Brian Wilson 2016 Tour Thread (Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary Tour)

[Pretty Funky]

I'd rather hear "The Trader" than "Barbara-Freakin'-Ann".

All those in favor?......

Carried!

[mabewa]

I'd go for pretty much any deep cut replacing 'Barbara Ann.'  But since it's kinda iconic and Brian seems to like playing it, I'm just hoping that if they HAVE to replace stuff like 'Honkin' or 'Funky Pretty,' they end up replacing them with other deepish cuts like 'California Saga' or 'Leaving This Town.'  

I'd personally vote for cutting out one or two of the early tunes in favor of one or two more late 60's or 70's tunes, but if they can't do that, switching the deep cuts for other deep cuts would be the way to go.  I think that the greatest hits/deep cuts balance is pretty good in the current set, and I think they could lean a bit towards the other deep cuts without cutting out stuff the casual fan really wants to hear. 

Conversely, I wouldn't want to see them go in the other direction (losing deep cuts for greatest hits that probably aren't that essential for casual fans anyway).  I'm glad that, for example 'Little Honda' didn't replace any of the deep cuts, but rather that they just extended the set by one song. 

For Al lead vocals specifically, personally I'm not so hot on either 'And I Kissed Her' or 'Cotton Fields,' as neither were written by Brian or Al, and both are not exactly adventurous song choices.  Seeing that Cotton Fields was a major hit in certain countries, though, I can understand why it might be included in future sets, but I doubt that any casual fan is going to say 'OMG, they didn't play 'And Then I Kissed Her.'  If they have to throw in a popular cover tune with Al on vocals, maybe 'Come Go With Me' or 'California Dreamin' might be good alternatives? 

[RiC]

This tour is called Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary tour. I don't understand why Brian should play at all those washed up early 60s hits. The shows are pretty much sold out already, this is promoted as his farewell tour (at least in Europe). He isn't building a career here. If he really wants to play all those hits over his own solo stuff and later Beach Boys songs, I guess it's ok. But personally I just don't understand the reason to sing songs like Little Honda, Barbara Ann, All Summer Long, Dance Dance Dance, Shut Down, Little Deuce Coupe or even Surfin U.S.A, I Get Around and Fun Fun Fun for that matter. They just don't really fit with Brian. I'm glad that Mike does them, but in my opinion Brian should replace those with songs like Rio Grande, Goin' On, Last Song, Going Home, Lay Down Burden, Summer's Gone, I'll Bet His Nice, Mona etc.

[SurferDownUnder]

This tour is called Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary tour. I don't understand why Brian should play at all those washed up early 60s hits. The shows are pretty much sold out already, this is promoted as his farewell tour (at least in Europe). He isn't building a career here. If he really wants to play all those hits over his own solo stuff and later Beach Boys songs, I guess it's ok. But personally I just don't understand the reason to sing songs like Little Honda, Barbara Ann, All Summer Long, Dance Dance Dance, Shut Down, Little Deuce Coupe or even Surfin U.S.A, I Get Around and Fun Fun Fun for that matter. They just don't really fit with Brian. I'm glad that Mike does them, but in my opinion Brian should replace those with songs like Rio Grande, Goin' On, Last Song, Going Home, Lay Down Burden, Summer's Gone, I'll Bet His Nice, Mona etc.

I'd say its because Brian likes those songs and they are close to his heart, i'm sure he likes to perform them or he would have never played them again post-1988

[mabewa]

This tour is called Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary tour. I don't understand why Brian should play at all those washed up early 60s hits. The shows are pretty much sold out already, this is promoted as his farewell tour (at least in Europe). He isn't building a career here. If he really wants to play all those hits over his own solo stuff and later Beach Boys songs, I guess it's ok. But personally I just don't understand the reason to sing songs like Little Honda, Barbara Ann, All Summer Long, Dance Dance Dance, Shut Down, Little Deuce Coupe or even Surfin U.S.A, I Get Around and Fun Fun Fun for that matter. They just don't really fit with Brian. I'm glad that Mike does them, but in my opinion Brian should replace those with songs like Rio Grande, Goin' On, Last Song, Going Home, Lay Down Burden, Summer's Gone, I'll Bet His Nice, Mona etc.

