AL & BLONDIE IN NYC AT THE RUBIN ON FEBRUARY 7th

[Howie Edelson]

Anybody in the New York area on the fence about Al's show on Friday should know Blondie is confirmed and judging from rehearsals -- if you're a FRIENDS, 20/20, and SUNFLOWER fan, it's gonna be worth your while.

[Lowbacca]

Wow...!! Wish I could be there....

[Justin]

Nice...I hope some great videos turn up from the gig.

[orange22]

Would love to be there. Not sure I can make it from where I work in time though.

[Steve Mayo]

that's what sick days are for... 

[SonoraDick]

that's what sick days are for... 

That and for being able to buy online the first day tickets go on sale. 

[HeyJude]

If this is truly going to be a unique performance, and if Al has no intention or ability to finally mount a real full-blown solo tour of small clubs and smaller venues to present a show like this, then I really hope they capture this show professionally in audio and hopefully video form and release it. These guys aren’t getting any younger, and, to borrow and paraphrase a reference of Howie Edelson’s from awhile back, we need to see more of this sort of thing from Al that isn’t just “playing ‘Little Deuce Coupe’ at a street fair with rented equipment.”

If a fully reunited Beach Boys can’t keep things together (or even if they could), this sort of thing is how Al should be capping off his career, not playing corporate gigs and fairs with the “Surf City All Stars.” (No offense to those guys; I’d go see them with Al too if they played in my area.) 

[baseball95]

Al claims he's also gonna do Cabinessence!!!!!!!

http://www.classichitsandoldies.com/v2/2014/02/06/beach-boy-al-jardine-shares-details-about-star-studded-nyc-beatles-tribute-show-taking-place-saturday/

[KittyKat]

That will be interesting to see how he pulls that off without the big Brian Wilson band. 

[Howie Edelson]

I've been involved in show from the beginning and have been urging Al to really go deep, sending him the setlist that "we" want to see.
"Cabinessence" wasn't my idea (when he told me he, I literally asked him if he was joking). I was actually pushing hard for "Out In The Country" -- which didn't make the cut, but the fact that it was even in consideration says a lot about where he's willing to go. He was even mentioning "Funky Pretty" for the Blondie spot.
I'm proud to say that most of his set is something that we would all gladly go out of our way to see him play in a scaled back high-end club -- and hopefully we will.

[bgas]

I've been involved in show from the beginning and have been urging Al to really go deep, sending him the setlist that "we" want to see.
"Cabinessence" wasn't my idea (when he told me he, I literally asked him if he was joking). I was actually pushing hard for "Out In The Country" -- which didn't make the cut, but the fact that it was even in consideration says a lot about where he's willing to go. He was even mentioning "Funky Pretty" for the Blondie spot.
I'm proud to say that most of his set is something that we would all gladly go out of our way to see him play in a scaled back high-end club -- and hopefully we will.

So you'll be recording it to show again in a high-end club?

[Rocker]

I've been involved in show from the beginning and have been urging Al to really go deep, sending him the setlist that "we" want to see.
"Cabinessence" wasn't my idea (when he told me he, I literally asked him if he was joking). I was actually pushing hard for "Out In The Country" -- which didn't make the cut, but the fact that it was even in consideration says a lot about where he's willing to go. He was even mentioning "Funky Pretty" for the Blondie spot.
I'm proud to say that most of his set is something that we would all gladly go out of our way to see him play in a scaled back high-end club -- and hopefully we will.

"Funky pretty" !! That'd be cool. Both their voices shone on the record and the live versions I have heard. That would be one of the songs I wished was played by the Beach Boys (which means in 2012 or if it should happen in the future)

[Ed Roach]

I've been involved in show from the beginning and have been urging Al to really go deep, sending him the setlist that "we" want to see.
"Cabinessence" wasn't my idea (when he told me he, I literally asked him if he was joking). I was actually pushing hard for "Out In The Country" -- which didn't make the cut, but the fact that it was even in consideration says a lot about where he's willing to go. He was even mentioning "Funky Pretty" for the Blondie spot.
I'm proud to say that most of his set is something that we would all gladly go out of our way to see him play in a scaled back high-end club -- and hopefully we will.

Amazing that you're pulling this one off, Howie!  Let's hope it's only the beginning

[SloopJohnnyB]

Wow! I wish I could be there.

