By the way....for full size photos, select *properties* and then copy the URL. Paste it into your browser and there you go. We will upload the ones from our camera soon. Some good ones...

OK....didn't work. Let us try again.


[/img]

Here ya go. These are from the local newspaper (The Albuquerque Journal). Some good stuff. Will post our personal pics later....

Very nice review Beach Bum....looks like you got the first stage rushers of the tour! 

Man, I was tentative early, as that kind of thing did not get reported about in other shows. But at intermission, we decided it was time. The area around the stage pretty much filled up after that and nobody hassled us. Glad that I did, although we missed most of the video because we were focused on the players. My wife was right next to a speaker, and she is still talking way too loud! The Bowl was really nice but we were in the very back and I just didn't come away with the same feeling. This time, I really got it. These guys really mean it, even after 50 years. It may never happen again, but that might be a good thing. The reviews have been overwhelmingly positive and 2 years ago we all would have accepted such a grand finale.

My main revelation? Brian is WAY MORE cognizant and together than I ever would have thought. He just does things the BRIAN way. He is happy....I am convinced of that. He just doesn't display it in the ways most of us would. Al still gets the short end of the stick tho....not sure what is up with that. Mike made me a fan...and I would have bet money before against that. He really loves this band.

So do I.

Will get pictures up soon....I promise.

The 8x10 is very high quality and clearly not a print. The only thing that might be better would be a signed album. I never saw the signed program, but would have loved one of those as well. The signed CD is (IMHO) too small, however.

I'll try and post some pics later.

How can the 8x10 be very high quality and not be a print?

What I meant was, the autographs are clearly not a print of originals. They were written directly on the photo we bought. I was really impressed with it. Except for Marks, I have all their autos on various albums (mainly Brians) but --believe it or not, I think this one is my favorite. A MUST buy if you see the show.....and a lot better deal than the CDs....

The 8x10 is very high quality and clearly not a print. The only thing that might be better would be a signed album. I never saw the signed program, but would have loved one of those as well. The signed CD is (IMHO) too small, however.

I'll try and post some pics later.

Well, at least 2 of us were there. Been a while since I posted (although I read this board daily), but I just had to echo what a great show this was. The solo Brian tours had kind of gotten me spoiled (and lazy) and I guess that I kind of figured more of the same last night...but I could not have been more wrong. As good as those earlier solo tours were, the concert Friday night blew them away. The guys sounded awesome and the band was tight and rocking. Azmo had a pretty good synopsis of what transpired, but let me add my own personal experiences. First off, got great tickets...in row 2 right in the middle. Does anyone know if they had a "meet and greet" at this show? When we bought our tickets they were sold out, although we could not find anyone who had actually been at the meet and greet, despite being up close. Anyway, bought the obligatory t-shirt to go along with my Hollywood Bowl 2012 T-shirt along with one of the yellow ones for my wife. Got a signed Postcards From California CD from Al, another BeachBoys 50 cap and some other stuff we did not have the chance to get in LA. The best was an 8x10 signed photo from the band that I was hoping for. The crowd was great and there was a lot of love in the place. And what a great program, eh? Got another to have framed alongside some other stuff.

Coolest thing was I guess, at intermission, we started seeing people go up to the stage. That was are cue, so we spent the rest of the show right up against the stage. Made direct eye contact with everybody (Al told us "Thank you" when I yelled at him) and all of the other fanboy stuff (I won't bore you). Except for mentioning God....I mean, Brian. We had been yelling support for him throughout the night...starting when he was waiting in the wings at stage right ...just like everyone else has described at the shows. Well, Brian moves in mysterious way ( totally ignoring us). That is, until he strapped on the bass in the end. He gave us the biggest smile (and when I yelled and pointed to him) did so again. Laugh if you want, but I love him for that. It made for a perfect night. His music might have saved my life at a certain point a few years ago. This was certainly a high point for me personally, and a "greatest hit"....as I know that he does not do those things often.

Anyway, this was my first Beach Boys show with Brian in the band. Always hated Mike Love for his battles with Brian. I have done a 180 since the show. Yeah, Mike is somewhat smarmy in the videos, but onstage it all clicks. Guaranteed, he is one of the best 2 frontmen in the business (Jagger being the other). He had everyone charmed (especially the girls who were half his age). We all got to shake that hand or bump fists with him, but he held on to this thirty-something blond's hand a little longer thatn anyone else, and remarked, "I'll bet you were trying to take one of those diamonds from me!" (meaning one of the many rings on his fingers). Good stuff.

One more thing to add to the show. A girl jumped up on stage at the end. As a security person rushed out to get her, Mike stuck his arm out and montioned "no". He and Al then proceeded to give her autographs. She was still with them when a security guard made us leave from the front of the stage (with people imploring the stage crew for set lists and Brian's water bottle).

An amazing night. ...much better than the noseblood seats in Cali (though the family stuff was incredible!).

As Beach Boys fans, what has transpired this year (along with the album) should be considered nothing less than a miracle. Seeing Brian complete "God Only Knows" when the video failed seemed appropriate somehow.

