordings of at least 70 per cent of the Tour. Some are wonderful, and some are forgettable. I am not going to review them show by show, but I will touch on some highlights.
Brian's vocal on Marcella rocks. His vocals on the tune are gritty and almost bluesy. The tag is definitely bluesy. Isn't It Time sounds studio enhanced, but still translates well into live performance. Why Do Fools Fall In Love is stunning in it's harmonic clarity. There is a tinny tone to Mike Love's lead vocal on When I Grow Up. The backing vocals are excellent. Disney Girls is true to the studio version from Surfs Up. It is a highlight of the set. Be True To Your School is rendered in it's first few notes in a self-parody type of style, which is understandable, given the fact that 70 year old men are singing about high school spirit. It still is performed "straight" once the actual song's structure kicks in. The obligatory hot rod set is next, and is a perfect run of tunes to end the first half of the show. The hot rod set features Mike's "nasal voice" throughout, and is a continuation of that self-caricature from Be True To Your School. In listening to Little Deuce Coupe, 409, Shut Down, and I Get Around, I just want comment how even early on, Brian was writing off the bass root, and the rhythm guitar lines on all four of these tracks are marvelous. These selections are from the Mesa, Arizona concert. Overall, this is a satisfying selection of songs in the first set. To get the surf and hot rod sets out of the way in the first half of the show was a wise decision. Compliments to the drum and percussion as they highlight rather than overwhelm the unusual chord changes that many of Brian's tunes showcase.
The second part of the album begins with a thrilling rendition of the title track from the Pet Sounds album. David Marks plays his ass off, and shows why he is probably the best guitarist to ever be a member of The Beach Boys. This is as close as Brian ever got to a jazz instrumental composition. Add Some Music offers a track from the Sunflower album. Brian's lead sounds a little draggy on the first section, but improves as the song continues. Alan's vocal is outstanding on the bridge. The drums and percussion are tasteful and understated. Bruce's voice lends a familiarity for us old timers. I have seen lots of carping about Heroes and Villains on this set. Brian's vocal is enthusiastic if not always on key. It is a thrill to hear Mike replicate his bass part live. Whoever dubbed the crowd noise during "healthy, wealthy, and wise" should be aware that crowds don't just suddenly appear and disappear like that. The acapella outro is great. Brian's lead on Sail On Sailor appears to be from Chiba, Japan. Knowing that Brian hates the song, it is remarkable that he carried off so well. Again, his vocal has balls. He sounds like the man who wrote the song. The backing vocals are heavenly. Hearing California Saga live is a thrill. The harmonies are great, Mike's vocal is solid and authentic. Definitely a thrill to hear Alan do the third verse. The banjo is mixed too low in the mix.
The version of In My Room here is sung by some world weary men. This is no longer a song about an abused boy. Brian's contribution here is moving, as is Alan's. The high harmony at the end is Brian. The version of All This Is That here is strong. I love Brian's and Mike's parts on this tune. Carl is sampled on the tag, and I don't begrudge their decision. That 45 seconds is sublime and irreplaceable. That's Why God Made the Radio sounds heavily sampled from the studio recording. That's too bad, because I know they could pull it off live. The tributes to Dennis and Carl, Forever and God Only Knows, respectively, are also heavily sampled. Nevertheless, they are moving. Continuing in Pet Sounds mode, Brian takes lead on Sloop John B, with Mike doing his part beautifully. The flute is a cool touch. The last section sounds like Brian with Alan behind him. Again the drumming and percussion are tasteful. Wouldn't It Be Nice features a great lead from Alan. Mike's nasal bridge is rocky. The shimmering guitar in the background is spectacular. Solid, and performed as one would expect to hear it.
