Show 39: PNC Bank Arts Center - Holmdel, NJ 6/27/12

I'm visiting my mom at the Jersey Shore, and she saved the review of the concert from the Asbury Park Press. It's very nice, especially the last sentence.

Magical memories at Beach Boys concert in Holmdel
By Chris Jordan

A little bit of California sunshine came to the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel Wednesday night.

The original Beach Boys — excluding the late Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson — stopped by to play a nearly three-hour show marking the group’s 50 years together.

It was a sweet moment. The Beach Boys — which included several background musicians and vocalists — are still the pinnacle for rock ’n’ roll harmony even after all these years. The voices of the members — including Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks aided by Jeffrey Foskett, who took Carl Wilson's part — transcended earthly beauty on “Don’t Worry Baby.” Another Carl song, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” was performed with a recorded track of the singer with live backing harmonies and it also dazzled.

The set Wednesday night featured the classics (“Surfin’ U.S.A.,’’ “I Get Around,” “Barbara Ann”), telling covers (Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers’ “Why Do Fools Fall in Love”), new songs like the excellent “Isn’t It time” from the new album “That’s Why God Made the Radio,” and left-of-center tracks like “All This Is That.” The latter song was written by Love and Jardine after their encounter with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and transcendental meditation, Love explained during the intro to the song. It holds up well.

There was also an upbeat, campy feeling to the evening. Many seniors and near-seniors — including Deborah Harry of Blondie, were in the packed audience, happy to ride a wave of nostalgia that didn't break into treacle or pablum. Love introduced “Be True to Your School” as a patriotic song inspired by uniforms — the “uniforms of cheerleaders,” he quipped. The insignias of Rutgers and Monmouth universities were shown, to cheers, during the song's video montage.

The Beach Boys world revolves around Brian Wilson, and there he was on stage with the band for the first time in 15 years. Wilson, dressed in baggy gray pants and a print shirt, spent much of the evening sitting behind a white grand piano, contributing backing vocals and a few poignant leads, such as on “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times.” His presence was a benediction to the sound and spirit of the music.

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012306280097

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