Mike and Bruce Tour 2014

[tpesky]

Beach Boys Family and Friends did perform rare songs, well beyond anything the BB had touched in decades.

[Nicko1234]

Beach Boys Family and Friends did perform rare songs, well beyond anything the BB had touched in decades.

Yes but very few of them. An average of 3 per show maybe.

[baseball95]

Beach Boys Family and Friends did perform rare songs, well beyond anything the BB had touched in decades.

Yes but very few of them. An average of 3 per show maybe.

Wild Honey, Breakaway and Girl Don't Tell Me are the three that come to mind

[RubberSoul13]

Beach Boys Family and Friends did perform rare songs, well beyond anything the BB had touched in decades.

Yes but very few of them. An average of 3 per show maybe.

Wild Honey, Breakaway and Girl Don't Tell Me are the three that come to mind

Mike and Bruce could add really rocking versions of those last two in easily utilizing Cowsill and Totten.

[HeyJude]

Beach Boys Family and Friends did perform rare songs, well beyond anything the BB had touched in decades.

Yes but very few of them. An average of 3 per show maybe.

Wild Honey, Breakaway and Girl Don't Tell Me are the three that come to mind

I think this particular variation on this topic (that is, the question of whether Al’s “BBFF” band actually did perform a decent amount of rarities during its comically brief tenure of one year of sporadic touring followed by one additional year of a hand full of dates) came up before, and it totally depends on one’s definition of rare or deep cuts. I think especially if we can count some stuff like “I Can Hear Music” or “You’re So Good To Me” or “Heroes and Villains” or “Sail on Sailor” as somewhat “deep” cuts (meaning not the top tier of hits a casual fan would mention, and not songs that were *always* in the setlist year after year in the BB’s), then Al was attempting something with a bit more breadth than either Mike’s band was at the time or the BB’s with Al and Carl had in recent years. Clearly, Al’s brief according to early interviews in 1999 to play a lot of deep cuts was not something he was able to carry out to the degree he wanted (he discussed doing stuff like “Be Here in the Morning”, etc.), and that was partly due to playing so sporadically, where the band couldn’t build the repertoire to quickly dig into a bunch of non-“meat and potatoes” numbers.

Al was also playing (and sadly still does) venues and bookings even more restrictive than Mike’s band does. Mike’s “short” shows seem to usually be in the 80-90 minute range or so. But Al seemed to get some bookings of the “fair” variety and whatnot that were even shorter, sometimes an hour or less. When I saw “Family and Friends” at one of their few bookings in 2000, they crammed 21 songs (including a few rarities such as “Wild Honey”) into an hour or so. It was so truncated that stuff heard in rehearsal like even “Come Go With Me” got dropped. They evidently rehearsed “The Trader” at that show, but obviously it wasn’t included.

Certainly, I would say in 1999 that Al was performing a more viscerally interesting setlist than Mike was or the BB’s had in recent years. Al was at least attempting to not only dig into more late 60’s/early 70’s songs, but was actually digging up at least a few songs the BB’s hadn’t performed in years (“Lookin’ at Tomorrow”, “You Still Believe In Me”) if not decades or ever (the “three score at five” section of “Heroes and Villains” at a few early shows, “Girl Don’t Tell Me”, “Break Away”, “Wild Honey”).

But I’ve often said that Al, especially in more recent years, should stop booking a few state fairs here and there, stop simply doing the odd gig here or there singing “Little Deuce Coupe” and “Help Me Rhonda” with the “Surf City All Stars”, and book small club and/or theater tours doing shows more along the lines of his NYC show a couple months ago. If he’d play venues with audiences that will cater to a bunch of deep cuts and folk songs, it would be a far more interesting show.

I do think Al’s circa 1999 setlists were much more viscerally impressive back then, when the main points of comparison were Mike’s shows (where he was still doing the oldies cover sets with stuff like “Duke of Earl” and “Sherry”), and the often by-rote, autopilot performances and setlists of the touring BB’s with Mike/Bruce/Al/Carl in the 90’s. Brian was doing more impressive setlists by 1999/2000, and eventually Mike started spicing up his setlist too.

[baseball95]

Beach Boys Family and Friends did perform rare songs, well beyond anything the BB had touched in decades.

Yes but very few of them. An average of 3 per show maybe.

Wild Honey, Breakaway and Girl Don't Tell Me are the three that come to mind

Mike and Bruce could add really rocking versions of those last two in easily utilizing Cowsill and Totten.

Scott has a fantastic voice he could and should handle more leads in my opinion.

[Nicko1234]

Beach Boys Family and Friends did perform rare songs, well beyond anything the BB had touched in decades.

Yes but very few of them. An average of 3 per show maybe.

Wild Honey, Breakaway and Girl Don't Tell Me are the three that come to mind

Mike and Bruce could add really rocking versions of those last two in easily utilizing Cowsill and Totten.

I don`t think they performed Breakaway or Wild Honey much at all. They were added just before Al had to stop using the name I believe.