We begin the close with Good Vibrations. Brian is great on the opening stanza. Mike's old part on the chorus is almost out of his vocal range....too high. Brian and Alan have a gob of energy going on this tune. The mid range theramin is now a vocal part. Lots of audience, which would be expected. The cello triplets are sampled. Overall, very nice as a live recording.The intro to California Girls leads into a lead vocal from Mike that is reedy and probably studio augmented. His voice sounds blown out on this one. Perhaps it would have been better to use a lead from an early tour show. The acapella break is awesome! Bruce is there on the tag, singing his part from the original album. Help Me Rhonda is spectacular, again because Alan's vocal is so authentic. Mike does nice backing work here. In short, this could be the 1974 Beach Boys. The rhythm/lead guitar is audible and solid. Rock and Roll Music is probably better placed in the first half the set. As a closer, it kills the closing momentum. Mike's vocal is again reedy and thin in the upper register. Surfin' USA is perfectly placed, and is a great closer. The amount of studio augmentation to Mike's voice is distracting from the tune. It sounds like he is singing in a barrel. Kokomo has always struck me as a gold plated dookie. Sorry...again it has been heavily studio augmented. The doubled lead vocal is absurd. Barbara Ann kills when they play it live, 'nuff said. Great harmonies here, and a nice sax solo on the bridge from Paul and guitar solo presumably from David. Fun Fun Fun is the tradtional closer, and we have another nice lead vocal from Mike here, probably studio augmented. David plays the guitar solo with flames shootin' out of his guitar, and continues through to the close. Bless whoever played the Gershwin quote at the end.
Well, did you expect that this would sound like the shows? If so, you are probably disappointed. Nothing can replace the energy of being there in person. As a document of a wonderful and unexpected gift from a bunch of guys who hadn't spoken as a true group since Carl's death, this is an unexpected and welcome gift. Take a look at what happened a few weeks after the London shows, and thank your Higher Power the wheels didn't come off midway through the tour. This one was a gift to the fans, and a financial bonanza for the Boys. Did you ever expect to have one last live set? I didn't, and it is welcome. There are technical criticisms that are valid. There are repertoire decisions that perhaps did not meet everyone's needs. As a document of the latter days Beach Boys, it is better than I expected, and I would give it a solid "B" in terms of listenability. Nothing can replace the earlier live documents by The Beach Boys, but it is a tribute to their musicianship that it sounds so powerful at this time in their career. Kudos to the the incredible band, made up mostly of Brian's touring unit, with great drumming from John Cowsill, and guitar from Scott Totten. With Beach Boys playing, Brian's music is always the star, and so it is here as well.
Well, what about the other performances circulating? There are audience recordings of at least 70 per cent of the Tour. Some are wonderful, and some are forgettable. I am not going to review them show by show, but I will touch on some highlights.
In Barcelona, The highlights for me are many. The first thing I notice is that this recording has a solid bottom! The drums, bass, and percussion are powerful, not eviscerated. This is NOT the case with the official set. Second, Mike doesn't sound like he is singing in a barrel. The energy of a live performance is here, despite the sound quality probably being only a "B." There are also none of the weird double tracked lead vocals that the official release has. There are mistakes....and they are welcome.
In the first half, Surfin' Safari ROCKS! The version of It's Ok in this show is solid if not spectacular. It is nice to hear an undoctored Mike lead vocal. Brian is pitchy on the tag singing Dennis's old part. You're So Good To Me is sung by Brian, and Al does a good Brian impression on the choruses. Brian does a fine job on this tune. Please Let Me Wonder has a wonderful Brian lead vocal, and begs to be heard on the official release. This is as achingly beautiful as The Beach Boys can sing! Come Go With Me is very ably sung by Alan, and is again needed on the official set. The close with the audience singing along is priceless. I can understand why perhaps The Beach Boys chose not to include tunes with lead vocals sung by the backing band, but Darian Sahanaja kills on Darlin', and the backing vocals are well done. The tag here is spectacular. Cottonfields is also beautifully done, and with Alan singing lead, it is like traveling back to 1970. Ballad of Old Betsy is sung with what almost sounds like a canned backing track. The lead vocal by Scott Totten is great, but the backing is painful. The tag is delicious though.
The second half of the Barcelona Show is sequenced differently than the official set. Good Timin' is the second tune sung, but the lead vocal gets buried. Brian does the lead, and it is fairly listless. Perhaps he just doesn't care for the song. Brian's lead on Sail On Sailor, by contrast, is not only audible, but spirited. The version of That's Why God Made the radio is live, not sampled, and is a welcome change from the sampled parts on the live set. California Dreamin' is a traded lead vocal between Alan and Brian, and it is a great version, with nice leads and great backing vocals. In this show, the tributes to Dennis and Carl are not there, and Brian does a solid lead vocal on God Only Knows. Dance Dance Dance follows California Girls in this show, and suffers from vocal anemia. The tempo seems about 10% slow. All Summer Long is called for by Alan, and they do a terrific version. It should have been on the official set. Rock and Roll Music follows Rhonda here, and is more aptly sequenced. After band introductions, Barbara Ann follows, then Surfin' USA. Do You Wanna Dance replaces Barbara Ann as the next to last tune in the encore. Brian takes the lead. It is not his best lead vocal. Fun Fun Fun closes the set. One final note is that it appears to me that Alan is replacing Carl as the head of the group live. He does it well.
