'Nother BW date...

[Andrew G. Doe]

September 27th, Vina Robles Ampitheatre in Paso Robles CA.

[Mikie]

Concert venues are moving closer and closer to the Bay Area.......

Willie Makeit?  Betty Won't.

Tired of the greatest hits and the greatest hits with one or two new songs thrown in. He should do an entire album like he did Pet Sounds. Fogerty's playing an entire Creedence album from '69 this Fall. Brian should do the same if he wants to fill seats. Wild Honey, Friends, or even Love You would work for me.

Otherwise, even if Al tags along, this hardcore Beach Boys/Brian fan will save his money for The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac.

[37!ws]

"Greatest hits"?? Even the shows I've seen him do that were billed as "greatest hits" had stuff that would satisfy the people who are sick of "hits." (Last I checked "Girl Don't Tell Me" wasn't a hit, for example.)

[Wirestone]

I very much doubt that playing the entirety of Wild Honey, Friends or Love You would sell additional tickets. These are albums that charted at 24, 126 and 53 respectively.

Folks here continually overestimate the number of BW superfans in the world.

[Mikie]

Brian Wilson Setlist - 7/2014   Highlights of the show = Some lead & background vocals by Al & Matt Jardine

1. California Girls  - Greatest Hit
2. Dance, Dance, Dance  - Greatest Hit
3. Catch a Wave  - Album cut - Minor Hit
4. Hawaii - Album cut - Minor Hit
5. Shut Down - Greatest Hit  
6. Little Deuce Coupe - Greatest Hit  
7. Cotton Fields - Greatest Hit in UK 
8. In My Room  - Greatest Hit
9. Surfer Girl - Greatest Hit  
10. Please Let Me Wonder - Album cut - Minor Hit
11. Then He Kissed Her - Album Cut - Greatest Hit in UK  
12. Heroes and Villains - Greatest Hit  
13. Darlin'  - Greatest Hit
14. Do You Wanna Dance? - Greatest Hit
15. Don't Worry Baby - Greatest Hit  
16. Do It Again - Greatest Hit  
17. Wild Honey - Minor Hit
18. Marcella - Minor Hit
19. Sail On, Sailor - Greatest Hit
20. Wouldn't It Be Nice - Greatest Hit  
21. Sloop John B  - Greatest Hit
22. God Only Knows - Greatest Hit
23. Good Vibrations - Greatest Hit  
24. Help Me, Rhonda - Greatest Hit
25. I Get Around - Greatest Hit
26. Barbara Ann - Greatest Hit
27. Fun, Fun, Fun - Greatest Hit
28. Surfin' U.S.A. - Greatest Hit  

Paso Robles, Cali - Hop, skip, and a jump from Al's/Matt's hometown of Big Sur & Monterey. If they played "California Saga" (Minor Hit) it would be very appropriate in this venue.

[Mikie]

I very much doubt that playing the entirety of Wild Honey, Friends or Love You would sell additional tickets. These are albums that charted at 24, 126 and 53 respectively.

Folks here continually overestimate the number of BW superfans in the world.

I know some fans in Northern California who would be enthralled to see any of those albums played in their entirety. No doubt about it.  These are the same fans who filled the joint for Pet Sounds and Smile and Mike & Bruce shows. All you need are a couple of concerts in Northern and Southern Cal and I'm SURE they would be drawn to see Brian.

BUT. I do think with Foskett gone now the potential of this happening has diminished. I believe Foskett (and maybe Darian) were the influences in the band behind playing more rarities/album cuts.

[urbanite]

I wonder if the market for Beach Boys music isn't a little saturated with all the dates Mike and Bruce play, and BW into the same general area.  Might be al ittle hard to sell tickets.

[Mikie]

Actually, I'm real surprised Brian is playing Fresno and Paso Robles. Can't sell that many tickets there. Just wondering if it's kinduva favor (payback?) to Al & son.  Mike & Bruce just played THREE concerts in this area during the Summer. Agree that the saturation point is near its peak. That's why I suggested that Brian play something a little different than a bunch of Beach Boys hits. Even if it's tracks from his recent solo album(s).