Please! Someone record this show! A proper CD release is warranted! This sounds incredible.

[Marcella]

Wanted to bump this thread to see if we have any early reports from attendees?

[ToneBender631]

Wanted to bump this thread to see if we have any early reports from attendees?

Just from memory, some of the songs (in no particular order):

Wake The World
At My Window
Cabinessence
Sail On, Sailor
Transcendental Meditation
Postcard From California
Waves of Love
Help Me, Rhonda
Barbara Ann
Where Have All The Flowers Gone

Hopefully someone else can help me full in the blanks. There was also a Vega-Tables tease!

[Marcella]

Thanks for the update. How did Al sound? Was it a straight acoustic set? Al & a guitar? Any members of Brian's superb band performing with Al & Blondie? How was the venue? Crowd? Well attended? Sorry for all the questions. I'm miffed I couldn't make it. Bad timing for me. Any answers are appreciated

[Howie Edelson]

SETLIST

Transcendental Meditation
TM Song
At My Window
Wake The World
A Postcard From California
Sail On Sailor - w/ Blondie & Paul Shaffer
Waves Of Love
Help Me, Rhonda
Cabinessence

____________________

Where Have All The Flowers Gone - w/ Blondie on piano
So Long It's Been Good To Know You - w/ Blondie on piano

Barbara Ann (by request) - w/ Blondie on backing vocals

[The Shift]

Not bad at all!!!!!! Ffffabulous, in fact!

[Tony S]

Nice mix; love WHATFG! Wish I had been there, would have been well worth the price of admission to see that set list.

[ToneBender631]

Thanks for the update. How did Al sound? Was it a straight acoustic set? Al & a guitar? Any members of Brian's superb band performing with Al & Blondie? How was the venue? Crowd? Well attended? Sorry for all the questions. I'm miffed I couldn't make it. Bad timing for me. Any answers are appreciated

Al sounded fantastic and was in fine spirits. He was playing acoustic guitar throughout the evening, with accompaniment from acoustic bass (not upright), add'l acoustic guitar, light drumming, piano, and some occasional banjo, harmonium and accordion. The best way I can describe it is that it felt like sitting around a campfire with a bunch of friends, one of whom happened to be Al Jardine. The performance was loose with people coming on-stage as the songs required.

The very deep cuts were a treat and I especially enjoyed A Postcard From California. There are some songs that you gain a deeper appreciation for after hearing live and this was one of them.

I was particularly impressed that Al did Cabinessence. That's not an easy song to pull off and after a quick false start, came out sounding great, with Mary Ann even providing some of the backing vocals. After giving a bit of background on the meaning of the song, Al touched on the historical impact of the railroads on society and then pivoted towards a bit of modern environmental concerns (as it relates to coal shipment and the rails).

He spoke briefly about the David Lynch Foundation and what they're trying to do (the show was a benefit after all). It really sounds like a fine organization and I'm looking forward to learning more about them in the future.

I'd love to see Al do more of these types of performances in the future. Maybe they could work a 5-7 song acoustic set into future BAD shows, or do some smaller, stripped down (and more affordable) acoustic shows on off-nights in markets that offer more intimate venues. We know how great Al can sound in such a setting and I'll bet Brian's singing would step up significantly as well, given the lower volumes and improved monitoring situation (ex. Rolling Stone acoustic performance during C50).

Thanks to all that made this wonderful night happen!

[lee]

Good for Al. Glad to see someone actually perform deep cuts. Too bad Al doesn't go on tour with special guests Brian and David.

[Ed Roach]

Hopefully Howie will post some of the cool pictures he took, (especially the one of he & Blondie!).  Sounds like it was a great night; wish I could have been there...

[ToneBender631]

Here are some photos I took:







Most of you will note the total lack of microphones on-stage. The fantastic acoustics of the room rendered them entirely unnecessary and made the whole evening seem that much more intimate. There were, however, room mics above the stage (undoubtedly for recording) and there were people filming the show. Not sure if it was on Al's behalf, the DLF, the museum or all three.

[J.G. Dev]

Gosh Darn, now that's a set list! Way to go Al. This show needs to be brought to the people, and by people, I don't mean a NYC fundraiser, or the Friends of Big Sur Library....Al needs to book a coffee house/small club tour. And while he's at it, grow back his pony tail.