Here's what the Beach Boys were playing this month ten years ago:
http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/6-20-02.htmlA twenty-six song set... twenty-one of which were hits. Their idea of deep cuts: "409", "Little Honda", "Catch A Wave", "Hawaii", "Why Do Fools Fall In Love". (Two of which were hits for other artists.) Nothing from the '70s, '80s, or '90s other than "Kokomo".
Then there's twenty years ago this month, with a new album coming out:
http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/6-27-92.htmlThirty-five songs... twenty-six of them the hits. Three more which were hits that the Beach Boys never recorded. Three tracks from their new album... all of them oldies (including "Forever"). That leaves three other deep cuts: "Catch A Wave", "409", and "Hawaii". The entirety of the '70s and '80s represented by John Stamos and "Kokomo".
How about twenty-five years ago:
http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/6-6-87.htmlTwenty-nine songs, if you count a fragment of "Okie From Muskogee". Four non-Beach-Boys tracks: "Surf City", "Little GTO", "Little Old Lady", and "I Write The Songs". The entirety of the '70s and '80s reduced to "Rock & Roll Music", "Getcha Back", "California Dreamin", and "Wipe Out" -- only one of which was even written in the past twenty years. Only non-hits in the set were their cover of "California Dreamin'", and "409".
Now back to thirty years ago, with no Brian or Dennis:
http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/6-23-82.htmlThirty songs... three of them non-Beach-Boys covers. Nothing from their last album, only their four Top 40 singles to represent the previous decade. The only songs which never troubled the charts: "409", "All Summer Long", "Disney Girls".
Now look at a current set-list. Up to 45 songs... about half of which never got anywhere near the Top 40. Usually about eight of them from the '70s. Only a couple from the '80s, true... but now, two brand-new tracks. Which is something
none of those concerts above can boast.
Enough to make an old fanboy weep, isn't it?
Cheers,
Jon Blum
Author
