You episodes have been totally wonderful! Highly recommended ❤️

That is pretty cool.  What were the circumstances around you getting backstage to speak with Carl?

I was a junior in high school. I presented myself to the promoter as a reporter/photographer for my school newspaper. That was a slight exaggeration. But I did get into the hall before the guys arrived. When the guys arrived at the boys club, Dennis looked incredibly cool in a striped tee shirt, but he wouldn’t let me take a picture until he got cleaned up. Carl spoke to the promoter about the show not being sold out and suggested the tickets might have been lower priced.  Carl was totally sweet and charming.  He was curious about my girlfriends little tape recorder.  He asked “American.” Nope, Japanese.  Bruce was an AH, answering ever question with “We’ll know when we get home and see Brian.” I asked Al if they had the cool white suits I saw them wear the year before in Buffalo.  He said yes, but did not engage. I was impressed when we heard the NYC horn players practicing “Wouldn’t it be Nice.” My girlfriend was totally shocked when one of the Pickle Brothers called someone a “ c*ck sucker.” Audible gasp. LOL Just before they went on stage, they posed for a group photo (in Ian’s book) as they sang “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” Al sarcastically asked if that was my “official camera?” a Kodak instamatic I used while my Minolta was in the repair shop. Bruce was concerned that the flash would make a glare from one of his fillings. BB humor. Great memories.

When The Beach Boys played the Pittsfield Boys Club in 1968, I got to chat with Carl before the show in the dressing room.  When I asked him what he was listening to he told me Cream, which surprised me!

1968 ? What was the setlist?

OMG I forgot to write it down!  Pretty much like the sets on BB on tour:1968; kicking off with Darlin and doing Friends and Little Bird, etc.  When I got inside before the show, Alex Chilton was on stage sitting with an acoustic guitar singing Darlin. I thought that was pretty cool.

When The Beach Boys played the Pittsfield Boys Club in 1968, I got to chat with Carl before the show in the dressing room.  When I asked him what he was listening to he told me Cream, which surprised me!

“That's so cool that you got to see them with Glen! Thanks for the share. Do you remember if the other guys played on the song as well or was it only Glen and his guitar?
Glen recorded "Tomorrow never comes" for an album. Great song!”

Everyone stayed on stage and backed Glen during his solo.

I've never seen any videos of Glen C. with the BB's, and I'm curious about what he did onstage. Obviously, he was technically replacing Brian, but...

1).  Was he playing bass?  I'm just wondering because he was normally a guitarist.  I suppose that they could have had Al play bass and Glen guitar. In one of the few pictures I've seen with them on stage, I can't see the instrument well, but from his fingers, it looks like he's playing a chord, which would suggest a guitar and not a bass. 

2).  Did he sing Brian's leads?  After Bruce joined, they seemed to have Bruce sing Brian's falsetto backup vox, but Al or Carl handled his leads.  Does anybody know if they did the same with Glen? 

My first ever concert was the Beach Boys  in May 1965 and I was a total fan at 14.  My mom dropped me off at the Springfield Municipal Auditorium to see my heroes.  Glen Campbell was playing bass in Brian's absence.  About mid way in the show, Mike introduced Glenn who sung the song "Tomorrow Never Comes," an Ernest Tubb song!  The set was very similar to the Beach Boys Concert album with the addition of "Do You Wanna Dance" and some other current songs.  Dennis was presented with a bed sheet with the painted words "Dennis the Sexy Drummer."

[1967:ST]

The Session Highlights from "Aren't You Glad" on 1967:ST----strewth! Mr E wasn't joking about getting very psyched!  

Man, those taped piano strings? Easily makes it sound like a SMiLE outtake, especially the early versions of "I Love to Say Dada". We were wrong, Brian was definitely still at the top of his game during the Wild Honey sessions. Only after his hospital visit in mid-68 did he start losing focus with the Beach Boys.


