M & B Tour 2013

[oldsurferdude]

The gig at Henley was pretty damn good - 90 minutes of wall-to-wall hits.

I'm not saying the show I saw was bad...quite the opposite, in fact.  I just thought that the band may have been a little bit tired, but when I consider that Christian Love was not in the harmony stack, that might explain some of what I was missing.  But you are right, AGD.  90 solid minutes of hit after hit after hit.  It really is incredible how many songs they've released that most 'average, ordinary, casual fan' type of folks are familiar with.   The festival trucked in a beachload of sand, and spread it out in front of the stage.  There were lots of beach balls in the air.  There were some pretty young girls dancing on stage at one point.  It was, you know, a Beach Boys show.  A summer celebration.  And I had a great time.  

Lost Art, without Christian Love present did Mike by any chance sing lead on GETCHA BACK? Wendy?

No Getcha Back, but I think they did Wendy.  I don't remember who sang it, though.  I was probably too busy having fun, which is what the Mike and Bruce Beach Boys is all about.  I do wonder where Christian Love was, though.

90 minutes of nothing but the hits??
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

It's a good thing that you slept through the party, Mr. oldsurferdude.  There were so many scantily dressed pretty young girls there having fun, I don't think your old ticker could've handled it.  Now take your meds and go back to bed.

Hey SB, we better watch this guy LA-sounds incredibly clever doncha think?? Sounds like we missed out on  actually seeing sand and some beach balls with some scantilly clad girls to boot. And getting to see myKe  and br00th  up there for 90 whole minutes-Wow, mahn, kule! Wonder if LA gpt to touch a beach ball? Do think myKe did Whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn?

[LostArt]

Hey SB, we better watch this guy LA-sounds incredibly clever doncha think?? Sounds like we missed out on  actually seeing sand and some beach balls with some scantilly clad girls to boot. And getting to see myKe  and br00th  up there for 90 whole minutes-Wow, mahn, kule! Wonder if LA gpt to touch a beach ball? Do think myKe did Whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn?

Oh, the faux beach was cute, and the flying beach balls were expected, and the scantily clad young ladies were certainly nice to look at, and the party was oh, so fun.  Yep, you missed out on all of that boring stuff.  But you forgot to mention the best part of what you missed, Mr. oldsurferdude.  The very kulest part, mahn.  You missed nearly 90 minutes of some of the best pop music ever written.  Ever.  But then again, you're not a fan of the Beach Boys, so what do you care?         

[Jason]

I'm starting to think that oldsurferdude is a paid troll from a certain wing of Beach Boys fandom...

[drbeachboy]

I'm starting to think that oldsurferdude is a paid troll from a certain wing of Beach Boys fandom...

So, he's a gigolo or prostitute Troll?
Oh my!

[oldsurferdude]

Hey SB, we better watch this guy LA-sounds incredibly clever doncha think?? Sounds like we missed out on  actually seeing sand and some beach balls with some scantilly clad girls to boot. And getting to see myKe  and br00th  up there for 90 whole minutes-Wow, mahn, kule! Wonder if LA gpt to touch a beach ball? Do think myKe did Whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn?

Oh, the faux beach was cute, and the flying beach balls were expected, and the scantily clad young ladies were certainly nice to look at, and the party was oh, so fun.  Yep, you missed out on all of that boring stuff.  But you forgot to mention the best part of what you missed, Mr. oldsurferdude.  The very kulest part, mahn.  You missed nearly 90 minutes of some of the best pop music ever written.  Ever.  But then again, you're not a fan of the Beach Boys, so what do you care?          

Been there, done that more times than you can count up to.  It was The real Beach Boys-you know the ones you've read about with Carl and Dennis and Brian and Al. But you go ahead and have tons of sand, er, I mean fun with that group that should be billed as The Imposters.

[LostArt]

Been there, done that more times than you can count up to.  It was The real Beach Boys-you know the ones you've read about with Carl and Dennis and Brian and Al. But you go ahead and have tons of sand, er, I mean fun with that group that should be billed as The Imposters.

Nah, I've already seen The Imposters with Elvis Costello.  They had some pretty good songs, too, but they weren't as much fun as The Beach Boys were the other night.

