Brian in Toronto - 6/18/11

[Margarita]

My first visit to Canada for my 18th Brian concert since 1999...man, was it worth the trip!  Not only am I really enjoying Toronto, but the concert was amazing.  I was a little wary after reading some reports of the first concert of this tour.  Brian was relaxed and in very good voice, especially on the Gershwin material.  He had a lot of fun during the first set and the encores.  There were a few bum notes, but nothing worth freaking out over.  He talked before nearly every song, and was enthusiastic about his performance and that of the guys in the band.

He didn't come off like a man who wants to stop touring for good.  I don't think he wants to do it all the time, but he certainly gets off on the love from the audience!  My feeling is that Brian will stop touring when he stops touring...even if he says he done, I really feel that he might be up for one-off shows now and then, as long as he's in good health and good voice.

Setlist:
Do It Again
Catch a Wave
Row, Row, Row
Dance, Dance, Dance
Girl Don't Tell Me
Salt Lake City
Surfer Girl
Then I Kissed Her (Jeff and Brian trading off on lead)
Please Let Me Wonder
Don't Worry Baby (Jeff lead)
I Get Around
Lighter joke
Add Some Music
Do You Wanna Dance
Little Girl I Once Knew
Darlin' (Darian lead)
Sail On Sailor
California Girls
Pet Sounds
Wouldn't It Be Nice (Jeff lead)
Sloop John B.
God Only Knows
Heroes and Villains - Cantina version
Good Vibrations - single lyrics but with "hum-be-dahs"

Entire Gershwin album

Johhny B. Goode
Help Me Rhonda
Barbara Ann
Surfin USA (swapped out some of the surf locations with towns mentioned in "Sweet Little Sixteen")
Fun, Fun, Fun

All Summer Long

[Jason]

Exact same setlist as Montclair a few days back. But hey, at least he's having a better time. Maybe the Canadian tour has made him enthusiastic, or, as Brian put it, "gave him the guts to do a great concert." I do sometimes wonder why Brian didn't make more stops in Canada beyond the occasional stops in Ontario or Quebec  during his tours of the United States. But hey, those of you guys who couldn't get to see him in the US can enjoy him (although I'm sure you guys all found a way down every time he was in the nearest American city!). Maybe you guys are gonna get another tour like the American tour in late 2009. If so, Canada's in for a treat.

[Mikie]

Notes:

No "Love & Mercy" at the end?

Still doing the cigarette lighter joke. It wasn't that funny the first time he did it and it isn't funny years later. I'm amazed he's still doing it - don't they realize many in the audience have seen it already? Same with "Row, Row Your Boat". Gotta come up with a new schtick! I guess it's better than "I'm A Little Teapot", but still......

Little variance on the lyrics of Surfin' U.S.A. Good! Something different.

No Taylor. Not good.

Was watching a Youtube clip tonight of a recent show (6-8-11 Ridgefield, CT) and it looked like he was going through the motions. Half of "Love In Mercy" is now being sung by the band. He can't wait to get off the stage and gets up from behind the keyboard long before the song ends. It almost looks like he's programmed and he's looking at his watch. He's off the stage before everyone else. So to read Margarita's review above (a good one) is refreshing and it's good to know that his interest isn't lacking EVERY show. Good days and not so good days. But it's obvious to me that he's real bored. And tired...

[Rocker]

"Pet sounds" (the song) is back in the set ? Cool. Didn't know that

[filledeplage]

My first visit to Canada for my 18th Brian concert since 1999...man, was it worth the trip!  Not only am I really enjoying Toronto, but the concert was amazing.  I was a little wary after reading some reports of the first concert of this tour.  Brian was relaxed and in very good voice, especially on the Gershwin material.  He had a lot of fun during the first set and the encores.  There were a few bum notes, but nothing worth freaking out over.  He talked before nearly every song, and was enthusiastic about his performance and that of the guys in the band.

He didn't come off like a man who wants to stop touring for good.  I don't think he wants to do it all the time, but he certainly gets off on the love from the audience!  My feeling is that Brian will stop touring when he stops touring...even if he says he done, I really feel that he might be up for one-off shows now and then, as long as he's in good health and good voice.

