The Smiley Smile Message Board

My friend from Carmel Big Sur area , practicaly a neighbor of Al Jardine, just called to tell me of an article in the Coast Weekly reporting a tentative Beachboys reunion tomorrow night in Big Sur.  Supposed to be everyone who played or participated in the Postcards project.

And furthermore, reports of a 5 concert free concert series to celebrate the 50th coming up.  Free so to circumvent all legal binds of doing a for profit series.

I am being encouraged to hop a flight for San Jose tonight where I will be whisked down to Big Sur for the event tomorrow.

Of course I am skeptical and said I would immediately touch bases with you folks to see if any of this has been rumoured or verified.

So.........???????

Well?????

I suspect that if something like that were to actually happen, it would be very "low key", and you wouldn't really know for sure until you actually saw everybody there. If you were being offered an "all expenses paid" trip, then I'd take it in a heartbeat.  ;)

Not David, according to his wife:
http://www.boards2go.com/boards/board.cgi?action=read&id=1286372094&user=bellagio

Good luck with "being whisked"...the wife I and just returned late Sunday night from our weeklong honeymoon in Big Sur.  The "way FROM San Jose" to Big Sur, coastal Highway 101 morphing into Highway 1, is rocky, winding, and particularly treacherous when drivers behind you insist on breaking the speed limit...which they frequently do.   Otherwise, we found Big Sur to be absolutely breathtaking!

Hey donald, take a fellow West Virginian if you go?  ;)

Mike & Bruce are playing Biloxi in Mississippi that night, Carrie says David's not attending, and somehow I don't see Carl turning up, so that leaves Brian. I really wish people would do some very basic Googling before starting threads like this. The article's author almost certainly means Alan's studio band.

I was so excited when I got the call that I came straight to the computer and directly to this site.  Never thought to even look at the Beach Boys tour schedule 1st.  I think my friend wanted to give me the "scoop" as a resident of the area.

That is why I asked you guys.  I knew someone here could pretty quickly confirm the report.

Just pleased to have saved you the plane ticket. Here's the relevant section from the article in question:

"While the new Beach Boys recording looks unlikely at this point, Jardine does say there are plans to reunite with his remaining bandmates to celebrate the Beach Boys’ 50th anniversary next year. “We are still debating how that might work,” he says. “We’ve agreed to do five free concerts. We don’t know where.”

But those five shows look like all that Beach Boys fans can hope for at this point. “It’s complicated,” Jardine reiterates as his dog Porkchop sniffs around his legs. “It’s complicated with so many managers, lawyers and candlestick makers. It’s kind of like a crazy little nursery rhyme really.”

There’s an interesting twist on that tale, though: Since the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer says he invited everyone who played on A Postcard From California to the Henry Miller Library show, it’s possible that first Beach Boys show could be part of Jardine’s hometown debut after all.

AL JARDINE and a TBD special-guest backing band play at 7:30pm Friday, Oct. 8, at Henry Miller Library, located a quarter mile south of Nepenthe Restaurant on Highway 1, Big Sur. $35 plus fees. 667-2574."

"says he invited everyone who played on..."  ::)

BTW, my sources say the "agreed to do five free concerts" claim is somewhat questionable.

This is very cool: Red Barn Studio (http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/archives/2010/2010-Oct-07/exploring-the-onlyinbigsur-red-barn-recording-studio/1/@@index)

That was cool.
Tho,  I was SO hoping for some closeups of concert flyers from early 1962 before Al left the group, the first time. 

If I were anywhere near the Monterey Bay area tonight, I would still want to go.  Seeing Al perform  in his natural "habitat" would be great, even without the other Beachboys.

If anyone gets a report on the show, please post.

I'm anywhere near the Monterey Bay area tonight, Don. 

Film at 11.

Aren't you south of SF?


I've been all over Big Sur over the years but never attended a function at this venue.  I hear it's unique and very in the spirit and history of the area.


