Brian Wilson - 2017 Tour Thread (Pet Sounds - The Final Performances)

[pdas1996]

Having "Brian Wilson presents Pet Sounds" be my first concert was amazing! My sister used my extra ticket, so that was an added bonus. (She's 11 and she loved it!)

I was disappointed at no Matt or Darian, but Casey was a good falsetto, and I know that Darian's playing with the Zombies.

During Love & Mercy, Brian used the lyric "A lot of people getting shot/It really scares me"

My favorites (besides Pet Sounds) were Feel Flows, California Saga: California, and Wake the World/Add Some Music.

Side note: I wonder if Blondie ever gets tired of playing the tambourine...

[baseball95]

Looks like Matt is back with the group, still no sign of the Love You tracks. I'm going to try and request them for the D.C. Shows next week since there's two. Anyone have any thoughts on how to possibly make a request to someone in Brian's group? I'd really love to hear them play Honkin and the night was so young.

[HeyJude]

Looks like Matt returned for the 4/25 show. Good to see he's back. While the "Love You" tracks are still missing, they're keeping the setlist at the higher end in terms of length.

I am curious why they moved "Rhonda" to way earlier in the set. Not like mind-blowingly interesting, but a bit weird. At least Al got "Wake the World" back even if "Honkin'" only made a brief cameo appearance so far this tour. Interesting that it has now been a while since he did "Then I Kissed Her" or "Cotton Fields."

I've updated the top post with recent setlists. Still no setlists for Calgary, Sioux City, and Des Moines, if anybody has them.

[marcella27]

Newark show was fantastic.  Brian was in the zone!  He seemed to be in a really great mood, along with Al and the rest of the band.  He improved some lyrics and his voice was in good shape.  Some super quick comments...

Matt was back. 

Setlist had Do It Again (by the way, SUCH a good song live I don't know how everyone isn't up and out of their seats on this one), Let Him Run Wild.  No Honkin. 

Blondie's little miniset was unbelievable.  He is such a great singer and makes everything look completely effortless.   I can now go to my grave content that I saw Brian, Al and Blondie do Feel Flows. 

Brian gave a shoutout to David Leaf and three other names I didn't recognize, so I assume David Leaf was at the show. 

When they did the band intros the played Thank You Fallentinme Be Mice Elf Agin for Blondie, and he sang along for one chorus.  I wish it had been the whole song!

Brian and the band were so relaxed and seemed so happy.  I saw five shows last summer and loved them all, but tonight was probably the best. 

[Amy B.]

Just back from the show at NJPAC in Newark, NJ. That venue is pretty big, but it was nearly sold out. We managed to get seats in the 3rd tier (out of 4) and as I have a fear of heights, I thought I might faint, we were so high up. But after the first couple of songs I was OK. I was pleased that Brian can sell that many tickets. This may be incoherent. I'm pretty tired.

Brian seemed to be in great spirits, and everyone was "great"-- the Great Al Jardine, the Great Blondie Chaplin, the Great Matt Jardine. I'm not sure I ever heard the band do Let Him Run Wild Before, so that was a treat. Matt got a lot of applause. Blondie kind of floated on and off the stage, seeming to show up whenever he felt like it! And then he took over toward the end of the first set, when he sang his leads. His guitar solos went on a little too long for my taste, but he is a welcome presence overall. During Wild Honey I kept wishing they'd put the spotlight on Probyn and the thermin. He finally got his due applause during intros.

Seemed like a lot of people around me were new fans, or very casual fans. After Add Some Music I heard someone remark, "Oh, I like that song," as if they'd never heard it.

As was mentioned in reviews of other shows, Brian's vocals were energetic in the first set but he struggled a bit during Pet Sounds. He does that sort of Frank Sinatra talk-sing ad-lib thing. Also ,when he strains he sometimes sounds like early 90s Brian, which is almost spooky.  I think this has to be it for him and these challenging songs live, after this tour. They're just too hard to sing. Luckily Matt handled the high notes. I always find it funny how Brian can still command a room. He got the now-traditional standing ovation after God Only Knows, but soon said bluntly, "Have a seat," and everyone immediately did. Brian may think he's there to please us, but everyone wants to please him.