The 3 rarities BB F&F performed most often were Girl Don`t Tell Me, You`re So Good To Me and You Still Believe in Me.

And I can`t see Mike wanting to perform Breakaway. I could be wrong but when they did the podcast for TWOTS this was the only song that Mike didn`t have anything positive to say about. Possibly because Murry co-wrote it. The fact they haven`t even performed it in the U.K. where it was a big hit speaks volumes though.

[Nicko1234]

I think this particular variation on this topic (that is, the question of whether Al’s “BBFF” band actually did perform a decent amount of rarities during its comically brief tenure of one year of sporadic touring followed by one additional year of a hand full of dates) came up before, and it totally depends on one’s definition of rare or deep cuts. I think especially if we can count some stuff like “I Can Hear Music” or “You’re So Good To Me” or “Heroes and Villains” or “Sail on Sailor” as somewhat “deep” cuts (meaning not the top tier of hits a casual fan would mention, and not songs that were *always* in the setlist year after year in the BB’s), then Al was attempting something with a bit more breadth than either Mike’s band was at the time or the BB’s with Al and Carl had in recent years. Clearly, Al’s brief according to early interviews in 1999 to play a lot of deep cuts was not something he was able to carry out to the degree he wanted (he discussed doing stuff like “Be Here in the Morning”, etc.), and that was partly due to playing so sporadically, where the band couldn’t build the repertoire to quickly dig into a bunch of non-“meat and potatoes” numbers.

Al was also playing (and sadly still does) venues and bookings even more restrictive than Mike’s band does. Mike’s “short” shows seem to usually be in the 80-90 minute range or so. But Al seemed to get some bookings of the “fair” variety and whatnot that were even shorter, sometimes an hour or less. When I saw “Family and Friends” at one of their few bookings in 2000, they crammed 21 songs (including a few rarities such as “Wild Honey”) into an hour or so. It was so truncated that stuff heard in rehearsal like even “Come Go With Me” got dropped. They evidently rehearsed “The Trader” at that show, but obviously it wasn’t included.

Certainly, I would say in 1999 that Al was performing a more viscerally interesting setlist than Mike was or the BB’s had in recent years. Al was at least attempting to not only dig into more late 60’s/early 70’s songs, but was actually digging up at least a few songs the BB’s hadn’t performed in years (“Lookin’ at Tomorrow”, “You Still Believe In Me”) if not decades or ever (the “three score at five” section of “Heroes and Villains” at a few early shows, “Girl Don’t Tell Me”, “Break Away”, “Wild Honey”).

Al did probably intend to play more rarities but the shows listed on Eric`s website (I know it doesn`t list every show) indicate that there was actually not too much difference between The Beach Boys setlists in 1997 and the BB F&F setlists.

The BBs were often playing maybe 2 or 3 rarities in You`re So Good to Me, Summer in Paradise and Sail on Sailor (or sometimes Warmth of the Sun). I personally wouldn`t count I Can Hear Music or Little Honda as rarities even though they weren`t played every year.

When BB F&F played concerts of a similar length they would normally include 3 rarities and would rotate them to some degree.

I would certainly agree that Al was playing a more interesting setlist than Mike at the time (and I personally think that the overall sound of Al`s group if you include lead vocals was the most impressive of all 3 touring acts) but there wasn`t a huge amount of difference.

But I’ve often said that Al, especially in more recent years, should stop booking a few state fairs here and there, stop simply doing the odd gig here or there singing “Little Deuce Coupe” and “Help Me Rhonda” with the “Surf City All Stars”, and book small club and/or theater tours doing shows more along the lines of his NYC show a couple months ago. If he’d play venues with audiences that will cater to a bunch of deep cuts and folk songs, it would be a far more interesting show.

I absolutely agree. It`s a terrible shame that the strongest vocalist with the group has performed so little since 1998 (C50 apart). And that when Al did tour under his own name his group started playing even more oldies like Little GTO, Sea Cruise and Runaway.

The show earlier this year where he played a stack of rarities is a bittersweet hint at what might have been.

[Dave in KC]

Beach Boys Family and Friends did perform rare songs, well beyond anything the BB had touched in decades.

Yes but very few of them. An average of 3 per show maybe.

Wild Honey, Breakaway and Girl Don't Tell Me are the three that come to mind

I saw Alan do Welfare Song in Topeka Kansas, in late 1999. It was surreal.
Of course I mean Looking at Tomorrow.

