i'm really enjoying this.  So it sounds like they are sticking with mono mixes when there is a choice?

The Pet Sounds sheet music books I see on-line are $200 or more.  I'm looking for a quality piano score.  Anyone have any tips where to find an accurate transcription?

My daughter and I also saw the State Fair show at Syracuse last night.  This was the third time I've seen Brian in recent years (50th tour at Beacon Theater NY; the Jeff Beck show in 2013 also at the Beacon where Brian surprised us by playing Pet Sounds in its entirety).   Last night band was very strong and persevered through a number of technical problems (did they even get a real sound check in?  Peter Noone played in the afternoon, so when could they have fitted that in?).  Blondie was a revelation and his guitar solos took a much more prominent part  (and his singing stronger) than I remember from 3 years ago.  Al is charming and ageless:  California Saga was a highlight. Brian, however, was much diminished from the previous appearances I've seen.  When did he start this clipped, almost sing-speak style?   Maybe it was intentional - or maybe he couldn't hear himself - but he was singing before or behind the beat, maybe largely because he wouldn't/couldn't hold the notes?  This was especially exposed on several Pet Sounds songs, such as "Here Today" and "Caroline No."   Also,  it was off-putting that this was clearly advertised as a "Pet Sounds" concert but Brian  kept needlessly apologizing for playing Pet Sounds ("we'll get rocking soon", "we'll be rocking in about half an hour" etc).  The audience was very appreciative and there was zero need to make excuses.   Brian did sound much stronger when he was singing with the ensemble, especially on Good Vibrations.  Was Brian's calling Nicky "Stevie Wonder" an inside joke?  (Al did jump in to cover up).   I didn't sense the band being tired, but Brian seemed tired of playing Pet Sounds. 

Just noticed your review.  I was at the same concert (and the 50th Beacon Street in 2012 too).  I agree completely with your observations.  I was stunned that they dropped the regular set list from the tour to play Pet Sounds.  The performance was so remarkable that I haven't bothered to get tickets for the Pet Sounds tour this year thinking that there's no way that Brian and the band could top the show from 3 years earlier.   I'm still haunted by Brian's singing "sometimes I feel, very sad." 

Hey Jude - Pisces Brothers is usually following GOK, and they are linked via lung cancer (maybe a subtle message to please stop smoking and please stay with us) and the short span of time between their untimely deaths.

Does Mike actually make this link in concert, or is that just your filter? If the songs are played back to back, I'm guessing it's because they're both tributes to deceased individuals. If Mike actually made a "lung cancer link" during the concert in discussing those two, I would find that immensely inappropriate and judgmental in that sort of setting.  

I support all of them and it is informed by 50 years of being a fan and almost that amount of time seeing them live.  Nearly every post has a backhanded, poorly veiled insult for the Touring Band.  There is no need for fans to be in "one camp or another."  Or, to inflame discord or hate for any band member.  

I disagree that you've supported all of the band members. You've defended Mike's myriad of inflammatory comments about other band members, never once criticizing him. That's not supporting all of the band members. You *don't* support all of the band members.

Defending all of the band members, including against each other at times, is just as important to "supporting" them as "not saying anything negative."

I have no hate for any band member; I don't know any of them. I know you probably don't actually read through the entirety of posts you respond to, and/or don't actually absorb what people write here, but please don't equate criticism with hate. Calling someone hateful for disagreeing with you is, well, obviously ironically kind of hateful itself!

My opinion is that at this point in time, it is pretty low to constantly berate someone who is 75 years old, whether you agree with whatever has gone on in the 50+ years prior.  Seriously.

Making (sometimes) critical comments is not "berating", and Mike's age should have nothing to do with anything. And whether I agree with "whatever has gone on in the 50+ years prior" definitely *does* matter. Why would it not? It doesn't mean we shouldn't look at what continues to happen and develop. I won't dwell on the past to the exclusion of the present or future. Ironically, it's Mike in countless interviews who dredges up the long-since-passed history of the band and the songwriting lawsuits and Wilsons' drug abuse. He's the one still judging people for things that happened decades ago, not me.

In the concert I saw last week, Mike did say following GOK that Carl died of lung cancer in 1998 and that George Harrison died of the same disease 3 years later.   He said it in a very low key way and I don't think there was anything judgmental implied.    BTW, George's drug use throughout the 70s & 80s in another reason I'm skeptical that George and Mike ever hung out much.   BTW, George did have the song "Pisces Fish" that was released on the posthumous Brainwashed album.  I wonder to what degree that song inspired Mike. 