I'd say its because Brian likes those songs and they are close to his heart, i'm sure he likes to perform them or he would have never played them again post-1988

I think that he's pretty proud of songs like All Summer Long, Surfin' USA, Fun Fun Fun, and I Get Around, and those are also songs that the casual fans most expect to hear.  Stuff like Shut Down or Little Honda though, I suspect they mean less to him and also to even casual fans.  If you give the casual fans the BIG early hits, you can safely get away with not doing the more minor ones. 

The same goes for Mike and Bruce--yeah, they need to do the big hits, but when I look at BB setlists from '64 or '65, they weren't doing stuff like '409' or 'Surfin' Safari,' so it's a bit hard for me to grasp how those songs have become essential more than 50 years later. 

[GhostyTMRS]

This tour is called Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary tour. I don't understand why Brian should play at all those washed up early 60s hits. The shows are pretty much sold out already, this is promoted as his farewell tour (at least in Europe). He isn't building a career here. If he really wants to play all those hits over his own solo stuff and later Beach Boys songs, I guess it's ok. But personally I just don't understand the reason to sing songs like Little Honda, Barbara Ann, All Summer Long, Dance Dance Dance, Shut Down, Little Deuce Coupe or even Surfin U.S.A, I Get Around and Fun Fun Fun for that matter. They just don't really fit with Brian. I'm glad that Mike does them, but in my opinion Brian should replace those with songs like Rio Grande, Goin' On, Last Song, Going Home, Lay Down Burden, Summer's Gone, I'll Bet His Nice, Mona etc.

I can understand a desire to see Brian perform more lesser known material, but realistically the audience expects to hear those songs. I think he always throws some great "oh wow" songs in for the die-hards.
They're hardly washed-up hits though. They're the gold standard of Rock/Pop. The best records made by anyone ever IMO.

[Niko]

This tour is called Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary tour. I don't understand why Brian should play at all those washed up early 60s hits. The shows are pretty much sold out already, this is promoted as his farewell tour (at least in Europe). He isn't building a career here. If he really wants to play all those hits over his own solo stuff and later Beach Boys songs, I guess it's ok. But personally I just don't understand the reason to sing songs like Little Honda, Barbara Ann, All Summer Long, Dance Dance Dance, Shut Down, Little Deuce Coupe or even Surfin U.S.A, I Get Around and Fun Fun Fun for that matter. They just don't really fit with Brian. I'm glad that Mike does them, but in my opinion Brian should replace those with songs like Rio Grande, Goin' On, Last Song, Going Home, Lay Down Burden, Summer's Gone, I'll Bet His Nice, Mona etc.

The set is amazing. Have you seen him play before? Washed up to you but the band plays each track like it's their first tour doing it. It's so full of energy.

Funky pretty, wild honey, wake the world, sail on sailor, Honkin Down the Highway....all tracks still in the set. The car songs are like two minutes long each?

And they're playing pet sounds in full. I'm not sure how you could ask for more than than hearing the best album ever made.

I think you should see a show

[Niko]

The main feeling I get from hearing the hits is a new appreciation for just now groundbreaking it was at the time.

[Ang Jones]

I don't consider the music from the first part of the 60s 'washed-up' but I must admit I'd be happy to hear more music from 66-73, especially anything from the SMiLE and Friends albums,  Til I Die,  something from Sunflower, Holland, Love You and some of Brian's solo material, like Melt Away, Rio Grande.

I can understand why on what may be a final tour, Brian is covering some of the greatest hits but for me greatest music is more important.

[HeyJude]

I'd love to see Brian do an "all-rarities" set, but why would anyone expect that? He's been touring for 17 years and has always done some of those pre-1966 hits.

Why does he do them? Partly because promoters probably still expect at least *some* of the well-known BB hits.

Also worth keeping in mind is that unlike the other touring BBs, Brian didn't spent 30-40 years touring all year singing those songs. Brian has probably sang "Shut Down" in concert fewer times than *I've* listened to the touring BBs perform the song.

