The Smiley Smile Message Board

Bear in mind, he only had an hour-long slot:

California Girls
Dance Dance Dance
Shut Down
Little Deuce Coupe
Do It Again
Don't Worry Baby
Surfer Girl
I Get Around
Darlin'
They Can't Take That Away From Me
Do You Wanna Dance
Sloop John B.
Wouldn't It Be Nice
God Only Knows
Good Vibrations
Help Me, Rhonda
Barbara Ann
Surfin' USA
Fun Fun Fun

Wasn't someone saying something about 'Mike's oldies band' ?  ::)  Most recent composition is about 43 years old.

Exactly, Andrew. Though I see nothing wrong with either of the bands performing that setlist, especially if it is a 60 mins. show. Having too many hits to perform at a concert is a very good problem to have. ;)

All top 40 hits, except for TCTTAFM, right?

Nope, nothing wrong with doing the catalog (though I wish with every fiber of my being that everyone would drop "Barbara-fucking-Ann"...), it's just that when Mike & Bruce do it they're vilified, yet it's perfectly OK by the same people casting stones when Brian does a nearly identical setlist. All I ask for is a little more consistency and a lot less knee-jerk reflex.

I think it's a great setlist, only a little odd to place the Gershwin number  in between two uptempo numbers, but maybe there's a break there?

But Barbara-Ann gets audiences on their feet and Brian plays bass.

What, no one accused him of lip-synching again?  ;D

What a unique setlist!! California Girls as opener and Fun Fun Fun as a closer after Rhonda, Barbara Ann and USA!

The line "Well everybody say yeee-e-ah" at the opening of Barbara Ann plays a special part in the Brian Wilson legacy and is featured on
his critically aclaimed SMiLE album.... NOT!

Did Brian hope the audience had a lot of Fun Fun Fun before the last song? ;)

At least Brians voice was in such terrible shape that no one at his senses could accuse him of lipsyncing.

Innovative!

//Cynical RD

Be gentle, Andrew, Barbara Ann is for the folks who don't know the words to the rest of the songs!  It gives the rest of us a rest~!  :lol
 

Boy, not here in Philly. Everyone knows the lyrics to the songs. Most of the time it was hard to hear the band singing from the crowd singing along, especially during the "Home stretch".

So wait, only ONE track from the Gershwin album? And NONE from the previous two? It's like Brian's purposefully ignoring his solo career.

He was headlining a multi-act show, he had 60 minutes. I'm surprised he did even that.

Gee, I don't know. Seems to me if he's the headliner, he could play what he wants, and try to bring the audience with him.
60 minutes means he could play a chunk of Gershwin numbers, swing into Barbara Ann, and head off the stage with FFF

Brian was more of a second choice after one of the main acts cancelled...

Even better then. If he's just filling in for a cancelled act,there aren't all the same expectations that people  bought their tickets becasuse they thought they were going to see " the Beach Boys",  so he had the chance to WOW audiences with his new Gershwin material, pull em up by their bootstraps, and initiate them into the real world of Brian.

Well, in my humble opinion... that setlist...IS THE REAL WORLD OF BRIAN.... without a doubt a selection of the very best songs ever written, produced, composed by Brian. There's no track to be found on any of my bootlegs that can top Dance, Dance, Dance, Do It Again or Darlin'

I love that setlist... there's just a couple of weak tracks.... and the Gershwin track is one of them...
If I was to select ONE hour of the prime works of Brian Wilson... probably nothing from Gershwin or TLOS would show up....
And especially not Barbara Ann or Johnny B Goode...

//RD
feeling cynical tonight... sorry for any inconvenience

Did Darian sing lead on "Darlin"? If so, the Aussies got a real treat!

He couldn't even muster up 'Heroes and Villains'? Geez, Brian!

Not even Marcella or Love and Mercy? This guy used to sing both This Whole World and 'Til I Die in concert...

He could add so many interesting songs to the setlist while still ending the concert with Fun Fun Fun (I don't mind, it's a great song). What about introducing a medley consisting of He Come Down/That Same Song/Walking Down the Path of Life? What about Mona? Funky Pretty? Male Ego? The list goes on and on...

GIven that the event in question was a multi act event, the audience didn't book specifically to see Brian. They would have been a broad audience, probably familiar with the bulk of the material presented and many would not have heard any of Brian's solo work.