[JohnMill]

Hey SB, we better watch this guy LA-sounds incredibly clever doncha think?? Sounds like we missed out on  actually seeing sand and some beach balls with some scantilly clad girls to boot. And getting to see myKe  and br00th  up there for 90 whole minutes-Wow, mahn, kule! Wonder if LA gpt to touch a beach ball? Do think myKe did Whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn?

Oh, the faux beach was cute, and the flying beach balls were expected, and the scantily clad young ladies were certainly nice to look at, and the party was oh, so fun.  Yep, you missed out on all of that boring stuff.  But you forgot to mention the best part of what you missed, Mr. oldsurferdude.  The very kulest part, mahn.  You missed nearly 90 minutes of some of the best pop music ever written.  Ever.  But then again, you're not a fan of the Beach Boys, so what do you care?          

Been there, done that more times than you can count up to.  It was The real Beach Boys-you know the ones you've read about with Carl and Dennis and Brian and Al.

LOL! That's great.  Just snarky enough to bring a SMiLE to my face.

[SMiLE Brian]

The gig at Henley was pretty damn good - 90 minutes of wall-to-wall hits.

I'm not saying the show I saw was bad...quite the opposite, in fact.  I just thought that the band may have been a little bit tired, but when I consider that Christian Love was not in the harmony stack, that might explain some of what I was missing.  But you are right, AGD.  90 solid minutes of hit after hit after hit.  It really is incredible how many songs they've released that most 'average, ordinary, casual fan' type of folks are familiar with.   The festival trucked in a beachload of sand, and spread it out in front of the stage.  There were lots of beach balls in the air.  There were some pretty young girls dancing on stage at one point.  It was, you know, a Beach Boys show.  A summer celebration.  And I had a great time.  

Lost Art, without Christian Love present did Mike by any chance sing lead on GETCHA BACK? Wendy?

No Getcha Back, but I think they did Wendy.  I don't remember who sang it, though.  I was probably too busy having fun, which is what the Mike and Bruce Beach Boys is all about.  I do wonder where Christian Love was, though.

90 minutes of nothing but the hits??
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

It's a good thing that you slept through the party, Mr. oldsurferdude.  There were so many scantily dressed pretty young girls there having fun, I don't think your old ticker could've handled it.  Now take your meds and go back to bed.

Hey SB, we better watch this guy LA-sounds incredibly clever doncha think?? Sounds like we missed out on  actually seeing sand and some beach balls with some scantilly clad girls to boot. And getting to see myKe  and br00th  up there for 90 whole minutes-Wow, mahn, kule! Wonder if LA gpt to touch a beach ball? Do think myKe did Whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn?

Seeing one M&B show with the hits in 2011 for was enough for me.

Seeing C50 blow them out of the water convinced me who the real BBs were. M&B are two lesser pieces of a greater puzzle.

[RubberSoul13]

Are they really lesser pieces of the LIVE show puzzle though? In the studio, I totally agree with you. But really it was just Brian's presence that contributed to the live show last year...what did he really do that enhanced the show? I never heard his piano once, and his lead vocals were good, but not outta this world. David really spiced things up too but again, he was really more of a "historical aspect" of the show. I never heard Al's guitar BUT, his voice really brought a lot of life to the show and I would say that next to Mike Love, AL Jardine brought the most to the table as far as voice quality/strength, setlist influence (California Saga!!!), and onstage charisma.

But it's obvious that the real stars of the C50 tour were Scott Totten, John Cowsill, Jeff Foskett, Darian S.....

[Nicko1234]

Only with The Beach Boys could the lead singer and frontman be considered a lesser piece...

[Chocolate Shake Man]

But it's obvious that the real stars of the C50 tour were Scott Totten, John Cowsill, Jeff Foskett, Darian S.....

People usually know the names of "real stars." Nothing against those guys - they are all great but I think they would likewise find it strange to be called the real stars of a Beach Boys show.

[JohnMill]

But it's obvious that the real stars of the C50 tour were Scott Totten, John Cowsill, Jeff Foskett, Darian S.....

People usually know the names of "real stars." Nothing against those guys - they are all great but I think they would likewise find it strange to be called the real stars of a Beach Boys show.

They really are the unsung heroes though.  Hard to deny they've individually and collectively done some heavy lifting out there for quite awhile now.  Not saying The Beach Boys can't carry their own wait but unsung heroes indeed.

