Brian with Jeff Beck Fall Tour Dates

[Justin]

Holy Autotune, Batman!

Justin, see you are up early, working hard getting more clips up, thanks again.  That's Not Me was a little rough, But Caroline, No = Great vocal from both Brian and Jeff.  You Still Believe In Me - great, great, great, nice vocals from everybody.  You, Bubbly, and ontor, are lucky guys.  seltaeb, I was thinking, of all these clips we are seeing from the BAD tour, that they are not using live auto-tune.  You think they are, or that Brian needs that?  

I do not personally think these vocal issues were brought on by autotune.  It looked to me that Brian flat out (no pun intended!) was just under-rehearsed.  He was not confident and thus the wobbly notes appeared.  It looked like he failed to listen to his own advice that you have to really concentrate when you sing otherwise you hit the wrong notes.  I'm not sure how many times he's rehearsed this song but knowing how stubborn Brian can be to go over things in rehearsals...I'd bet not many times.  He hadn't sung the song in a while (yes, I know it was just last week) but he just needed some more work on it.  He nailed all the other songs in the set.

Anybody spot a pro-video crew shooting this? 

Not at all.  Not one camera guy roaming the stage, crowd or anywhere in the vicinity of the venue.  The only cameras were the stationary ones installed into the stage to capture the action for the screens on either side.  Plus, it wasn't exactly a flawless performance.  There were a few hiccups (vocal issues mentioned earlier) so it wouldn't exactly have been THE best performance to shoot.  The best we're going to get are probably Ontor's videos which are usually great. 

Lots of fun! Great review, Justin -- pretty much my take. Altho I'm ashamed to admit I nodded off for a minute during Beck's set. It drained all of my enthusiasm until "Our Prayer" hit. Parking was a a delicious nightmare!

Snagged some videos of "I Know There's An Answer" and a few others on two cameras, I'll muck about and upload 'em if they came out nice. Dodging security was entertaining.

Looking forward to that!  I was going to email you inside the venue man but the reception sucked inside.  Couldn't get anything.   

[send me a picture and i'll tell you]

Nice new "Slam Grand" sticker on the side of the piano. I get it-- it's like a Grand Slam, but backwards.

Is it really too much for whoever is adding autotune  to actually LISTEN to Brian sing the song through processing in rehearsal, before putting it on in a performance and laying the world's biggest egg?  Somebody needs to play these clips for Brian, so he can have a talk with whoever is making him sound so bad.

Here's a tip: That's Not Me is in F#, as well as in G, with occasional B- flats. Any setting which does not accommodate ALL of this WILL fail-- see the video above.

[seltaeb1012002]

I do not personally think these vocal issues were brought on by autotune.  It looked to me that Brian flat out (no pun intended!) was just under-rehearsed.  He was not confident and thus the wobbly notes appeared.  It looked like he failed to listen to his own advice that you have to really concentrate when you sing otherwise you hit the wrong notes.  I'm not sure how many times he's rehearsed this song but knowing how stubborn Brian can be to go over things in rehearsals...I'd bet not many times.  He hadn't sung the song in a while (yes, I know it was just last week) but he just needed some more work on it.  He nailed all the other songs in the set.

I hear ya. But there are some seriously robotic note changes happening throughout that performance. Just check out 1:43 for example. "So pretty". That ain't a human making those quick pitch changes, lol.

That said, I don't hear it on any of the other songs. Weird. Whatever. Still appreciate ya posting the vids. Still love Brian. Still love this tour. Minus the autotune.

[Justin]

Few more random observations:

During the actual concert, there was no "formal" announcement or declaration that Pet Sounds was going to be played in its entirety.  After "Wouldn't It Be Nice" it looked like some kind of announcement was going to be made..I could even hear Al kinda say "Should we do more....(from Pet Sounds)?...."  But it was sort of off mic.  No big deal but still I think part of the crowd didn't exactly know what was going on.  I doubt everyone there had read the announcement on Facebook so I'm sure many people in there were confused 3 or 4 songs in.  Don't get me wrong, people were still very responsive and enjoyed it.  It's just that it started the show with a weird energy...no one said anything and it was like "are we doing this?...are we not?"  and it didn't put the group on a strong foundation to start the show.  Notice how most of the vocal issues happened during the first 4 songs.  The band found their stride halfway through. 