So in such a set, you throw one curve ball...which was TCCTAFM.

I am sure that when Mike & Bruce play, their audience is somewhat similar. And they throw the occasional curve ball too.

For a Brian Wilson show, the audience is made up of Brian Wilson geeks like us lot on this board. We are more familiar with the less well known material. We wet our pants when he sings something obscure from the canon. The audience in Australia would probably have gone for another beer if he'd played Love & Mercy.

Easy guys. New songs means rehearsing and rehearsing and rehearsing. Brian was quite busy recording and then promoting the new album. They probably didn't have that much time. And since it's not a BW solo-event, it is totally logical to use the songs that go over great with an audience looking for some fun. Wait for the RFH-concerts for new material (both, Gershwin and Wilson compositions)

Let's see what his non-package in Adelaide 11/3 looks like. To give you a notion of how the package shows are structured, here's the running order for the Melbourne show:

5:00pm - doors open
5:20pm - 5:35pm - Danielle Spencer
5:50pm - 6:50pm - All Stars
7:05pm - 7:35pm - Peter Frampton
7:50pm - 8:20pm - America
8:35pm - 9:05pm - Chicago
9:25pm - 10:25pm - Brian Wilson

Who exactly are the 'All Stars'?

Mike, Bruce, Alan, David & Stamos. I think Dean Torrence too.

So you're saying that Mike, Bruce, Alan, David, Stamos & Dean Torrence  were on the bill already, and then Brian was added at a late date to replace one  of the other headliners?

I don't think Mike & Bruce are in the All-Stars, though all the others are, for sure. Now, generally, you don't have Al, David or Dean all at one show, though I think it has happened a very few times. It is usually just one or sometimes 2 of the three.

I'm saying, maybe I need to use smileys a bit more than I do...  ::)

I was hoping they'd do Surf City, The Little Old Lady From Pasadena, Back in the USSR, Sherry, and my favorite, Duke of Earl.

Now why would anyone characterize them as an "oldies act"?  :p

Now Andrew, sarcasm is the lowest form of humour  :lol

Really?  Who decides? 

But then I'm sure much of Mike and Bruce's setlist is Mike and Bruce's choice while Brian's setlist is usually in whose hands?

I hate blind Mike bashing as much as the next guy, but it's something to think about.

So in other words, nobody knows who the all stars are?  :)

I think, Australian stars would be a better term, i.e. Kate Ceberano, Blue King Brown, Daryl Braithwaite, Ross Wilson, Joe Camilleri, Deborah Conway and Stephen Cummings.

Anyone from this mb going to the show at the enmore this coming Friday 5th ?

Yes I am going with my father, my Mrs and a beatles nut(trying to convert). We are in row  8)A

There is a website fot the Surf City All Stars

I'll be going to the Enmore on Friday.

FYI: quite a few of the local and interstate fans who have been around for a number of years are having a pre and post show meet up. Details below always good to meet new people and catch up with old friends:

WHERE:  The Queens Hotel
               167 Enmore Rd, Enmore
WHEN:    6pm onwards.

Opposite side of Enmore Rd from the Enmore Theatre. 150m west (away from the Newtown or City end of Enmore Rd). Look for the Razors Bistro signs (Razors is the pub's bistro). The pub has an open front onto Enmore Rd and we'll grab the front of the pub near the street so you can't miss us. Meet time 6pm onwards ... with some lurkers hanging out there earlier. Food availabe in the pub. Pub closes around 2am so we can do post show meet up and debrief.

No surprises this time, just friends catching up and enjoying each others company.  

I am not sure I would bother going to a show with that setlist. I don't care if its Brian, Mike or Al. I have heard all those songs performed live many times before. With the exception of the Gershwin tune.

SACRILEGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
I'd go if it was Brian, Mike and AL

That show is not aimed at people like us who have seen Brian before. Its aimed at casual pop music fans who have likely never seen anyone on the list perform live.

Exactly. He was a replacement headliner! He's not what most people at the concert paid to see....

Interesting point - AFAIK, he was a replacement only for the Melbourne show (after Gabriel bailed due to 'scheduling conflicts'/slow ticket sales, take your pick). I think he might have been a last minute addition to the A/C/F package.