And yeah, he wrote them and I'm cool with him "reclaiming" them a bit in concert, especially in cases where Mike (no dig on him, seriously) has been doing these Brian songs that he (Mike) didn't have a hand in co-writing. I think it's cool for Brian to reclaim in a live setting "In My Room", "Surfer Girl", "Don't Worry Baby", "Shut Down", "Little Deuce Coupe", "God Only Knows", and so on; all songs Brian wrote on his own or with other collaborators, and songs that people have been watching Brian-less bands more times than not do in concert for decades.

[Debbie KL]

This tour is called Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary tour. I don't understand why Brian should play at all those washed up early 60s hits. The shows are pretty much sold out already, this is promoted as his farewell tour (at least in Europe). He isn't building a career here. If he really wants to play all those hits over his own solo stuff and later Beach Boys songs, I guess it's ok. But personally I just don't understand the reason to sing songs like Little Honda, Barbara Ann, All Summer Long, Dance Dance Dance, Shut Down, Little Deuce Coupe or even Surfin U.S.A, I Get Around and Fun Fun Fun for that matter. They just don't really fit with Brian. I'm glad that Mike does them, but in my opinion Brian should replace those with songs like Rio Grande, Goin' On, Last Song, Going Home, Lay Down Burden, Summer's Gone, I'll Bet His Nice, Mona etc.

The set is amazing. Have you seen him play before? Washed up to you but the band plays each track like it's their first tour doing it. It's so full of energy.

Funky pretty, wild honey, wake the world, sail on sailor, Honkin Down the Highway....all tracks still in the set. The car songs are like two minutes long each?

And they're playing pet sounds in full. I'm not sure how you could ask for more than than hearing the best album ever made.

I think you should see a show

And we could just pay attention to what Brian has said about this tour.  He's doing it because it makes people happy and brings them love.  He knows all these songs throughout the years have made people happy in a variety of ways.

I'm a lover of the deep cuts as well, having been around for all these years, but I'm pretty clear that I'm not going to be the only person in the audience.  Brian's looking to make the crowd happy.  Good for him.

[HeyJude]

If you check out Brian's Facebook page, his pic with the chairman of Honda and the presentation of a literal "little Honda" model may help to explain the addition of "Little Honda" to the setlist.

Quick, someone get "Trader Joes" to present Brian with something, and maybe they'll add "The Trader."

[the captain]

A print of the Mona Lisa for "Mona," maybe?

Some sort of diorama of the heavens may get us "Solar System."

A DVD set of the show for "Johnny Carson?"

A soggy cigarette butt for "Everybody Wants to Live!?"

[mabewa]

I'd love to see Brian do an "all-rarities" set, but why would anyone expect that? He's been touring for 17 years and has always done some of those pre-1966 hits.

Why does he do them? Partly because promoters probably still expect at least *some* of the well-known BB hits.

Also worth keeping in mind is that unlike the other touring BBs, Brian didn't spent 30-40 years touring all year singing those songs. Brian has probably sang "Shut Down" in concert fewer times than *I've* listened to the touring BBs perform the song.

And yeah, he wrote them and I'm cool with him "reclaiming" them a bit in concert, especially in cases where Mike (no dig on him, seriously) has been doing these Brian songs that he (Mike) didn't have a hand in co-writing. I think it's cool for Brian to reclaim in a live setting "In My Room", "Surfer Girl", "Don't Worry Baby", "Shut Down", "Little Deuce Coupe", "God Only Knows", and so on; all songs Brian wrote on his own or with other collaborators, and songs that people have been watching Brian-less bands more times than not do in concert for decades.

All good points.  I just feel that by doing essential early stuff like 'Surfin' USA,' 'Surfer Girl' 'In My Room' 'Fun Fun Fun' 'I Get Around' 'California Girls' 'All Summer Long' and 'Help Me Rhonda,' he's already doing a GREAT job of covering the early stuff.  Not saying that that's ALL the early stuff he should do, but considering the awesome quality of the '67 through '73 period stuff (not to mention 'Love You'), I don't think there is a need to to more early stuff at the expensive of some of the band's other artistic high points. 

[Wirestone]

If Brian wanted to do later stuff, that's what the band would play.

[Jonathan Blum]

The same goes for Mike and Bruce--yeah, they need to do the big hits, but when I look at BB setlists from '64 or '65, they weren't doing stuff like '409' or 'Surfin' Safari,' so it's a bit hard for me to grasp how those songs have become essential more than 50 years later. 

