Brian, Al, and David Meet and Greet Summer 2013

[bgas]

Just noticed that Wilson Phillips are listed on the bill for the Interlochen performance; are they scheduled to play all the dates, or only this one? 

[RubberSoul13]

It was announced after the fact that they will only be making a special appearance at this gig.

[acedecade75]

 I wonder if they will be an opening act, or if they will be joining the band during Brian, Al, and Dave's performance?

[bgas]

Man, that will be good either way; wish it wasn't so darn far. Do jets land close to interlochen?

[acedecade75]

You can fly into Traverse City which is only about a 15 minute drive to Interlochen.  Interlochen is a great venue.  I saw my first Beach Boys concert there in 1992.

[bgas]

You can fly into Traverse City which is only about a 15 minute drive to Interlochen.  Interlochen is a great venue.  I saw my first Beach Boys concert there in 1992.

Looks like airfare is around $400/driving in gas will be around $280( both round trip) 
not so good. probably won't make this show...

[SloopJohnnyB]

Just noticed that Wilson Phillips are listed on the bill for the Interlochen performance; are they scheduled to play all the dates, or only this one? 

I wonder if this is the beginnings of a return for the 'Beach Boys Family and Friends' band/tour? Al and his family and friends really rocked it the first time. With Brian in charge and David included it really would be the 'Beach Boys Family and Friends' (tour). Bring in Matt Jardine and maybe a few others and there you go. Brian could sit back and relax and let the others share some of the lead vocals.

Wishful thinking on my part but I think there is more of a chance of this happening than the BB50 line up getting back together. Or so I have been told here on the board. 

[Nicko1234]

I wonder if this is the beginnings of a return for the 'Beach Boys Family and Friends' band/tour? Al and his family and friends really rocked it the first time. With Brian in charge and David included it really would be the 'Beach Boys Family and Friends' (tour). Bring in Matt Jardine and maybe a few others and there you go. Brian could sit back and relax and let the others share some of the lead vocals.

Wishful thinking on my part but I think there is more of a chance of this happening than the BB50 line up getting back together. Or so I have been told here on the board. 

How many people would you have to have on stage though (which was perhaps one of the problems with BBF&F in the first place)? Especially as Brian, Al, Chynna, Wendy, Carnie, Matt etc. would be making little musical contribution. I can't see how it could work.

[hypehat]

Yeah, that's insane. Plus, as nice as California Saga are, once you get the older generation involved (or vice versa) and you get a 'FAMILY AND FRIENDS' show you lose a lot of real world credibility.

[bgas]

Yeah, that's insane. Plus, as nice as California Saga are, once you get the older generation involved (or vice versa) and you get a 'FAMILY AND FRIENDS' show you lose a lot of real world credibility.

Beach Boys/ Real World Credibility-- who would ever think that?

[acedecade75]

I just received my tickets for the Atlantic City show.  According to the ticket, Brian's special guest is "Al Tardine".  I think it's really in poor taste for Ticketmaster to misspell the name of the performer.

 Also, these are the Soundcheck/Meet And Greet VIP tickets, but there was no mention of any details regarding the VIP portion.

[SloopJohnnyB]

Mine just has 'Coors Light Concerts Present Brian Wilson'. No mention of Al and David on the ticket. It does have 'VIP' on it but no mention of the meet and greet. It would be nice to know the details but I guess that will have to wait. I'll be watching my email for info.

As far as the misspelling they should have caught that and corrected it. For a company as big as Ticketmaster that kind of thing shouldn't happen.

I hope they play 'Honkin' Down The Highway'. It's the perfect opportunity and how cool would that be seeing Al and Brian sharing the vocals on a "Love You" track live in concert? Maybe we'll see a few surprises.

[shelter]

No offense to anyone who does go to these meet and greets, but out of principle I wouldn't even pay a cent for something like that. I would absolutely love to meet Brian, Al and David, but not if I have to pay for it. There's something very degrading about shaking someone's hand and knowing that the other person only does it because you paid him. That's like platonic prostitution.

[Cabinessenceking]

No offense to anyone who does go to these meet and greets, but out of principle I wouldn't even pay a cent for something like that. I would absolutely love to meet Brian, Al and David, but not if I have to pay for it. There's something very degrading about shaking someone's hand and knowing that the other person only does it because you paid him. That's like platonic prostitution.

Fully agree.

