The Smiley Smile Message Board

The BAD and Beck show will be in my hometown area of Milwaukee and I have yet to purchase a ticket. I thought the C50 was a fitting end, and sort of feel Brian should have called it quits as far as performing live goes after that.
As long as he is still kicking, part of me says it's nuts not to go.....on the other hand.... I've seen his solo shows 5 times over the years and he has looked less and less like he wants to be there. I'll make up my own mind.....however I'm curious as to how many others of you feel the same way.

Well I probably would not have gone to see Brian except Al and Dave really add something. Now with Blondie and Beck I think it will be different enough at least.

I would jump at any opportunity to see Brian. Once he's gone, you'll never get another chance to see him :-\

This.


How anyone could think otherwise because they think it fits better in a biographical context is crazy.

For so many years of my fandom I was convinced I'd never get to see Brian in public in any capacity. In 1999 I thought that was going to be my only chance. No way will I miss a Brian when he goes out on the road.

It sounds like this'll be like no other Brian show that you have ever seen.  Like last year's show, Brian won't have to be the center of attention for the entire show.  It's also the last show of the tour, and Brian was great at last year's finale in the UK.  As a guitarist, I also happen to really like Jeff Beck.  I will most definitely be driving down from Appleton to see this one.  Now, if I can just get the next day off from work...

I saw Brian with the BBs in the early 80s, saw him on the Pet Sounds Tour, the Smile Tour and the C50 tour. I'm seeing him next Tuesday night in Houston and I'm excited because THIS show cannot be predictable. The addition of Jeff Beck, plus the welcome presence of Al and Dave, make me quite curious and it's gonna be a refreshing, non-cookie-cutter show. Wouldn't miss it.

That's the key point. Probably a large portion of the audience has not seen - live - a musician the caliber of Jeff Beck. I expect Jeff Beck to blow away the audience with his musicianship, the songs he chooses, and HIS band. I can kind of imagine what to expect from Brian, Al, and David.

We should never take for granted that there will be another show in our town next year. I only saw Carl once, and I kick myself for not spending the extra couple bucks for better seats! (I was a freshman in college). Other than the Paul Simon double headliner tour, and maybe one casino show that Mike did here a few years back, I've always gone to see every show that comes to town! Very worth it.

Let the tour come slightly closer to me than a remove of some 3500 miles and I'll give the matter some thought. Certainly this coalition has across-the-board potential - all the way from triumphant to calamitous.

Well, I'd do anything to see Surf's Up live... this is my shot.

Okay I guess it's not fair for me to answer, I paid $500 fu*king bucks for this!! Haha!! (Yes, out of pocket, I promise!)

Very excited, only a week and a bit more!

Also...Brian has seriously been consistently improving...in his 2011 tour he sounded absolutely fantastic, best I ever heard him. Thing about this year and last year is that he shared the bill with other vocalists, who had a good chunk of leads themselves, so Brian kind of took it easy (and lazy)...

Eh, I just saw Brian in July. I don't really feel the need to see him again the same year, even if the set-up is different. I'm not really a fan of Jeff Beck so his presence wouldn't add to my enjoyment of the show.

I've seen Brian throughout his career. Since the drugs, he is but a shell of his former self. I cringe when he tries to come across as coherent and engaged. I saw the 50th tour three times including their last US performance in Tahoe and I was amazed that BW made it.

I was at the Paul Simon, BW  concert when his notes were placed in front of him and he read everything he was supposed to say including, " Pause for applause". I was very embarrassed for him. I won't go to see him again. His voice has but faint glimmers of past glory.

I bought tickets as soon as they went on sale.  So I'm pretty sure.  ;)

If it was just Brian and his band, playing nothing but the old stuff, i'd pass, but the chance to see Al and Dave with him is pretty rare, so I'd go, unless the tickets were priced too high.

I can only hope the tour will continue, and they make a stop in Oregon over winter break. Otherwise I can only watch youtube videos from Hong Kong.
Still, when the C50 came through here, ALL of the higher end tickets disappeared, and the shouts of "BRIAN WE LOVE YOU" came in between almost every song. I really hope he'll come by!

Blunt honesty. I disagree with people that think he has improved over the years. He seems more tired and less interested than ever. The wishful thinking that Brian would eventually get back closer to the person he once was after the solo tours started and BWPS was finished did not pan out. I'm not suggesting he should not have toured these past 15 years or so, because there have been highlights and decent performances. I do have serious reservations, especially post C50, that Brian should or needs to be doing something that is clearly an immense struggle.

His voice has but faint glimmers of past glories...WOW.!

If you'd seen him at the Royal Albert Hall and at Wembley exactly a year ago, I think you'd've been shocked. That was a guy in near-complete control of every faculty, to the point of being casual. BW2012 was a different guy to he who toured Smile 8 years earlier.  I'd say "go", though I share AGD's proximity problem.

I would never pass up the chance to see the most creative musician of our times. I've never missed a Scottish show and venture south of the border as required. Cant wait to read the reviews. Hope they play the UK again.