In a nutshell?  "Endless Summer" and "Spirit Of America".  :-)

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[RiC]

This tour is called Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary tour. I don't understand why Brian should play at all those washed up early 60s hits. The shows are pretty much sold out already, this is promoted as his farewell tour (at least in Europe). He isn't building a career here. If he really wants to play all those hits over his own solo stuff and later Beach Boys songs, I guess it's ok. But personally I just don't understand the reason to sing songs like Little Honda, Barbara Ann, All Summer Long, Dance Dance Dance, Shut Down, Little Deuce Coupe or even Surfin U.S.A, I Get Around and Fun Fun Fun for that matter. They just don't really fit with Brian. I'm glad that Mike does them, but in my opinion Brian should replace those with songs like Rio Grande, Goin' On, Last Song, Going Home, Lay Down Burden, Summer's Gone, I'll Bet His Nice, Mona etc.

The set is amazing. Have you seen him play before? Washed up to you but the band plays each track like it's their first tour doing it. It's so full of energy.

Funky pretty, wild honey, wake the world, sail on sailor, Honkin Down the Highway....all tracks still in the set. The car songs are like two minutes long each?

And they're playing pet sounds in full. I'm not sure how you could ask for more than than hearing the best album ever made.

I think you should see a show

I am going to see two concerts in the UK. I'm just afraid that instead of adding deep cuts, they decide to cut down those that you mentioned. For example, Wake The World has always been one of my favorites. Honkin' is great, but for me it's maybe my least favorite from Love You. I know you can't please everyone, but I'm just a little bit sad that there's a huge amount of AMAZING songs that have never been played even once live. I know the band plays great and songs like Barbara Ann and Shut Down rock and I'm gonna enjoy it, but those songs have been played a million times already. Even I've heard them 3 times in concert and that's enough for me.

I have a feeling that Brian likes to do those kind of songs more than the ones that weren't hits because he's afraid that the audience wouldn't like them. I just wish that there was a way to tell him that there's a lot of fans who appreciate Love You and Sunflower to death. And those people are the ones that go see him in 2016, even fly to other countries just to see and hear him. I'm extremely glad that he does Pet Sounds in full, but even that has already been done many times. Anyway, I don't want to sound like I'm only complaining. I just hope there was a bit more variation in the setlists, and no more added "early hits".

[mabewa]

Wow, great show so far in Osaka. 20 songs in the first set.
Nothing new, but they are playing every song that has appeared in the first set in this tour. Brian is animated and happy, and singing great.

[HeyJude]

If Brian wanted to do later stuff, that's what the band would play.

True. I think he might be open to suggestions from others on occasion (the same way, say, McCartney's guys occasionally throw a song title out there; though I'm still waiting for their suggestion of "The Back Seat of My Car".....), but I'm not suggesting some massive machine is blocking Brian from doing songs he wants to do. Indeed, after an interview where someone in the band mentioned Brian isn't into the verbose "Surf's Up" and "Busy Doin' Nothin'", they both evaporated from the setlist.

To the degree there are criticisms of the setlist, I'm happy to lay them at Brian's feet. I think his setlist is fine; it could be far worse. There are a lot of deep cuts within that 18-song first set, which as I've said is the only place in the current setlist where there's any room to wiggle (the PS set is obviously set, and the encore is pretty much set it stone too, apart from perhaps moving "All Summer Long" in or out on occasion). I certainly think there's a little more room to maneuver, perhaps dropping a car song and pulling a new rarity out. But that's a pretty tiny quibble.

It has been far worse. I went to the 2001 Paul Simon shows where Brian played for an hour, tops, and maybe not even that long. Plus, I saw one of the early 2001 shows before he added a few additional rarities for the first time. 

But there's no way Brian's going to do a full tour where he completely ignores "California Girls", "I Get Around", etc.