And of course the encores were excellent, with everyone, especially Nelson (and apart from Brian), at peak energy, and some band members running around the stage. During L&M Brian sang about a lot of people getting shot. This got audible recognition from the audience-- appreciation that Brian acknowledged gun violence, I guess.

This might have been the first show I've been to without Jeff. I don't remember Jeff thanking and naming the crew the way Paul did. Maybe he did, but I don't recall that. Also, several of the band members hugged Paul after they were introduced. This band, plus or minus some members, has been together a long time. Darian was missed, but it was great to see Billy (of the original boyband, "except they could sing and play," as Paul said) and Gary.

I wondered how people would react to Brian's weak PS vocals, but as we were filing out, all I heard was "That was so good," and "Great show." I had been hesitant to go because I felt I'd seen him enough, and when he vocals were stronger, but I'm glad I went.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I'm wondering if Brian's just bored with Pet Sounds?  Asking cause I just saw this video from the soundcheck from this very tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-k31-sn-s
and go to about the 2:15 mark and let it play for a bit..

so the voice is still there, esp. when he's relaxed and he's still into it. Also, his keyboard is definitely audible.

[Mayoman]

I'm wondering if Brian's just bored with Pet Sounds?  Asking cause I just saw this video from the soundcheck from this very tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-k31-sn-s
and go to about the 2:15 mark and let it play for a bit..

so the voice is still there, esp. when he's relaxed and he's still into it. Also, his keyboard is definitely audible.

Al's reaction to the disco version of Here Comes The Night is great! 

[bringahorseinhere?]

woowwwwww! Brian doin' 'here comes the night'. yeahhhh!

[mikeddonn]

Just back from the show at NJPAC in Newark, NJ. That venue is pretty big, but it was nearly sold out. We managed to get seats in the 3rd tier (out of 4) and as I have a fear of heights, I thought I might faint, we were so high up. But after the first couple of songs I was OK. I was pleased that Brian can sell that many tickets. This may be incoherent. I'm pretty tired.

Brian seemed to be in great spirits, and everyone was "great"-- the Great Al Jardine, the Great Blondie Chaplin, the Great Matt Jardine. I'm not sure I ever heard the band do Let Him Run Wild Before, so that was a treat. Matt got a lot of applause. Blondie kind of floated on and off the stage, seeming to show up whenever he felt like it! And then he took over toward the end of the first set, when he sang his leads. His guitar solos went on a little too long for my taste, but he is a welcome presence overall. During Wild Honey I kept wishing they'd put the spotlight on Probyn and the thermin. He finally got his due applause during intros.

Seemed like a lot of people around me were new fans, or very casual fans. After Add Some Music I heard someone remark, "Oh, I like that song," as if they'd never heard it.

As was mentioned in reviews of other shows, Brian's vocals were energetic in the first set but he struggled a bit during Pet Sounds. He does that sort of Frank Sinatra talk-sing ad-lib thing. Also ,when he strains he sometimes sounds like early 90s Brian, which is almost spooky.  I think this has to be it for him and these challenging songs live, after this tour. They're just too hard to sing. Luckily Matt handled the high notes. I always find it funny how Brian can still command a room. He got the now-traditional standing ovation after God Only Knows, but soon said bluntly, "Have a seat," and everyone immediately did. Brian may think he's there to please us, but everyone wants to please him.

And of course the encores were excellent, with everyone, especially Nelson (and apart from Brian), at peak energy, and some band members running around the stage. During L&M Brian sang about a lot of people getting shot. This got audible recognition from the audience-- appreciation that Brian acknowledged gun violence, I guess.

This might have been the first show I've been to without Jeff. I don't remember Jeff thanking and naming the crew the way Paul did. Maybe he did, but I don't recall that. Also, several of the band members hugged Paul after they were introduced. This band, plus or minus some members, has been together a long time. Darian was missed, but it was great to see Billy (of the original boyband, "except they could sing and play," as Paul said) and Gary.

