Reviews of The Beach Boys in Concert! book

[Jeff Mason]

I know I don't really come here anymore, and it's been years since I was an active member, but I had to stop by for this one because I know that the authors will see this.  My copy of this book arrived today and holy crap, is this definitive and amazing.  The photos (you always wish you had more, but you get a lot) are mostly unseen to this point, along with some great coups (several of Glen Campbell as a member, even one with Toni Tenille onstage).  It appears that up to about 1984 the details are nearly exhaustive.  No focus on setlists, the book seems far more interested in the spirit of what happened.  Looks like lots of interaction with reviews of the day, who played when, etc.  I sincerely wished for a book like this at the peak of my BB fandom around 2000, and I would have been in Nirvana in those days.  Even now when the spark has cooled, I have major respect in every way for what these guys have accomplished.  This is one of the best BB books if not the best I have ever seen, and I only have spent an hour so far with it.  Great, great job guys.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Thanks for that, Jeff...I'm looking forward to getting a copy!

[The Shift]

Sounds great, appreciate the insight,

[Don Malcolm]

Thanks, Jeff...pre-ordered it awhile back and I am now looking forward to it even more than before (if that's possible!). We are living in a new "golden age" of BB reference works, and not a moment too soon!

[Smile4ever]

Thanks, Jeff...pre-ordered it awhile back and I am now looking forward to it even more than before (if that's possible!). We are living in a new "golden age" of BB reference works, and not a moment too soon!

Yeah, it really seems like that. A ton of great material has been released recently, or is on the verge of release.

[Ian]

Glad you liked it Jeff.  The book is pretty detailed through 1985, than delivers a more cursory look at 86-2012, plus solo careers.  As far as set lists-we do list at least two or three a year-but as shows often didn't vary considerably we didn't overdo it. Setlist info came from reviews, dvds., CDs, some paperwork given to us from insiders and of course Eric' site. 

[The Shift]

Glad you liked it Jeff.  The book is pretty detailed through 1985, than delivers a more cursory look at 86-2012, plus solo careers.  As far as set lists-we do list at least two or three a year-but as shows often didn't vary considerably we didn't overdo it. Setlist info came from reviews, dvds., CDs, some paperwork given to us from insiders and of course Eric' site. 

That sounds like good sense, Ian, I'm really looking forward to this book … and good to see Eric's site getting some well-deserved plugs; it's a fantastic, under-appreciated resource.  Eric deserves high praise.

http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/setlists.html

[Mikie]

I know I don't really come here anymore.

You should.  We need more knowledgeable people here with common sense.

Looking forward to receiving my limted edition hard cover copy any day now......

[Jeff Mason]

That is how it should be -- far more interested in the history and events than a repetitious list of sets.  I thought you set a perfect balance there.

[Jon Stebbins]

That is how it should be -- far more interested in the history and events than a repetitious list of sets.  I thought you set a perfect balance there.

Thanks Jeff, we really appreciate the feedback. One of our goals was to create a book that was information and detail heavy, but still retained a readability that made it an accessible and enjoyable experience.

[Jeff Mason]

OK, here's how detailed this is -- they figured out which shows yielded which tracks on which nights for the 1973 In Concert album.  I would love to know how they figured that out.

[Ian]

A fellow with initials ab helped on that

[STE]

Thank you Adrian Baker!!


 

[lee]

Just got confirmation from amazon that my copy shipped. I can't wait for it to arrive.

[Eric Aniversario]

Glad you liked it Jeff.  The book is pretty detailed through 1985, than delivers a more cursory look at 86-2012, plus solo careers.  As far as set lists-we do list at least two or three a year-but as shows often didn't vary considerably we didn't overdo it. Setlist info came from reviews, dvds., CDs, some paperwork given to us from insiders and of course Eric' site.  

That sounds like good sense, Ian, I'm really looking forward to this book … and good to see Eric's site getting some well-deserved plugs; it's a fantastic, under-appreciated resource.  Eric deserves high praise.

http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/setlists.html

Thanks! Wish I had more time to update! Hope to take a day off and get caught up.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Got mine today...so far loving it! Detailed thoughts coming later but one thing that real books will always have up on ebooks is that awesome new book scent. It's bliss on paper.

[SonoraDick]

My copy also just arrived. I looked right away for my first show, back in 1974. Pretty small potatoes for the BB at the time (about 4000 very LOUD college students attended), but a thrill for me. I wasn't expecting to find much , but was amazed by the detail, quoting in depth from the newspaper review the next day. This is going to be great fun trying to pin down as many of the shows that I saw as possible. You've already revived one terrific memory. Thanks to both of you!

[The Shift]

Glad you liked it Jeff.  The book is pretty detailed through 1985, than delivers a more cursory look at 86-2012, plus solo careers.  As far as set lists-we do list at least two or three a year-but as shows often didn't vary considerably we didn't overdo it. Setlist info came from reviews, dvds., CDs, some paperwork given to us from insiders and of course Eric' site. 

That sounds like good sense, Ian, I'm really looking forward to this book … and good to see Eric's site getting some well-deserved plugs; it's a fantastic, under-appreciated resource.  Eric deserves high praise.

http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/setlists.html

Thanks! Wish I had more time to update! Hope to take a day off and get caught up.

Updates welcome obviously but if the sun shines, it's hiking time! 

[PrayForSurf]

Posted this on my PrayForSurf Blog.blogspot.com blog today ~

Most promotional pieces exaggerate ... but not this one!

"The Beach Boys in Concert! is an exhilarating day-by-day journey ...

Over ten years of exhaustive research has produced an unprecedented window into the Beach Boys' thrilling successes, personal tragedies, and interband dramas globe-trotting rock-and-roll adventures from 1961 to 2012 ...

An extensive collection of unpublished photos and rare memorabilia images that bring fans deeper into the context of any given era covered in the book. This detailed, illustrated 50-year Surfin' Safari will blow your mind!"

Stebbins and Rusten give us a unique combination of history, chronology and beauty.
-The photos are beautiful; clear and clean, many previously unpublished, and recreate the evolving scenes and styles of the Beach Boys live performances
-The day-by-day, year-by-year chronicle of the band, surprisingly, captures the reader's interest, as their story unfolds, show-by-show and city-by-city
-The sidebars on each page place the concerts and appearances into the context of their times both in the life of the band and in the changing American culture

When the Beach Boys celebrate their 75th anniversary, this almost encyclopedic resource will continue to be one of the must-reads for anyone who wants to know what's behind the curtain of the greatest rock band America has ever produced.

Phil
www.PrayForSurfBlog.blogspot.com

[Howie Edelson]

This book is an absolute gift.
I'm in love with this book.

[Mitchell]

Will there be a live box companion so we can listen to each era as we read?

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

I haven't got much of a chance to go through it, but I've already seen some great photos.  I was surprised, for some reason, that it is a hardcover book.  I was expecting something like the Badman thing.  Speaking of which, all somebody needs to do now is put out a studio version of this book and we can throw away our Badmans, eh?

[Mitchell]

Maybe... as long as we can still access social security numbers... 

[Mikie]

I thought there were only 50 hard covered books made.

aeijtzsche, do you have a limited edition copy or an off-the-shelf version?

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Off the shelf.  I work at a bookstore and was going to order myself one but when I went to do so saw one was on its way anyway.  So yeah, just an ordinary book as shipped to my store.