[Mayoman]

Was at the show in Torrington last night, here's the setlist:

Do It Again
Goin' to the Beach
Catch a Wave
Hawaii
Surf City
Surfin' Safari
Surfer Girl
Wendy
Getcha Back
Kiss Me, Baby
Why Do Fools Fall in Love
When I Grow Up (to Be a Man)
Darlin'
Be True to Your School
Ballad of Ole' Betsy
Don't Worry Baby
Little Deuce Coupe
409
Shut Down
I Get Around
Intermission
California Dreamin'
Then I Kissed Her
California Girls
Sloop John B
Wouldn't It Be Nice
Their Hearts Were Full of Spring
Disney Girls
Pisces Brother
Cool Head, Warm Heart
The Warmth of the Sun
God Only Knows
Good Vibrations
Kokomo
Help Me, Rhonda
Do You Wanna Dance?
Barbara Ann
Surfin' U.S.A.
Encore:
Wild Honey
Fun, Fun, Fun

Pretty nice setlist, Kiss Me Baby was definitely a surprise. Show sounded great, theater is beautiful. Bruce also sounded incredibly strong on Wendy, where I know he's sounded a bit weak before.

[RubberSoul13]

Now that's a nice Mike and Bruce show, at least for the US. When they get the right theatre venue, Mike and Scott really bring out the goodies!

After four M&B shows, I've still never heard them do Wendy, Kiss Me Baby, Full of Spring, Pisces Brother, or Warmth of The Sun. Now, counting C50 and and a B/A/D show, that list trims down to Pisces Brothers and Warmth of The Sun. 

Anyway, hope we see more lengthy shows like this over the year!

[halblaineisgood]

 never seen the Beach Boys live.hope I am financially able to see some incarnation of these fellers before I die.

[halblaineisgood]

I see Scott is here, you rock, Scott! Why do fools from c 50was tha sh*t!

[tpesky]

I was there. Mike sounded great, and the set list was definitely what I was hoping for with the theatre venue. Cool Head Warm Heart went over like a lead balloon   but Pisces Brothers went over great.  I think In My Room or Please Let Me Wonder would have worked better in place of Cool Head but that's a small picky personal thing. Kiss Me Baby was NAILED by Mike and I love Scott on Warmth of the Sun!

[SIP Mike]

I've got tickets to every UK show. It's been a long time coming...I'm completely ready to Mike Out!

[SMiLE Brian]

You never  mention Bruce

[SIP Mike]

I named my second son after him  is that not enough for you people? 

[SMiLE Brian]

Yeah It is not enough, how did you become a kokomaoist?

[SIP Mike]

Probably not the same way you became a fan of your side. Mike would be rolling around in his emperor size bed if he saw the results of what you post against the teaching of the 'little bed book' the kokomaoists follow. but while you are there feeling guillty, i'll be Miking Out allsummer long!

[SMiLE Brian]

Don't waste your money like that, I bet you skipped the C50.

[SIP Mike]

'Waste' is a term generally reserved for people like you who throw money at the stage when Brian sits on it. I went to C50 and sat with my brother Bobby and we enjoyed it yes, but you don't understand the difference between the two. It's better M&B tour the way they do now. Did your know their setlists in the UK span over 50 songs? More like setlust for me 

Gotcha there


*Pow*

[Sheriff John Stone]

Was at the show in Torrington last night, here's the setlist:

Do It Again
Goin' to the Beach
Catch a Wave
Hawaii
Surf City
Surfin' Safari
Surfer Girl
Wendy
Getcha Back
Kiss Me, Baby
Why Do Fools Fall in Love
When I Grow Up (to Be a Man)
Darlin'
Be True to Your School
Ballad of Ole' Betsy
Don't Worry Baby
Little Deuce Coupe
409
Shut Down
I Get Around
Intermission
California Dreamin'
Then I Kissed Her
California Girls
Sloop John B
Wouldn't It Be Nice
Their Hearts Were Full of Spring
Disney Girls
Pisces Brother
Cool Head, Warm Heart
The Warmth of the Sun
God Only Knows
Good Vibrations
Kokomo
Help Me, Rhonda
Do You Wanna Dance?
Barbara Ann
Surfin' U.S.A.
Encore:
Wild Honey
Fun, Fun, Fun

Pretty nice setlist, Kiss Me Baby was definitely a surprise. Show sounded great, theater is beautiful. Bruce also sounded incredibly strong on Wendy, where I know he's sounded a bit weak before.

Thanks for the setlist, Mayoman. Wow, 39 songs including:

-  "Kiss Me, Baby"
-  "Then I Kissed Her"
-  "Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring"
-  "Pieces Brother"
-  "Cool Head, Warm Heart"
-  "The Warmth Of The Sun"
-  "Wild Honey"

...can't get much better than that! I'll bet the audience was singing, clapping, and dancing along. And, probably lots of smiles in the parking lot walking to the cars after the show, too...

[SMiLE Brian]

SIP Mike, why would you want BW to not be there? He is the BBs after all...

[KittyKat]

Brian is not the Beach Boys. He's not even the Brian Wilson Band. If Brian didn't have his amazing band, and it was just him and a keyboard, it would not be a good show. Just like Brian's band made the C50 tour so good, apart from the sentimental value and-sometimes-okay singing from Brian being there.

[Orange Crate Art]

I'm taking my son to see the Mike & Bruce show in August. It will be his first concert. It's a good choice for the little guy, I think. Family friendly and everything, can't go wrong.