Me too! I've never missed a Scottish show and have regularly been down to England or Ireland to catch the tours.  However, a few times I've asked myself if it's worth the money. C50 was great and Brian at Wembley was great.  I would definitely go see Brian, Al and Dave if I got the chance. I'd also happily pay to sit in Brian's company for a couple of hours even if he wasn't singing.

He's wise enough to allow his supporting cast to carry him this time. He has Al, Dave, Jeff Beck (and Beck's band), plus Blondie on some dates. He has been letting more of his backing band take leads, too. So, I'd say it might not be too bad even if Brian isn't on all the time. I'm not sure I'll see these shows, but it seems like a decent deal. If only the ticket prices were more reasonable.

I don't get it.
I presume anyone on here is a huge Beach Boys fans (at least! ;) )

Brian Wilson goes out with Al, David and Jeff Beck. Blondie at some shows. It certainly is at least going to be different. Blondie doing Sail On Sailor will be worth admission, especially for those who weren't around at the time.
Some people are bloody lucky to be near where they are playing for $60 -$90. And you'd even think twice?

I know a few people travelling a bloody long way to catch one of these. I wish I was one of them.

For me there is some financial element -- I really don't like paying over $100 a ticket.  I snagged a Beacon Theater upper balcony ticket for 60 bills at the box office so there ya go.  The only times I think I haven't seen Brian in NYC was at BB King's (which smacked of a greatest hits pay day) and with Paul Simon (where he was the opener).  Otherwise there was always some hook to catch me -- the first tour, Pet Sounds, Smile, Al, Lucky Old Sun....  Beck, with Al, David, and I hear Blondie is hook enough for me this time!

And of course there is always Brian and that amazing band....

This is so funny but so sad. It's an unfortunate reality that Brian is not the man he once was.

If i could afford it I'd be there in a heartbeat.  The Jeff Beck factor is really exciting, I'm a big fan of his.

To judge from the first BW setlist from last night, he may be the main interest. Hopefully it will evolve but initially, very, very pedestrian.

He's done so much considering but when I heard "Where Is She" my wife and I both said we wished we had seen that Brian in concert. Just a different guy.

The equation is alarmingly simple: new material - especially his new material - engages him, and he responds well, often superbly. Doing the old stuff he's done for something like 15 years (and in a few cases actually hates performing) doesn't and he engages the autopilot. Two exceptions were the fall 2009 tour when everything aligned and he was on fire... and last year, when the enormity of the event hit home and he rose to the occasion and then some. That he reportedly completely futzed up "California Girls" last night might not bode well.

He was OK at the BAD show I saw a few months ago. Not as good as C50 but a very up night for him. In 2008 on the TLOS tour Andrew's point was proved to me. He couldn't care less about the old songs but the new album was done extremely well.

I saw Brian in July and to me it was a step down in excitement and energy from the magic of C50.  But having Al and Dave definitely helped.  Now, pairing with Jeff Beck?  I don't know.  I used to be a big Beck fan, and as a guitar player he is one of my influences.  But I am really not a fan of him in the last 20 years.  His new playing style (since Guitar Shop, although I did love that album) grates on me after a while.  Still, he is a legend and there is no one like him.  If the price is right, I might go to the Milwaukee show.

As I said, I saw BW 3 times on the C50 tour and I challenge anybody to say his voice was better, he was more alert, he was more engaged, or any yardstick of measurement that he was good during the tour. I like BW. I am in awe of his talents and his music. However, I sat 2nd row one time, 6th row another time and folks, it was heartbreaking to see him. His singing was augmented by backups routinely. Nothing I am saying is meant to slam him, but simply to face facts, he is nowhere near his former self. I loved seeing him during the tour for all he represents. Singing new or old songs, he OWES it to the fans to show a level of intensity for which we  paid big dollars. Bitch about ML as much as you want but his band gives 100 percent every time I have seen them.

It's a crapshoot isn't it? Maybe you'll see a relatively engaged Brian, giving it what he can with his limited stage presence and vocal abilities on a good night, or maybe you'll be unlucky and catch him on a bad night where he sits slumped behind an untouched keyboard, with a bored zombie - like stare as he barks off key into a microphone.

I think it really just comes down to Brian having good days and bad days. It's always a risk buying a ticket to a BW show because you never really know where his head will be. You can always be sure his band will be great though, and you'll hear some amazing songs. Plus with this show you also get the bonus of Jeff Beck, Al and Dave, and maybe Blondie, depending on what show you're considering. So all that takes a little pressure of Brian, so ideally he'll be more engaged during his time in the spotlight, although reviews from last night are proving that might not be the best line of thinking.

I would go see this show, but the date closest to me is the charity show at The House Of Blues for $300/ticket. Even though it's for a worthy cause, and I'll be teaching a class literally across the street 2 hours before the show, I just can't justify spending that kind of money.

This is very well put. After 15 years if a crapshoot is the best one can expect, then I think the powers that be might see the light and realize Brian already gave us more than enough.