The Smiley Smile Message Board

Discuss, review and rate Live In Las Vegas, released September 2001.

(http://www.smileysmile.net/images/albums/Live-In-Las-Vegas-web.jpg)

A wonderful, fun concert. Everyone's having a great time. Just shows that at one time, Al's band came the closest to replicating the "classic" live sound the group had in the 70s. Now Brian has that, and he doesn't particularly excel at it.

Fun, much more good than bad, not perfect. 

i think al sounds more like the bb than brian does on this album. great harmonies and great song selection, not only hits.

Fantastic album! Al's the real deal if anyone wants to see/hear a Beach Boys-show. I give it a 4, 'cause I think the instrumental tracks werde done better by Brian and band, and also some vocals.
Still this one is absolute great and it's better than the Mike'n'Bruce-show will ever be imho. Al's voice is unbelievable good and still sounds fresh after all those years. The new studiorecording is great, I hope to hear more from him, or that this song will be on the new Beach Boys-release, 'cause imo it's one of the best songs to come out by the Beach Boys in the last almost 20 years. Al's and Brian's kids sound great, too. You really have to think about calling this band the Beach Boys, since there is more of the BBs-family than in any other BBs-related group.
BTW, why aren't Carnie and Wendy touring with Al anymore?

I believe I read an interview with Al where he stated the lawsuits made the ladies leave.  I can't put my hand on the article, however.

I remember reading something where he said it was "pressure from the board".. that BRI didn't think females should sing in a Beach Boys related band or some such..

Thanks for the replies. I just hope that their relationship is still okay. It would be a shame if such things would destroy friendships, but it wouldn't be the first time.... ::)

This album is lovely, great sound, great audience. But I´m a little upset with the Setlist, I think i´ve mentioned thas a several times before  :o

It would´ve been lovely to have California, Cottonfields, Lady Linda or Sea Cruise on it... where have all "Jardine" Songs gone? He only plays the Hits


But his song "California energy blues" is nice

Sea Cruise ???

Bitte Leif, sprich dich aus  :-D


The Beach Boys Version of this Song written by HP Smith/Frankie Ford released on their "Ten Years of Harmony" LP.
Al played that song at several shows (Sea Cruise and Runaway)...

I finally got this one and I think it's great. The performances are good and the vocals are excellent. I do think that for a guy who was fed up with being part of a human jukebox, he included a whole lot of the familiar hit songs on his set list. And why not a single one of his own songs? I can understand the absence of Lady Lynda (I'm sure it's awkward to sing a love song for your ex), but why no Lookin' At Tomorrow? Take A Load Off Your Feet? California? Susie Cincinnati? Or Cotton Fields?

Did he sing Sea Cruise live?  I know Denny did for 15 Big Ones sessions.

Always dug this one until I lost my copy a couple of years ago. Now it's €185 on Amazon.  :P

I really do enjoy this album. Makes one wonder why Mike/Bruce haven't followed suite. the version of Girl Don't Tell Me on here might just be the best version out there, the drums on it really make it rock! Great to hear a "rarity" live like Breakaway. California Energy Blues is ok, wonder why it wasn't re-done for his new album?

he was too busy rerecording old songs from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s to rerecord a song from the 2000s.

haha, good call....and the energy crisis may be a little out dated now

Never got a chance to see Al + his band live so im glad to have this CD.. Very good performance + Matt Jardine like usual is great also.. I agree wish he had done some Al written BB songs . The album is a keeper..4/5  No doubt Dennis is way underrated but I think so is Alan.. To some fans he is an afterthought.. Not with me.. And he is super nice when you meet him..

Was this the full concert?

On the back of the CD, it looks like You Still Believe in Me and Kokomo are scratched out. 

Since the track list looks like an actual setlist from the stage, does this mean that both songs were cut from the show itself, or just the CD? 

Al did a long run of shows at the end of 1999 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It looks like he did 14 shows over about two weeks. He apparently actually lugged his analog gear out there to record shows. While he may not have recorded all 14 of the shows, I would guess he recorded several of the shows at least and probably pulled different songs from different shows.

I'm not sure if the back cover is from one particular setlist from one show, but both YSBIM and "Kokomo" were sporadically in Al's setlists in 1999 and were likely performed at some point over the course of those two weeks.

I thought even back then that it was kind of weird to scratch song titles out, essentially teasing what they left *off* the album.

Thanks for the info, HJ.

I ranked this album a 4 out of 5. 

Definitely a fun live album, especially worth it for a live version of Breakaway. 

I noticed that Al made sure to say "I'm Beach Boy Al Jardine, and this is my family and friends."  The show must've been soon after he was forced to drop "Beach Boys" from his name.

All the vocalists are in top form, the Jardine brothers, the Wilson sisters, Billy, and of course Al.

The "bonus" track however......whew.  I'd have gladly jettisoned that song for a live version of You Still Believe in Me or Kokomo. 

At least Neil Young didn't scratch the missing "If You Got Love" from the tracklist of Trans.  :hat