Mike and Bruce Tour 2014

[Mayoman]

You gotta admit they all look like they're having a blast.

That said, from that clip I don't like what I'm hearing or seeing. I've been saying it for a while, the touring Beach Boys are a cheap, very cheap imitation of what The Beach Boys were. A knock off brand, it's nice to have them around for the general public but it doesn't do any justice to what that band was.

Each to their own...

Personally I would say that they sound better than pretty much anyone could have imagined in 1998 when the decision was first made to grant Mike a licence.

Controversial opinion, but from a purely musical perspective, the touring band often sounds better now than they did in the 90s when Al and Carl were still in the band. But a lot of that is simply due to Cowsill vs. Kowalski.

[Andrew G. Doe]

That said, from that clip I don't like what I'm hearing or seeing. I've been saying it for a while, the touring Beach Boys are a cheap, very cheap imitation of what The Beach Boys were. A knock off brand, it's nice to have them around for the general public but it doesn't do any justice to what that band was.

When was the last time you attended a full Mike & Bruce show, as opposed to checking out a few minutes of cell phone footage ? I've seen them in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2014, and the standard has increased almost exponentially. Is it currently as good as 2012 ?  Of course not. Is it as good as Brian can be ?  Judgement call, I'd have to say Brian at his very best would edge them, but overall it'd be a photo finish. Hopefully we'll get a chance to compare over the next few months. As for being a cheap imitation of The Beach Boys... isn't that exactly what the band themselves were, by and large, from the late seventies ?

[Loves The Sunflower]

But a lot of that is simply due to Cowsill vs. Kowalski.

+1.

I mean, how many renditions of "I Get Around" and "Little Deuce Coupe", for example, played at utterly sluggish tempos that killed the groove of both entirely did fans endure at BB concerts during the 1980s and 1990s? Those two in particular in the 1980s and 1990s always sounded like they were being played for the first time during a rehearsal session intended to break in a couple of new band members who were altogether unfamiliar with BB music. They're supposed to be energetic mid-tempo songs and under Kowalski's reign they bordered on sounding like funeral dirges. Contrast that to Cowsill, who consistently brings that proto-proto-punk/young Dennis-Wilson vibe to all the surf and car songs in concert, and it's night and day. IMO, Cowsill is the best thing to happen in BB Land Drums since Ricky Fataar in the early 1970s.

As far as Mike & Bruce (or Brian, or Al and Brian, or Al, Brian and David, or Mike, Bruce and David or...) in general go, it is what it is (to use a cliche that I hate because it's absurd). The days of the real Beach Boys are long over, C50 notwithstanding. The end of such has arguably come about incrementally since the late 1970s -with particular low ebbs during 1983 and 1998 that effectively ended even the legitimate nostalgia of what was once a vital, living band. Today we have shifting and simmering factions of former Beach Boys and Beach Boys cohorts attempting to credibly recreate something without the unique chemistry of all or most of the other parties that made the original outfit what it was, and naturally the results are mixed and strained. That said, I still figure we should enjoy as best we can what we have here and now because the day will sadly come -probably sooner rather than later- when we will no longer have even that much in terms of touring BBs. (That happy thought aside, I do think the music itself will be around and have its ardent supporters for some time to come because, well, to use another cliche, the cream always rises to the top.)   

[Mayoman]

This person posted several quality videos of last night's show w/ David:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m25N1d_q830&list=UU2M6BVrNGCvlVRlS1WujjgQ

Also Bruce sings GOK here, listen for that keyboard note that he plays at the beginning.

[startBBtoday]

You gotta admit they all look like they're having a blast.

That said, from that clip I don't like what I'm hearing or seeing. I've been saying it for a while, the touring Beach Boys are a cheap, very cheap imitation of what The Beach Boys were. A knock off brand, it's nice to have them around for the general public but it doesn't do any justice to what that band was.

Each to their own...

Personally I would say that they sound better than pretty much anyone could have imagined in 1998 when the decision was first made to grant Mike a licence.

Controversial opinion, but from a purely musical perspective, the touring band often sounds better now than they did in the 90s when Al and Carl were still in the band. But a lot of that is simply due to Cowsill vs. Kowalski.

The backing band or the touring band? Because if it's the latter, that's comical.

[Dave in KC]

This person posted several quality videos of last night's show w/ David:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m25N1d_q830&list=UU2M6BVrNGCvlVRlS1WujjgQ

Also Bruce sings GOK here, listen for that keyboard note that he plays at the beginning.

Not too shabby. California Girls is done too slowly, more than just a hair. Bruce overwhelms with his conducting. What about that note?

[startBBtoday]

This person posted several quality videos of last night's show w/ David:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m25N1d_q830&list=UU2M6BVrNGCvlVRlS1WujjgQ

Also Bruce sings GOK here, listen for that keyboard note that he plays at the beginning.