[Andrew G. Doe]

Brian Wilson Setlist - 5/2014... 

News to me Brian played a show in May this year. I suspect it's news to him, too. 

[Wirestone]

Most folks put Foskett in the anti-rarities camp, FWIW.

And there's a world of difference between Pet Sounds -- a legendary best album of all time -- and Friends -- a pleasant little record known only to BW/BB hobbyists ...

[Mikie]

Brian Wilson Setlist - 5/2014...  

News to me Brian played a show in May this year. I suspect it's news to him, too.  

Of all people, you should know what I'm talking about. Hop Farm in England, July 5, 2014. Last month. Which makes the setlist above pretty accurate as far as what they're playing these days, plus or minus a couple of switches.

[Mikie]

Most folks put Foskett in the anti-rarities camp, FWIW.

And there's a world of difference between Pet Sounds -- a legendary best album of all time -- and Friends -- a pleasant little record known only to BW/BB hobbyists ...

So Wirestone, what would you rather see in a Brian show these days? Songs from the setlist above or a Beach Boys or Brian solo album played in its entirety?

[HeyJude]

It’s also worth noting that, even with an ace band like Brian’s, they are more likely to do more “meat and potatoes” numbers if they are doing a one-off show, or a small group of shows, and/or are doing the first show in several months. The two July gigs didn’t appear to be super long shows with two full sets with an intermission, etc. All of Brian’s shows with Beck were truncated. The closest we’ve had to “full length” shows post-C50 for Brian are the hand full of July gigs “BAD” did last year. Those did at least have a bit more of variety. I think less along the lines of “hits” or “non hits” and look more at songs that are rare as far as being performed live. If Brian did “Kokomo” at a solo gig that would be a “rarity” to the setlist even though it was a hit. Here are some songs that were pulled out at least once during the 2013 dates:

Break Away
Girl Don’t Tell Me
Old Man River
Little Bird
Summertime Blues
Your Imagination
Goin’ Home
That’s Why God Made the Radio
Summer’s Gone
Let Him Run Wild
She Knows Me Too Well
Custom Machine
This Car of Mine
Monster Mash
Forever (Dave on lead)
Little Deuce Coupe (Al on lead)
Wild Honey (Blondie on lead)

Brian also did some stuff that aren’t “hits” even if they are often in his setlists over the years, like “Our Prayer”, “’Til I Die”, “Marcella”, the entire “Pet Sounds” album at a couple of gigs.

I acknowledge that only a few from that list were played at any given gig.

I certainly hope they can work up something interesting for their 2014 setlists.

[Mikie]

Most folks put Foskett in the anti-rarities camp, FWIW.

And there's a world of difference between Pet Sounds -- a legendary best album of all time -- and Friends -- a pleasant little record known only to BW/BB hobbyists ...

Then if not Foskett, who's been in charge of selecting the album cuts/rarities for Brian's set all these years? Darian? Scott? Nick? Melinda???  Surely not Brian!

[Jim V.]

Most folks put Foskett in the anti-rarities camp, FWIW.

And there's a world of difference between Pet Sounds -- a legendary best album of all time -- and Friends -- a pleasant little record known only to BW/BB hobbyists ...

Then if not Foskett, who's been in charge of selecting the album cuts/rarities for Brian's set all these years? Darian? Scott? Nick? Melinda???  Surely not Brian!

Probably Darian and a bit of the other guys, with Brian being the ultimate yea or nay, as I assume that if Brian doesn't wanna do a song, it ain't happening.

[HeyJude]

Most folks put Foskett in the anti-rarities camp, FWIW.

And there's a world of difference between Pet Sounds -- a legendary best album of all time -- and Friends -- a pleasant little record known only to BW/BB hobbyists ...

Then if not Foskett, who's been in charge of selecting the album cuts/rarities for Brian's set all these years? Darian? Scott? Nick? Melinda???  Surely not Brian!

