Brian / Al / Blondie Summer 2015 Tour Thread

[SBonilla]

Rodriguez was, as most mentioned, a great opener. I didn't really expect much from him, but he was engaging and funny. Very loose, with a fun vibe from the crowd.

Meant to talk about this in my original review of the Philly show. I know he was just the opener, but I was bummed that so much of the crowd was talking during his set. I would actually love to see him again in a smaller setting where he is the main focus, and not Brian. That being said, the parts I could hear were really good, and I'll be looking into his music in the future. Glad I got to see him!

I am curious to know if Blondie was aware of his records at the time and if they have hung out during this tour?

[wantsomecorn]

Rodriguez was, as most mentioned, a great opener. I didn't really expect much from him, but he was engaging and funny. Very loose, with a fun vibe from the crowd.

Meant to talk about this in my original review of the Philly show. I know he was just the opener, but I was bummed that so much of the crowd was talking during his set. I would actually love to see him again in a smaller setting where he is the main focus, and not Brian. That being said, the parts I could hear were really good, and I'll be looking into his music in the future. Glad I got to see him!

I am curious to know if Blondie was aware of his records at the time and if they have hung out during this tour?

Cold Fact was released in 1971, so I think Blondie and the Flames had already left South Africa.

[SBonilla]

Rodriguez was, as most mentioned, a great opener. I didn't really expect much from him, but he was engaging and funny. Very loose, with a fun vibe from the crowd.

Meant to talk about this in my original review of the Philly show. I know he was just the opener, but I was bummed that so much of the crowd was talking during his set. I would actually love to see him again in a smaller setting where he is the main focus, and not Brian. That being said, the parts I could hear were really good, and I'll be looking into his music in the future. Glad I got to see him!

I am curious to know if Blondie was aware of his records at the time and if they have hung out during this tour?

Cold Fact was released in 1971, so I think Blondie and the Flames had already left South Africa.

Some have mentioned possible future writing sessions coming out of this tour. I think Blondie and Rodriguez should have a go at writing some songs together. They might be compatible. Looks good on paper, anyway.

[HeyJude]

Anyone here at tonight's show? I think we've had someone here at almost every show so far.

[baseball95]

Good show tonight, Brian on top form. They did Honeycomb it was more of a snipet than the full version. Runaway Dancer back besides that same set. The band did a cover of the Beatles When I'm 64 for Blondie's birthday changing the lyrics to "Blondie's 64". Got Matt to sign my setlist after the show and asked him about Funky Pretty he said he's been pushing for that and things like it but it probably wouldn't be until the next tour. Good to hear they're thinking about another tour but I don't think we'll be seeing Funky Prettt before the end here.

[Sgt Pepper]

I just got back from the show in Denver. This was my first ever concert. Not just my first Brian concert, but my first concert of any kind (I'm 23).

It was amazing. I love The Beach Boys. I love Brian. I love Al. I love Blondie. I love his entire band. I'm still processing it all. I'm so happy. 

[RubberSoul13]

Good show tonight, Brian on top form. They did Honeycomb it was more of a snipet than the full version. Runaway Dancer back besides that same set. The band did a cover of the Beatles When I'm 64 for Blondie's birthday changing the lyrics to "Blondie's 64". Got Matt to sign my setlist after the show and asked him about Funky Pretty he said he's been pushing for that and things like it but it probably wouldn't be until the next tour. Good to hear they're thinking about another tour but I don't think we'll be seeing Funky Prettt before the end here.

Very good! Sounding more and more like a possible string of US dates again this fall...lots of missed markets to pursue.

[lee]

I think it's great that Runaway Dancer is back. 

I wonder if we'll see a 2nd leg to this current tour in the US or if Matt Jardine was referring to a US portion of the Pet Sounds 50th celebration tour next year.

[Magic City Surfer]

A couple of Brian-isms from the Atlanta show on June 26, paraphrasing:


"I promised you could hear Al Jardine sing and I'm not going to back out now. Here he is, a really fine singer."  

[after Don't Worry Baby]  "The great Matt!"   [to which Matt replied "The great Brian!"]

At one point, I'm guessing either just before Wild Honey or SOS, Blondie attempted to start up some banter with Brian. But Brian just wanted to get to the music. "This audience is ready for you, if you're ready for them." It was one of those unintentionally blunt comments that just shut Blondie up. He laughed it off with a shrug and started playing.

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

I just got back from the show in Denver. This was my first ever concert. Not just my first Brian concert, but my first concert of any kind (I'm 23).