Not too shabby. California Girls is done too slowly, more than just a hair. Bruce overwhelms with his conducting. What about that note?

Has anyone ever figured out why Bruce doesn't really play his keyboard?

[Sheriff John Stone]

Not too shabby. California Girls is done too slowly, more than just a hair.

Yes, I noticed that, too. Scott T. or John C. are you out there? Are we just imagining it?

[Dave in KC]

SJS, several years ago I noticed this at a local show and wrote about it here. Scott T. answered the next day and said he timed it out with old performances and the original recording and that I was right, but only by a little bit. I stated that the music lives in my head and he said it does with him too. I guess he prefers the slowed down version, no matter how slight it is to him. You can fool some of the people some of the time.............

[The Cincinnati Kid]

This person posted several quality videos of last night's show w/ David:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m25N1d_q830&list=UU2M6BVrNGCvlVRlS1WujjgQ

Also Bruce sings GOK here, listen for that keyboard note that he plays at the beginning.

That was actually the first time I heard Bruce sing GOK.  He sounded great!

[Sheriff John Stone]

SJS, several years ago I noticed this at a local show and wrote about it here. Scott T. answered the next day and said he timed it out with old performances and the original recording and that I was right, but only by a little bit. I stated that the music lives in my head and he said it does with him too. I guess he prefers the slowed down version, no matter how slight it is to him. You can fool some of the people some of the time.............

That's interesting. I appreciate when songs are performed at their original speed/time, but "California Girls" was always one of The Beach Boys' songs that I preferred slightly faster live. It seemed to rock more and get the people moving more. However, in all fairness, that's when they were opening with it, too, and the people were pumped and ready.

[RubberSoul13]

This person posted several quality videos of last night's show w/ David:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m25N1d_q830&list=UU2M6BVrNGCvlVRlS1WujjgQ

Also Bruce sings GOK here, listen for that keyboard note that he plays at the beginning.

That was actually the first time I heard Bruce sing GOK.  He sounded great!

I agree. I kind of wish Mike and Bruce didn't pursue the use of the Carl Wilson recording after C50. It was a really special thing to do during that time in 2012, especially for Brian to be onstage with it. But it does seem to cheapen the concept a bit in this M&B setting.

When I saw them in OC last year they did this and I could hear the old woman next to me lean to her husband and go "Carl Wilson was the father, right?"........point being, probably about 90% of Mike and Bruce's usual crowd simply do not care.

[tpesky]

Agreed on Cal. Girls, that and Catch a Wave always sounded better sped up to my ears.

[baseball95]

Anyone have a set from either show with Dave so far?

[Doo Dah]

This person posted several quality videos of last night's show w/ David:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m25N1d_q830&list=UU2M6BVrNGCvlVRlS1WujjgQ

Also Bruce sings GOK here, listen for that keyboard note that he plays at the beginning.

That was actually the first time I heard Bruce sing GOK.  He sounded great!

I agree. I kind of wish Mike and Bruce didn't pursue the use of the Carl Wilson recording after C50. It was a really special thing to do during that time in 2012, especially for Brian to be onstage with it. But it does seem to cheapen the concept a bit in this M&B setting.

When I saw them in OC last year they did this and I could hear the old woman next to me lean to her husband and go "Carl Wilson was the father, right?"........point being, probably about 90% of Mike and Bruce's usual crowd simply do not care.

Same thing happened to me when I saw them at the Puyallup Fair (Western Washington) circa '06. Mike mentioned Carl before GOK, and an elderly gentleman to my right asked me the same thing. What can you do? I politely explained.

The band has always marketed the music over the personalities. Kinda good in a way, kinda unfortunate.

[CarlTheVoice]

Mike and Bruce a cheap imitation of the old band? I see where you're coming from but I disagree. Brian is Brian but I wouldn't say his gigs make me think 'oh that's what it would have been like 50 years ago'. I am 29 but I can't imagine that the original band were set up like Brian's band? To me Brian's gigs are a bit like a live version of Pet Sounds - Brian and a bunch of brilliant musicians, but not the fun and togetherness of the Beach Boys. There always seems to be something slightly missing and I think that may be stage presence.

I never saw any original line up gigs but I'd imagine that most of them in the mid 60s/late 70s at least would have been more like the current BB set up? I don't know, but I don't see anything wrong with what M&B are doing. They are playing BB songs at a very high standard and encouraging the crowd to have fun. I don't personally see how that could possibly ruin any legacy at all. Constant in-fighting and public spats however.....

[chrs_mrgn]

Mike and Bruce a cheap imitation of the old band? I see where you're coming from but I disagree. Brian is Brian but I wouldn't say his gigs make me think 'oh that's what it would have been like 50 years ago'. I am 29 but I can't imagine that the original band were set up like Brian's band? To me Brian's gigs are a bit like a live version of Pet Sounds - Brian and a bunch of brilliant musicians, but not the fun and togetherness of the Beach Boys. There always seems to be something slightly missing and I think that may be stage presence.