As a side note, there is an audience shot dvd of the July 23rd, 2012 Barcelona Beach Boys show. It is unwatchable. Sooooo....from Barcelona, Please Let Me Wonder, Darlin', California Dreamin', Sail on Sailor, and Cottonfields. All of these are worth pursuing.
Grand Prairie, Texas hosted the tour, and the concert cd double set circulating is from April 26, 2012. It is superior sound wise to Barcelona. The version of Do It Again here is very good. The surf sequence omits Hawaii. Surfin' Safari is again terrific. The David Marks guitar is again a bonus. The Little Girl Girl I Once Knew is delightful here, and superior to the official version. Jeff does not stick out like a sore thumb here. Wendy is a highlight here, as it is on the official concert release. Then I Kissed Her is outstanding. The drumming is tasteful, and you can actually hear Nelson's castanets. You're So Good To Me is also wonderful, with Brian singing his ass off. Why Do Fools Fall In Love has a live intro. Jeff's lead is tasty, not shrill. The bridge sax solo jumps! The tag is a sequential 5 part vocal blend and great. Once again, you can hear the drums as Nelson's percussion on When I Grow Up. Cottonfields is outstanding, a highlight of the set. The pedal steel blends nicely. Perhaps it is David or Scott playing a lap steel. Disney Girls is simply fantastic, and Bruce sounds like he just flew in from 1971. Well worth pursuing. Perhaps this is the version on the official release. Please Let Me Wonder follows and Brian again does it beautifully.Why was this not put on the official set? A mistake. The motorized vehicle sequence begins with a great little Honda, and proceeds as does the official double cd set. Mike's leads throughout are first rate. David's guitar slices and dices better than a Vegematic.
The second half of the show is sequenced differently than the official release or Barcelona. The set begins with Sloop John B and then goes into Wouldn't It Be Nice. Brian is lead on Sloop John B, and Alan does Wouldn't It Be Nice. Both are great. Some beautiful 12 string guitar on California Dreamin' follows. This track just shines here. Next comes the tribute in memory of Dennis on Forever. Sail On Sailor follows, with a solid lead by Brian. The version of Heroes from Grand Prairie is excellent from a lead vocal standpoint by Brian, as are are the backing vocals. This version could appear on the official set with no modification in the studio. Next is In My Room, started by Brian, with the rest of the group falling in. All This Is That follows. It is a nice version, but you can tell they haven't been doing it very long. Next is the group's tribute to Carl, God Only Knows.
That's Why God Made Radio is next, with Brian doing a nice first stanza, but then Jeff gets a little pitchy. Brian does another nice stanza, but the board has Jeff set a little too loud, like The Little Girl I Once Knew on the official set. California Girls offers a solid Mike lead, and excellent group vocals on the chorus, especially the acapella drop before the tag. Next is Dance Dance Dance. It is a little shrill. Again, Jeff is over-miked. All Summer Long is also fairly ragged at this point, nowhere near as polished as Barcelona. Help Me Rhonda is done beautifully here, and the audience can be heard singing along in the background. No studio doctoring is needed. Rock and Roll Music follows, and would probably be better in the first set. Do You Wanna Dance here is sung by Brian and doubled by Alan, and it is fantastic. The tempo is appropriate for a set ender, and the whole thing just ROCKS. A great solo is offered by David. Perfection. Barbara Ann is next, also done very well. The sax and guitar solos on the bridge by Paul and David respectively are excellent. Surfin' USA closes the set. The encore is Kokomo, Good Vibrations, and Fun Fun Fun. Kokomo is well done here. The version of Good Vibrations here is not as good as either Barcelona or the official double set. Brian has some trouble with tempo and pitch here. Fun Fun Fun is great, mainly due to David Marks. Again, with no studio doctoring, the audience can be clearly hear singing along.
Highlights of Grand Prairie......Surfin' Safari, You're So Good to Me, California Dreamin', Disney Girls (perhaps the highlight of the show), Cottonfields, Please Let Me Wonder, Heroes and Villains (another possible show highlight), The Little Girl I Once Knew, Wendy, Help Me Rhonda, and Do You Wanna Dance (another show stopper!). An exceptional show here, and no doubt this was the source for some of the official double set release tunes.