One of the best moments of the evening was the huge standing ovation after Brian sang "God Only Knows."  Before starting it he said "My friends say that this is their favorite song I ever wrote..."  The crowd seemed to have agreed because after the final note, everyone got up and gave Brian about a 45 second standing ovation. It was a touching moment.   He took it very very well.  Smiling, nodding but then he eventually said "ok ok!  Sit down.  Relax..." which made the crowd laugh.  It was a sweet moment and very much reminded me of the moments when the crowd would go nuts after Brian would sing "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" during the C50 tour or also after "Wouldn't It Be Nice." 

I think the best medicine/therapy for Brian is being challenged by immersing himself in NEW music, new sounds, new people making those new sounds and new energies around him.  Whenever I see him trying out a new song you see him awake from his slumber.  Almost always.  Last night--or this tour, I should say--Brian has really been up.  The energy is different on this tour: you have Al, David and Blondie up there with him.  Jeff Beck comes on and completely adds a new dimension to the show, and now they're doing Pet Sounds on a couple dates--an immensely personal album for Brian--all these factors added up really do wonders for Brian's mental and emotional health.  Last night was a night where you saw Brian up there and you couldn't say "he doesn't look like he wants to be up there."  No way.  It really looked like there was nowhere else he'd rather be. 

[the professor]

My God that's depressing. . . . .makes sense of Mike's concerns for sure.

There's video on YouTube of an appearance Brian and part of his band made at a Darlene Love benefit in NYC last week. I found it slightly disconcerting that the two songs on a video are Jeff Foskett duetting with Darlene Love and not Brian. They're both falsetto songs, but still. They should have picked songs that Brian can actually sing. Brian looked so awkward seated right next to Darlene Love and trying to figure out where to sing when Jeff was sitting on the other side of him drowning him out.

[ontor pertawst]

The only thing Mike would've been concerned about last night was the packed house. Possibly he'd want to look into suing Brian for doing his little good vibrations hand gestures.

Can't wait to see a longer set from this configuration and some new album material, Brian's voice is in good shape and it's terrific seeing him having fun without the phony plastered-on smile. Speaking of, David Marks had a nice smirk on his face playing Pet Sounds!

[KittyKat]

There's video on YouTube of an appearance Brian and part of his band made at a Darlene Love benefit in NYC last week. I found it slightly disconcerting that the two songs on a video are Jeff Foskett duetting with Darlene Love and not Brian. They're both falsetto songs, but still. They should have picked songs that Brian can actually sing. Brian looked so awkward seated right next to Darlene Love and trying to figure out where to sing when Jeff was sitting on the other side of him drowning him out.

Got a link?

Here's a link to the clip.  I think the filmer may have picked some awkward moments/songs to film. I read in another story that the band did "God Only Knows" as well, which he didn't film, and Brian probably did sing lead on that without Foskett.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIZ3h89vvXY

[the professor]

So DM has PS back?  Good.  I am sorry fellas, I am at home working and listening to MIC, which I do over and over again when I am not listening to /watching the DVD or the Japan show. I salute all these musicians who are taking the music seriously, and I am so happy for Dave and Al to be with their friend. But the Beck thing is not working for me. Brian's freedom to sing what he wants and to enjoy life IS important, but anything short of a 5-man band (will Jeff silenced) writing and recording and performing songs is not reaching me.
PS. Beck on those surf songs is incomprehensibly bad, and I mean bad.

The only thing Mike would've been concerned about last night was the packed house. Possibly he'd want to look into suing Brian for doing his little good vibrations hand gestures.

Can't wait to see a longer set from this configuration and some new album material, Brian's voice is in good shape and it's terrific seeing him having fun without the phony plastered-on smile. Speaking of, David Marks had a nice smirk on his face playing Pet Sounds!

[SMiLE Brian]

Justin, that was a great post about Brian's mental state for this tour. You could almost say Brian faced his BBs demons last year and is ready for anything this year. I honestly think he realized its not worth fighting with Mike anymore in the BBs band.