It was amazing. I love The Beach Boys. I love Brian. I love Al. I love Blondie. I love his entire band. I'm still processing it all. I'm so happy. 

Excellent, great to hear!   

[PS]

I saw my first Beach Boy concert in 1971 at Carnegie Hall. At least 20 times since then, 70's and 80's, NY area. In on the rehearsals and recording of the two Burbank shows for the SMiLE live DVD, and in the audience shots some 16x. Pet Sounds tour, Smile tour, C-50 at Red Rocks - saw the BW band many times. But last night in Denver was really something special. Never heard the band sound so good, never heard Brian sound so strong (missed some high notes here and there and some lines toward the latter half). Completely wonderful show and set list, with some surprises for me (didn't know they were doing "Girl, Don't Tell Me" and a very cute version of "When I'm 64" for Blondie's birthday). Never heard California Girls sound so --incredible--and Al was cutting through all night with his vocals (Saga also rocked the house). Blondie was great, but I agree with a previous comment that his noise-based soloing was a little off kilter and not quite right for the momentum. The lighting, the sound mix, the arena (First Bank Center, 5 minutes from my house), the audience (except for one Grateful Deadish dance maven who decided to stand up and sway and swoon from the middle of the concert to the finale, everyone else be damned and one asshole who yelled out Kokomo as Surf's Up was starting) was the best. I could HEAR everything and delight in the pure experience actually listening to the music with the fewest distractions. Having Sixto Rodriguez open was an inspired choice, too (how did that happen? Blondie SA connection?). The net effect of the emotional connection from Love and Mercy was palpable (I spoke to a lot of first-timers who told me they saw the film and that inspired them to come).

If this is to be my last go round with Brian, I could not ask for anything more. Fantastic way to cap this still miraculous BW touring career.

Elated.

[Pretty Funky]

Its funny how an extended WH has been poorly received by some. I'm only going from the youtube clips but I like it. As soon as I heard Blondie was involved I felt that as he was of the period where the Beach Boys were playing extended cuts, then why not go for it in 2015? Not unlike David playing a 'surf guitar' style. Just their signature I guess.

[HeyJude]

Its funny how an extended WH has been poorly received by some. I'm only going from the youtube clips but I like it. As soon as I heard Blondie was involved I felt that as he was of the period where the Beach Boys were playing extended cuts, then why not go for it in 2015? Not unlike David playing a 'surf guitar' style. Just their signature I guess.

It's not super surprising that there is a segment of fans who are especially into Brian's pristine 60's arrangements who aren't into the "jam" vibe of the current iteration of "Wild Honey." I enjoy it. I'd probably rather see Blondie take on "Leaving this Town" or "Funky Pretty" or "Carry Me Home" (yeah, right, I know) or something like that. But, as I pointed out a little while back, even when Al and Blondie are in the band, the band seems to focus mostly (though not completely) on songs that Brian has written or co-written, and then some cover versions. This may be one of the reasons other than "California Saga", Al hasn't really done anything *he* wrote without Brian, like "Lookin' at Tomorrow", or solo Al stuff, etc. "Lookin' at Tomorrow" did make it onto the Vegas setlist late last year, but wasn't performed. I'm curious how much they rehearsed it.

I've been pretty surprised that Al didn't somehow get "Honkin' Down the Highway" into the setlist after all this time, though. It seemed an obvious choice. Brian wrote it, Al sang it, plus Brian seems to still be quite fond of "Love You"; meanwhile, Al re-recorded it, with Brian adding backing vocals. So I've been a bit surprised they haven't tried that one out.

But I think, despite the increased involvement from other vocalists and more of a "Band" vibe at Brian's shows, we still have to look at these as Brian Wilson gigs; so they tend to feature "Brian" material even when the other guys are singing. It isn't like Ringo's All-Starr band; I don't imagine Al or Blondie will get a 10-minute solo set in the middle of the show (which I think would actually be a cool way to make the shows a bit longer without having to tax Brian further).

[wantsomecorn]

I personally loved the extended Wild Honey, although some of the audience in Chicago didn't seem as receptive. Scott intro'd it by asking everyone from his hometown to stand up and dance, but hardly anyone except those at the very front did, and most of the audience was back in their seats by the sax solo.

[Lee Marshall]

I really enjoyed the guys 'jammin' out' with Wild Honey.  I also like the wee 'improvement they made to Barbara Ann.  As they kicked into it I thought "really" I can NEVER go to a BBs or Brian show and not hear THIS?  But they kind of 'fixed it' somehow.  Just a little bit of show-biz I guess.  I'd also appreciate hearing the album ending to it.  THAT would be fun.