[SMiLE Brian]

But really it was just Brian's presence that contributed to the live show last year...what did he really do that enhanced the show?

Being there and restoring the luster that had been lacking from the BBs name for decades. The band's main songwriter righted the ship and rediscovered being a BB.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

But it's obvious that the real stars of the C50 tour were Scott Totten, John Cowsill, Jeff Foskett, Darian S.....

People usually know the names of "real stars." Nothing against those guys - they are all great but I think they would likewise find it strange to be called the real stars of a Beach Boys show.

They really are the unsung heroes though.  Hard to deny they've individually and collectively done some heavy lifting out there for quite awhile now.  Not saying The Beach Boys can't carry their own wait but unsung heroes indeed.

Agreed.

[RubberSoul13]

But really it was just Brian's presence that contributed to the live show last year...what did he really do that enhanced the show?

Being there and restoring the luster that had been lacking from the BBs name for decades. The band's main songwriter righted the ship and rediscovered being a BB.

How? Most of the time he just sat there. When he sang, it was good. He moved his arms up and down on "Sail on Sailor". I'm SO glad I got to see him and meet him and thank him for all this wonderful music, but some of the best beach boys live footage does NOT have Brian Wilson...jussayin. Love the guy to pieces, but he isn't the most important guy when we're talking live shows. He was only there because he's Brian Wilson.

[JohnMill]

But really it was just Brian's presence that contributed to the live show last year...what did he really do that enhanced the show?

Being there and restoring the luster that had been lacking from the BBs name for decades. The band's main songwriter righted the ship and rediscovered being a BB.

If The Beach Boys were a law firm he'd be the senior partner with his name above everyone else on the letterhead.  He might not take as many cases as the rest of the firm does but he gives them more legitimacy than any other member of the firm.  He was a huge reason (if not the sole reason) why the C50 was able to gain access to certain venues and draw certain crowds that the M&B hasn't been able to do for years.  Like I said when Brian is on stage with The Beach Boys he's at the head of the pecking order as far as a lot of the public is concerned.  I also think that he could deny it until the cows come home but this still rankles Mike Love big time and might have been a contributing factor to why he isn't touring alongside BAD this summer.  It's been said that the C50 was extremely Brian centric which flies in the face as to how Mike Love has run his version of "The Beach Boys" since Carl passed.  Add to the fact that when Brian Wilson is part of the act, that he is no longer the "senior partner of the law firm" and well...

Just how I see it.

[oldsurferdude]

But really it was just Brian's presence that contributed to the live show last year...what did he really do that enhanced the show?

Being there and restoring the luster that had been lacking from the BBs name for decades. The band's main songwriter righted the ship and rediscovered being a BB.

If The Beach Boys were a law firm he'd be the senior partner with his name above everyone else on the letterhead.  He might not take as many cases as the rest of the firm does but he gives them more legitimacy than any other member of the firm.  He was a huge reason (if not the sole reason) why the C50 was able to gain access to certain venues and draw certain crowds that the M&B hasn't been able to do for years.  Like I said when Brian is on stage with The Beach Boys he's at the head of the pecking order as far as a lot of the public is concerned.  I also think that he could deny it until the cows come home but this still rankles Mike Love big time and might have been a contributing factor to why he isn't touring alongside BAD this summer.  It's been said that the C50 was extremely Brian centric which flies in the face as to how Mike Love has run his version of "The Beach Boys" since Carl passed.  Add to the fact that when Brian Wilson is part of the act, that he is no longer the "senior partner of the law firm" and well...

Just how I see it.

So damn well said John. It's all about the legitimacy which myKe and br00th do not possess and never will. 

[RubberSoul13]

That is well put except...the beach boys aren't a law firm. They're a band, and I've seen what members of this band are capable of, and what others are not. But, I also understand the nostalgia, sentimental and historical value of having certain people on stage. I think the best solution would be to set up an annual residency with Brian at maybe three venues spread throughout the year, and let the other four members tour as The Beach Boys.

[Lonely Summer]

That is well put except...the beach boys aren't a law firm. They're a band, and I've seen what members of this band are capable of, and what others are not. But, I also understand the nostalgia, sentimental and historical value of having certain people on stage. I think the best solution would be to set up an annual residency with Brian at maybe three venues spread throughout the year, and let the other four members tour as The Beach Boys.