[bossaroo]

professor- give it a rest. Jeff Beck is a guitar god. one of the most respected musicians in rock and beyond. this collaboration won't last much longer. most folks (including Brian) seem to be digging the sweet bejeesus out of it. and most agree Beck sounds amazing.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

That auto-tune fail is a bad joke. As great as everything else seems to be going for BW, that is one thing that really irks me. The use of it on a few MIC tracks, the clip posted earlier, and a few of the other MIC songs not having the best sound quality either...makes me wonder what the hell is going on there.

That said, from the tour vids I'm excited as hell. Brian has been on a real hot streak the past several years.

[Amy B.]

Carnie tweeted about going to the LA show and put up a few photos. Sorry about not knowing how to post photos here, but here are her tweets. Maybe the links work. Only one includes Brian, but it's sweet.

Carnie Wilson ‏@CarnieWilson 20 Oct
Going to see my Dad tonight @BrianWilsonLive at the Greek in LA! #gonnacrytearsofjoy

Carnie Wilson ‏@CarnieWilson 20 Oct
Made INCREDIBLE peanut butter chip, marshmallow brownies for Dad, Mel and the whole gang ( tradition) pic.twitter.com/opz0mbUJhQ

Carnie Wilson ‏@CarnieWilson 16h
Sitting here with my Dad in between sets of Brian Wilson & Jeff Beck... He's so adorable in a soft chair! pic.twitter.com/wAm76Lz5fn

Carnie Wilson ‏@CarnieWilson 16h
All I can say is Jeff Beck is off the [f word] chain!!!!!!!! He just did Surf's Up with Dad pic.twitter.com/Crc72xC31K

Carnie Wilson ‏@CarnieWilson 15h
Me and my Sister Daria pic.twitter.com/9GUrdTR3wp

[KittyKat]

Can I ask a rude question, and it may be deleted if the admins think it's distasteful, but is it possible that Brian's kids with Melinda are related to him biologically? Maybe the birth mother was a surrogate mother as well? Because Daria does look a lot like Carnie, and Brian's first three with Melinda are sisters and a brother. Or maybe they just lucked out and the birth mother and baby daddy were a good match in terms of looking similar?

[feelsflow]

Another thought about Beck is,  if he is on most of the tracks on the new record, how can Brian not have him available to do a promo tour?  Might bode well for those hoping for more of this next year, or getting it to Europe and beyond.  They should start working in more co-BAD/Beck into the final set, and with some lead vocals.  I keep saying it, add Blondie into this more.  Many are saying his all too brief appearance is "the" highlight.  Soulful vocals is what Jeff went for in the early days/JBG.  This pairing is working for me.  Brian could do anything with this, did someone mention Friends - TM would Rock, Brian loves the sax rides, or more from Wild Honey?  Say, How She Boogalooded It or A Thing or Two?  Get deeper in!!  Jeff is fantastic and unique in his style.  Looking at the set lists, maybe a bit too much of his fusion stuff and nothing from the four Jeff Beck Group albums, nearly anything from the third or fourth would work.  Not to say I don't like most of what he is doing.  He is just not following Brian's lead in mixing up the sets more.  There's really no reason these shows couldn't run three or more hours, with Brian getting a little nap in between his part.  The reports show lots of folks are coming to see Beck, with ticket re-sellers pushing it as a Beck head-liner.  He is doing a great service for his career here, as he did with the Clapton Guitar Festivals.  Every one of those has come out on DVD, and sold very well.    

[jeffcdo]

Has this tour actually previewed anything that will be on the new album?  I'm guessing maybe "Danny Boy" ?

[Amy B.]

Can I ask a rude question, and it may be deleted if the admins think it's distasteful, but is it possible that Brian's kids with Melinda are related to him biologically? Maybe the birth mother was a surrogate mother as well? Because Daria does look a lot like Carnie, and Brian's first three with Melinda are sisters and a brother. Or maybe they just lucked out and the birth mother and baby daddy were a good match in terms of looking similar?

I just think it's cool that Brian seems to have a good relationship with Carnie (hopefully Wendy too). Yes, he's fallen out with his cousin again, but it's nice to see him with his kids.

