Could The Beach Boys and nothing but The Beach Boys play live?

[NHC]

and spoil his fun?

[pixletwin]

Horowitz played fantastically  well into his 80's. I can't imagine the ridicule he would have received if he had some other pianist off in the wing play his part while he mimed it. I guess the rock world and the classical world are just very different places.

[the captain]

Uh, think so?

[Wirestone]

To me, the BBs are mostly a vocal group. Not a rock band. Their greatest records often featured session guys (not exclusively, as was once believed, but here and there from early on). They barely play on PS or Good Vibes. But those are still archetypal BB records.

So I don't mind sidemen. I would have liked the sidemen to sing less. That original vocal blend is what I came to hear. And for a few tunes on the C50 tour, they did it. And it sounded great.

[Sound of Free]

I don't think they could pull off a full show live. They could probably do a few songs -- I think "Surfer Girl" would be a really good one, even if it was just Dave on acoustic guitar and no one else playing -- but not a whole show and not some of the more complicated songs instrumentally.

After TWGMTR came out and before the acrimony at the end of the C50 tour, I thought there was a good shot at having another Beach Boys album. I was thinking it would be really great to have a track on it with just the five of them providing all the instruments and voices.

[RangeRoverA1]

I am a musician.  Have been for 40 years.  You're still on my lawn.

And I knew that? Also, I said "most", not "all" musicians are whining. And I still don't find anything bad about calling someone an old-timer. Truth can be bitter, but you gotta face it.

but not a whole show and not some of the more complicated songs instrumentally.

I disagree. More rehearsals with less instruments would do fine. In a sort of stripped-down fashion.

[Ian]

I agree with those who say what's the point. So they use other musicians, so do many other bands. If it makes the concert sound better who cares? The stones started using extra musicians in 1970 as well. Not because they couldn't play the parts but because they wanted to give people their money's worth.

[bringahorseinhere?]

it would be great just for one last time, to see all the 'guys'....

Brian - Keys
Alan - Guitar (or Bass)
Dave - Guitar
Bruce - Keys/Bass
Mike

(and John Stamos   ) Drums....

sit down together and do something together....... even without instruments, and do some accapella stuff....

That's what I would kill for!

They are still the freakin' Beach Boys, I don't believe they cant do great ShitE between the remaining members....

its probably actually what a lot of us here want!... No???

RickB

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I agree with those who say what's the point. So they use other musicians, so do many other bands. If it makes the concert sound better who cares? The stones started using extra musicians in 1970 as well. Not because they couldn't play the parts but because they wanted to give people their money's worth.

Exactly. It's not like it's band like Roxy Music...post 2001, so many people on stage that one might be fooled into thinking they're watching a philharmonic orchestra rather than a rock band. And don't get me started on the female backup singers, which every British band of a certain vintage added (especially daft in Roxy's case, as there were no backup vocals on the albums to begin with).

But I digress.

[the captain]

I agree and disagree with the "what's the point?" sentiment, depending on what the thread is actually about.

If it's a for-fun exercise--i.e., the stuff of message boards--simply asking the question with no consequences or judgments, but just that question--could they do a passable version of a show with no extraneous players?--then my answer as previously said in the thread is basically no, not in a truly viable, high-quality way. The instrumental performances would be rudimentary and the voices would be strained, rough around the edges, and incapable of the beautiful high tenors that their catalog is largely built on (be it for leads or backgrounds).

But if the question is whether it matters whether the answer to the above is yes or no, whether the experience of a show with someone other than the core band participating is somehow diminished (even if the quality of the show were diminished as well), then I don't think it matters. Music is the thing one hears. All the rest--back story, nostalgia, personally relevant or meaningful experiences--might matter to anyone, but not to everyone. They color one's own experience. The music is just the music. If it takes different or more (or less) people to make, then that's fine. It's actually why I have for years held the unpopular position in favor of the Wilson band's non-Brian members taking more leads, not less. I'll take Darian on Darlin' any day over Brian, for example. The band themselves understood this from very early days, which is why they brought in musicians to supplement both studio and (a few years later) live performances: presenting the music is what matters most.

Just my twaddle.

[Micha]

Forget it. Alan will never bother to learn the chords to "That's Why God Made The Radio".

[Autotune]

Not possible. When was the last time you heard Brian perform an entire song at the piano, just by himself? 1991? Having said that, the one C50 show attended was great in that you heard the core members+Jeff throughout. Most of the time, it was impossible to tell what part Darian or Probyn or Scott were singing. Probably doubling, at a much lower volume. The blend that those four plus a competent falsettist like Jeff were able to produce is still extraordinary. THAT is what you pay to see at a reunion show.

[Stegibo]

Is there a recording of that C50 show?

[Autotune]

Is there a recording of that C50 show?

I'm sure it was the same in most if not all of the shows. Mine was NO Jazz Fest

[Andrew G. Doe]

Not possible. When was the last time you heard Brian perform an entire song at the piano, just by himself? 1991?

1996, I think. NAS.

[wantsomecorn]

Not possible. When was the last time you heard Brian perform an entire song at the piano, just by himself? 1991?

1996, I think. NAS.

Does "Beautiful Dreamer" count?

[The 4th Wilson Bro.]

Didn't read the entire thread, so I apologize if someone beat me to this point, but:  Put Brian, Mike, Al, Bruce and Dave onstage together, then bring Carl Wilson back to life and put him right out front…and, yeah, they could perform live.

[Micha]

Shouldn't be THAT hard!

[DC310]

This is probably the closest we will ever get:
Help Me, Rhonda  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCTQT4QePU8
I Get Around  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGbh9oQ5b8w
From the Grammy Museum- Brian, Mike, Al, David unplugged and augmented vocally by Jeff and Scott.

[Micha]

This is probably the closest we will ever get:
Help Me, Rhonda  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCTQT4QePU8
I Get Around  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGbh9oQ5b8w
From the Grammy Museum- Brian, Mike, Al, David unplugged and augmented vocally by Jeff and Scott.

Especially IGA really rocks! Visually though it looks like "Live from their old people's home, THE BEACH BOYS!"

BTW, I could easily imagine the five them doing "Surfin'" all on their own, with Dave on guitar, Al on stand-up bass and Brian not singing but on snare drum.