For many years following the Brian is Back campaign in 76, that's basically what they did. Mike, Al, Carl, Dennis (up to his death) and Bruce (after his return in 79) toured regularly, and Brian joined them from time to time. But it doesn't appear that Mike particularly wants to work with Al and David again.

[JohnMill]

That is well put except...the beach boys aren't a law firm. They're a band, and I've seen what members of this band are capable of, and what others are not. But, I also understand the nostalgia, sentimental and historical value of having certain people on stage. I think the best solution would be to set up an annual residency with Brian at maybe three venues spread throughout the year, and let the other four members tour as The Beach Boys.

It still holds a great deal of water.  To be honest in my opinion vocally Mike and Brian are probably the two members of the five piece that are dramatically off their pace.  Brian Wilson more so than Mike Love but Bruce, Al and Dave can still go out there and pitch every five days.  Mike and Brian have their on nights and off nights with more off nights likely to increase given their age.  Mike Love is a great MC and in fact fills the role that Paul McCartney did for years with The Beatles from that perspective admirably.  Mike Love knows perhaps more so than any other member of the five piece as to how to read an audience and connect with them the way a great performer can onstage at least from that perspective.  Brian Wilson connects with them in another way through his words and music but Mike Love has perfected an on stage persona now for decades which while campy as hell is also pretty damn entertaining if you can allow yourself to enjoy it.

The problem is from every other perspective Mike Love doesn't come anywhere near the stratosphere as to what Paul McCartney brought to The Beatles.  He needs Brian Wilson onstage for that to give the band legitimacy beyond a nostalgia act.  There will always be a section (and to be fair a decent sized section) of the general public that enjoys the nostalgia trip but there are many Beach Boys fans who won't sniff a M&B show let alone attend one not merely because they think they are above it but also because M&B do not accurately represent the complete spirit of the band.  They have the nostalgia trip down, they have an ace band backing them up and Bruce Johnston as he proved during the C50 can still sing his ass off when he wants to.  The problem is without Brian Wilson they lack everything of true emotional value that The Beach Boys are capable of bringing to an audience either in concert or on record.  Mike Love is a great MC and can read his audience very well in that regard and connect with them by throwing them beach party after beach party.  But as far as making deep emotional connections with their audience that all great performers (including Brian Wilson) are able to do in concert, M&B hit that roadblock every time out.

[JohnMill]

That is well put except...the beach boys aren't a law firm. They're a band, and I've seen what members of this band are capable of, and what others are not. But, I also understand the nostalgia, sentimental and historical value of having certain people on stage. I think the best solution would be to set up an annual residency with Brian at maybe three venues spread throughout the year, and let the other four members tour as The Beach Boys.

For many years following the Brian is Back campaign in 76, that's basically what they did. Mike, Al, Carl, Dennis (up to his death) and Bruce (after his return in 79) toured regularly, and Brian joined them from time to time. But it doesn't appear that Mike particularly wants to work with Al and David again.

Which to me is still a rosetta stone in understanding exactly why the C50 did not go forward.  Again so much ink and press has been spilled about the fragile dynamic between the two cousins, there also seems to be a separate issue regarding Mike's relationship with any Beach Boy not named Bruce.  My only inkling as to a guess is that the reason Al and Dave aren't touring with M&B this summer is because Mike didn't want to stretch his budget in order to include them.  Mike obviously has a lot of people on his payroll so to speak and perhaps realizes that it isn't necessary for his incarnation of "The Beach Boys" to sport a four piece when a two piece gets the job done as far as his audience is concerned.  So perhaps he considers Al and Dave to be excess to the requirement and therefore choose to save more than a few dollars by not including them in his incarnation of the band.

Another possible reason is that perhaps given the fragile dynamic between the two cousins perhaps the other members of the band took sides in whatever conflicts the cousins were having and how it shook out is how it stands now.  Although this is a long shot in my opinion as I think Bruce Johnston is still with Mike Love because it's a familiar role for him and the rest of the boys aren't because well they weren't invited along.  

[Sheriff John Stone]

He needs Brian Wilson onstage for that to give the band legitimacy beyond a nostalgia act.  There will always be a section (and to be fair a decent sized section) of the general public that enjoys the nostalgia trip but there are many Beach Boys fans who won't sniff a M&B show let alone attend one not merely because they think they are above it but also because M&B do not accurately represent the complete spirit of the band.