Setlist:
Do It Again
Catch a Wave
Row, Row, Row
Dance, Dance, Dance
Girl Don't Tell Me
Salt Lake City
Surfer Girl
Then I Kissed Her (Jeff and Brian trading off on lead)
Please Let Me Wonder
Don't Worry Baby (Jeff lead)
I Get Around
Lighter joke
Add Some Music
Do You Wanna Dance
Little Girl I Once Knew
Darlin' (Darian lead)
Sail On Sailor
California Girls
Pet Sounds
Wouldn't It Be Nice (Jeff lead)
Sloop John B.
God Only Knows
Heroes and Villains - Cantina version
Good Vibrations - single lyrics but with "hum-be-dahs"

Entire Gershwin album

Johhny B. Goode
Help Me Rhonda
Barbara Ann
Surfin USA (swapped out some of the surf locations with towns mentioned in "Sweet Little Sixteen")
Fun, Fun, Fun

All Summer Long

Thanks for that setlist.  It is classic Beach Boys. 

A couple of years back, I saw Brian at Hampton Beach Casino, and he was with a stripped-down version of his ensemble and it was a great show.  Jeff does well with the falsetto sections and does a great job working with Brian onstage.  The show was just great, and worked well for that venue.  Sometimes people forget that there were 5 performing musicians for the most part, in the 1960's.  I tend to favor the smaller venues when I see him, because they sell out, and there is nothing like a "full house" for audience excitement. 

However, the audience wanted and still wants to see him perform under any circumstances since he embodies a "comeback kid" model, heroically, after losing his brothers but honoring them, musically.  Listening to fellow spectators supports this, who love that, not unlike the other Beach Boys, still continues to "stretch himself' and grow musically by continuing to write and publish his music.  I do think that Brian appreciates his 50 year Beach Boys fans as well as younger fans who are just learning the catalog of great Beach Boys music.       

I hope he does some dates in New England. 

Thanks again. 

[Andrew G. Doe]

I hope he does some dates in New England. 

Already did - Ridgefield CT on the 8th.

[Shady]

Another positive review, http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,10527.0.html

Really excited for September now 

[Margarita]

A few more things and responses to comments above....

We were down in the 5th row, but from what I could tell, the show looked sold out or close to it; orchestra and the two balcony levels looked full.  It was actually part of the NXNE festival, which I didn't know about until we got to Toronto. 

His voice on "Summertime" and "I Loves You Porgy" were as good if not better than the album.  I wasn't sure if he would pull it off as well live as on record, but he did it. 
When introducing "I've Got Plenty of Nuthin'", he said, "the next song is without voices, just instruments.  It's called an instrumen-tal!" 

Watching Brian in concert over the past 12 years, I recall that he almost always hurried off stage even before the band was done playing.  Maybe performing a concert set really makes him have to pee?  I don't know.  I just always keep in mind that with Brian, we're not dealing with any kind of showman.  I'm just thankful that he has been touring so much; it's a treat that I never expected to see.  "Comeback kid", indeed.

Row, Row, Row and the lighter joke...yes, they are repeated way too much.  But I think that's just Brian's sense of humor.  Either he just likes them and wants to keep doing them, or he knows full well that the audience has been through this before.  It's like that comedy principle about repeating something until it's not funny anymore, then it's funny again. 

[filledeplage]

I hope he does some dates in New England. 

Already did - Ridgefield CT on the 8th.

Andrew - I was asleep when the CT schedule was posted...additional dates, is what I was thinking of, since I missed that boat...Massachusetts, Rhode Island,(he played Lupo's in Providence, Rhode Island, about 18 months or so, ago, to a pretty "full house"  or Southern New Hampshire...where Hampton Beach Casino is located.  Even with the gas prices, and the bad economy, people are going to the resort towns and renting cottages in droves this season. 

   

[Chris Brown]

When you say he did the Cantina version of "Heroes," do you mean the version from BWPS or the actual Cantina version?  It would be interesting if he were doing the latter, especially given the imminent box set release.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I hope he does some dates in New England.  

Already did - Ridgefield CT on the 8th.

Andrew - I was asleep when the CT schedule was posted...additional dates, is what I was thinking of, since I missed that boat...Massachusetts, Rhode Island,(he played Lupo's in Providence, Rhode Island, about 18 months or so, ago, to a pretty "full house"  or Southern New Hampshire...where Hampton Beach Casino is located.  Even with the gas prices, and the bad economy, people are going to the resort towns and renting cottages in droves this season.  