Maybe God didn't invent the radio, but he sure made the Beach Boys a spiritual (Americana) experience (at least for me).

Dennis and Carl are sure to be tuning in.

Heh....remember the Endless Summer TV show the Beach Boys had in 1989? During one of the "campfire" segments:

BRIAN: What about "Be My Baby"?
MIKE: "Be My Baby?"?
BRIAN: You did it on your album.
MIKE: Uhhh...what album?
BRIAN: Looking Back With Love. You absolutely did it on your album. It was in the key of "A."
CARL: [strums an A chord]

[mind you, this is from memory, so this might not be verbatim, but it's pretty close.]

Very close

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4ooltsYHGg

at 57 seconds. Brian also says he listened to the song a few times so guess he has heard (part) of the album.

Boy, that was tough when Carl came in for his leads on Kokomo. I had forgotten how much I missed him.

It was just Dennis' time, I guess. If it had been up to us, no. But it had always been up to him. He had been drowning himself for years, sadly.

Clearly, bro and sis are cut from the same cloth.

You could be sued for such an improper remark.

Lawyers in love?

Clearly, bro and sis are cut from the same cloth.

These are all great points and great reading. I think there was more of an effort made this time around, because there was a lot of fear at the time I believe. This was an in-between time for the band. That is, after the non-stop success that Brian had led them to (which was essentially, gone forever by then -- even if they didn't yet know it) and prior to the other individuals in the band blossoming into writers/producers and taking charge of the band at various points.

I think they knew that Brian was in trouble. And if Brian was in trouble, they probably thought they were all in trouble. The music on the radio had changed, and it was essentially outside of their realm. As everyone knows, I am not a fan of the album (although I respect those who are), and I think that it was a desperate attempt to capitalize on the success of Good Vibrations.

Just my .02....

I wrote it.

"Southern California
Not just a place on the map
Hell, I almost caught the clap
Don't say that I didn't warn ya
'Bout that Southern California"

Okay....perhaps I didn't write it.

I agree with there. It definitely was a little fawning and shallow.

Still, I prefer this assured (almost cocky) Brian to what I see in most interviews. Ya really got to wonder though.....is he just twisting our knobs?

Honest to god, I think that there is more behind the eyelids going on than we ever realize. Part of the mystery.

This is really awkward to watch.

Curious as to why. Brian comes off much better with females than males.

That endless summer thing again.

Although I was happy to get it, I thought it was rather skimpy. Now, a GREAT DEAL for Brian/BB fans would have been to include all five of the bonus tracks. That would have sold like hotcakes!

In closing, Smiley Smile is like Love You. Y'get it or y'don't. That's what separates the true fans from those in the private clubhouse

Is that right? Is that on some stone tablet somewhere? Just because you like it does not make it the yardstick by which to measure fans by. You
probably like Cap'n Crunch cereal too. Me, I hate it.

PS....there is nothing to "get"....except it is an embarrassment at a time when Brian Wilson and the Boys were considered cutting edge pop. I am
glad that you like it....I don't. Neither opinion forms the basis of either "true" or "private clubhouse" fans.

Peace!

I could be wrong, but it seems that I recall online sales not kicking in until the second week on Billboard. If so, it could definitely improve. That Daily Double was pretty much dead-on.

For the helluva it:

Songs

1. Surfs Up
2. Lets Go Away For A While
3. In My Room
4. Cabinessence
5. All Summer Long
6. Midnight’s Another Day
7. Feel Flows
7. River Song
8. I Get Around
9. I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times
10. Sail On Sailor

Albums

1. Pet Sounds
2. Smile Bootlegs
3. Brian Wilson Presents Smile
4. That Lucky Old Sun
5. Sunflower
6. Today
7. Brian Wilson 1988
8. The Beach Boys Love You
9. Surf's Up
10. Friends

Definitely a nice bit of trivia. Never would have caught that.....thanks!

No wonder he was the "front man." The guys in the band didn't want to have to look at him.

Mike as a chimp

Good God Almighty! That is Mike Love for sure! Man, thanks for that! I should probably PayPal you a liver or something similar for such art!

Dear Beach Bum -

I was joking! Heaven forbid that this would turn into a 'Don'-board... my respect for other posters is way too high for that! Let's shake hands and have a virtual Bud now...

Done, sir! Sorry for not getting the joke. It is late (an excuse). I probably can't listen to Smiley without a bias. I just went thru too many years dreaming of the imaginary legend of "Smile."

Sorry for taking things so serious. Hey....how about That Lucky Old Sun?

.....which makes what he has accomplished in the last 8 years, all that more amazing.

I measure my life in greatest hits. One might be my marriage or the birth of a child. The rebirth of Brian Wilson is something I consider one of my lifes greatest hits.

Wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Maybe this will make better sense to you. I already had all of the Smile boots before I bought Smiley Smile. Strange timeline perhaps, but that was how it happened. How could anyone not be disappointed and majorly P-O'd after that?

Nah, nobody will ever be able to convince me that was a great album. I don't think that I have ever been let down more in my entire life. Brian gave up that year. Sure, he made appearances and ocassionally blew our minds, but the dream was over.