The problem is without Brian Wilson they lack everything of true emotional value that The Beach Boys are capable of bringing to an audience either in concert or on record.  Mike Love is a great MC and can read his audience very well in that regard and connect with them by throwing them beach party after beach party.  But as far as making deep emotional connections with their audience that all great performers (including Brian Wilson) are able to do in concert, M&B hit that roadblock every time out.

John, I usually agree with a lot of what you post, but I highlighted part of your above post that I really don't think is accurate - in my opinion. First, Mike (and Bruce) have PROVEN that they don't need Brian Wilson to give the band legitimacy. Sure, Brian adds a lot to the mix - that's an understatement - but without him over the last decade and a half, Mike and Bruce have been vital and prospering. And, to an overwhelming number of fans that attend their shows, THEY ARE THE BEACH BOYS, not some nostalgia act. They are far from one of those nostalgia acts like The Temptations, where NONE of the members WERE Temptations. They're not ready for the PBS oldies concerts - yet. Really, most of the people who attend the Mike & Bruce shows don't know who is who, don't know who or how many died, don't know who are original members, and really don't care. To an extremely large percentage of people attending the shows, they are going to see THE BEACH BOYS - the Beach Boys of today.

I also think you're way off base when you say that Mike & Bruce aren't able to make deep emotional connections with their audience. Seriously, when was the last time you saw a Mike & Bruce concert? I only ask because they CAN touch their audience with their current show/lineup. The ballads like "Surfer Girl", "In My Room", "God Only Knows", "Good Timin", and Bruce's performance of "Disney Girls" consistently hit the emotional mark. The band can sing with emotion. And, remember, there's more than one kind of emotional connection. I saw people singing and dancing to every note of the car songs. I saw Scott Totten wowing the audience with a Hendrix-like solo on "Barbara Ann". I saw 70 year-old people dancing in the aisles - to "Wild Honey"! I saw people walking to their cars after the show smiling and singing and talking about what they just experienced. THAT was pretty emotional.

[JohnMill]

He needs Brian Wilson onstage for that to give the band legitimacy beyond a nostalgia act.  There will always be a section (and to be fair a decent sized section) of the general public that enjoys the nostalgia trip but there are many Beach Boys fans who won't sniff a M&B show let alone attend one not merely because they think they are above it but also because M&B do not accurately represent the complete spirit of the band.

The problem is without Brian Wilson they lack everything of true emotional value that The Beach Boys are capable of bringing to an audience either in concert or on record.  Mike Love is a great MC and can read his audience very well in that regard and connect with them by throwing them beach party after beach party.  But as far as making deep emotional connections with their audience that all great performers (including Brian Wilson) are able to do in concert, M&B hit that roadblock every time out.

John, I usually agree with a lot of what you post, but I highlighted part of your above post that I really don't think is accurate - in my opinion. First, Mike (and Bruce) have PROVEN that they don't need Brian Wilson to give the band legitimacy. Sure, Brian adds a lot to the mix - that's an understatement - but without him over the last decade and a half, Mike and Bruce have been vital and prospering. And, to an overwhelming number of fans that attend their shows, THEY ARE THE BEACH BOYS, not some nostalgia act. They are far from one of those nostalgia acts like The Temptations, where NONE of the members WERE Temptations. They're not ready for the PBS oldies concerts - yet. Really, most of the people who attend the Mike & Bruce shows don't know who is who, don't know who or how many died, don't know who are original members, and really don't care. To an extremely large percentage of people attending the shows, they are going to see THE BEACH BOYS - the Beach Boys of today.

I also think you're way off base when you say that Mike & Bruce aren't able to make deep emotional connections with their audience. Seriously, when was the last time you saw a Mike & Bruce concert? I only ask because they CAN touch their audience with their current show/lineup. The ballads like "Surfer Girl", "In My Room", "God Only Knows", "Good Timin", and Bruce's performance of "Disney Girls" consistently hit the emotional mark. The band can sing with emotion. And, remember, there's more than one kind of emotional connection. I saw people singing and dancing to every note of the car songs. I saw Scott Totten wowing the audience with a Hendrix-like solo on "Barbara Ann". I saw 70 year-old people dancing in the aisles - to "Wild Honey"! I saw people walking to their cars after the show smiling and singing and talking about what they just experienced. THAT was pretty emotional.