Here's the setlist for tonight:
California Girls
Girl Don't Tell Me
Dance, Dance, Dance
Little Girl I Once Knew
...Surfer Girl
In My Room
Salt Lake City
Shut Down
Deuce Coupe
Catch A Wave
Don't Worry Baby
I Get Around
Sail on Sailor
Darlin’
Do It Again
Then I Kissed Her
Please Let Me wonder
Add Some Music
Heroes and Villains
All Summer Long
Do You Wanna Dance
Sloop John B.
Wouldn't It Be Nice

Quite a bit better, if you ask me.

If this really is the setlist,  congratulate. It takes some balls not to do "Surfin USA" or "Barbara Ann". Not that I have a problem with that....

It was posted on 'Brian's' FB.

I think the encores are missing as someone posted "Love And Mercy" from Adelaide on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPliMe5DckA

Setlist from Sydney, hot off the presses --

California Girls
Girl Don't Tell Me
Dance Dance Dance
The Little Girl I Once Knew
Surfer Girl
In My Room
Salt Lake City
(Row Row Row)
Shut Down
Little Deuce Coupe
Catch A Wave (with false start)
Don't Worry Baby (Jeff)
I Get Around
Sail On Sailor (*stunning* harmonies -- and I think they've changed the arrangement)
Darlin' (Darian)
Do It Again

Then I Kissed Her (Jeff + Brian)
Please Let Me Wonder
Add Some Music
Heroes And Villains (Cantina versino)
All Summer Long
Do You Wanna Dance (in a lower key)
Sloop John B
Wouldn't It Be Nice (Jeff, Brian on bridge)
God Only Knows

...and then the Gershwin mini-set:
Rhapsody In Blue
I Got Rhythm
I Got Plenty Of Nothin' (Paul trading off harmonicas in mid-phrase)
They Can't Take That Away From Me

Good Vibrations

For the encores, they were joined by Gerry & Dewey from America, on backing vocals, tambourine, and eventually a guitar nicked from Jeff:
Johnny B. Goode
Help Me Rhonda
Barbara Ann
Surfin USA
Fun Fun Fun

Love And Mercy



Overall, the show wasn't a religious experience a la the Smile or TLOS shows, but a damn good performance -- Brian was very present, chatty, loose, and casual to the point of being sloppy in spots.  Playing so much piano at times he seemed more focused on it than his singing -- he sounded a bit off-mic / low-in-the-mix in places, but his backing vocals stood out (he was adding lots of little interjections in "Darlin'", for example).  "God Only Knows" was a bit shaky, but there was a wonderful moment in the intro where he just leaned back and looked up to heaven before singing.

They *nailed* the new material -- not bad for possibly first show ever for three of those numbers!  "Rhapsody" was completely acapella, and with the full array of voices it sounded uncannily like "Prayer".  I think I saw God.  They tacked the second theme from Rhapsody (on baritone sax!) onto the closing of "I Got Rhythm".  "They Can't Take That Away From Me" -- pure exuberance.

No Taylor or Todd; Mikey D on drums.  I noticed they'd been coming up with some new touches...  Paul added harmonica to "Surfer Girl", there was a new glockenspiel part in "Add Some Music" (which was gorgeous, and Brian was positively beaming), and Paul joined Scott and Darian on keys for "Sail On Sailor" (which sounded the best it ever has -- they absolutely nailed the low harmonies.  Brian may not like the lyrics, but if everything around them sounds so good, I'm glad to keep it in the set).

After the show, I only got to say thanks to Probyn for a couple of seconds before they elbowed those of us who hadn't scored a backstage pass out of the theater.  And a quick apology to Tony and the Prof for not joining them afterwards -- my wife needed to go home to get some sleep!

Not bad for an oldies band, eh?

Cheers,
Jon Blum

set list is always secondary to performance quality. Who cares for a rarities-filled set list poorly performed or sung? I'd take no problem a greatest-hits setlist that is well sung and performed.

Jonathan, thanks for the good review!  :)

Not wishing to seem pickier than I usually am... but Todd hasn't toured with Brian since 2001, Mikey's been back since 2008 and it was announced a couple of months ago that Taylor was taking a few months out for personal reasons.

So what.

If anyone recorded this show...well you know the rest.

So... yeah, you're right, who gives a flying f***. Not me, any more.

