The Beach Boys: Stamos, Love, Johnston

[AndrewHickey]

I'd say that video was average. There were some vocal moments from the band as a whole that made you go...woah. Personally, I thought Bruce sounded great and it was nice to hear him stick out in the mix much more than an the reunion tour...still convinced his keyboard isn't turned on however.

It's a fairly poor show by their standards, yes -- definitely an off day, although I can't imagine it was particularly easy to perform in that venue -- sounds like the acoustics are terrible, and I can't imagine they could even hear themselves particularly well.

Bruce's keyboard is definitely in the mix, though -- there are several points where you can definitely hear at least three hands playing keyboards. In general, Bruce has played a reasonable amount ever since Cowsill switched from keyboards to drums in 2006. He didn't play much on the reunion tour, but that was very much a reversion to the way things used to be rather than a reflection of how the Mike & Bruce band operate.

[Shady]

I can't get over the feeling the M&B band sound like a half decent Beach Boys garage cover band.

The harmonies and instruments sound so stale, flat and boring. Nothing will stop Mike, he has a lot of ex-wives to support. More power to him.

[AndrewHickey]

Bruce's keyboard is definitely in the mix, though -- there are several points where you can definitely hear at least three hands playing keyboards. In general, Bruce has played a reasonable amount ever since Cowsill switched from keyboards to drums in 2006. He didn't play much on the reunion tour, but that was very much a reversion to the way things used to be rather than a reflection of how the Mike & Bruce band operate.

Most notable place where Bruce's playing makes a difference -- 1:17:12, Good Vibrations chorus. Bonhomme's playing all the organy, thereminy stuff, and then Bruce comes in on the "Boy From New York City" clunky piano chords.

[SMiLE Brian]

I can't get over the feeling the M&B band sound like a half decent Beach Boys garage cover band.

The harmonies and instruments sound so stale, flat and boring. Nothing will stop Mike, he has a lot of ex-wives to support. More power to him.

My problem with M&B's live act in a nutshell. They are a shell of what the BBs should be and last year's C50 proved that. Did M&B bridge the gap between Carl's death and C50?, yes.  Were they are a great live act in doing so, no.

[Shady]

Well said.

Do I realise the reunion is over? Yes! And I am truly grateful we all got to see it.

That said, I am also disappointed in Mike for some of his actions. He was REMARKABLE on stage but offstage he showed us the greed and manipulation that for whatever reason dominates his life.

I don't support Mike and Bruce but they definitely deserve each other

[I. Spaceman]

I can't get over the feeling the M&B band sound like a half decent Beach Boys garage cover band.
 

That's what they sounded like in 1966, though.

[Shady]

I can't get over the feeling the M&B band sound like a half decent Beach Boys garage cover band.
 

That's what they sounded like in 1966, though.

No, they were a fantastic garage band in 66

And of course the harmonies were incredible

[I. Spaceman]

Really? I think they sounded awful in 1966. Lei'd In Hawaii is even worse.

[Pretty Funky]

I can't get over the feeling the M&B band sound like a half decent Beach Boys garage cover band.

The harmonies and instruments sound so stale, flat and boring. Nothing will stop Mike, he has a lot of ex-wives to support. More power to him.

My problem with M&B's live act in a nutshell. They are a shell of what the BBs should be and last year's C50 proved that. Did M&B bridge the gap between Carl's death and C50?, yes.  Were they are a great live act in doing so, no.

I'm going to get in and say it before others do but for a 6 piece they can be very good and, more or less, have been since Mike and Bruce went out on their own. The difference now is last year as a 14-15 piece the Beach Boys can be out of this world!

And this is from someone who couldn't give Mike and Bruce the time of day.

[AndrewHickey]

I can't get over the feeling the M&B band sound like a half decent Beach Boys garage cover band.

The harmonies and instruments sound so stale, flat and boring. Nothing will stop Mike, he has a lot of ex-wives to support. More power to him.

My problem with M&B's live act in a nutshell. They are a shell of what the BBs should be and last year's C50 proved that. Did M&B bridge the gap between Carl's death and C50?, yes.  Were they are a great live act in doing so, no.

At times they have been. I would put the show I saw in 2008 in the top ten or fifteen gigs of my life, for example.

[SMiLE Brian]

I can't get over the feeling the M&B band sound like a half decent Beach Boys garage cover band.

The harmonies and instruments sound so stale, flat and boring. Nothing will stop Mike, he has a lot of ex-wives to support. More power to him.

My problem with M&B's live act in a nutshell. They are a shell of what the BBs should be and last year's C50 proved that. Did M&B bridge the gap between Carl's death and C50?, yes.  Were they are a great live act in doing so, no.

At times they have been. I would put the show I saw in 2008 in the top ten or fifteen gigs of my life, for example.

No doubt they were great when you saw them, the tour with David upped their game to a high level.

[Gertie J.]

It was a pretty good concert. The harmonies seemed a little thin. Obviously I'd gotten a little too used to hearing Al in the blend again.

I can actually see advantages to both ways -- there's a lot to be said for the "wall of vocals" approach on last year's tour, where every vocal part except some of the leads was essentially triple-tracked live, but I also quite like being able to pick out each individual voice and hear what it's doing, and with the exception of Christian Love all of Mike & Bruce's band are very fine singers.

