Show 73: Royal Albert Hall - London, UK 9/27/12

[The Shift]

The"buddy" call was , to my perception, interpreted as a joke by all concerned on the night and nothing at all to do with any onstage sparring imagined by the press.

I knows nothink about the guy who wrote that review but there are phrases in the text that make me suspect someone trying to display his knowledge of the band without being quite aware of how incomplete his knowledge is: describing Dave Marks as an "affiliate" for example.

I don't like the review at all; there's a subtext to my eyes that's all about the reviewer and not the show. Just my tuppenyworth.

[ivy]

Interesting...

Love took over lead vocals for infectious versions of “California Girls” and “Surfin’ USA” – but the last word went to Wilson, walking out for an unannounced encore while Love gestured in the wings that it was too late, this shouldn’t be happening. Ignoring him, Wilson sang the best song he wrote for That’s Why God Made the Radio, the twinkling lament “Summer’s Gone”. Love slunk back on stage, bent on this occasion to his cousin’s will. “We’ll see you next time,” Wilson announced brightly at the end. Mark tonight up as a Brian victory.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/08213fc4-0972-11e2-a5e3-00144feabdc0.html#axzz27zp3cN5x

Because it would fall to Mike, not the band leader, tour manager, or venue host, to manage the clock.

[KittyKat]

All that being said, “You’re going to call on me to introduce your buddy?” does sound pretty jackass-y.

Brian asking Mike to introduce a band member is a little odd as well, though.  Brian barely talks during the Beach Boys shows as far as I know, yet once he deigns to speak, he can't just say, "That's Jeff Foskett, ladies and gentlemen," or "That's Paul Mertens who just did that great sax solo," but instead pipes up and says, "Mike, would you tell the crowd who just did that (whatever)"?  What, is Brian six years old? 

[Rocky Raccoon]

At the show I was at, after they played Cottonfields, Brian went out of his way to say, "That is the great Alan Jardine."  It was a really nice moment, Al seemed genuinely touched.

[G.C]

Our Prayer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF1E0swcI90

[pixletwin]

I still find it super surreal to see Mike on stage singing that "Our Prayer". 

[Wirestone]

All that being said, “You’re going to call on me to introduce your buddy?” does sound pretty jackass-y.

Brian asking Mike to introduce a band member is a little odd as well, though.  Brian barely talks during the Beach Boys shows as far as I know, yet once he deigns to speak, he can't just say, "That's Jeff Foskett, ladies and gentlemen," or "That's Paul Mertens who just did that great sax solo," but instead pipes up and says, "Mike, would you tell the crowd who just did that (whatever)"?  What, is Brian six years old? 

Are you?

Brian has talked a fair amount at the reunion shows, including both of the ones I attended.

[EgoHanger1966]

He seems to have said the most on these last two shows. At most shows I wouldn't doubt he said nothing more than "thank you" once or twice.

[Rocker]

Not sure why but watching all the videos from this gig and the Wembley one....I get the weird feeling that Mike is sort of entering "Brian's land" by performing there in the UK. 

I agree. I have that same feeling. It looks and sounds like Brian feels/felt really at home and had a connection with the audience that the otehrs didn't. That is not to say they have no connection but not the same kind Brian got.


The article is awful. Just written to blame Mike, which has been the goal of every article written in the last weeks. Obviously the writers don't have any clue about anything.
And it wouldn't be the first time that a statement made by Mike at a show would be taken out of context just to support the feeling of the writer. I don't hav any respect for that

[Justin]

EXCELLENT first row HD vids:

"Do It Again"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk3OKVHaF5E

"Little Honda"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXI_0SsTjYU&feature=channel&list=UL

"Catch A Wave"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Bk2uyr-vt4&feature=channel&list=UL

"Don't Back Down"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdGjEZowdac&feature=channel&list=UL

"Surfer Girl"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va0qcFNZ670&feature=channel&list=UL

[ontor pertawst]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSS. I've been waiting for "the good stuff." 1080P!

