Thoughts on the BWPS live DVD?

[PS]

Seems like it may be an appropriate moment to take stock of what I consider to be one of the finest live DVD's in my collection (in full disclosure, I was peripherally involved with the pre-production and attended rehearsals and both performances). I know that some of you take issue with Brian's somewhat self-consciously forced "smiles" (he was over responding a bit to the producer's coaching and perhaps a general directive from Melinda to brighten things up from Leaf's earlier recording, make it more Smiley, as it were...). Some may have issues with the somewhat over determined editing (always directing our interest to a highlighted musical cue), but I think the camerawork and editing are mostly fluid and illuminating, close to the way that the best classical music DVD's are recorded and cut - the parts and then the whole. No extraneous cutaways to the audience (see McCartney, Paul), no restless leg syndrome cutting on the beat (see McCartney, Paul), everything in the service of visually interpreting the music. The set was simple, but elegant and apropos, the performance energetic and intimate (as far as I can tell, even though we are seeing some "non-sync" insert shots that were shot on other days for practical reasons  - you could never have those kind of camera moves and that kind of coverage with an audience present - the live performance SOUNDS pretty much as I remembered it, with very little - if any - sweetening in post. Mark's mix is subtly attuned to the editing and truly sounds fantastic in surround. This is a SMiLE that fills the room.

Brian and the band knocked it out of the park that night, even after watching him rehearse it over and over for a week. There are little vocal flourishes that I hadn't heard him do before, and Surf's Up in particular is terribly moving to me when you watch his pained, almost contorted expressions in trying to invoke the original intent of the song ("choke of grief, "etc.). Cabinessence rocks the house when you crank it up. Overall, I MUCH prefer this live version of BWPS to the studio one, which sounds relatively airless and studied. Watched it the other night and I simply never get tired of it - fantastic energy (ah, Jim, Bob and Taylor - you re missed!). This is the version that I play for friends when I tell them the 2004 part of the  SMiLE story.

Your thoughts?

[Wirestone]

Big fan. Performance -- live, doctored, whatever -- easily surpasses the BWPS album, which is already excellent.

A highlight.

[ghost]

it has the same wimpy bass as on BWPS but besides that it's great, i love watching it

[letsmakeit31]

Not seen the full dvd concert yet after owning it for a number of years but I must say your review PS makes me wanna see it

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

I love it.

[Mikie]

Mark's mix is subtly attuned to the editing and truly sounds fantastic in surround. This is a SMiLE that fills the room.

I agree 100%!

Overall, I MUCH prefer this live version of BWPS to the studio one, which sounds relatively airless and studied.

I agree 110%!

[jeffcdo]

Great points PS.  The camera always seems to be exactly where it should on this DVD, and no audience cutaways!  I'm a big Macca fan but I find his recent DVDs unwatchable.

[Dr. Tim]

The DVD is a worthy companion - and one could say equivalent - to the album.  The DVD shows SMiLE as a complete, unified composition capable of repertory performance as such.  It does not invalidate or replace the 1966 sessions.  Because it is a record of a live performance, I would recommend it to 1966 Smile purists as the way to enjoy the music in a concert setting, without having to confront the still-argued questions of "is BWPS the real/completed SMILE or not" or "would BWPS be Smile with unsampled harpsichords, real surviving BB vocals, or a different running order," etc. etc.   Also it is a nice game to note the little refinements made to the piece between its premiere and this recording.  And it is a fun watch.

[Roger Ryan]

...And you get a 5.1 surround mix, too. A very watchable performance that is as good as any to demonstrate what Brian Wilson and his band were/are like when they're at their best.

[PS]

The director, John Anderson, had a 41 page shooting script, based his studies of the previous live shows and his knowledge and deep involvement with the music - every relevant musical moment was mapped out in advance to make sure they had proper coverage. I suggested that he look at Symphonic Yes in advance, another superbly shot and edited live DVD (if you shut off the horrid animations) with a young, good looking orchestral accompaniment who are clearly having a blast. That version of Close to the Edge - a wonderful piece of 'progressive rock' music - is the best I've ever heard - and seen.

[Amy B.]

Seeing BWPS live was a terrific experience, not only musically but also visually. I can remember that I didn't expect that there would be so much happening onstage, such as the fire hose, the vegetables, etc. And even just counting the number of instruments Probyn plays. Watching the DVD is a great reminder of that. And despite the forced smiles, Brian generally looks relaxed.

If I might add, Brian used to force smiles onstage even in 1964, at least according to the TV appearances I've seen. Some things never change.

[ghost]

Brian's smile during the Wahala lu lei part of Worms is genuine. He's smiling at Bill Tobelman.

[D409]

 "the live performance SOUNDS pretty much as I remembered it, with very little - if any - sweetening in post."

A brilliant performance, reassuring to know that there was hardly any sweetening !

[Justin]

It's one of my favorite DVDs of my whole music DVD collection.   5.1 is really the only way to experience it...wonderful sounds coming at all directions--totally encapsulating you.  It's filmed perfectly...no fast cuts, no obnoxious swooping cameras...it stays on the subjects appropriately.  It's well done and with the excellent documentary "Beautiful Dreamer" as a fantastic companion. 