Nothing scheduled, though they added a Lexington KY date in early August - in fact all the post-Canada, pre-Europe dates are in the south, upper midwest and west.

This is his schedule for the rest of the year, to date:

6/20 - Ottawa, ON Canada
6/22 - Winnipeg, MB Canada
6/23 - Regina, SK Canada
6/25 - Calgary, AB Canada
6/26 - Edmonton, AB Canada
6/28 - Vancouver, BC Canada

7/29 - Grand Rapids, MI (? not BWRG)
7/30 - St. Charles, IL (? not BWRG)
7/31 - Clear Lake, IA (? not BWRG)

8/2 - Lexington, KY (? not BWRG)
8/3 - Atlanta, GA (? not BWRG)
8/5 - Hollywood, FL (? not BWRG)
8/24 - Saratoga, CA (? not BWRG)
8/25 - Napa, CA (? not BWRG)
8/27 - Cerritos, CA (? not BWRG)
 
9/9 - Bestival, Isle Of Wight (not BWRG)
9/10 - Gateshead England
9/21 - Amsterdam, Netherlands
9/11 - Glasgow, Scotland
9/13 - Manchester, England
9/14 - Birmingham, England
9/16 - London, England
9/17 - London, England
9/18 - London, England
9/20 - Paris, France
9/22 - Brussels, Belgium
9/24 - Copenhagen, Denmark
9/25 - Stockholm, Sweden
9/26 - Oslo, Norway

[Mikie]

Space

[Mikie]

When you say he did the Cantina version of "Heroes," do you mean the version from BWPS or the actual Cantina version?  It would be interesting if he were doing the latter, especially given the imminent box set release.

Probably the same version he's been doing since the 2004 Smile tour.

And who knows why he isn't doing the Gerschwin set at all venues on the tour.  That'll probably keep me away this time.

[Shady]

I hope he does some dates in New England.  

Already did - Ridgefield CT on the 8th.

Andrew - I was asleep when the CT schedule was posted...additional dates, is what I was thinking of, since I missed that boat...Massachusetts, Rhode Island,(he played Lupo's in Providence, Rhode Island, about 18 months or so, ago, to a pretty "full house"  or Southern New Hampshire...where Hampton Beach Casino is located.  Even with the gas prices, and the bad economy, people are going to the resort towns and renting cottages in droves this season.  

9/9 - Bestival, Isle Of Wight (not BWRG)
9/10 - Gateshead England
9/21 - Amsterdam, Netherlands
9/11 - Glasgow, Scotland
9/13 - Manchester, England
9/14 - Birmingham, England
9/16 - London, England
9/17 - London, England
9/18 - London, England
9/20 - Paris, France
9/22 - Brussels, Belgium
9/24 - Copenhagen, Denmark
9/25 - Stockholm, Sweden
9/26 - Oslo, Norway

Should add the Dublin show to that

[Andrew G. Doe]

Crap - pulled up the wrong file !  Thanks.

[TerryWogan]

Can anyone elaborate on this infamous lighter joke? I'm intrigued now...

[Jason]

Brian - Ok, for any of you who have cigarette lighters, turn them on, hold them up, and Jeff will count them.
Jeff - (counting) (insert number here), Brian.
Brian - Oh wow. Ok, put them out before you start a fire.

Sometimes a band member will interject with "And (insert number here) cellphones!"

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Brian - Ok, for any of you who have cigarette lighters, turn them on, hold them up, and Jeff will count them.
Jeff - (counting) (insert number here), Brian.
Brian - Oh wow. Ok, put them out before you start a fire.

Sometimes a band member will interject with "And (insert number here) cellphones!"

It went a bit differently at the 24 Oct 2004 concert in Houston thanks to me

When he asked us to take out our lighters, I yelled out "But I just quit smoking!" (I recently had). Brian didn't say anything for a few seconds, immediately began introducing the next song, then broke out in spontaneous laughter.

I think the joke comes up on the teleprompter, personally.

[stack-o-tracks]

8/25 - Napa, CA (? not BWRG)

Holy crap, he's playing in Napa?! 

That's only a half hour away from me! I didn't think we were going to get any SF bay area shows for some reason.

[smile-holland]

I hope he does some dates in New England.  