Lets get the elephant in the room out of the way before I begin: I don't have a lot of respect for the majority (note the majority) of the fanbase that M&B draw in each summer because I don't believe them to be music fans.  To me the majority of fans M&B draw are people who view music as "just something to listen to" and never go further beyond that.  If you want to say that is elitism, I can roll with that as there are worse things in the world that one can be.  So while M&B draw money each summer they draw it by and large from a section of the public that are not music fans and are mainly just looking for a party.  I think you said it best yourself, to the majority of their audience "They Are The Beach Boys".  Well as Mr. Lennon once said "Living is easy with eyes closed" or if you prefer "Ignorance is bliss".  So to me once I factor all that in, it sort of skews any amount of success (financial or otherwise) M&B have had in the past decade.  

Now the next part of the argument goes like this: You can make the argument that neither M&B are anything near to a draw as far as any section of their audience is concerned and it is the name "The Beach Boys" that draws in the crowds.  This is key to understanding why so many on this forum continue to be forever knackered at Mike Love retaining the rights to "The Beach Boys" name as it is the name that gives his act legitimacy in terms of drawing an audience not necessarily the personalities in the band.  I personally don't have a problem with the fact that he and Bruce market themselves as "The Beach Boys" but it seems to be a major bone of contention that many Beach Boys fans have with the M&B show.  

Now as much as it pains me to say this, unfortunately The Beach Boys have become a nostalgia act for all intents and purposes.  They may not be in the vein of certain doo-wop groups that no longer retain any original members of the group but they are right at home with the "PBS crowd" and sadly have been for quite sometime now.  I don't know if you have DIRECTV or not but I do and they are on there every night alongside other one hit wonders of their generation on nostalgia compilation albums being sold to the masses.  You know who aren't on those albums?  The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and many of their sixties contemporaries who nobody in their right mind would consider to be one hit wonders.  

You second point regarding the emotional connection that the M&B lineup of "The Beach Boys" is arguable under the header that what connects with one person emotionally won't necessarily resonate with another.  To put it another way, it's subjective.  To me Brian Wilson is the soul of "The Beach Boys".  That isn't to say that M&B are stiff as soldiers up there and are basically going through the motions like a gang of surf robots.  As I mentioned Mike Love is a great MC and is able to engage his audience very well but he's missing the other key component that every great performer has and that is the ability to deliver those moments to their audience that make their concert presentation truly unique.  They may be dancing in the aisles and singing along with the hits but quite honestly I've seen those reactions in many different places from Bruce Springsteen concerts to the local Beatles impersonators act that plays at my local park every summer.  The difference between the two?  Springsteen can sit down at the piano at any given time and play "Thunder Road" or "The Promise" and make you feel that you are having a one on one connection with him that goes above and beyond the concert/party atmosphere that is inherently a part of almost any live performance worth it's salt.

That emotional connection is what Brian Wilson brings to the table as far as what he adds to the overall "Beach Boys" presentation.  Is he on his game 100% of the time?  No in fact, on his off nights it can be painfully obvious to the audience that he would rather be anywhere else than onstage.  But when Brian Wilson has his mojo going he is able to deliver some very special moments to his audience which I think was one of the main reasons why the C50 shows last year were so unique.

[thatjacob]

The Atlanta show is going to be at a state fair being held at the Speedway. I'd expect an outdoor stage setup.

Here's a link, but there's not much on the website for now:
http://atlanta.georgiastatefair.org/

Interesting that the venue told you it's not confirmed yet, since the date is listed on Capitol's official BB website.

Thanks for that info.  I just wish I could get an idea of how long their set will be. 
If it's a full show, I'll be there.
Maybe instead of contacting the Speedway, I'll try to get  in touch with somebody at the fair.

It's not part of a race or the state fair. It's part of a RV convention called "The Rally". You have to buy a day pass for $79 to see the concert and that's not with reserved seating.

http://therally.com/2013/03/vince-gill-and-the-beach-boys-to-perform-at-the-atlanta-rally/

[Lonely Summer]

I might go to M&B's show next month at a local casino, but not because I am under any illusion that their group is the real Beach Boys. If they had been making albums with that lineup for the last 15 years.....maybe.