[SloopJohnnyB]

No offense taken. I think of it as the entire experience of being at the sound check, the meet and greet and a nice seat at the concert. Sports are very popular in my city but I can't see spending $100-$200 on a single hockey game. Spending extra money on a concert like this that doesn't come around (ever!) too often is my decision on how to spend my entertainment dollars. Sports fans will disagree but to each his own.

Is it a little weird or degrading to pay someone for a autograph or photo? Yeah, maybe   , but it's something that I would never do on a regular basis. Back in the day you had to know someone at a radio station or the concert promoter to get a back stage pass. For those of us not connected we can pay extra to see the band up close. Oops. degrading, again...   

I know I would never try to track down or stalk these guys on the street for a autograph. This is a controlled, safe setting for them and a fun experience for the fans. Autographs? Mine will sit on my record shelf or on the wall where I can enjoy it.

Again, for me it's how I want to spend my entertainment dollars. Why not do that on one of my favorite bands.

[KittyKat]

They do have to pay some extra money for security and using the venue in that way, so there is a cost involved. I'm sure they're making some money, but it's not all going to them. It's not any different than an autograph show. Not everyone would pay for that, either, but if people want to meet these people, get an autograph or photo with them, the option is available for a price.  The performers might tell you that people make money off of them when fans sell signed items on E Bay.

[Nicko1234]

No offense to anyone who does go to these meet and greets, but out of principle I wouldn't even pay a cent for something like that. I would absolutely love to meet Brian, Al and David, but not if I have to pay for it. There's something very degrading about shaking someone's hand and knowing that the other person only does it because you paid him. That's like platonic prostitution.

I feel the same way.

[SloopJohnnyB]

So here's my update on the meet and greet experience. For me it went very well.

I ended up calling my local venue Stage AE in Pittsburgh two weeks before the concert. A nice young lady told me to call back the Thursday before the show. I did that and was told to be at the VIP entrance at 4:30 p.m. I asked about bringing a camera and was told that it was OK as long as it wasn't a professional camera with multiple lenses. I don't remember asking about the autograph but I had already picked two items that I was going to take with me to sign.

The day of the concert I was ready to leave my place when I got a phone call asking if received information about the meet and greet. I told the woman that I called Stage AE and they told me to be there at 4:30 p.m. Apparently information was not sent out. she asked if I received an email and as far as I knew I did not. That was it.

I arrived before 4:30 p.m. and waited in line. A women eventually came out and I recognized her as being Tara. (Tera?) She said that the autograph would be done on a photograph that they would provide. BIG disappointment at that moment.

Some of you may remember Tara as being the hostess for the Beach Boys 50 meet and greets. We had to sign some sort of agreement at the BB50 sound check that (I think) we wouldn't take pictures, walk single file, don't act like idiots, and don't look at any of the Beach Boys in the eye or something. I understand the need for rules but wow, this was kind of scary. I thought if I did anything wrong that I was going to be taken out back and who knows what. In the BB50 sound check I kept looking back and Tara had here eyes on us the whole time. When the BBs gathered around Brian's piano to rehearse "Add Some Music" some of us squeezed out a few photos. Yeah, I don't like to break rules but this really was a once in a lifetime thing. Don't know if it will happen again. The general audience were taking pictures during the BB50 concert but I still felt like we were being watched by that TARA!!   She's OK. She was just doing her job.

We eventually got into the facility which has a huge bar and lounge area. David Marks came out in the public area to get family and friends in through the public entrance. David grew up in near by New Castle, PA and still has friends and family in that area. Everyone respected his presence which was nice to see.

We were taken out to the stage and we sat in the first two rows for the sound check. Fantastic time watching everyone rehearse. Really enjoyable.

Immediately after the sound check we were taken back in for the meet and greet. They were handing people a photo and they would take it to Al. He would sign and pass it to Brian and David. In the mean time they were asked to step behind the three for the photo.

When it was my turn I had my Beach Boy 50 tote bag in my hand along with my 45 rpm cover sleeve of Surfin' Safari (for David to sign) and I had a Japanese mini LP box (which houses the mini LP CDs). The box has the cover of The Beach Boys Love You album. I had to give up my bag and 45 rpm to Tara but I kept that box in the palm of my other hand. The gentleman who was handing out the photos (I had noticed him on stage during the sound check, maybe the stage manager?) noticed the box. I asked him please (oh please oh please oh pleease...) could I have this signed? He said 'Well..... I told him that I'd forfeit the photo if I could have this signed. He said OK.   I showed the 'Love You' box to Al and I said 'Honkin Down the Highway'! He smiled and signed. I told him how the album really makes you happy when you're down or something like that . This is why they want to keep the line moving.   The whole time I was waiting for Tara to pick me up and throw me out of the window.   I heard her ask what I was holding. Brain signed. David signed. I wanted David to sign the 45 but I'm now rally glad that he signed the Love You box. I headed for the exit of the meet and greet but they told me to go and get my picture taken. My heart was racing the whole time.

