The thing about that week in February 2004 wasn't just the music - although damn, wasn't it something - but rather that it was the ultimate fan gathering. I posted this on Facebook to mark the 5th anniversary:
Five years ago, I was enjoying, thoroughly enjoying, the single best group experience of my 33+ years of Beach Boys fandom. When it was announced in early 2003 that the following February, Brian & his band would perform Smile at London's Royal Festival Hall, well, once the shock had worn off, plans began to be laid. To slightly reword a famous line from the excellent Field Of Dreams, "if he plays it, they will come"... and they came. Oh, how they came.
They came from England, Wales, Scotland & Ireland; they came from France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark & Sweden; they came from the USA & Canada; they came from China, South Africa & Australia. They came by foot, by plane and by every other mode of transport in between, and they all converged on the County Hall Travel Inn, and when they arrived they were all welcomed as long-lost friends.It was without question the biggest BB fan gathering of all time. For a week, it seemed you couldn't go anywhere in London without encountering Beach Boys fans, and every night, show or not, we convened in the bar of the Travel Inn to talk, laugh, drink and above all, sing... and not just us, for camped in the Marriott at the other end of County Hall were Brian and his band, and it was a poor night when only one of them showed up. But, then, by now they weren't 'Brian's band', they were our friends, Darian, Probyn, Nelson, Jimmy, Scotty, Bob, Taylor, Nicky, not forgetting our new friends the Stockholm Strings & Horns. To finish at 1.00am was an early night, and on one memorable occasion, the bar staff forcibly ejected Darian, Scott, Probe & Nelson at 3.30am. Now consider this: they didn't have to do this, but after doing a two-hour show performing a legendary and hugely complex piece of music, and the subsequent meet & greets, they chose to come and hang with us. These people were not just approachable, they often approached us. They were all, and remain, stars.
But... it wasn't just about the music, even though that was as exciting, moving and uplifting as we could have hoped (as the final notes faded on the historic first night, hundreds of grown men were in floods of tears, and I'm not ashamed to admit I was one of them). It was the incredible sense of fellowship and community that grew as the week progressed: if you wanted to find someone, chances are they were at the TI, the RFH, the Slug & Lettuce or the little internet cafe opposite the London Eye that did a roaring trade that week (and probably not coincidentally, closed not long after), and during they day we showed them our city. Some ventured further afield, to Stonehenge or Brighton, or took in a Jack The Ripper walk one dark night. Friendships were formed and strengthened: unquestionably it was the high water-mark of Beach Boys fandom - we were all just fans, celebrating the music that brought us all together in the first place. It was, without apology, magical... and of course, it was also too good to last. In time divisions emerged and factions formed, friendships were strained and sometimes sundered, while other simply dropped from view. But, whatever, the shining memory of a week in London, late February 2004 endures in the hearts of those fortunate enough to be there. I was, and it warms my soul to recall those days.
To list those present is, of course, fraught with pitfalls as to forget someone is inevitable, and for this I apologise as i tip my hat to the following people who made the week what it was: Paul & Ashley, Val, Andrew G, Suze, James, Anne-Marie, Phil, Danni, Linda & Mark, Sue & Stu, Jacqs, Alex, Alan, Peter R, Peter W, Dan, Gerard, Heather & Dave, Mark S, Tony, Joseph, Robyne, Andy, Sean, Francis, Paul, Ails, Rob, Pat, Hugh, Rene, Hans, Joe T, Brian B, John E, Ant, Danny, Ann-Michelle, Mike, Charlie, the Dutch contingent and all the others.
Very nice
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