Yes, a good show in Sydney by Bri, very relaxed and connected. The sound lacked a certain "something" - perhaps the absence of Taylor to fill out the top end. I thought Brian's look towards the heavens at the beginning of GOK was a moment of contemplation because he then sang the song in his "Gershwin" voice, not the shouty Brian voice.

A great set list ... well beyond the greatest hits package he has had to dish out as part of the current "oldies" tour - speaking of which that particular show with Frampton, America and Chicago was underway at the same time as Brians show in another part of town and that drew the nostalgia, greatest hits loving, Hawaiian shirt crowd away from the Enmore. The crowd at Brian's Enmore show had a lot of young inner city/independent/alternative types born well after the Beach Boys glory days had passed - this was a show for, and too, a crowd of people who understood Brian's music went beyond surfin', hot rods and girls - the Gershwin material was very well received.

Stand outs for me: Sail On Sailor (phew! wow!), everything off the Today/Summer Days Summer Nights albums, The full H&V Smile treatment (cantina/under arrest/bicycle rider), the Good Vibes hum dee dums, the Gershwin stuff!! I Got Plenty of Nothing will improve with repeated performances but that song is all about POWER!!! And Rhapsody sounds way better with the band vocals then it does with the Wall-O-Brians.

Good to catch up with Jon and everybody else ... shared a hilarious cab ride back from Enmore to the city with Maurice and the Professor - the Prof was in fine form and the cab driver thought he had a complete nut case on his hands - a good way to end the night.

Great great show.Being front row and centre was a little surreal!! Brian nearly lost it during GOK. He looked to the heavens twice before starting. I had gone equiped to capture the concert in all its glory but got caught up in all the excitement. I was also given an opportunity to go back stage but I was so satisfied with the concert that I decided not to. Heading to Hope Estate tonight. I thought Brian sounded great, darian's lead on Darlin was superb. Brian appears to be giving some of the others a chance to shine. Resident knob head Glenn A was chatting to me after the show and said gee they really miss Carl on GOK??????. The Gershwin songs were awesome and greatly recieved overall the best I have seen Brian. His vocal and stage presence have improved massively since his last visit.Thank god for the teleprompter though!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc6OWJKkwbk

Posted by the team!!  Brian actually played keys last night!!

That seems to me like it's an all-too-rare event. When is the last time Brian played keys -- or any instrument for that matter -- at one of his concerts? I would like to think it's not all that rare but I honestly have no idea.

Uhh, How could you tell he was actually playing them? I mean his hands moved a bit, but even being there( I obviously was not) you could tell that sounds were emanating from his fingertips?  what I heard more than anything else, from Youtube, was the windtunnel effect.

Brian has generally audible played keys on a number or two -- usually "In My Room" or the intro he worked up to "Marcella" -- since almost the beginning of his touring.

In the fall 09 U.S. tour (and I saw two stops of it) he started playing all the time. This is pretty consistent with that description. He was generally mixed lowish, but he was recognizably changing chords in time with the music, dropping out when it became too complex, etc., etc.

No reason to doubt this.

Nice clip but not Sydney last night. Venue looks outdoors and crowd too big for the Enmore, the footage looks earlier in the tour to me. Also the guy from America with the glasses was playing guitar last night during FFF.

Photos of the Sydney show and crowd are available at: http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/gallery/19722/1/Brian-Wilson

Definately not the nostalgia crowd.

Yeah, and Todd shouldn't be there as his full-time gig is with Styx. They are currently on tour, undertaking the monsterly task of the playing the phenomenal Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight albums in their entirety....go Todd (BTW, Todd played on most of the Gershwin trax...it seems Brian or Jeff has an affinity for Todd's playing) IMHO,  the guy is the best drummer out there, next to Neil Peart.

Yeah it is from another gig but I did not say it was from Sydney. I was saying that Brian played keys last night!! During love and Mercy he played keys and he was slightly out!! His key's were pretty high in the mix cause at the sound check they turned him right up. When he was not singing he played keys most of the time and sometimes would do this head tilted kind of sleepy motion like he was staring at something under the keys.

Couldn't agree more. Feet on the ground/clearheaded reply. I would've been extremely suprised if he'd played a Half Man/Half Biscuit set (50% TLOS/50% BWRG).

Hey 18thofMay - sorry if I came off snotty - must be the lack of sleep over the weekend. 

Sweet!! Great concert and all ended up at some up the road listening to crazy irish punk music...