Sorry they didn't play Runaway Dancer.  I guess they have to remember that the casual fans...who must make up about 1/2 of the audience...need to hear way more Endless Summer and a lot less 'cool' and 'new'.  For many of them at the Fox in Detroit there would have been some Blondie who? goin' on.

Something else I've NEVER seen at a BRIAN concert...people getting up and leaving the seating area in packs to go 'tinkle'.   WTF???  Piss BEFORE the show.  PISS while they tear down the chair, mic and table and roll up the two wires Rodriquez used.  That was close to 20 minutes...or it SEEMED like it.  Otherwise stay and enjoy the show.  [girls]

[PS]

I, too, loved the extended Wild Honey (and treasure the version on Made in California) - I was specifically talking about the sound of his guitar in the mix on a specific evening at a specific venue (blistering and unintelligible for the most part) and the choice to go for an arhythmic and atonal noise wall over an articulated, melodic lead for the break. IMO, it didn't mesh with the rest of the band and the groove in the live mix that i heard. Otherwise, it was very exciting and a great vocal and band performance.

[ontor pertawst]

I think he sounds fucking fantastic and makes everyone else in the band up their game to keep up. Glorious noise!

[lee]

I think he sounds fucking fantastic and makes everyone else in the band up their game to keep up. Glorious noise!

+1

[guitarfool2002]

I want more jams from Blondie.

[HeyJude]

Looks like they did do "Salt Lake City" in Salt Lake City tonight.

[Fall Breaks]

I want more jams from Blondie.

Me too. Leaving This Town with a guitar solo maybe?

[KDS]

I want more jams from Blondie.

Me too. Leaving This Town with a guitar solo maybe?

Maybe they'll do a second leg of the tour where they focus more on the CATP/Holland material. 

You never know. 

[barsone]

Looks like they did do "Salt Lake City" in Salt Lake City tonight.

Hey Jude, that's neat they did SLC.  Anyone going to the Seattle show Sunday night and want to meet up prior to the show for some vino ?  Show is sold out 

[HeyJude]

I want more jams from Blondie.

Me too. Leaving This Town with a guitar solo maybe?

Maybe they'll do a second leg of the tour where they focus more on the CATP/Holland material. 

You never know. 

I think there's definitely room for individual out-of-the-ordinary song choices. But generally speaking, they don't seem to be moving towards heavily working Blondie into the show. I mentioned earlier that I was surprised that his participation in the current tour is pretty close to his participation in the 2013 Oakland show I saw with Brian, Al, Dave, and Blondie, with the only addition being Blondie's part on "Sail Away."

I figured they would have either had him on stage for longer (even if his participation would be minimal on some songs), or they would at least add another 1-3 Blondie-centric songs. But as I've been rambling on about, they seem to want to keep it relatively Brian-centric even with Al and Blondie's vocal turns. 

I'm thinking that it may well be down to a pretty set amount of time Brian wants to be on stage (32-25 songs, about 90 minutes or so of actual playing time), and the focus on it still being a "Brian Wilson" show, that they don't more heavily feature Blondie and even Al for that matter.

The bummer in this in terms of Al has less to do with anything Brian or his band are doing, and more that Al doesn't seem to be able or willing to do any significant solo presentations, so the only way to see him outside of the occasional gig he does (which are usually "Endless Summer Band"-style events heavy on the meat-and-potatoes numbers) is to see him sit in with Brian's band (or I guess theoretically Mike's). Given the format of Mike's shows, I think Al would probably feature even less prominently if he were to sit in with Mike, since Brian tosses Al a couple of "Mike leads" at his shows.

I do think as this current tour has progressed, either due to taking a bit of a load off Brian or to more heavily feature Al, they have given Al more leads. On opening night, Brian sang "Shut Down" and "Wake the World", while those (and sometimes "Little Deuce Coupe", which on opening night and on some other nights they've sang in unison either on purpose or because somebody forgot their vocal cue) were quickly handed off to Al. They've also lately swapped "Cottonfields" out for *two* other Al leads ("California Saga" and "Then I Kissed Her"), in the process apparently at least lately dropping Matt's turn on "She Knows Me Too Well."

[RubberSoul13]

It's interesting to consider...what if Al appeared with Mike on the same terms that David Marks does? Obviously it wouldn't happen, but if it were to be the current circumstances...what would we hear?

He'd definitely take back his roles on "Help Me Rhonda" and "Then I Kissed Her"...but would he get any additions? "California Saga"...maybe take the lead on "Wouldn't it Be Nice"? I can't see too much else fitting into their typical setlist.