This is a very general observation that may only sometimes pertain to Mike, but I think sometimes doing “deep cuts” or other lesser-known songs is hindered by excessive pre-song explanations/stories, etc. Over the years, the Beach Boys didn’t tend to tell long stories or explanations before the big hits. They would typically knock them out one after the other. So sometimes it’s almost a semi-subconscious “tell” to the audience when a song is preceded by a long monologue. If a band just goes straight into starting the song, then the audience hasn’t already been sort of tipped off that this might be one of the “beer break” songs.

Looking at past BB shows over the years, it’s often deep cuts (“All This is That”, huge sections of the "GV Boxed Set" set in 1993), new album tracks (“this one is off of our new album….”), or unreleased (or released in a very low key fashion) songs (“Country Pie”, “Cool Head”, “Pisces Brothers”) that get the big long preamble.

Many bands, especially old fogey bands/artists that want to do new stuff but know the audience wants “the hits”, will overcompensate and “pre-apologize” for doing new stuff or deep cuts. Just shut up and play the song! That won’t make more people “know” the song, but it might not predispose them to not be interested.

Hey Jude - I think you are way off-the-mark and here is why.  There is a fine line between an "observation" and a "criticism."

The current live shows are so different from the 60's and 70's.  Those earlier years had fans who "digested whole," any new albums so they could, as you say, "knock them out - one after another." They cannot do that now, as the younger part of the audience who did not hear the music first-hand in that era for those album cuts, is still on a learning curve.  We were not.  We could hear a chord and recognize right-off-the-bat what it was.  It would not be fair to "knock them out" in that same manner with no explanation, especially for the younger fans.   Both Brian and Mike appear to appreciate that they are playing for fans who did not hear the music within a generational context.  Of course, some songs still get "knocked out" and need no introduction because they are ingrained as a part of the culture. Some do.   

It required no introduction or explanation or concept description in that time. Brian does a lot of that kind of teaching, which might appear redundant to some but not lost on newer fans who are learning the catalog.  Having seen Brian only a couple of weeks ago, I can tell you that both bands are almost alter egos of one another in terms of the teaching part of the performances.  And the Touring Band's new video is quite self-explanatory during the Pet Sounds instrumental track, in a section of stills/video, where Brian's image is superimposed on whatever event (whether Vietnam or some world-changing event's story) was being told "photographically."   

At the show I went to last week in New York, there were basically no "younger fans."  Granted it was a weeknight, indoor show and even the cheapest seats were $82.  I took my 12 year old daughter to her first rock concert and she was pointing out how old the crowd was.  There were a handful of children there, but really no one else below 60.  Heck, I  felt young by comparison.    This would have been the perfect opportunity to play some deep cuts, but the set list played it very safe.  Maybe a lot of that was because this was a Stamos show.   The only surprise to me was Summertime Blues in the encore.    They did put on a great show and the audience responded really well.

Saw M&B earlier tonight in White Plains NY.  Kind of an awkward venue - more like a big high school gym than a concert hall, but the acoustics worked surprisingly well on loud, fast rockers.   Give Mike credit:  he was in great form for most of the night.  He was off-key a few times - mostly on opening notes -  but he was mostly terrific and seemed pumped up by having Stamos on stage, who played on nearly every song, splitting time between guitar and drums.  Stamos was solid and appropriate;  the opposite of his intrusive presence at the 50th show in NYC back in 2012.  Band was excellent:  Foskett killed with Darlin, great with Caroline No, and most of his falsettos.  Someone was off frequently on the harmonies, but not sure if it was Bruce or Mike.  Totten was impressive throughout and I love Cowsil's drumming, although he took off a few sets off so Stamos could take over.   Stamos sounded a bit weak on Forever, which may be b/c it was the 15th anniversary of his Dad's death, which he announced in dedicating the song.   Bruce just doesn't have the wind anyone to hold notes but he was mostly on key and made a valiant touching effort with Disney Girls.   The sax/flute guy had several stand-out solos.  Main sour note was a really strange semi-slur gay remark by Mike referring to some Stamos role.   But overall, Mike was in good humor and got the mostly "older" audience moving.   Interesting that among tributes to Carl and Dennis and George Harrison, Mike never once mentioned the name "Brian" (or Al).  I thought it was amazing he didn't once credit the guy who wrote almost all those hits he performs.  But all the promo clips made sure we know that Mike's autobio is coming out!  Makes me wonder if Brian will appear in that book. 
What is the story with Pisces Brothers?  Is there any record of George Harrison reciprocating any sort of affection or even friendship for Mike during George's life?  Why the hell isn't he writing a song about his bond with his cousins instead of George, whom I doubt he socialized with frequently.

Hey, I've got tix to M&B for tomorrow night at Provident Stadium in Rockland Co. NY.  The prediction is thunderstorms and possibly heavy rain.   Um, do they usually play in these conditions?