I wondered how people would react to Brian's weak PS vocals, but as we were filing out, all I heard was "That was so good," and "Great show." I had been hesitant to go because I felt I'd seen him enough, and when he vocals were stronger, but I'm glad I went.

Amy, Jeff used to do full band intros and did them very well!

[mikeddonn]

I'm wondering if Brian's just bored with Pet Sounds?  Asking cause I just saw this video from the soundcheck from this very tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-k31-sn-s
and go to about the 2:15 mark and let it play for a bit..

so the voice is still there, esp. when he's relaxed and he's still into it. Also, his keyboard is definitely audible.

I think it may be Brian "putting people on". We've heard he did things in the past to see what he could get away with!  I think he's bored with it as he can definitely sound a lot better on those songs.  His voice is strong elsewhere in the show.

[Sam_BFC]

I'm wondering if Brian's just bored with Pet Sounds?  Asking cause I just saw this video from the soundcheck from this very tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-k31-sn-s
and go to about the 2:15 mark and let it play for a bit..

so the voice is still there, esp. when he's relaxed and he's still into it. Also, his keyboard is definitely audible.

Billy,

So cool to see BW singing that snippet of HCTN and talking about the disco version with Al.  Thanks a lot for posting.

[Amy B.]

Amy, Jeff used to do full band intros and did them very well!

I remembered him thanking/naming the band but not the crew. But it's been a while, so I might have forgotten that part.

[Amy B.]

I'm wondering if Brian's just bored with Pet Sounds?  Asking cause I just saw this video from the soundcheck from this very tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-k31-sn-s
and go to about the 2:15 mark and let it play for a bit..

so the voice is still there, esp. when he's relaxed and he's still into it. Also, his keyboard is definitely audible.

Could be boredom. His voice sounded better in the first set, so maybe he's just putting a lot less effort into Pet Sounds. This soundcheck is great. "That voice is still in there!" Seems like Al is just a great person to have on tour-- a beta male that Brian can reminisce with and just generally be relaxed with. No, not disco, Brian.
Oh, the other thing I remember from last night: When Blondie was about to sing Sail On Sailor, he said he has never gotten tired of it and thanked Brian for writing it. Brian just said, "OK, Blondie." Brian doesn't really like SOS, does he?

[B.E.]

Al's reaction to the disco version of Here Comes The Night is great! 

woowwwwww! Brian doin' 'here comes the night'. yeahhhh!

I'm wondering if Brian's just bored with Pet Sounds?  Asking cause I just saw this video from the soundcheck from this very tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-k31-sn-s
and go to about the 2:15 mark and let it play for a bit..

so the voice is still there, esp. when he's relaxed and he's still into it. Also, his keyboard is definitely audible.

Billy,

So cool to see BW singing that snippet of HCTN and talking about the disco version with Al.  Thanks a lot for posting.

Indeed! Very cool that Al doesn't miss a beat and jumps right in. Has Brian performed this song live? According to this thread the Beach Boys have only performed the Disco version? http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,23435.0.html

Anyway, thanks for posting and thanks to Amy B and all those who review the concerts they attend. Always interesting.

[SMiLE Brian]

BW and Al talking about Disco!

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I'm wondering if Brian's just bored with Pet Sounds?  Asking cause I just saw this video from the soundcheck from this very tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-k31-sn-s
and go to about the 2:15 mark and let it play for a bit..

so the voice is still there, esp. when he's relaxed and he's still into it. Also, his keyboard is definitely audible.

Billy,

So cool to see BW singing that snippet of HCTN and talking about the disco version with Al.  Thanks a lot for posting.

Yeah when I saw that clip my heart filled with joy. Couldn't wait to post it

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

woowwwwww! Brian doin' 'here comes the night'. yeahhhh!

 

[CenturyDeprived]

I'm wondering if Brian's just bored with Pet Sounds?  Asking cause I just saw this video from the soundcheck from this very tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-k31-sn-s
and go to about the 2:15 mark and let it play for a bit..

so the voice is still there, esp. when he's relaxed and he's still into it. Also, his keyboard is definitely audible.

Billy,

So cool to see BW singing that snippet of HCTN and talking about the disco version with Al.  Thanks a lot for posting.