I don't mind Christian's voice, and I think he sounds good on some stuff, but his stage presence sucks.  He just looks so bored, like he'd rather be anywhere else than playing in his dad's band, and he half-asses his vocals.

Yeah -- he's a lazy, lazy singer. Which is a shame, as he has a very good voice.

His Carl-like tone is great when he does try.

spot on.

[the professor]

I can't get over the feeling the M&B band sound like a half decent Beach Boys garage cover band.

The harmonies and instruments sound so stale, flat and boring. Nothing will stop Mike, he has a lot of ex-wives to support. More power to him.

I just don't feel nor perceive any love in this M and B show. . . . .missing D, B and A at every turn. . . . .just too damned sad.

[SMiLE Brian]

Really? I think they sounded awful in 1966. Lei'd In Hawaii is even worse.

Those 1966 Michigan shows are rough going with bad playing and Mike talking away about nothing. The BBs really lost something when Brian stop touring with them, the garage punk sound of 1964 was the real BBs.

The hawaii shows are such a bummer, the original 5 could have gone out on top with a classic show with Brian on bass. Instead, we got the BBs stoned out of their minds and a dark preview of the future for the group.

[Pretty Funky]

Ouch! Spot the mistake time.

http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/2013/02/19/beach-boys-to-play-macisland

[STE]

The setlist is up on lastfm from Seaworld...nothing surprising but, has anyone seen any from the other Florida shows? Curious as to any changes.

Set list for Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, FL 2/18/13



Nothing new, if not the separation of SloopJB and WIBNice.

I should explain myself better.
No new songs that we haven't heard live before, but still good to see Getcha Back, Darlin', When I Grow Up, Ballad of Ole' Betsy and Disney Girls still in the list.

[Cabinessenceking]

How long before people start going apeshit because "Mike is stealing the setlist from the C50 tour?"

i think the setlist was mostly his with additional input from others concerning the 'artistic music' inclusions

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

After watching the video...

Scott seemed to have an off day, vocally. I happen to be a fan, but that was not his best performance. Cowsill as usual is a beast on drums. Mike sounded fine. Here's the spot where they fall flat...the harmony blend is not that great. That's where it suffers. It's not a case of the M&B band not being good...it's just that the harmonies to me don't sound great at all. Individually, good vocals, but together it's lacking punch.

[LostArt]

Ouch! Spot the mistake time.

http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/2013/02/19/beach-boys-to-play-macisland

The usual misleading promotion, but "The band and its members have collaborated with big names like comedian Jeff Foxworthy" WTF?   

[Zander]

The setlist is up on lastfm from Seaworld...nothing surprising but, has anyone seen any from the other Florida shows? Curious as to any changes.

Set list for Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, FL 2/18/13



Nothing new, if not the separation of SloopJB and WIBNice.

I should explain myself better.
No new songs that we haven't heard live before, but still good to see Getcha Back, Darlin', When I Grow Up, Ballad of Ole' Betsy and Disney Girls still in the list.

Just out of curiosity - why don't they perform TWGMTR or Isn't It Time, their most recent singles? Is it a contractual thing, that is, those songs can only be performed on the reunion tour etc?

[AndrewHickey]

Just out of curiosity - why don't they perform TWGMTR or Isn't It Time, their most recent singles? Is it a contractual thing, that is, those songs can only be performed on the reunion tour etc?

No, anyone could perform those songs if they wanted. More likely it's the fact that both songs have a Brian lead, plus That's Why God Made The Radio requiring more vocal parts than Mike & Bruce's band can do, and neither song having been a particular hit.

[Rocker]

Just out of curiosity - why don't they perform TWGMTR or Isn't It Time, their most recent singles? Is it a contractual thing, that is, those songs can only be performed on the reunion tour etc?

No, anyone could perform those songs if they wanted. More likely it's the fact that both songs have a Brian lead, plus That's Why God Made The Radio requiring more vocal parts than Mike & Bruce's band can do, and neither song having been a particular hit.

Plus TWGMTR was more or less like the theme for the reunion/C50.
"Isn't it time" is a great song but I don't know how well Mike'n'Bruce/Brian,Al,David could make it sound on their own.

[AndrewHickey]

Plus TWGMTR was more or less like the theme for the reunion/C50.
"Isn't it time" is a great song but I don't know how well Mike'n'Bruce/Brian,Al,David could make it sound on their own.

I actually think that Mike's band could pull it off easily -- just give Brian and Al's parts to Cowsill (or have Mike sing lead on both verses), Foskett's part to Randell Kirsch, it'd be easy. The arrangement on the record is actually very thin, and doesn't need a huge number of people to perform it.

Brian's band... it would lose something, I think, even with Al singing his parts, without Mike's bass vocal, and no-one in Brian's band is really capable of those parts. (That's the one thing I've always missed when seeing Brian's band, who I otherwise think are the best band I've ever seen -- they don't have a really good bass singer, and while Scott Bennett makes a decent fist of, for example, Mike's parts in the chorus of Don't Worry Baby, they don't cut through the rest of the harmonies the way they should). Other than that, though, they could do it with their eyes closed.

[Nicko1234]

The backing band are far too low in the mix but apart from that they sound fine.

[gfac22]

Definitely, it's a pretty lousy mix all around.  In my experiences, the M&B band usually sounds much better, both sound and performance-wise.