[TdHabib]

It's an amazing project, a few errors in the docu excepted (of course Macca wasn't a the first SMiLE show and Loren turns almost everyone's stomach), Brian is so genuine and so ON during the performance it's ridiculous. The band is of course spot on and seeing PS' amateur footage of the proceedings confirms that it wasn't much sweetened.

[37!ws]

Okay, what is it about Lorren Darg that makes everybody's stomach turn?? The way I see it, he's just telling it like it was. And why on earth is he credited as Lorren Darg instead of Loren Schwartz??

[ghost]

I thought Loren seemed like a good friend who probably misses Brian's company. He was laughing at a good trip story, everyone does even if the experiences were negative. Trust me. If your friend entered Hell itself on LSD you'd laugh about it the next day not cry in sympathy.

[sidewinder572]

The live DVD is incredible, but in my opinion the vinyl of BWPS trumps it.

[Ram4]

I was blown away by this live DVD when I got it.  I thought the studio BWPS was decent, but I wasn't prepared by how thoroughly I enjoyed this production.  The audio is great (and I can't wait to hear it in surround), the editing is superb (agree, less crowd shots = better concert video experience), the performances are stellar, and everyone looks like they are having a great time.  Sure, once you find out a lot of the visuals were staged for closeups makes you think twice, but that doesn't ruin it for me at all. 

It delivers, and shows SMiLE as good as you could hope for.  Easily one of the best concert DVDs I have ever seen. 

The documentary is great too, and I love the little feature with everyone coming out of the Royal Festival Hall with their honest reviews.  The only negative of the documentary I have is that I wanted to show people the story behind the SMiLE saga without any previews of what's to come.  Then they'd hear Our Prayer for the first time and be blown away.  Since there a few rehearsals and clips during the documentary, it's a little tough to avoid that.  I've shown it to a couple of friends and my brother so far and all thought it was very good, but they weren't exactly blown away by the DVD.  They all liked Good Vibrations the most, though my girlfriend always loved Vega-tables (I think she only knew the Smiley Smile version all these years from a Dr. Demento show) and she was happy to hear it pop up in the show.  During Child Is The Father of Man, I commented to my brother "Can you believe this is The Beach Boys?!!"  He admitted that it was impressive.  I have some more SMilE virgins to show it to, and then the real thing on audio in a little over a month.

[hypehat]

Okay, what is it about Lorren Darg that makes everybody's stomach turn?? The way I see it, he's just telling it like it was. And why on earth is he credited as Lorren Darg instead of Loren Schwartz??

Unlike everyone else in the documentary, he has nothing more to contribute than 'I got Brian Wilson into drugs', which no matter what slightly paranormal companions of ours might say, was probably a bad move. And he revels in that, despite knowing (speaking in the 21st century) that Brian and his drug abuse essentially destroyed him. His contributions seem crass in light of that. 

Oh, and he has some beef with the Jewish faith, so he changed his name to Daro, from Schwartz.

[ghost]

It wasn't a bad move at all. Wish all your favorite music from Brian Wilson away if you think the drugs were bad for him. You like Pet Sounds? Sorry man, Brian has confessed that it was written while high. California Girls is one of the first LSD songs same for The Little Girl I Once Knew.

[hypehat]

It's tricky. Obviously he wrote the best music of his career under the influence, but talking strictly about his life and health? Didn't turn out so well.

[37!ws]

Okay, what is it about Lorren Darg that makes everybody's stomach turn?? The way I see it, he's just telling it like it was. And why on earth is he credited as Lorren Darg instead of Loren Schwartz??

Unlike everyone else in the documentary, he has nothing more to contribute than 'I got Brian Wilson into drugs', which no matter what slightly paranormal companions of ours might say, was probably a bad move. And he revels in that, despite knowing (speaking in the 21st century) that Brian and his drug abuse essentially destroyed him. His contributions seem crass in light of that.  

By that logic, Danny Hutton should be taken out and attacked by a pack of wild wolves while ravens fly down and peck away at his eyes.

Oh, and he has some beef with the Jewish faith, so he changed his name to Daro, from Schwartz.

"Daro" That's supposed to be an "o"!! What's with the serif, then??

[ghost]

It's tricky. Obviously he wrote the best music of his career under the influence, but talking strictly about his life and health? Didn't turn out so well.

I agree but is that the fault of the drugs or Brian's careless use of them? Can a chemical that requires your own will to take it into your body for activation be of any ill will to you? Even a deadly dose of heroin does not intend to harm you - it has no idea it is being injected into a body. It is your thumb that presses on the needle. Know what I'm saying here? There is nothing harmful about drugs of themselves, there is nothing harmful about bleach, unless you use it unwisely. If you smoke a lil cabinessence you'll feel groovy, if you smoke a brick of it you'll have a meltdown. It's all in how you approach it. Brian was just an indulgent little piggy.

[hypehat]

I can't find much about Daro on the web, apart from some awful wiki which claims Brian wrote Good Vibrations about him  The thread about the DVD here has some pertinent discussion.

Given that logic, ghost, it's an even worse idea to turn Brian Wilson onto drugs!