So Mikie, if you get news at 11:00 (2:00 EST)  post it and I'll have a look in the a.m.

News on this?

What would you like to know? Ask away.

Al on vocals & guitar, Matt Jardine on vocals and percussion, Adam Jardine on vocals, Billy Hinsche on keyboard, Ed Carter on bass, Bobby Figueroa on drums, Tom Jacob on Hammond B-3 organ, Johnny Mirani on harmonica, Scott Slaughter also on keyboard, and another guy playing a cello that sounded great on Good Vibrations! I know I'm missing one guy - maybe a guitar player. There's a guy named Stevie Hegar that usually plays in Al's band - forgive me if he was there and I neglected to include him here. Not sure if Richie Cannata was there playing sax either. Steve Kalinich read poetry before and during the show!

Here's what I remember. There may be a couple I left out, but this is pretty much it - not in this order:

LITTLE DEUCE COUPE
409
SHUT DOWN
I GET AROUND
SAIL ON SAILOR
CAMPFIRE SCENE (Intro to CAL SAGA)
CALIFORNIA SAGA
CALIFORNIA GIRLS
DO IT AGAIN
CATCH A WAVE
HAWAII
KOKOMO
GOD ONLY KNOWS
RUNAWAY
CALIFORNIA FEELIN'
LOOKIN' DOWN THE COAST
DON'T FIGHT THE SEA
TIDEPOOL INTERLUDE
SAN SIMEON
DRIVIN'
HONKIN' DOWN THE HIGHWAY
A POSTCARD FROM CALIFORNIA
AND I ALWAYS WILL
WOULDN'T IT BE NICE
SLOOP JOHN B.
DO YOU WANNA DANCE
DANCE, DANCE, DANCE
GOOD VIBRATIONS
HELP ME RHONDA
BARBARA ANN
FUN, FUN, FUN

No Brian ?

No Mike ?

No Bruce ?

No David ?

No Carl ?

No Dennis ?

Some reunion that turned out to be.  >:(

I thought there might be an outside chance that one of the members of CSNY might show up, or even Steve Miller, but no dice. Neil Young doesn't live too far away, but according to Al, he had a hard time getting Neil down to Big Sur the first time. Ol' Stevie Kalinich did the Alec Baldwin interlude, and it was cool! Mentioned some lyrics he'd written with Brian.........

A cool part was when Al played California Saga, and when they got to the part of the song about "Big Sur", the local yokels let out a whoop 'n a holler!

Thanks for the report!
My first question would be: from what you observed, do you believe audio/video recordings of this event might accidentally exist?
Not that I would like to hear or see this.. that would be wrong..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN9Vf8V54ws (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN9Vf8V54ws)

The entire concert was definitely recorded. I saw a pro video camera strategically set up on a tripod in the middle of the venue. Also saw two nice cameras set up with zoom lenses on each side in the back.

Highlights for me. Watching the Beach Boys supporting musicians that I grew up seeing on stage at concerts in the 70's and 80's. Billy Hinsche, Ed Carter, and Bobby Figueroa. These guys haven't missed a beat and are as good, if not better than they use to be. Billy sang a very strong "Sail On Sailor". Fantastic!! He reminded the crowd that he ws part of Dino, Desi, and Billy, and that he was the brother-in-law of the late Carl Wilson. Bobby wailed on the drums and it's no wonder he use to fill in beautifully on drums when Dennis was incapacitated or just tired. He use to play percussion with the Boys as his primary duty. Ed Carter played bass and sang the harmony parts with precision! "Smilin' Eddie Carter" he was called last night - otherwise known as "Steady Eddie Carter". Damn, I loved seeing those guys again. And Matt Jardine. His falsetto easily rivals anyone, including Jeff Foskett and Randell Kirsch. If you don't believe me, listen to the Red Barn Rehearsals and acoustic sets with The Boys from 1993. Gone is the pony tail, but the guy can not only still sing, but plays a mean percussion too! There was a guy playing a real cello on stage, and Al walked over to him and made a big deal of it near the end of Good Vibrations with extended playing and his mic was turned up in the mix to emphasize his part. Really neat touch.