Already did - Ridgefield CT on the 8th.

Andrew - I was asleep when the CT schedule was posted...additional dates, is what I was thinking of, since I missed that boat...Massachusetts, Rhode Island,(he played Lupo's in Providence, Rhode Island, about 18 months or so, ago, to a pretty "full house"  or Southern New Hampshire...where Hampton Beach Casino is located.  Even with the gas prices, and the bad economy, people are going to the resort towns and renting cottages in droves this season.  

9/9 - Bestival, Isle Of Wight (not BWRG)
9/10 - Gateshead England
9/21 - Amsterdam, Netherlands
9/11 - Glasgow, Scotland
9/13 - Manchester, England
9/14 - Birmingham, England
9/16 - London, England
9/17 - London, England
9/18 - London, England
9/20 - Paris, France
9/22 - Brussels, Belgium
9/24 - Copenhagen, Denmark
9/25 - Stockholm, Sweden
9/26 - Oslo, Norway

Should add the Dublin show to that

and what happened with Amsterdam sneekily squeezing herself comfortably between a few U.K gigs?

[Andrew G. Doe]

I hope he does some dates in New England.  

Already did - Ridgefield CT on the 8th.

Andrew - I was asleep when the CT schedule was posted...additional dates, is what I was thinking of, since I missed that boat...Massachusetts, Rhode Island,(he played Lupo's in Providence, Rhode Island, about 18 months or so, ago, to a pretty "full house"  or Southern New Hampshire...where Hampton Beach Casino is located.  Even with the gas prices, and the bad economy, people are going to the resort towns and renting cottages in droves this season.  

9/9 - Bestival, Isle Of Wight (not BWRG)
9/10 - Gateshead England
9/21 - Amsterdam, Netherlands
9/11 - Glasgow, Scotland
9/13 - Manchester, England
9/14 - Birmingham, England
9/16 - London, England
9/17 - London, England
9/18 - London, England
9/20 - Paris, France
9/22 - Brussels, Belgium
9/24 - Copenhagen, Denmark
9/25 - Stockholm, Sweden
9/26 - Oslo, Norway

Should add the Dublin show to that

and what happened with Amsterdam sneekily squeezing herself comfortably between a few U.K gigs?

Yup... definitely pulled up the wrong file. 

[onatrain]

I was also at the Toronto show and I thought Brian was great!  Everybody sounded good and everybody in my section was enjoying the show from beginning to end.  Too bad some people left before All Summer Long.  Their loss for wanting to beat the rush.  Not having read any reviews or set lists, I was pleased to hear Please Let Me Wonder, Salt Lake City, Girl Don't Tell Me, Then I Kissed Her, Dance, Dance, Dance and others, songs that are not always performed.

My only beef with the show was the the balance of the drums with the vocals and other instruments (I don't know the technical terms).  I struggled to hear the vocals at many times because the drums were so loud compared to everything else.  Massey Hall is known for having great acoustics, so was this just a result of someone messing up during the sound check?  I was in the third row of the first balcony, not sure if the same thing was experienced elsewhere.  Nevertheless, it was one of the best BW shows I had seen so I am happy.

Another question: Jeff mentioned Brian wrote five No. 1 songs.  I can only name three, I Get Around, Help Me, Rhonda and Good Vibrations.  What are the others?  Thanks.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Jeff mentioned Brian wrote five No. 1 songs.  I can only name three, I Get Around, Help Me, Rhonda and Good Vibrations.  What are the others?  Thanks.

Surf City went to #1 and...I'll get back to you.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Hmm...I'm not sure. Do It Again went to #1 in England, so maybe he's counting that.

I thought maybe the David Lee Roth version of California Girls may have hit #1 but, like the original, it only went as high as #3.

[Margarita]

Heroes and Villains was the BWPS version, ending with the rising scale of vocals.  But yeah, I'd love to see Brian sing the "At three-score-and-five" lyric!

How do we know for sure that the run of shows in July and August aren't going to include the Gershwin set?  If Gershwin is not going to be performed, could it be possible that Brian would be performing a Smile set to promote the box set?

For the lighter joke, in the past I've also heard Brian say, "You all need to quit smoking!  It's bad for you!"

As for the #1s - perhaps Jeff meant 5 #1s on the Canadian charts?  Or maybe he counted "Kokomo" by mistake.