Listen. As I was doing this I really felt that I had the chance of being asked to leave the facility. Being thrown out. I didn't have to sign an agreement this time but I still felt like I could have got someone upset. I took a chance and got lucky. I later heard that some people were able to get things signed and others weren't. Someone had a part of their body signed and were going to have it tattooed permanently. Cool. I feel for those people who didn't get their item signed. I fell very fortunate. I think that we should have been told to have 1 item ready to go and it could be signed. Tara had said that it 'would be too much' for the Boys to sign personal items.

I'm proud to say that with my one and only chance to have Brian and Al (and Dave) sign a personal item I didn't choose The Smile Sessions or Pet Sounds. I chose The Beach Boys Love You album!  

I sat on the opposite side of Brian for the sound check and and for the concert I was front row just in front of Brian and his piano. I really did enjoy the entire night more than the BB50 show...or it's a close tie.

They allowed cameras. I was able to take some nice photos. I hope I didn't distract the people sitting next to me as I scribbled down notes in a small notebook and took pictures. I think they were watching something else anyway. The rain didn't spoil anything. It came and went. It was a night  I won't soon forget. I just feel fortunate that they came to my town.

Thank you to Brian and all involved.  

I'm sure I'm not the only one who had a good experience?

[acedecade75]

 It sounds like your experience was better than the Atlantic City meet and greet.  The Atlantic City meet and greet was a mess!

[SloopJohnnyB]

I talked to people who were at both meet and greets and yes the Atlantic City wasn't as good as the Pittsburgh event.

The photo that they signed in Pittsburgh was on a nice thick paper and it was a high quality photo of the three standing on the beach (minus Mike and Bruce). The one used for BB50 and currently seen on Brian's website.

[acedecade75]

 There has also been a lot of question as to whether or not the cheap papers they handed out at the Atlantic City show were actualy signed by Brian.  Nobody saw these pictures being signed.   One person on Brian's message board said that Brian's signature on these did not pass third party authentication.  I'm very curious about the replacement autographed photos that they are supposedly sending us.  The whole mess has been a real bummer.

[ontor pertawst]

Jeff Foskett AS Brian Wilson is actually a rarer signature than Brian Wilson and will net you more on ebay. Probyn Gregory as Jeff Foskett as Brian Wilson is even rarer. F for FAKE!

I don't think I ever quite understood the autograph mentality. I never passed third party authentication, of course. There have been a lot of questions...

[Heywood]

I suspect a lot of Brian's own signatures wouldn't pass authentication!

[SloopJohnnyB]

I posted this in another thread but I'll post it here, too.

Well, this is the signature that Brian signed in front of me in person:





This is the signature on the BB50 program that I bought at the BB50 concert:





I feel very confident that Brian signed the BB50 program. You can see the upward tail at the end of Wilson. Also the 'bump' in Brian. Brian might have been tired but he signed the programs. He had to sign many, too. My opinion.

I don't know what happened in N.J. but I'd like to see the photo they were given. My only concern is that they signed one photo and then made copies from it. Still an autograph. I don't want to speculate on what happened when I wasn't there.

Signatures can change over time but you still have some elements that remain the same.

[bgas]

I posted this in another thread but I'll post it here, too.

Well, this is the signature that Brian signed in front of me in person:





This is the signature on the BB50 program that I bought at the BB50 concert:





I feel very confident that Brian signed the BB50 program. You can see the upward tail at the end of Wilson. Also the 'bump' in Brian. Brian might have been tired but he signed the programs. He had to sign many, too. My opinion.

I don't know what happened in N.J. but I'd like to see the photo they were given. My only concern is that they signed one photo and then made copies from it. Still an autograph. I don't want to speculate on what happened when I wasn't there.

Signatures can change over time but you still have some elements that remain the same.

The two sigs are like night and day.
As you saw Brian sign in front of you, we'll presume that one is real. But the BB50 doesn't appear to be signed by Brian, but is more likely Jeff signing to appear as Brian
Any recent ( last 10-15 years) signature not personally witnessed is suspicious....