The set from Chiba, Japan is another circulating concert. The original double cd/single dvd set has sold for almost $400 on Ebay. It is a little shorter than Grand Prairie or Barcelona. Chiba is remarkable in terms of sound. It is most likely either a board recording or was pulled from a broadcast of the television show in Japan. First of all, this is recorded in true stereo, so it is not an audience recording. Second, the mixing is superb. No one part of the vocals or instruments overwhelm others. The vocals may have been studio modified, but suffice to say, there is not a dud in this whole show. It is simply the gold standard for recordings from this tour. Frankly, I am unsure why the group did not just release this show as an official release.
The Surf Sequence begins with Do It Again, then Little Honda, Catch a Wave, Hawaii, Don't Back Down, Surfin' Safari, and ends with Surfer Girl. They peel of these tunes one after another and they COOK. Then the car tunes begin with Don't Worry Baby, and proceed into Little Deuce Coupe, 409, Shut Down, and ends with I Get Around. They are flawless. The concert then goes into That's Why God Made The Radio....best version ever. The version of Sail On Sailor that follows is my favorite version of all time. Beautifully delivered by Brian, with great backing vocals and instrumentation. Brian sings Heroes and Villains next and nails it. Heroes is followed by Isn't It Time. It is well done, remarkably well done. Mike then introduces what he terms "doo-wop." The group then breaks into a stunning version of Why Do Fools Fall In Love with a very nice Jeff Foskett lead, followed by When I Grow Up and Cottonfields. Both are nearly perfect. The first cd ends here.
The second cd is shorter, with 14 songs.This set begins with tributes to both Carl and Dennis, and both sound studio augmented besides the Dennis and Carl sampled vocals. They are moving and respectful of both mens' memory. Brian introduces God Only Knows. All This Is That is simply heavenly. It is a standout, even on this peak of performances from the 50th Anniversary Tour. Sloop John B and Wouldn't It Be Nice are next, a mini Pet Sounds segment. Both tunes are well done and sound fresh. The acapella dropout on Sloop John B is excellent. Brian's lead is very well done. Wouldn't It Be Nice is also breathtaking. Alan's mistake on the lyrics is the only thing that is off, and I am glad it is there, because it shows this is a live version. Alan does a killer Then I Kissed Her next. Nelson's castanets are easily audible. Good Vibrations begins the concert closing sequence, and it is an enjoyable version. Brian's voice cracks once, but again, it substantiates that this is indeed a live recording. California Girls is next, and the stately introduction is beautiful. There is an acapella section near the conclusion, and it is spot on. Alan's Help Me Rhonda, as in the other shows, is a major highlight and just sparkles. Even Rock and Roll Music rocks here. Mike does a lead vocal that tops his studio lead. The final tune before the encore is Surfin' USA. I love John Cowsill's drumming here, as it is very close to the way Dennis used to do it. Again, a stellar lead vocal from Mike Love. The encore here features Christopher Cross on Kokomo, and Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley from America on Barbara Ann and Fun Fun Fun.This version of America has some balls, and is fairly enjoyable to hear. Barbara Ann and Fun Fun Fun are their wonderful concert closing selves. Thus ends the Chiba double cd....the one that got away. This set rivals any Beach Boys live recording from ANY time.
Part 2 will follow later. Thank you for reading this long article!
In the first half, Surfin' Safari ROCKS! The version of It's Ok in this show is solid if not spectacular. It is nice to hear an undoctored Mike lead vocal. Brian is pitchy on the tag singing Dennis's old part. You're So Good To Me is sung by Brian, and Al does a good Brian impression on the choruses. Brian does a fine job on this tune. Please Let Me Wonder has a wonderful Brian lead vocal, and begs to be heard on the official release. This is as achingly beautiful as The Beach Boys can sing! Come Go With Me is very ably sung by Alan, and is again needed on the official set. The close with the audience singing along is priceless. I can understand why perhaps The Beach Boys chose not to include tunes with lead vocals sung by the backing band, but Darian Sahanaja kills on Darlin', and the backing vocals are well done. The tag here is spectacular. Cottonfields is also beautifully done, and with Alan singing lead, it is like traveling back to 1970. Ballad of Old Betsy is sung with what almost sounds like a canned backing track. The lead vocal by Scott Totten is great, but the backing is painful. The tag is delicious though.