[Justin]

More from the first row:

"Marcella" (this is so great---David is ripping it)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnyECBvEUKA&feature=channel&list=UL

"Kiss Me Baby"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dDHq2lRyTA&list=UUD4UWdMSI_yxqsm0D77e86w&index=5&feature=plcp

"Isn't It Time"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qk1ldP5CoE&list=UUD4UWdMSI_yxqsm0D77e86w&index=3&feature=plcp

"Why Do Fools Fall In Love"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rflCl42vfus&list=UUD4UWdMSI_yxqsm0D77e86w&index=2&feature=plcp

"When I Grow Up To Be A Man'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz-qNUcHS_A&list=UUD4UWdMSI_yxqsm0D77e86w&index=1&feature=plcp

[G.C]

Great videos! Thanks for posting.

[Rocker]

Interesting...

Love took over lead vocals for infectious versions of “California Girls” and “Surfin’ USA” – but the last word went to Wilson, walking out for an unannounced encore while Love gestured in the wings that it was too late, this shouldn’t be happening.

That was probably just Bruce in the wings, still clapping...

[ontor pertawst]

Love took over lead vocals for infectious versions of “California Girls” and “Surfin’ USA” – but the last word went to Wilson, walking out for an unannounced encore while Love gestured in the wings that it was too late, this shouldn’t be happening.

This is the kind of dick move that gets people annoyed at dear Michael. Brian Wilson had to literally BEG Mike to include Summer's Gone (and I confirmed that directly from a BW band member the other day, not just the online references about it) and still he wanted to cut it off at the knees. I bet if he wrote a freakin' hook for the chorus it'd be front and center, but nooo, can't let Brian have a tender, bittersweet little moment that we all ate up with a fork and spoon without power plays. Even on the final nights of the tour. God... and he was getting kudos for this behavior on here! Thanks ever so much, Mr. Love! Nothing quite as encouraging to a performer as your bandmate gesturing frantically that you shouldn't do your incredibly special song initially intended to be the last ever Beach Boys song on the last ever album at one of the last C50 stops.

But it happened and it was magic! I hope it concludes the upcoming release.

[Rocker]

Love took over lead vocals for infectious versions of “California Girls” and “Surfin’ USA” – but the last word went to Wilson, walking out for an unannounced encore while Love gestured in the wings that it was too late, this shouldn’t be happening.

This is the kind of dick move that gets people annoyed at dear Michael. Brian Wilson had to literally BEG Mike to include Summer's Gone (and I confirmed that directly from a BW band member the other day, not just the online references about it) and still he wanted to cut it off at the knees. I bet if he wrote a freakin' hook for the chorus it'd be front and center, but nooo, can't let Brian have a tender, bittersweet little moment that we all ate up with a fork and spoon without power plays. Even on the final nights of the tour. God... and he was getting kudos for this behavior on here! Thanks ever so much, Mr. Love! Nothing quite as encouraging to a performer as your bandmate gesturing frantically that you shouldn't do your incredibly special song initially intended to be the last ever Beach Boys song on the last ever album at one of the last C50 stops.

But it happened and it was magic! I hope it concludes the upcoming release.

if that is true, it's interesting (and a great move by Brian). But they did rehearse the song, didn't they? So it must've been planned to do it I'd guess... 

[ontor pertawst]

I mean, I guess I could see Mike's side very easily. Leave on a high note, have the audience go home thinkin' FUN, not all sad and mopey sad bear Briany. More importantly, leave with the sound of Mike Love in your ears! And in fact I can see his logic for shifting it earlier in the setlist for Wembley, which makes more sense for a stadium show. But for the RAH, it's indeed a great move by Brian and a killer ending to an epic night.

WANT. DVD.

Ok, back to the videos.

[EgoHanger1966]

Love took over lead vocals for infectious versions of “California Girls” and “Surfin’ USA” – but the last word went to Wilson, walking out for an unannounced encore while Love gestured in the wings that it was too late, this shouldn’t be happening.

This is the kind of dick move that gets people annoyed at dear Michael. Brian Wilson had to literally BEG Mike to include Summer's Gone (and I confirmed that directly from a BW band member the other day, not just the online references about it) and still he wanted to cut it off at the knees. I bet if he wrote a freakin' hook for the chorus it'd be front and center, but nooo, can't let Brian have a tender, bittersweet little moment that we all ate up with a fork and spoon without power plays. Even on the final nights of the tour. God... and he was getting kudos for this behavior on here! Thanks ever so much, Mr. Love! Nothing quite as encouraging to a performer as your bandmate gesturing frantically that you shouldn't do your incredibly special song initially intended to be the last ever Beach Boys song on the last ever album at one of the last C50 stops.