[Niko]

Osaka (3rd and final Japan show) Setlist:
Our Prayer
Heroes and Villains (Brian)
California Girls (Brian)
Dance Dance Dance (Brian)
I Get Around (Brian)
Shut Down (Al)
Little Deuce Coup (Al)
Honkin Down the Highway (Al)
Little Honda (Brian)
In My Room
Surfer Girl
Don't Worry Baby (Matt)
Wake the World (Al)
Add Some Music (Brian)
Then I Kissed Her (Al)
Darling (Darian)
One Kind of Love (Brian)
Wild Honey (Blondie)
Funky Pretty (Blondie)
Sail on Sailor (Blondie)

Intermission

Pet Sounds (with studio session intro)

Encore:
Good Vibrations
All Summer Long
Help Me Rhonda
Barbara Ann
Surfing USA
Fun Fun Fun
Love and Mercy

[HeyJude]

I like it! We're up to 40 songs!

[mabewa]

If Brian wanted to do later stuff, that's what the band would play.

True. I think he might be open to suggestions from others on occasion (the same way, say, McCartney's guys occasionally throw a song title out there; though I'm still waiting for their suggestion of "The Back Seat of My Car".....), but I'm not suggesting some massive machine is blocking Brian from doing songs he wants to do. Indeed, after an interview where someone in the band mentioned Brian isn't into the verbose "Surf's Up" and "Busy Doin' Nothin'", they both evaporated from the setlist.

To the degree there are criticisms of the setlist, I'm happy to lay them at Brian's feet. I think his setlist is fine; it could be far worse. There are a lot of deep cuts within that 18-song first set, which as I've said is the only place in the current setlist where there's any room to wiggle (the PS set is obviously set, and the encore is pretty much set it stone too, apart from perhaps moving "All Summer Long" in or out on occasion). I certainly think there's a little more room to maneuver, perhaps dropping a car song and pulling a new rarity out. But that's a pretty tiny quibble.

It has been far worse. I went to the 2001 Paul Simon shows where Brian played for an hour, tops, and maybe not even that long. Plus, I saw one of the early 2001 shows before he added a few additional rarities for the first time. 

But there's no way Brian's going to do a full tour where he completely ignores "California Girls", "I Get Around", etc.

I don't think he SHOULD ignore those songs, or Fun Fun Fun, Surfin' USA, etc.  Those are definitely classics.  And you're right that he is doing damn great sets and including a nice selection of deep cuts.  I think the comments here are mostly directed at the more minor early songs (say, 'Shut Down' or 'Then I Kissed Her')--just that if they have to bump something, they should consider bumping those rather than the '67-'77 albums, which tend to get less love anyway.  But anyway you look at it, we're still getting and embarrassment of riches. 

And I DO like the fact that the current tour seems to be going more in the direction of making the sets longer, rather than dropping stuff.  Maybe this will turn out  to be like the 2012 tour, where they just keep adding stuff and the setlists tend to get longer and longer! 

[Kylo Ren]

My 2¢.

Brian has 5 original solo albums (6 if you include Orange Crate), not including SMiLE, Disney, Gershwin etc.

I kinda expected a "Brian Wilson" show to have more than two solo tracks.

Now, if the current tour was called "The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson presents..." then the current set list would make more sense.

THAT said, I'm sure 90% of the audience at the show I attended wouldn't have recognized "Lay down burden" or anything from NPP.   

[mabewa]

My 2¢.

Brian has 5 original solo albums (6 if you include Orange Crate), not including SMiLE, Disney, Gershwin etc.

I kinda expected a "Brian Wilson" show to have more than two solo tracks.

Now, if the current tour was called "The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson presents..." then the current set list would make more sense.

THAT said, I'm sure 90% of the audience at the show I attended wouldn't have recognized "Lay down burden" or anything from NPP.   

I've wondered that too!  I do consider SMiLe a legit Brian solo album, as it came out before the Smile Sessions did, but considering the quality of SOME of his solo work, it's sad that it doesn't get represented more.  I don't know how long he'll keep touring, but it might be interesting if he were to try a half-and-half tour. 

[mabewa]

Anyway, I just wanted to mention something:  with the exchange rates, I think the tix for the Osaka concert cost me about 90 bucks.  The seats weren't great, but I did have the option to pay not a whole lot more for better seats.  And for that, we got 40 songs and (I think) nearly 2.5 hours of music.  That's about $2.25 per song--an absolutely fantastic bargain for seeing one of the greatest pop composers of all time playing with a large band and two other significant ex-BB's.  Just a wonderful deal for the fans.  I'm really grateful to Brian, Al, Blondie and the band for this!