Are you referring to the "plucking sounds" on the verses that you hear in the left channel.  I couldn't figure out what they were, but totally love them!  The song is amazing.

I like how the new arrangements are actually interesting and sound nothing like Imagination or NPP. Makes me optimistic about the covers album.

Who originally did "I'm Broke"?  It is not ringing any bells.  Thanks

While the Las Vegas show didn’t produce any new musical treats, it was a wonderful concert.  All the musicians seemed relaxed and having a blast.  My wife, a somewhat reluctant Brian fan, thought it was a top Brian show, right up there with the SMiLE show.  Brian seemed relaxed and his voice was mellow, but strong.  He seemed to be singing without the teleprompter quite a bit.  The show was relaxed and seemed like a family affair with family and friends in attendance.  They began with THEIR HEARTS WERE FULL OF SPRING and Brian dedicated the show to two of the Four Freshman who were present.  After CALIFORNIA GIRLS and DO IT AGAIN Brian let his comrades take the lead: Jeff on DON’T WORRY BABY, Al on COTTONFIELDS, David on LITLLE BIRD (with the great story of Dennis chopping down the tree David fell out of), and Blondie on SAIL ON SAILOR and an electrifying WILD HONEY (my personal high point).  After Darian sang DARLIN, Brian thanked “The great Darian Sahanaja, the great Jeff Foskett, and the great ME.”  HEROES AND VILLAINS was another show highlight. Al made a reference to “their” new Beach Boys box set and quickly made a correction as the lawyers were “running to their phones.”  Al also spit something out of his mouth right before an introduction and made a crack about his dentist in the audience. Brian later introduced Billy Hinche, along with Carl and Dennis’s ex-wives! The Jeff Beck set was amazing and SURF’S UP was another show highlight.  Beck added some fine guitar work to the encores of BARBARA ANN and SURFIN USA.  On SURFIN USA, Brian sang some of the SWEET LITTLE SIXTEEN cities!  All in all, one of our favorite Brian shows.

FYI  Back in 1968, the Beach Boys regularly played a few bars of the Seed's "Pushin' Too Hard" in their live shows.   Mike would introduce it as "...a bit of California Soul."

  Thanks!  I'll live a fuller life from now on...

Can anyone help me with the lyrics that the chorus whispers at the end of the first two verses?  One lyric site says it is "Michael, Michael" but that makes no sense.   

A diamond necklace played the pawn
Hand in hand some drummed along
To a handsome man and baton (Michael, Michael?)

A blind class aristocracy
Back through the opera glass you see
The pit and the pendulum drawn (Michael, Michael?)

For 40+ years I thought it was "Rise up, rise up" but I don't think that is correct either.  It is driving me nuts...Thanks for the help!

Also is it "..a handsome man and batton?"

What, no "Fun Fun Fun"?

Thank you for posting the set list.

oops.   FUN FUN FUN was the final song  Sorry

Another great show in Albuquerque on a perfect summer night!  The band was tight and harmonies were amazing!  I saw them at Jazz Fest and thought they were great, but was bummed that the set list cut out all the album gems and was basically the Mike & Bruce hits and surfin and car songs.  Not so now.  It was so great to hear PLEASE LET ME WONDER, KISS ME BABY, ALL THIS IS THAT, etc.  I was praying for a month that THIS WHOLE WORLD would return, but that didn't happen.  Also missing was COTTONFIELDS (a standout at Jazz Fest), OUR PRAYER, GOOD TIMIN, MARCELLA, etc.  At Jazz Fest, I thought Al and David stole the show, but this show was perfectly balanced with everyone shining. Bruce was great on DISNEY GIRLS. Al rocked THEN I KISSED HER. Darian was perfect on DARLIN and DON'T WORRY BABY with Jeff was spot on. Scott was excellent on BETSY, not something I was expecting or looking forward to.  Brian was hesitant on set one, but was engaged and sparkling in set 2. He was gesturing and seemed to be having a good time.  His vocals were great on HEROES, and SAIL ON SAILOR was the best I have ever heard him do!  The highlight of the show. I GUESS I JUST WASN'T MADE FOR THESE TIMES was excellent, too.  THAT'S WHY GOD MADE THE RADIO stood out, as did FOOLS, .  Even songs I can't stand like BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL, GETCHA BACK, AND STILL CRUISIN were fun.  There was a tech glitch on GOD ONLY KNOWS. No Carl vocal or video appeared, so Bruce quickly jumped in and then Brian took over the lead. All in all an amazing night of music.  We are bless to be able to be here to see this go down so beautifully...


