Brian Wilson at RFH 16-18 September, 2011

[MaxL]

Great concert last night, can't talk too much about it cos I'm on my way back into London for the second. I did jot down the setlist however, for those interested:

Set 1: Gershwin

Set 2:
California Girls
Dance, Dance, Dance
Wendy (!)
Surfer Girl
"Mary Had a Little Lamb"
Catch a Wave
Surfer Moon (!!)
Please Let Me Wonder
All Summer Long
Don't Worry Baby
Do You Wanna Dance?
Do It Again
Darlin'
I Get Around
Add Some Music to Your Day
Your Imagination
Going Home (!)
Sail On, Sailor
Pet Sounds
Sloop John B
Wouldn't it Be Nice
God Only Knows
Heroes and Villains
Good Vibrations

Encore 1:
Johnny B. Goode
Help Me, Rhonda
Barbara Ann
Surfin' USA
Fun, Fun, Fun

Encore 2:
Love and Mercy

[CarlTheVoice]

I went to the gig last night, I really enjoyed it! It was the first time I had seen Brian and thought he was on top form. We had good seats but a couple of drunks in front of us who threatened to ruin it for us but it was easy to concentrate on the music! I also got to meet Brian an the band afterwards - amazing experience! They were all really nice, especially Brett, who took some time to talk to me about the night etc. A night I will never forget, but a night that went too quickly!

[bsten]

Went to the Saturday concert, flew in from Sweden Saturday afternoon and back again early Sunday morning. Spent some £400 total  but it was worth every penny. Seeing Brian live is, well, an experience. Sometimes it seems as if he's going to sleep or is thinking about something completely different - but then suddenly he looks up and sings his line. There were even a few times he had a Smile on his face. But man he has a hard time walking, poor guy. I was surprised though how well he sang, spot on most of the time. Watch the Letterman show and Brian singing "They can't take...", it's a disaster. But Saturday night was really enjoyable!

A few surprises, Drive-in, Wendy, Goin' home, The little girl..., Surfer moon, Mary had a little lamb. And he ended with L&M. The band was great, very tight, excellent singing and playing. Loved that the Stockholm Strings were there.

/Bengt

[Wirestone]

I was surprised though how well he sang, spot on most of the time. Watch the Letterman show and Brian singing "They can't take...", it's a disaster. But Saturday night was really enjoyable!

The story of Brian's live appearances, boiled down into two sentences. He so often sounds and looks odd in TV spots, but for the length of a whole show, he can find a groove and really shine.

[Mikie]

'Mary Had A Little Lamb'.  That's gotta be a little embarassing.  That's as bad as 'I'm a Little Tea Cup' which he did in L.A. a few years ago. Is he still doing the lame cigarette joke?  Is 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' Brian's idea?  At least he could do a Disney song.....

But 'Surfer Moon".  Wow!  There's a good song that he's never done live before!

[bsten]

I was surprised though how well he sang, spot on most of the time. Watch the Letterman show and Brian singing "They can't take...", it's a disaster. But Saturday night was really enjoyable!

The story of Brian's live appearances, boiled down into two sentences.

What? Not at all, only that particular performance....

[absinthe_boy]

I shall expand on what I said in the 'on topic' forum

I've been a Brian fan since somebody pressed a tape of Pet Sounds into my hands as a teenager in the mid 80's. I saw him perform SMiLE back in 2004, which I have been raving about ever since. My wife is something of a casual Beach Boys enthusiast, she saw them with Carl back in the middle 90's...isn't especially into the more challanging material. I'm British, she's American and our tastes actually reflect the differing ways that Brian is appreciated in the two countries (generalisation, I know).

When I mentioned that Brian was coming back to London, and that it might be his last time in the UK, she decided to buy us both tickets. I explained about the Gershwin album and what the setlist was likely to include.

I like the Gershwin record anyway, so I knew that barring some kid of disaster I would enjoy the whole show. By the 3rd song I think my Mrs was dancing and during the applause she was shouting "Brian, Brian, Brian!". I think we have a convert to the cause!

The Gershwin set was pretty good, as you know by now they ran through the entire album after a brief introduction from Brian. I don't think he said anything else during that set. Apart from a few moments, Brian was on key and singing well for the entire Gershwin set. The faster numbers rocked, the ballads were soulful and "I Got Plenty Of Nuttin" was delightfully eccentric.  Then after Brian shuffled off, Jeff announced they'd be back "to play all of Brian's hits in about 20 minutes".

Bang on cue they came back on stage and launched into Do It Again....and we were then treated to hit after hit, great song after great song with just enough time to pause for breath between each one. Brian sang lead on most of the songs, and I got the impression he was into some songs more than others but at no point was his singing anything less than "good". At times it was excellent...and as the show went on Brian, who had been quite still during the opening set, became very animated. His banter between songs may be scripted but he seemed enthusiastic, and during the songs he would make hand motions in time with the music, gesture to his bandmates or to the audience, he smiled a lot. He looked like a man enjoying himself...and mostly sounded like it too.

Compared to 2004 he played a LOT of keyboard...at a rough guess I'd say on perhaps 7 songs he played the keyboard, before strapping on his bass for the final set of encores. That final section (Johnny B. Good, Fun, Fun, Fun, etc) was a total blast...the entire RFH seemed to be on it's feet and dancing. Brian sometimes stepped back and let Jeff take the spotlight, while Brian would interact with the other band members. This was NOT the uncommunicative person that some professional reviews have described. Everybody on and off stage was having fun, even the sound engineer was chair dancing.

A great time was had by all, and despite the professional reviews mentioning octagenerians  hobbling into the auditorium on sticks the audience was made up of people of all ages. I saw children under 10, young adults, middle aged people and older folk. To be honest the hobbling octagenerarians would have been in a small minority. During Help Me Rhonda a small girl got on stage (must be a band member's daughter???) and danced like crazy, watched by a lady in the wings who I assumed was her mother. It just added to the overall effect the music was having on people, you just had to tap your toes at the very least.

As seems traditional now, Brian finished with Love & mercy, tenderly delivered.

I have posted photos here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/n_gulliver/BW/

They are the highlights of the many photos I took. What disappointed me was the number of people blatantly using flashes and not being asked to stop. Note that not once did my flash fire in over 600 shots taken. I hope my photos demonstrate that the review in a well known newspaper which said that the height of excitement was when Brian moved his drinks bottle half an inch is NOT an accurate reflection of what went down at the RFH on Saturday night.

[bsten]

Great pix - please don't remove them. I was there and I'd like to download them but don't have time right now. Thanks!!!

[SG7]

Some very nice shots of the band!

[absinthe_boy]

The pics will remain until I have need of the webspace again. Probably several months....I only ask that nobody attempts to sell them or otherwise publish them.

[SamMcK]

I really loved the version of Love and Mercy I heard on Saturday, it gave me a new appeciation for the song! It's a shame about BW 88's production value because it otherwise is a great album. 

[absinthe_boy]

I really loved the version of Love and Mercy I heard on Saturday, it gave me a new appeciation for the song! It's a shame about BW 88's production value because it otherwise is a great album. 

Yep. The album is so 'of it's time' which is a shame because there's some good material there...regardless of whether Landy wrote any of it.

Wonder if anybody recorded the Saturday RFH gig....cough...umm...sssh...my lips are sealed...

[SMiLE Brian]

Great pictures of BW's band at work.

[CarlTheVoice]

I managed to overhear Brian doing his soundheck before the Friday gig and it sounded so beautiful! It did actually give me a lump in my throat. To hear such a legend 'jamming' with his band and singing so well was amazing. It was a really great night.