When were The Beach Boys at their live performance peak?

[The Shift]

Everything I've heard from those early 70s gigs leaves me in no doubt that that was the very peak of their frequently stunning live incarnations.

Why we don't yet have some multi-disc set of complete live shows from that era I don't really know. Other bands of that era - Allman Bros, The Who, Delaney and Bonnie etc etc etc - have released all manner of stuff which would arguably appeal to a much smaller audience. We have the (superb) In Concert and a smattering of (superb) live tracks scattered across various box sets and rarities comps.

Let Carnegie be the start of the flow!

[Nicko1234]

Funnily enough, I was listening to the Paramount 1993 show along with the rehearsals just last week. Why this hasn't been officially released outside of the the 2 tracks on MIC is anyone's guess? The sound quality is great. Does anyone know if multi-tracks for this show exist? Carl is simply brilliant at this show and the setlist is out of this world.... "Take A Load Off Your Feet", "Vegetables"..amazing!  

..and for my money, The Beach Boys ended as an entity with Carl's death. I'm glad I saw them when he was alive.

Bruce has said that they have the tapes for this tour (and I think specifically this show) and that a release is certainly possible.

[Paul J B]

Anytime while Carl Wilson was still alive and touring.

Except 1978.

Why '78 ? I saw them in Milwaukee in '78 and they were good. Denny was in great form. Have a cassette from that show but the quality is bad.

Also, someone said something about Carl being gone in the early '80's. It was only 81. He was back in 82 and the 82 tour was pretty good because Carl wanted to do blocks of hits without breaks resulting in a lot of tunes in 90 minutes. Brian and Denny were obviously not on top of their game. '82 state fair in Milwaukee had all of the guys plus Jeff on stage for a few songs. I have a few pics somewhere.

Never saw them until '75 and was only 12 but trust those that were there....the in concert album kicks it!

[Custom Machine]

71 - 74

[Mike's Beard]

Anytime while Carl Wilson was still alive and touring.

Except 1978.

Why '78 ? I saw them in Milwaukee in '78 and they were good. Denny was in great form. Have a cassette from that show but the quality is bad.

Also, someone said something about Carl being gone in the early '80's. It was only 81. He was back in 82 and the 82 tour was pretty good because Carl wanted to do blocks of hits without breaks resulting in a lot of tunes in 90 minutes. Brian and Denny were obviously not on top of their game. '82 state fair in Milwaukee had all of the guys plus Jeff on stage for a few songs. I have a few pics somewhere.

Never saw them until '75 and was only 12 but trust those that were there....the in concert album kicks it!

Australia '78, not a high point in Carl's career.

[OllieBop]

Why what was up with Carl in 1978 Australia?

[wantsomecorn]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLWdQo-nTsw

Just watch this concert and see... especially during God Only Knows, and the intros to Country Pie and Surfer Girl... let's just say that when Dennis is the most lucid Wilson brother on stage, it's very concerning.

[Douchepool]

It was specifically the 3/14/78 Perth show. Carl had a little too much to drink and keeled over in the middle of the show (possibly at the beginning of Do It Again as loud guitar feedback can be heard; presumably Ed Carter jumped in to cover him while he was removed from the stage). He made a public apology the following day and performed the entire second show in Perth.

[Lee Marshall]

The guy had a bad day at work.  A REALLY bad day at work.  OVER ALL THOSE DECADES...one really bad flippin' day.  Wish I could make that claim.  Not bad considering who he had to hang around with while trying to do his job.

[Douchepool]

The guy had a bad day at work.  A REALLY bad day at work.  OVER ALL THOSE DECADES...one really bad flippin' day.  Wish I could make that claim.  Not bad considering who he had to hang around with while trying to do his job.

Dude, what the f***? What the hell does that have to do with his company on tour at the time? Carl's marriage was failing. He also had a coke and heroin habit around the same time. Personal demons are a bitch. Glass houses. Enjoy your stay. Mind the stones.

[Lee Marshall]

The guy had a bad day at work.  A REALLY bad day at work.  OVER ALL THOSE DECADES...one really bad flippin' day.  Wish I could make that claim.  Not bad considering who he had to hang around with while trying to do his job.

Dude, what the f***? What the hell does that have to do with his company on tour at the time? Carl's marriage was failing. He also had a coke and heroin habit around the same time. Personal demons are a bitch. Glass houses. Enjoy your stay. Mind the stones.

It all adds up doesn't it?  No place to run.  No place to hide.  No refuge.  And through all of that...he slipped up once.

[Douchepool]

It adds up if you're doing psuedomathematics. I highly doubt current company on that tour drove the man to get smashed to that extent.

[Lee Marshall]

You do do ya?

[Jim V.]

It adds up if you're doing psuedomathematics. I highly doubt current company on that tour drove the man to get smashed to that extent.

Why are giving Add Some a bunch of sh*t? He was giving Carl PROPS for really only "messing up" badly that one time. And also basically saying he wishes that he (Add Some) had only screwed up once in his years.

Instead you somehow took that as a diss to Carl. I can't see how you read it that way.

And about his company on the tour, well maybe it affected his decisions and maybe it didn't. But we do know that there was a meditators plane and a "Wilsons" plane on tour....so yeah. I'm sure his buddies and brothers presence may have ratcheted up his drug use (along with other factors).

Regardless, I think you owe Add Some an apology. Thank God you're no longer a moderator.