I never saw any original line up gigs but I'd imagine that most of them in the mid 60s/late 70s at least would have been more like the current BB set up? I don't know, but I don't see anything wrong with what M&B are doing. They are playing BB songs at a very high standard and encouraging the crowd to have fun. I don't personally see how that could possibly ruin any legacy at all. Constant in-fighting and public spats however.....

I agree.

Ive seen Brian a smattering of times over the last 5 years as well as M+B. I think they are both good shows and very similar when it all boils down.

Mike and Bruce seem like they want to play the hits and get the crowd really engaged and every now and then throw in a couple surprises but it's very predictable and I'm not sure if I will ever see them again.

Brian on the other hand I will probably see again if he is ever in the area. He seems like he is always having an off night and it really brings the show down for me.
This isn't just from shows I have seen either. The performance I see online almost seem identical. Brian not really playing the keys, or really even singing for that matter.
He plays a few more songs off of Pet Sounds than M+B but the setlist is typically very close and almost the same every time he comes through.

So I guess overall I am just trying to say that they are both way too similar and I don't get what all the hubbub is about.

[tpesky]

Brian tends to get much better as the tour goes on, but still has his off nights. He was in control by the time I saw the Jeff Beck tour last Fall.

[Shady]

Mike and Bruce a cheap imitation of the old band? I see where you're coming from but I disagree. Brian is Brian but I wouldn't say his gigs make me think 'oh that's what it would have been like 50 years ago'. I am 29 but I can't imagine that the original band were set up like Brian's band? To me Brian's gigs are a bit like a live version of Pet Sounds - Brian and a bunch of brilliant musicians, but not the fun and togetherness of the Beach Boys. There always seems to be something slightly missing and I think that may be stage presence.

I never saw any original line up gigs but I'd imagine that most of them in the mid 60s/late 70s at least would have been more like the current BB set up? I don't know, but I don't see anything wrong with what M&B are doing. They are playing BB songs at a very high standard and encouraging the crowd to have fun. I don't personally see how that could possibly ruin any legacy at all. Constant in-fighting and public spats however.....

Well I kind of said that. Mike and Bruce's touring band are perfect for the masses. They probably play in front of hundreds of thousands of people every year, I personally don't have a problem with that many people getting to see "The Beach Boys".

The problem is I don't think they sound very good. I've seen Mike and Bruce's band twice, 2011 and 14, it was nice but the songs weren't represented very well live, that's my one issue...the band is limited, they literally butchered WIBN the last time I saw them.

But hey, those Mike and Bruce shows are a fun night out for 99.9% of people who attend those shows, I got no issue with that.

[Nicko1234]

A 73 minute video of a recent show in very good sound quality:

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

Something tells me the camera person might just be a Stamos fan.  

Jeff sounds fine on Don`t Worry Baby but his falsetto is otherwise not to my tastes.

Forever dedicated to Nelson Bragg.

[Pretty Funky]

A 73 minute video of a recent show in very good sound quality:

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

Something tells me the camera person might just be a Stamos fan.  

Jeff sounds fine on Don`t Worry Baby but his falsetto is otherwise not to my tastes.

Forever dedicated to Nelson Bragg.

I don't have the time to watch now but seriously?

[Nicko1234]

A 73 minute video of a recent show in very good sound quality:

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

Something tells me the camera person might just be a Stamos fan.  

Jeff sounds fine on Don`t Worry Baby but his falsetto is otherwise not to my tastes.

Forever dedicated to Nelson Bragg.

I don't have the time to watch now but seriously?

Yep, a nice touch. 

[Mayoman]

Noticing from the video just posted that Al and Brian are again in photos shown on the screen. This wasn't the case earlier this year. I'm glad, because it's kind of strange seeing a world presented where the only Beach Boys ever were Mike, Carl, Dennis, and Bruce. Also I'm surprised to see they show the original WIBN 45 with the Wilson-Asher credit. You'd think Mike would've had his name photoshopped in there. 

[Mayoman]

Sail On Sailor with an awesome lead by Cowsill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXzSLM3ZWkc

[KittyKat]

Noticing from the video just posted that Al and Brian are again in photos shown on the screen. This wasn't the case earlier this year. I'm glad, because it's kind of strange seeing a world presented where the only Beach Boys ever were Mike, Carl, Dennis, and Bruce. Also I'm surprised to see they show the original WIBN 45 with the Wilson-Asher credit. You'd think Mike would've had his name photoshopped in there. 

I thought the issue was that Brian and Al didn't give permission for their photos to be used.  That must have changed?