But it happened and it was magic! I hope it concludes the upcoming release.

It's easy to get gullible when reading stories of this nature, but I really believe that's true for some reason right now and it strikes me as sad.

[Justin]

Ontor, any insight or backgound you can provide on these tiny digital cameras planted throughout the stage that are clearly visible on these videos?  This seems to be something they just added in these last few shows.  Can you tell us how effective those types of cameras for capturing the action on stage?  Are the results acceptable?  Can we still expect dynamic, exciing shots when the cameras are literally just sitting there ponted at each member?  I'm assuming they can add zoom in/outs in post or something?  If they indeed filmed these shows and the majority of the footage are from these cameras--it makes me wonder what kind of quality we can really expect from on a release?

Then again, maybe these are there simply to film the event for their own archives and not necessarily for a public release?

[ontor pertawst]

I was happy to see the saturation coverage! Not only do you have the camera crew acting a lot more interested than previous shows onstage and roving around like crazy grabbing band closeups (lots of interesting angles, too -- DarianCam should be fun!) -- the stationary fixed position cameras will be great for cutaways and whatnot.  You can get great quality on those that will cut in fine with everything else. I wonder what their total is? Is it going to be a timeline with ten layers of video? There definitely seems to be a helluvalot of audience filming going on. I'm never a fan of that in live videos, who gives a sh*t? I wanna see the band!

Will we just end up seeing three songs with vocals flown in from the studio? I'd kill for a nice rough cut of just the RAH show.

[STE]

There was a fixed camera for every single musician on stage plus one mobile on stage and one mobile under the stage. At least! There might have been long-shot ones back in the stalls as well.
So it will be like a 20 layers project!  That's fun to edit!  If anyone in charge is reading I'm available to do it for free (but I will need access to the multi-track audio too ).


EDIT: just noticed there were some small ones pointed to the audience as well

[ontor pertawst]

They are going to tease us with a complete release of this for f***ing years, aren't they.

If anybody is reading, I am available to do it decidedly not for free, and I need a gigantic stack of hard drives and an IV drip of caffeine.

I hope they don't decide to go ADHD with the cutting since they have all those sources.

[STE]

Interesting...

Love took over lead vocals for infectious versions of “California Girls” and “Surfin’ USA” – but the last word went to Wilson, walking out for an unannounced encore while Love gestured in the wings that it was too late, this shouldn’t be happening.

Except that it didn't happen!
61 songs songs were already announced by Mike and Scott T. early in set 1.
After Fun Fun Fun they all came back to stage and Mike announced that Brian was gonna sing one more song.
I certainly haven't noticed any waving or panic. I might even have all this on video.


That Mike would have preferred to end with Fun Fun Fun, that I can believe.

[ontor pertawst]

Maybe someone just saw him pointing and winking at random people offstage and interpreted that as discord.

Or we could go back to the Lone Bruce Johnston Clapping Theory.

Gee, that's the trouble with pantomime Heroes and Villains, huh?

[Justin]

Thanks ontor and STE for the info on the stationary cameras.  I wonder how many other concert DVDs were filmed with these type of cameras.  I am quite curious what exactly they can do with that and what the results will bring. 

I have absolutely no idea how/where they'll use this footage.  They've already filmed Phoenix and Red Rocks in the US.  We are still owed a TV (NBC?) concert program from the tour, I assume footage will come from one of those shows?  Will we see a DVD release of that program?  Who knows.  But then there is that one show in Australia they filmed also...beautiful cinematogaphy, as I recall.  And now these 2 UK shows also filmed..honestly they have a gaggle of stuff to work with here.   I'm excited and concerned at the same time with what they'll do with this.

Worst possible scenario:  they use 1 single live audio track, dubbed to the various footage edited together from all 4 concerts they have available ("Heroes and Villians" would have the audio from Chicago, the footage from Red Rocks, Phoenix, Royal Albert Hall and Wembley all weaved together to simulate one live performance).  I can see them spin it as a cool new revolutionary way to do concert DVDs. I cringe at the tought of it!  That would be the biggest F.U. they could give us.