[Lee Marshall]

sdj...No apology required.  There is no misunderstanding. 

  THAT guy was a moderator? 

  Oh my fucking belly!!!

[Nicko1234]

Instead you somehow took that as a diss to Carl. I can't see how you read it that way.

And about his company on the tour, well maybe it affected his decisions and maybe it didn't. But we do know that there was a meditators plane and a "Wilsons" plane on tour....so yeah. I'm sure his buddies and brothers presence may have ratcheted up his drug use (along with other factors).

Regardless, I think you owe Add Some an apology. Thank God you're no longer a moderator.

I think he, quite rightly, took it as a diss towards someone else who was being blamed for Carl`s problems...Ron Altbach presumably. 

[Lee Marshall]

Well...it wasn't a diss toward someONE else.  It WAS a diss toward the ongoing situation that ran the group...almost into the ground...the situation that had them entering the stage through separate doors from opposite sides...hell...driving out to the stage in separate stretch limos when the stage was set up in the middle of a football field.

Coming in different planes CAN be explained simply by saying that the boys came from different parts of the country which was sometimes the case.  But when a man is going through personal hell and has to try to make it go away with drugs...'cause it's seemingly the only 'option'...there's something VERY wrong happening.  So we blame the result instead of the cause?

Not me.  People know what was going on.

[filledeplage]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLWdQo-nTsw

Just watch this concert and see... especially during God Only Knows, and the intros to Country Pie and Surfer Girl... let's just say that when Dennis is the most lucid Wilson brother on stage, it's very concerning.

Dennis was awesome, and very much "in charge" in this video.  Love the POB plug from Carl...and YASB...would love to see that in the setlist.  Or even the "Rhonda" (or one of the other's) in the setlists. They are just fiery and golden moments for Dennis. 

[drbeachboy]

The guy had a bad day at work.  Not bad considering who he had to hang around with while trying to do his job.

I take that as having both that disruptive Dennis out there and the not ready for prime time Brian on that tour?

[Lee Marshall]

Do you?  And you would limit it to just that?  Just Dennis?  And Brian?   Remember I was never referring to someONE.  Man!!!  Gotta make sure he isn't talking about Mike!!!  Hell no!!!   It can't be Mike's fault.  Never let that sh*t go down here.

Mike, Dennis...ALL of them.  Nobody had Carl's back.  It was a f*** show.  Oars crossed.  Nobody pulling together.  Everybody out for themselves.  The fact that Carl was drowning?  Carl who?

Whoops!!!  Sorry.   Missed THAT.

Oh well.

And it all came down to 'that' why?  Maybe for some of the reasons why it is what it is today?  Maybe?  

Definitely.

[drbeachboy]

Do you?  And you would limit it to just that?  Just Dennis?  And Brian?   Remember I was never referring to someONE.  Man!!!  Gotta make sure he isn't talking about Mike!!!  Hell no!!!   It can't be Mike's fault.  Never let that sh*t go down here.

Mike, Dennis...ALL of them.  Nobody had Carl's back.  It was a f*** show.  Oars crossed.  Nobody pulling together.  Everybody out for themselves.  The fact that Carl was drowning?  Carl who?

Whoops!!!  Sorry.   Missed THAT.

Oh well.

And it all came down to 'that' why?  Maybe for some of the reasons why it is what it is today?  Maybe? 

Definitely.

I knew who you were talking about. He wasn't hanging with a Teddy Bear. Carl had his hands full, that is for sure. At least back then even though they could play sloppy and such, while on tour I doubt that he had to worry about Mike, Al and Bruce as much as Brian & Dennis.

[Lee Marshall]

I think he had to worry about a stagnant pool of greed and vendettas and pay-backs and votes to gain control and a bunch of dinks who wanted to run the good ship no matter what the cost or who died while getting to that point and doing it.

I think Carl got stuck out in a leaky boat and no one noticed OR CARED that he was drowning.  I think that it was deemed that the Wilsons were no longer necessary nor needed.  Brian and Dennis were casualties and of little able-bodied ability to assist.  That Brian has somehow floated to the surface only to be re-recognized as the TRUE and ONLY dominant force that has ANYTHING to do with the creative end of anything relating to the Beach Boys is simply just.

No one in the Beach Boys helped Brian get back to dry land.  Just like they didn't help Carl when he needed them most. 

Or maybe I'm wrong.

[Mikie]

Dennis was awesome, and very much "in charge" in this video.  Love the POB plug from Carl...and YASB...would love to see that in the setlist.  Or even the "Rhonda" (or one of the other's) in the setlists. They are just fiery and golden moments for Dennis. 

Yeah, it's good to see. But there are other things behind the energy. He's enjoying himself, but if you look at his face it's obvious he's already begun his downward spiral. Damn sad.

[Paul J B]

Anybody know what Beach Boys were onstage at Milwaukee's Summerfest July 3rd 1975. That was my first Beach Boys show and I had only just discovered them through endless summer the year before so I really was not aware of who all the guys were. Mike was there for sure and I think Dennis and Carl. I've seen professional shots of Mike from that show that match the terrible pocket 110 Kodak pics my brother took. Mike is the only one you can make out cause of the silver jacket thing.

Also they had an afternoon and an evening set and during the evening set the sound blew out during the encore. Heavy rain between sets and I'm sure stuff got wet.

[Douchepool]

Probably would have been Carl, Dennis, Michael, and Al only.