The First Gig: Anselmo Valencia Ampitheater Tucson, AZ 4/24/12 (SETLIST/REVIEWS)

[Manchini]

Brian doesn't care to be honest, haha. At intermission somebody yelled his name and he waved dismissively, but everyone ate it up anyway.

Don't understand this. He doesn't care? And yet he's putting everything into it vocally? Please explain.

That was just a quick expression of his demeanor. He obviously cared where it counted, because his vocals were a thrill to me and he was clearly throwing himself into them. I just meant that he didn't care to smile or interact -- which doesn't bother me, but just calling it like I see it. Anyhow it was only in the first set, because he did a 180 after the intermission.

[SonoraDick]

I was sort of skeptical that the tour was really a good idea. I don't know, I felt like it wouldn't be real, that they wouldn't be the real Beach Boys that I care about on this tour. But now I feel a little better. How was the audience reaction during the show? Was there a lot of response from the crowd?

Mike & Bruce have played Tucson several times in recent years (Brian never) and always get a good turnout. Tonight's crowd, however, was certainly more "into it" with several SO's... the final began as they started "Cal Girls" & continued throughout the rest of the show. Eleven songs with everybody indoors standing, & I suspect the lawn-people, too. There was definitely something special in the air tonight.

[Manchini]

Does anybody know where Carl and Dennis's vocals came from? It would be awesome if they used previously unreleased concert tapes from the archives.

I'm the wrong person to even be hazarding a guess about this ... partly to me it sounded like the Central Park '71 vocal and it also sounded like the album, so what do I know! And Carl's I was pretty sure was from Knebworth but that may be wrong too ... it's so hard to tell when the instrumental and backing vox are modern and the lead is vintage. Either way, wow, it was a really special touch to the whole show.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Mike & Bruce have played Tucson several times in recent years (Brian never)...

*koff* 2009 Fiesta Bowl Invitational show.

[Dunderhead]

I'm also a little disappointed that they did Kokomo in the encore after Al dismissed the idea during his record store day set.

I would have liked to see a more diverse setlist though. Add Some Music should have been on there for sure. Friends would have been another great choice.

Good To My Baby would have rocked. I'm sure a Love You song like Johnny Carson or Honkin' would have been a great crowd pleaser. Of the more than 40 songs they did only 7 were from the Wild Honey - Holland period. 3 were from Pet Sounds. Good Vibrations and Heroes from the Smile era, that's 12 songs total from the years 1966 to 1977. Barley a quarter of the setlist.

1 song from Party
3 songs from Summer Days
5 songs from Today
5 songs from All Summer Long
3 from Shut Down Vol 2
4 from Little Deuce Coupe
4 from Surfer Girl
2 from SS/SUSA

plus Little Girl I Once Knew, California Dreaming, and Kokomo.

That's 28 songs from before 1966. 66% of the set. 12 from 1966 - 1977, 29% of the set. That's a little out of whack if you ask me...

[Manchini]

How involved was Brian? When he wasn't singing lead, did he sing backing vocals with everybody else? Did he play the piano? I know he sat behind it, but did he actually play it on all the songs? Did he leave the stage at all?

He sang backing vox and he was spot on, I could hear him very well. My vantage point was good for watching him play keys. He plodded along but fairly inconsistently. He would stop for a portion of the song and then pick up again. But he played it on nearly every, if not all, songs. It was really cool to see him behind that shiny white baby grand versus a digital keyboard.

[Pretty Funky]

Brian and walking off early. He does seem to be in some pain when standing at the moment. Take a look at some of the footage at the Dodgers gig and he can not stop moving from foot to foot. In the Grammy interviews he is mainly sitting down.

Age maybe but I hope he is ok.

[Shady]

Was the show sold out? How was the Attendence

[Dunderhead]

Brian and walking off early. He does seem to be in some pain when standing at the moment. Take a look at some of the footage at the Dodgers gig and he can not stop moving from foot to foot. In the Grammy interviews he is mainly sitting down.

Age maybe but I hope he is ok.

Yeah I hope it's just a temporary strain or something. It would really ruin the whole thing if Brian worked himself too hard on this show and got himself seriously sick. I know it must be hard for him to go through all the hassles of touring, I just hope he's able to enjoy it....

[Wylson]

Loving all the details, thanks to those keeping us updated
Any word on who sang WIBN or This Whole World?