Don't know about the camera in the middle of the venue, but I was told the videographer who was set up in the back on the deck was given permission to record the entire show only if the video recordings were not posted or distributed.

Thanks so much for the report and setlist, Mikie! 

Just a minor correction, Mikie meant to type "Runaway" rather than "Runaround Sue".

Al last nite in Big Sur.

(http://i51.tinypic.com/24b0nk0.jpg)

Correction acknowledged and duly noted!

So you got his name and info? 

Unfortunately, wasn't there!  Heard it was a great concert though!

I see... Any chance of audience recordings?

Like this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifg4T5WGKPY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifg4T5WGKPY)

There will be something that will surface from this fairly soon.  

Very intimate setting. I didn't see anybody there that I know personally. Had to walk down Highway 1 back to my car and it was blacker than the Ace of Spades. Very dark and eerie. All I could hear was the recording of "Run James Run" playing on the sound system on the way out of the venue.  

Found Lookin Down the Coast on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifg4T5WGKPY&NR=1

Thanks for the report Mikie.  Yes it is indeed black out there at night.  I've not been to the venue but passed by during an event there one day.  Cars along highway 1 and apparently some sort of shuttle taking people in.

Glad you got to see the show.   With that lineup, its as good as the the BB touring band.   Wish I could have been there, reunion or not.

Actually Billy co-sang Sail on Sailor with Bobby Figueroa. They have been doing it that way for years now.
The show was recorded. Al mentioned it was for a project they are working on. It was a perfect show to record too. The new stuff was great, the crowd unbelievable in their enthusiasm and the setting gorgeous!

If I remember right, Al introduced this as being a "stripped down" version of the song.

Don, we'll have to touch base the next time you come out here!

Mikie,

I was there but didn't see you.  Of course, it was pretty dark.   I was next to video guy in the back.   I think AL said  it was California Feeling that was a stripped down version.      I was pretty knocked out by the songs from A Postcard From California.  The audience seemed to really appreciate his new stuff. and Don't Fight The Sea and San Simeon were outstanding!!

It was some  awesome show i for fans like us.

Les in SF

setlist from the Big Sur show:

setlist:
California Girls
Dance, Dance, Dance
Do You Wanna Dance
Do It Again
Catch A Wave
Hawaii
409
Shut Down
Little Deuce Coupe
I Get Around
Band Intros by Billy
A Postcard From California
California Feelin'
Looking Down The Coast
Don't Fight The Sea ( killer version with Al's neighbor playing cello for the whale sounds )
Tidepool Interlude (Stephen did the vocals joined by Scott Slaughter's keyboard work.
A California Saga (Al played the banjo!)
San Simeon
Honkin' Down The Highway
Drivin'
Sail On Sailor
Runaway
Sloop John B
Wouldn't It Be Nice
Good Vibrations ( a lot of that was in the air tonight)
Kokomo
Help Me Rhonda ( original version with Johnny adding his harmonica)

Encore
Barbara Ann
Fun Fun Fun

An amazing show to be at to hear many of A Postcard From California songs performed live for the first time!

The band rehearsed "And I Always Will " during the soundcheck but did not perform the tune for the show.  Al appeared very pleased with the performance and the reaction the new songs got.  I encouraged him, Matt and Adam to continue performing them!

Les in SF

How many people were there?

Dunno, I couldn't count 'em all.  It was too dark.

Actually, I think the seating capacity was 300. The seats (folding chairs) were filled and people were standing in the back. The little woman and I sat on a log near a big Redwood tree in the back. Somebody next to us brought their big dog too. During the Pet Sounds segment of the show, the dog barked. I handed him half of my roast beef sandwich and was lucky to pull back all of my fingers.....