Yeah when I saw that clip my heart filled with joy. Couldn't wait to post it

 Oh man, oh man, oh man… So awesome!

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I'm wondering if Brian's just bored with Pet Sounds?  Asking cause I just saw this video from the soundcheck from this very tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-k31-sn-s
and go to about the 2:15 mark and let it play for a bit..

so the voice is still there, esp. when he's relaxed and he's still into it. Also, his keyboard is definitely audible.

Could be boredom. His voice sounded better in the first set, so maybe he's just putting a lot less effort into Pet Sounds. This soundcheck is great. "That voice is still in there!" Seems like Al is just a great person to have on tour-- a beta male that Brian can reminisce with and just generally be relaxed with. No, not disco, Brian.
Oh, the other thing I remember from last night: When Blondie was about to sing Sail On Sailor, he said he has never gotten tired of it and thanked Brian for writing it. Brian just said, "OK, Blondie." Brian doesn't really like SOS, does he?

Looks like it. I know a few years ago he introduced SoS with "I hate this fucking song, too wordy, but anyway here it is".

In this case I must disagree with Brian...

[the captain]

I'm wondering if Brian's just bored with Pet Sounds?  Asking cause I just saw this video from the soundcheck from this very tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-k31-sn-s
and go to about the 2:15 mark and let it play for a bit..

so the voice is still there, esp. when he's relaxed and he's still into it. Also, his keyboard is definitely audible.

Could be boredom. His voice sounded better in the first set, so maybe he's just putting a lot less effort into Pet Sounds. This soundcheck is great. "That voice is still in there!" Seems like Al is just a great person to have on tour-- a beta male that Brian can reminisce with and just generally be relaxed with. No, not disco, Brian.
Oh, the other thing I remember from last night: When Blondie was about to sing Sail On Sailor, he said he has never gotten tired of it and thanked Brian for writing it. Brian just said, "OK, Blondie." Brian doesn't really like SOS, does he?

Looks like it. I know a few years ago he introduced SoS with "I hate this fucking song, too wordy, but anyway here it is".

In this case I must disagree with Brian...

I probably wrote about it at the time, and so a search of the site could prove my memory is faulty to some degree, but when I saw him on the TLOS tour, I witnessed one of the more bizarre moments of the half dozen or so BW shows I've seen. Brian introduced SOS as a song he didn't really like very much. He actually kind of went off about it, saying he thought it had (if I'm not mistaken) "shitty lyrics," and that in general, he just did not like it. He and Foskett had a little interplay, and while half of me thought it might be almost scripted patter, it felt so awkward after a couple seconds that I thought otherwise. Jeff actually said something like "we don't have to play it, Brian." And he seemed to really mean it. Like an unstated, "if this brings back bad feelings, we can just skip it." And in the end, Brian more or less said "no, whatever, just play the thing."

It was bizarre.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

That probably is what I was thinking of.I knew it was something along those lines

[tpesky]

I'm wondering if Brian's just bored with Pet Sounds?  Asking cause I just saw this video from the soundcheck from this very tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-k31-sn-s
and go to about the 2:15 mark and let it play for a bit..

so the voice is still there, esp. when he's relaxed and he's still into it. Also, his keyboard is definitely audible.

Could be boredom. His voice sounded better in the first set, so maybe he's just putting a lot less effort into Pet Sounds. This soundcheck is great. "That voice is still in there!" Seems like Al is just a great person to have on tour-- a beta male that Brian can reminisce with and just generally be relaxed with. No, not disco, Brian.
Oh, the other thing I remember from last night: When Blondie was about to sing Sail On Sailor, he said he has never gotten tired of it and thanked Brian for writing it. Brian just said, "OK, Blondie." Brian doesn't really like SOS, does he?

I think Al has played an important role in Brian touring since C50 but especially since Jeff left. That's true friendship.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I wholeheartedly agree

[Sam_BFC]

Regarding SOS, despite the above, remember during C50 Brian did seem to relish *roaring* the "damn the thunder" line !

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Yeah he did... at the show I went he did a growl that wouldn't have been out of place in death metal .

Coughed like hell afterwards but sounded cool!