I do remember reading/hearing observations and speculation going back years (like over a decade ago, way before Foskett jumped to Mike’s band) that Foskett was less into uber-rarities as compared to most of  the rest of the band, or perhaps a better way to put it is that he was more tuned or predisposed to doing the well-known stuff. It made (and makes) sense. He came into the fold through Mike Love. He spent his time in the band from December 1981 to July 1990, not exactly a period of time known for particularly interesting setlists. He was eventually in “Papa Doo Run Run”, who aren’t exactly known for whipping out rare Beach Boys tracks in their concerts. They seem to play an even more distilled version of a Beach Boys “hits” set, with a few other oldies (Jan & Dean, “Crying”, etc.) sprinkled in.

I’ve never heard particular stories of Foskett resisting performing rarities in concert (even the stories, however accurate they may be, that he wasn’t fond of the “Love You” album seemed to be more about the album itself than the composition of the setlist; they were never going to bust out a bunch of “Love You” songs in concert). It may be that he was more comfortable or happy doing more surf/car hits than some of the other guys in the band. Foskett was in the touring Beach Boys for most of the 80’s. Someone like Darian on the other hand, the first BB gig he attended was apparently opening night on the 2012 tour.

[Wirestone]

Most folks put Foskett in the anti-rarities camp, FWIW.

And there's a world of difference between Pet Sounds -- a legendary best album of all time -- and Friends -- a pleasant little record known only to BW/BB hobbyists ...

Then if not Foskett, who's been in charge of selecting the album cuts/rarities for Brian's set all these years? Darian? Scott? Nick? Melinda???  Surely not Brian!

Foskett wasn't the BW band music director for many years before he left. IIRC, Joe Thomas was the first, followed by Jeff, then Darian, then Paul Mertens, who continues in the role.

[Wirestone]

Most folks put Foskett in the anti-rarities camp, FWIW.

And there's a world of difference between Pet Sounds -- a legendary best album of all time -- and Friends -- a pleasant little record known only to BW/BB hobbyists ...

So Wirestone, what would you rather see in a Brian show these days? Songs from the setlist above or a Beach Boys or Brian solo album played in its entirety?

I'd love to see the shows you mention. I just don't think that what I'd like to see would necessarily draw audiences. For that matter, I've never seen much evidence (in the U.S., at least) that Brian draws an enormous audience on his own anyhow, so it might be a moot point.

[Niko]

As long as the show is good, it doesn't matter what you play. Some members of the audience might come expecting the hits, but the assumption they'd be upset after a show on non-hits is a bit ridiculous. Brian can play whatever he wants to play - the audience is going to enjoy it regardless.

Same goes for M&B to an extent.

[Mikie]

I believe that if there was a list or a petition started on the Bleu for a particular album or songs, they'd listen. Might not do it, but they'd read it and consider. Though some never get tired of the hits after all these years, and have affectionately labeled the band that has played them as "The Traveling Jukebox".

[Nicko1234]

Pet Sounds and Smile are the only albums that could be played in their entirety to help shift tickets. Any other album would put people off.

Hopefully they will add some rarer songs to these shows though as they don`t need to play all of the hits in a show. I can`t imagine anyone asking for refunds if Hawaii, Catch a Wave, Shut Down were cut for example. Mike and Bruce have to play the hits as that is what concertgoers expect from a `Beach Boys` show at this point. Brian and Al don`t.

[Shady]

Brian Wilson Setlist - 5/2014... 

News to me Brian played a show in May this year. I suspect it's news to him, too. 

I think every show brian plays is news to him

[Mikie]

This just in to the Smiley Smile newsroom regarding the Paso Robles show:

"Known as the “Mozart of Rock,” Wilson will perform hits from his latest and upcoming albums".

Now, let's clarify that statement, shall we? "Hits from his latest albums". Have his latest albums produced hits? Is his upcoming album expected to produce hits?

If I were to reword this properly, I think it would look like this:

"Wilson will perform Beach Boys hits and songs from his upcoming album".

Songs from his upcoming album might entice me to go.  Plus the free blanket......

[Andrew G. Doe]

Brian Wilson Setlist - 5/2014... 

News to me Brian played a show in May this year. I suspect it's news to him, too. 

I think every show brian plays is news to him

 

[Sheriff John Stone]

I think every show brian plays is news to him