The second half of the Barcelona Show is sequenced differently than the official set. Good Timin' is the second tune sung, but the lead vocal gets buried. Brian does the lead, and it is fairly listless. Perhaps he just doesn't care for the song. Brian's lead on Sail On Sailor, by contrast, is not only audible, but spirited. The version of That's Why God Made the radio is live, not sampled, and is a welcome change from the sampled parts on the live set. California Dreamin' is a traded lead vocal between Alan and Brian, and it is a great version, with nice leads and great backing vocals. In this show, the tributes to Dennis and Carl are not there, and Brian does a solid lead vocal on God Only Knows. Dance Dance Dance follows California Girls in this show, and suffers from vocal anemia. The tempo seems about 10% slow. All Summer Long is called for by Alan, and they do a terrific version. It should have been on the official set. Rock and Roll Music follows Rhonda here, and is more aptly sequenced. After band introductions, Barbara Ann follows, then Surfin' USA. Do You Wanna Dance replaces Barbara Ann as the next to last tune in the encore. Brian takes the lead. It is not his best lead vocal. Fun Fun Fun closes the set. One final note is that it appears to me that Alan is replacing Carl as the head of the group live. He does it well.
As a side note, there is an audience shot dvd of the July 23rd, 2012 Barcelona Beach Boys show. It is unwatchable. Sooooo....from Barcelona, Please Let Me Wonder, Darlin', California Dreamin', Sail on Sailor, and Cottonfields. All of these are worth pursuing.
Grand Prairie, Texas hosted the tour, and the concert cd double set circulating is from April 26, 2012. It is superior sound wise to Barcelona. The version of Do It Again here is very good. The surf sequence omits Hawaii. Surfin' Safari is again terrific. The David Marks guitar is again a bonus. The Little Girl Girl I Once Knew is delightful here, and superior to the official version. Jeff does not stick out like a sore thumb here. Wendy is a highlight here, as it is on the official concert release. Then I Kissed Her is outstanding. The drumming is tasteful, and you can actually hear Nelson's castanets. You're So Good To Me is also wonderful, with Brian singing his ass off. Why Do Fools Fall In Love has a live intro. Jeff's lead is tasty, not shrill. The bridge sax solo jumps! The tag is a sequential 5 part vocal blend and great. Once again, you can hear the drums as Nelson's percussion on When I Grow Up. Cottonfields is outstanding, a highlight of the set. The pedal steel blends nicely. Perhaps it is David or Scott playing a lap steel. Disney Girls is simply fantastic, and Bruce sounds like he just flew in from 1971. Well worth pursuing. Perhaps this is the version on the official release. Please Let Me Wonder follows and Brian again does it beautifully.Why was this not put on the official set? A mistake. The motorized vehicle sequence begins with a great little Honda, and proceeds as does the official double cd set. Mike's leads throughout are first rate. David's guitar slices and dices better than a Vegematic.
The second half of the show is sequenced differently than the official release or Barcelona. The set begins with Sloop John B and then goes into Wouldn't It Be Nice. Brian is lead on Sloop John B, and Alan does Wouldn't It Be Nice. Both are great. Some beautiful 12 string guitar on California Dreamin' follows. This track just shines here. Next comes the tribute in memory of Dennis on Forever. Sail On Sailor follows, with a solid lead by Brian. The version of Heroes from Grand Prairie is excellent from a lead vocal standpoint by Brian, as are are the backing vocals. This version could appear on the official set with no modification in the studio. Next is In My Room, started by Brian, with the rest of the group falling in. All This Is That follows. It is a nice version, but you can tell they haven't been doing it very long. Next is the group's tribute to Carl, God Only Knows.
That's Why God Made Radio is next, with Brian doing a nice first stanza, but then Jeff gets a little pitchy. Brian does another nice stanza, but the board has Jeff set a little too loud, like The Little Girl I Once Knew on the official set. California Girls offers a solid Mike lead, and excellent group vocals on the chorus, especially the acapella drop before the tag. Next is Dance Dance Dance. It is a little shrill. Again, Jeff is over-miked. All Summer Long is also fairly ragged at this point, nowhere near as polished as Barcelona. Help Me Rhonda is done beautifully here, and the audience can be heard singing along in the background. No studio doctoring is needed. Rock and Roll Music follows, and would probably be better in the first set. Do You Wanna Dance here is sung by Brian and doubled by Alan, and it is fantastic. The tempo is appropriate for a set ender, and the whole thing just ROCKS. A great solo is offered by David. Perfection. Barbara Ann is next, also done very well. The sax and guitar solos on the bridge by Paul and David respectively are excellent. Surfin' USA closes the set. The encore is Kokomo, Good Vibrations, and Fun Fun Fun. Kokomo is well done here. The version of Good Vibrations here is not as good as either Barcelona or the official double set. Brian has some trouble with tempo and pitch here. Fun Fun Fun is great, mainly due to David Marks. Again, with no studio doctoring, the audience can be clearly hear singing along.
