What songs do you want to hear in the NPP tour setlist?

[kwebb]

Lucy Jones 

[ontor pertawst]

"Mess of Help" is a great idea... and yes, ditch the sax solo on "Wild Honey," sounds like an SNL rerun going to commercial just as Blondie is getting going. More guitar or that tasty organ break!

[Andrew G. Doe]

How's this for a semi-realistic 90 minute show?

1.   You’re So Good To Me
Song begins with extended intro as BAB walk on stage. Brian sings first verse, Al second.
 
2.   Wild Honey
Blondie on lead. Much grittier version than the Venetian one. Sax solo replaced by keyboard

3.   You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone
The grittiness continues; Blondie sings lead with Brian on sloppy double tracking

4.   The Little Girl I Once Knew
For the first time ever, a live audience gets to hear this song without Jeffrey Foskett dominating the vocal mix. Brian and Al sings lead with Matt taking the high part.

Pet Sounds block:
5.   You Still Believe In Me
With some microphone technique training and an engineer who knows Al’s voice and its lack of power in the high register, this could work. Otherwise, have Matt help out where it gets out of Al’s comfort zone.

6.   Wouldn’t It Be Nice
Al, in the key of E. This has been proven to work!

7.   I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times
Brian of course, answered by Al on the tag. Note that Brian is not doubled by anyone in the verses.

8.   God Only Knows
Brian.

9.   Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight
Andy Paley joins for this song. Maybe lowered since the original is in quite a high key. This is followed by

10.   Catch A Wave
with Brian and Matt, and

11.   Hawaii
which Al sings as he duly did on the Live In Las Vegas album.

12.   Please Let Me Wonder
This song ends of course in the same way as they ended it on one of the UK C50 dates, with Brian hitting a sweet falsetto note.

13.   Sail Away
from No Pier Pressure closes out the first set.

After the intermission, the scene lies in darkness. A dark, sustained note, somewhat familiar, suddenly breaks through the silence. The moment Brian begins to sing, the lights come back and shows Brian behind the Baldwin organ. Yes, the Baldwin, not a. The song is the Smiley Smile version of

14.   Wind Chimes
While the rest of the band backs him up, Brian handles the bulk of the singing and playing. The songs ends with a prolonged “Whispering Winds” fade which abruptly leads in to

15.   Heroes And Villains (BWPS version)
in which Al wears a hat. Al and Brian share the lead.

16.   Funky Pretty
follows, featuring Al and Blondie in a guitar duel during the fade. Brian sings Carl’s parts.

17.   Marcella
is just as awesome as on the In Concert album. Brian growls as per Norway 2007.

18.   Here Comes the Night
Brian sings.

19.   The Right Time

20.   Roller Skating Child
sung by Brian on Mike’s parts

21.   California Dreamin’
as per C50, Al and Brian share the lead

22.   Sloop John B.

23.   I Went to Sleep
closes out the second set.

Encore
24.   Add Some Music To Your Day

25.   Sail On Sailor
ends with guitar solo by Blondie

26.   I Get Around
Guitar solo by Blondie

27.   Good Vibrations
Brian and Matt

28.   Help Me Rhonda
without saxophone solo

29.   Fun Fun Fun
After this ending, the group leaves the stage without taking a bow, leading the diehards to think that there might be something more coming. Indeed, the lights go out, there’s about a ten second pause, and then blue spots light up Brian as he begins to sing

30.   Surf’s Up
with Al on the fade. Crowd goes wild.

Just two tracks from the new album ?

[Fall Breaks]

When I wrote that, I had only heard TRT and SA of the non-guest songs. So it felt a bit weird adding songs I only had heard snippets of. (I assume that the guest artists won't tour with Brian, and that they won't replace them with e.g. Brian singing their parts.) Having now heard The Last Song as well, I'd like to see it ... closing out the first set?

[ontor pertawst]

Makes sense, doesn't it? I hope they give it a shot during rehearsals...

[Fall Breaks]

Wait! Another opportunity: "Midnight's Another Day" with Al singing that wordless part that sounds like it should have been his to sing all along.

[smilethebeachboysloveyou]

Since he's touring with Al and Blondie, I think it's a safe bet that they'll be playing "Sail Away" at every show.  I'm going to guess that most or all of the other songs where Al Jardine is a guest vocalist will also be played.

I'm not so sure about the other songs on the new album, mostly because of the guest vocalists.  There are quite a few of those songs I'd like to hear live, but some of them might require some re-imagining without the guest vocalists.

Apart from the new songs, I'm guessing "Wild Honey" and "Sail On, Sailor" will be played a fair amount in addition to the usual suspects ("Good Vibrations," "California Girls" et. al.).  But here are my probably unrealistic personal wishes:

"Aren't You Glad"--No reason they'd play this one, but as it's probably my favorite song…
"Busy Doin' Nothin'"--I think Al could do a good lead on this one now
"Time to Get Alone"--Blondie lead.  Maybe a crazy idea, and probably unlikely in the extreme as Brian doesn't play this one.
"I'll Bet He's Nice"--As with "Aren't You Glad," this one will always be on my wish list.  It also has a nice trade-off for three lead vocalists, and I think Brian doing Dennis' lead, Al doing Brian's, and Blondie doing Carl's middle-eight would be nice.
"Strange World"

I'd also really like to hear "Runaway Dancer" and "Saturday Night," but without the guest vocalists I'm not sure they'll play those.  Especially "Runaway Dancer."