[Cabinessenceking]

 

[Shady]

Someone upleaded TWGMTR from the live show on youtube, I like the dancing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0

BAN

[Andrew G. Doe]

Brian and walking off early. He does seem to be in some pain when standing at the moment. Take a look at some of the footage at the Dodgers gig and he can not stop moving from foot to foot. In the Grammy interviews he is mainly sitting down.

Age maybe but I hope he is ok.

Brian's had a bad back for some time now. He doesn't make a fuss about it, but it's one reason why he sits a lot.

[Lowbacca]

ATIT! PLMW! Wow.. video clips, please... 

(Just reading about the Denny & Carl videos on stage got me teary-eyed...)

[Manchini]

 

Was the show sold out? How was the Attendence

Attendance was good. It sold out as far as ticket sales, but a lot of people I talked to bought tix for their friends who ended up bailing, thus there were some empty seats here and there (from what I saw).

Brian sang on "This Whole World." I can't remember who sang "WIBN," that's embarrassing! But I know Mike took the middle section.

I was lucky enough to run into David Marks shortly after the show ended and I got to say how happy I was to see their great performance. That was cool!

Great night. Best show I've ever seen, without a doubt.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Very rough setlist analysis:

US charting songs
early classic cuts
deep cuts

Do It Again
Catch A Wave
Don’t Back Down
Surfin' Safari
Surfer Girl
The Little Girl I Once Knew
Wendy
Then I Kissed Her
This Whole World
Why Do Fools Fall In Love
When I Grow Up (To be A Man)
You're So Good To Me
Cottonfields
Be True To Your School
Disney Girls (1957)
Please Let Me Wonder
Don’t Worry, Baby
Little Honda
Little Deuce Coupe
409
Shut Down
I Get Around

[intermission]

Sloop John B
Wouldn’t It Be Nice
Forever
Sail On Sailor
Heroes & Villains
In My Room
All This Is That
God Only Knows
That’s Why God Made the Radio
California Dreamin'
California Girls
Dance, Dance, Dance
All Summer Long
Help Me, Rhonda
Rock And Roll Music
Do You Wanna Dance
Barbara Ann
Surfin’ USA

Encore

Kokomo
Good Vibrations
Fun, Fun, Fun

[Lowbacca]

Thanks, Doe. Good job. From that overview it's clear that it's a rather early/mid-60's heavy set. That was to be expected, and it's a comfortable place for the Boys to start out, but I do hope they will incorporate some more classic late 60's / early 70's stuff later on the tour. "All This Is That" is a huge suprise, though.

[The Shift]

Someone upleaded TWGMTR from the live show on youtube, I like the dancing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0

BAN

Bashtud!

[SonoraDick]

Mike & Bruce have played Tucson several times in recent years (Brian never)...

*koff* 2009 Fiesta Bowl Invitational show.

Andrew, I see your site lists the 2009 show in Tuscon (the town too tough to spell; US joke). However, the Fiesta Bowl is held in Phoenix, where, perhaps by coincidence, The Phoenician is located. Even though I'm 99.99% sure my original statement about Brian not playing here in Tucson is correct, I guess I'll only politely challenge your koff; not sure how to disprove it. I DO know I'd feel terrible if I missed a BW show in my own town.   

[SonoraDick]

Loving all the details, thanks to those keeping us updated
Any word on who sang WIBN

Al; no trading of verses with Brian.

[Manchini]

Andrew: "Heroes and Villains" followed "SOS," I forgot to write it down at the time though.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Mike & Bruce have played Tucson several times in recent years (Brian never)...

*koff* 2009 Fiesta Bowl Invitational show.

Andrew, I see your site lists the 2009 show in Tuscon (the town too tough to spell; US joke). However, the Fiesta Bowl is held in Phoenix, where, perhaps by coincidence, The Phoenician is located. Even though I'm 99.99% sure my original statement about Brian not playing here in Tucson is correct, I guess I'll only politely challenge your koff; not sure how to disprove it. I DO know I'd feel terrible if I missed a BW show in my own town.   

Appreciate it when my bad info in corrected. Thanks.

[Andrew G. Doe]

So...

1 down, 60 to go (at the last count).

Not a train wreck, as some feared. Everyone seemingly acquitted themselves well, thoughtful and extensive setlist with a few genuine surprises, new single debueted and well-recieved, no-one ran screaming from the stage and even a little frisson of mystery in The Affair Of The Suddenly Absent Bass Player. A fine kick-off.

[Lowbacca]

[...] even a little frisson of mystery in The Affair Of The Suddenly Absent Bass Player.

Maybe he simply got ill, or something. Jeez, you Beach Boys fans and your mysteries. 

[rogerlancelot]

Who filled in?