Highlights of Grand Prairie......Surfin' Safari, You're So Good to Me, California Dreamin', Disney Girls (perhaps the highlight of the show), Cottonfields, Please Let Me Wonder, Heroes and Villains (another possible show highlight), The Little Girl I Once Knew, Wendy, Help Me Rhonda, and Do You Wanna Dance (another show stopper!). An exceptional show here, and no doubt this was the source for some of the official double set release tunes.
The set from Chiba, Japan is another circulating concert. The original double cd/single dvd set has sold for almost $400 on Ebay. It is a little shorter than Grand Prairie or Barcelona. Chiba is remarkable in terms of sound. It is most likely either a board recording or was pulled from a broadcast of the television show in Japan. First of all, this is recorded in true stereo, so it is not an audience recording. Second, the mixing is superb. No one part of the vocals or instruments overwhelm others. The vocals may have been studio modified, but suffice to say, there is not a dud in this whole show. It is simply the gold standard for recordings from this tour. Frankly, I am unsure why the group did not just release this show as an official release.
The Surf Sequence begins with Do It Again, then Little Honda, Catch a Wave, Hawaii, Don't Back Down, Surfin' Safari, and ends with Surfer Girl. They peel of these tunes one after another and they COOK. Then the car tunes begin with Don't Worry Baby, and proceed into Little Deuce Coupe, 409, Shut Down, and ends with I Get Around. They are flawless. The concert then goes into That's Why God Made The Radio....best version ever. The version of Sail On Sailor that follows is my favorite version of all time. Beautifully delivered by Brian, with great backing vocals and instrumentation. Brian sings Heroes and Villains next and nails it. Heroes is followed by Isn't It Time. It is well done, remarkably well done. Mike then introduces what he terms "doo-wop." The group then breaks into a stunning version of Why Do Fools Fall In Love with a very nice Jeff Foskett lead, followed by When I Grow Up and Cottonfields. Both are nearly perfect. The first cd ends here.
The second cd is shorter, with 14 songs.This set begins with tributes to both Carl and Dennis, and both sound studio augmented besides the Dennis and Carl sampled vocals. They are moving and respectful of both mens' memory. Brian introduces God Only Knows. All This Is That is simply heavenly. It is a standout, even on this peak of performances from the 50th Anniversary Tour. Sloop John B and Wouldn't It Be Nice are next, a mini Pet Sounds segment. Both tunes are well done and sound fresh. The acapella dropout on Sloop John B is excellent. Brian's lead is very well done. Wouldn't It Be Nice is also breathtaking. Alan's mistake on the lyrics is the only thing that is off, and I am glad it is there, because it shows this is a live version. Alan does a killer Then I Kissed Her next. Nelson's castanets are easily audible. Good Vibrations begins the concert closing sequence, and it is an enjoyable version. Brian's voice cracks once, but again, it substantiates that this is indeed a live recording. California Girls is next, and the stately introduction is beautiful. There is an acapella section near the conclusion, and it is spot on. Alan's Help Me Rhonda, as in the other shows, is a major highlight and just sparkles. Even Rock and Roll Music rocks here. Mike does a lead vocal that tops his studio lead. The final tune before the encore is Surfin' USA. I love John Cowsill's drumming here, as it is very close to the way Dennis used to do it. Again, a stellar lead vocal from Mike Love. The encore here features Christopher Cross on Kokomo, and Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley from America on Barbara Ann and Fun Fun Fun.This version of America has some balls, and is fairly enjoyable to hear. Barbara Ann and Fun Fun Fun are their wonderful concert closing selves. Thus ends the Chiba double cd....the one that got away. This set rivals any Beach Boys live recording from ANY time.
Part 2 will follow later. Thank you for reading this long article!
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ReplyDeleteSounds like Chiba is awesome!
ReplyDeleteVery nice stuff, throughout. And I agree with a lot of what you say about the officially released products. I also got a thrill with Brian singing the intro to "California Saga" ... he sounded pretty "up," bringing that bit of energy to the song.
Chiba is the best of the lot in terms of sound and band performance indeed!
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