[stack-o-tracks]

Last night's show was dope. Jeff kinda butchered a few things but that's okay, others had their moments as well.  Brian's band is immensely talented and wow pretty much everything they played  was on point except Let's Go Away For Awhile... It was kind of all over the place on a sonic level, definitely felt under-rehearsed. Awesome, AWESOME seeing Blondie do SOS & Wild Honey. God Only Knows was definitely the highlight of the show for me, Brian did a wonderful job singing it. Really funny at the end when he made everybody sit down.

Wasn't a huge fan of the guitar wankery by Jerf Beck, it's just not my thing, but Surf's Up I thought was excellent, and dude definitely knows his way around a guitar. His band also is full of huge talent. Not a mediocre to good player in the group. Everybody was EXCELLENT. That violinist may or may not have been playing Satan's golden fiddle from that one song, she was that good. And that dress.

[KittyKat]

Can I ask a rude question, and it may be deleted if the admins think it's distasteful, but is it possible that Brian's kids with Melinda are related to him biologically? Maybe the birth mother was a surrogate mother as well? Because Daria does look a lot like Carnie, and Brian's first three with Melinda are sisters and a brother. Or maybe they just lucked out and the birth mother and baby daddy were a good match in terms of looking similar?

I just think it's cool that Brian seems to have a good relationship with Carnie (hopefully Wendy too). Yes, he's fallen out with his cousin again, but it's nice to see him with his kids.

It's nice that Carnie refers to Daria as her sister, and includes "Mel" as her giftee of brownies. I'm thinking the resemblance between Carnie and Daria may be the similar pose. Brian has some cute kids, regardless of who their moms are, and they seem to really dote on ol' Dad.

[Shady]

Read a huge amount of negative comments about Jeff Beck's set on twitter when I was searching for pics and videos, was sad to read but I'm glad he was received well by the crowd at the show.

Personally I'm not at fan off Jeff's but I think he's somehow bringing out the best in Brian for this tour

[KittyKat]

Read a huge amount of negative comments about Jeff Beck's set on twitter when I was searching for pics and videos, was sad to read but I'm glad he was received well by the crowd at the show.

Personally I'm not at fan off Jeff's but I think he's somehow bringing out the best in Brian for this tour

Hm, odd that most reports say that it appears that half the crowd are there for Jeff Beck, based on cheers (I guess), but that Jeff's fans don't criticize Brian on Twitter. Either Jeff's fans are enjoying Brian, or they're more polite than Brian's fans, or they're not on Twitter.

[coco1997]

Has this tour actually previewed anything that will be on the new album?  I'm guessing maybe "Danny Boy" ?

According to Brian's Twitter they were supposed to be playing "Metropolis" but the tour is already over halfway over and it's still yet to make an appearance.

[Niko]

Yeah, I read a couple times that 2-3 new songs would be played. I'm guessing Metropolis, Run Johnny Run and Danny Boy are the new songs they had in mind. Hopefully they'll come up.

[Shady]

Read a huge amount of negative comments about Jeff Beck's set on twitter when I was searching for pics and videos, was sad to read but I'm glad he was received well by the crowd at the show.

Personally I'm not at fan off Jeff's but I think he's somehow bringing out the best in Brian for this tour

Hm, odd that most reports say that it appears that half the crowd are there for Jeff Beck, based on cheers (I guess), but that Jeff's fans don't criticize Brian on Twitter. Either Jeff's fans are enjoying Brian, or they're more polite than Brian's fans, or they're not on Twitter.

It's hard to say who's there for who even if you're at the show, but considering this one was in Brian's backyard and he's sold if out on his own before I'd imagine the majority were there for Brian

[Shady]

Al makes me laugh



Seems happy



"I haven't seen a crowd this big in a while"



Brian: "Who's this guy"



Brian's been enjoying the backstage catering



Brian, Al and Jeff react to a female flasher

[KittyKat]

Brian looks on the verge of a wardrobe malfunction.  

Though I think it's an optical illusion (it looks like the button placket has an orange tag on the bottom, unless that really is a tiny portion of his belly).