Set list (may be a little out of order)

 

Do It Again
Catch A Wave
Hawaii (Mike)
Don't Back Down
Surfin Safari
Surfer Girl
Come Go With Me
Why Do Fools
When I Grow Up
Please Let Me Wonder
Getcha Back (David)
Darlin (Darian)
Wendy
Then I Kissed Her
Disney Girls
Isn't It Time
Kiss Me Baby
California Saga
Be True To Your School
Ballad of Old Betsy
Still Cruisin
Don't Worry Baby
Little Deuce Coupe
409
Shut Down
I Get Around

2nd
Pet Sounds
Add Some Music
Heroes & Villains
Sloop John B
Wouldn't It Be Nice (added by me, see below)
Sail On Sailor
I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
All This Is That
In My Room
That's Why God Made The Radio
Forever
God Only Knows
Good Vibrations
California Girls
Help Me Rhonda
Rock & Roll Music
Do You Wanna Dance
Surfin USA

Encore
Kokomo
Barbara Ann

Carl relaxing on the bus after the rainy June 3, 1972 Crystal Palace show in England:

Pittsfileld Boys Club 1966.  The local paper reported that (a pretty nervous) Carl sang "God Only Knows"  for the first time live in concert at this date.



Hartford Bushnell Auditorium 1968



Fillmore East 1968 with the Joshua Light Show



A few memories of this Fillmore East show:

The Beach Boys in 1968 were falling somewhere between irrelevance, obscurity, and rediscovery when they played the Fillmore East on October 11, 1968 with a new band Creedence Clearwater Revival as openers. The Joshua Light Show was behind them.  The BB stage show was totally pre-packaged and professional with crisp white suits and a union horn section. 

The highlight was mid-show when Dennis Wilson stepped away from drums to the spotlight and sings “Little Bird” with the tasty horns and a banjo part (Al) coming thru in crystal clear magical moments…one of my all-time favorite live music experiences!

During the first show a Creedence fan yelled “The Beach Boys need gas!”  Mike good naturedly responded and told the audience that they are “pre-packaged and cannot vary from the formula.”

The boys did play a few bars of the Seed’s “Pushin’ Too Hard” which they introduce as a “little bit of California Soul.”

After the first show ended, Bruce jumped down and apologized for Al messing up the lyrics to “Surfer Girl.” He asked me how my photos turned out.  I asked him about "Smile" being released and he said that they were working on it.  He said that the next single would be "Time to Get Alone!"  He was really excited about the stereo effects of the strings on a new song "Bluebirds Over the Mountain," and described it to me as coming together in the middle of your head when you listened on headphones.  He invited me backstage where Carl took me under his wing and showed me around the Fillmore and invited me to stay for a press conference.  I was a shy high school junior, and Carl was so kind and generous.  I’ll never forget him or his kindness.

They play essentially the same set for the later show.  For an encore during their late show, the boys play “Vegetables” with Carl on bass, followed by an impromptu “Heroes and Villains” (chorus only).  They were just beginning to loosen up and vary from the formula...soon the white suits would disappear.

The boys backstage at Pittsfield (Mass) Boys Club 1968.  Warming up with "Chattanooga Choo Choo."



..and rockin' the BC