Al Jardine - 2018 Tour Thread - Postcards Storytellers Tour

[HeyJude]

Al has said on Facebook that more shows should be happening, although I suppose it's unclear if that means more shows that we don't already know about, or just the official announcement of shows already in the list.

[DisneySpirit]

Just got back from Al Jardine's concert at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix on Monday 1/29/2018. We had 3rd row center seats and it was like he was playing in our living room!  Wow so much fun! I posted the setlist on setlist.fm

[SonoraDick]

Just got back from Al Jardine's concert at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix on Monday 1/29/2018. We had 3rd row center seats and it was like he was playing in our living room!   Wow so much fun! I posted the setlist on setlist.fm

I'll certainly second that the show was great fun.

A couple of things I might have missed from earlier posts that I'll add in case they haven't been mentioned....

A good portion of the video from "The Monkey's Uncle" was played, with Ross playing the straight man & asking Al what it was like to perform with Annette. Al... "I never even met her".

It's amazing to me how great some of these complex songs sound with just three performers on stage. Loved how they played a couple of verses of "Sloop" as done by the KT and then went right into the familiar BB version. Al was his usual self with lyrical misfortunes; he did the ending to "Sloop" twice, both with the "this is the BEST trip..." line and then explained he knew he messed up but it was because there have been so many different versions of "Sloop", and he counted his children's book's lyrics as one of them. He also slipped on a couple of his own songs, "California" & "Postcard". He talked a little about Glen Campbell in his introduction to "Postcard" and showed some photos of the two of them together I hadn't seen. In general, I thought the photo/video screen was well-done; again a fair number of those shown were new to me. YMMV, of course.

No carrots were distributed tonight. The MIM doesn't allow any food in the museum, and they might extend the policy to their concert hall as well.

Both Al and Matt stayed in the lobby until the last person had left after the show, gladly (in appearance, anyway) signing anything presented for their signatures as well as posing for photos and listening to everybody's personal stories. He sold his "Postcard" cd ($20) as well as a couple of photographs for $10 each and his children's book. He signed anything, however, whether you bought something or not.

The show lasted no more than 90 minutes, not the two hours mentioned for at least one of the earlier dates. Probably less talk because he seems to have done one more song tonight. A few, as mentioned earlier, weren't complete versions... "IGA", "Cal Girls" and "Heroes" come to mind.

Ninety of my best BB minutes ever, however. Truly a terrific evening!

[HeyJude]

Thanks for the reviews! I've added the setlist link to the top post.

I mentioned this a ways back, but Matt Jardine posted that he expected the setlist selection to expand as they do more shows.

Al, Matt: "Santa Ana Winds!" C'mon! It's a no-brainer! It's like the first song I think of when someone says Al Jardine is going to do a two or three-man acoustic show!

[Tony S]

Agree with Jude.....acoustic no brainers re Santa Ana Winds, Feet, and Looking at Tomorrow which they're ding. Also, Then I kissed Her and Come Go With Me. Wish they would lose Duece Coupe and I get Around.  Frankly, the ticket buyers for these shows are the long term fans for the most part. The ones who love to hear the nuggets, and the deep catalogue. Can't imagine more than a handful not wanting to hear the deeper catalogue over the old car songs.

[HeyJude]

Al's moody acoustic sparse cover of "California Dreamin'" on the 2012 version of "Postcards" was quite good; I think that arrangement would be perfect for the show.

For that matter, there are several sparsely-arranged songs from "Postcards" that would work. His version of "California Feelin'."

[DisneySpirit]

Thanks for the reviews! I've added the setlist link to the top post.

I mentioned this a ways back, but Matt Jardine posted that he expected the setlist selection to expand as they do more shows.

Al, Matt: "Santa Ana Winds!" C'mon! It's a no-brainer! It's like the first song I think of when someone says Al Jardine is going to do a two or three-man acoustic show!

I talked with Matt during their signing and picture taking suggesting "And Then I Kissed Her" should be added to their setlist. He liked the idea. One fan brought a red Fender Stratocaster guitar for both Al and Matt to sign!

[Tony S]

Forgot about that great version of California Dreaming; that version would be a great choice. There are so many great acoustic choices vs. the car and surf classics; hope he starts to play them.

[SonoraDick]

 

Al, Matt: "Santa Ana Winds!" C'mon! It's a no-brainer! It's like the first song I think of when someone says Al Jardine is going to do a two or three-man acoustic show!

I asked Al about adding "Santa Ana Winds" after the show. Before he could say anything, Matt interjected that several others had suggested the same, as well as "San Simeon".

[beatle608]

Did Al do a signing table after the Phoenix show?

[SonoraDick]

Did Al do a signing table after the Phoenix show?

Yes, Al & Matt both. They signed until the last person left.

[SonoraDick]

Frankly, the ticket buyers for these shows are the long term fans for the most part. The ones who love to hear the nuggets, and the deep catalogue. Can't imagine more than a handful not wanting to hear the deeper catalogue over the old car songs.

Al made the point several times that the Beach Boys had many "eras", and he's telling their story as he remembers it. (It's a "storyteller" show, after all.) The surf and car songs are part a big part of the story. I think that the best that can be hoped for along the lines of hearing a "deeper catalogue" is that he extends the show, as has already been mentioned. There's dialogue before every song so these three aren't going all out, all the time, but they're not exactly spring chickens, either. Still quite a few dates for additions to be made.

Also, in my opinion, they're not just "doing" songs like "Surfin' USA" & "I Get Around" like Al has thousands of times before... they're doing them WELL. I personally enjoyed every one of them.   

[DisneySpirit]

I agree with SonoraDick. Hearing those songs arranged for just 3 musicians was great! It was amazing to hear them do Good Vibrations and Heroes and Villains which aren't easily performed well even with a full band. Matt Jardine kept switching ranges from his high falsetto to fill in other parts on those 2 songs and they sounded great!

[Tony S]

Woohoo New York City Winery April 1st tickets on sale soon! Yes!

[Rob Dean]

Woohoo New York City Winery April 1st tickets on sale soon! Yes!

April fools day, I sure hope not 

[Tony S]

Yeah but Easter Sunday unfortunately! Going to have to do some fancy talking to talk my way out of Easter dinner with my wife and family

[HeyJude]

Added new April 1 (NY) and April 2 (Chicago) dates to the schedule in the top post.

[HeyJude]

Now hearing from multiple sources that the two April shows in Big Bear Lake and San Juan Capistrano have been moved to June, so I've updated the schedule in the top post accordingly.

[southbay]

Now hearing from multiple sources that the two April shows in Big Bear Lake and San Juan Capistrano have been moved to June, so I've updated the schedule in the top post accordingly.

Correct.  I have tix to San Juan Capistrano (and San Luis Obispo) and I received an email this week notifying me that the SJC show has moved to 6/16

[SonoraDick]

Photos from the January 29 show in Phoenix.

https://richardshattuck.smugmug.com/Al-Jardine-in-concert-at-the-Musical-Instrument-Museum-Jan/

(Is the monster that dwarfs Al in the third photo known as anything other than an acoustic bass (if that's what it is)?

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

I echo the sentiments of the board...hoping confidence builds and some of the hits fade...I can't believe "Cotton Fields" and "Then I Kissed Her" aren't in there. 

Cottonfields definitely needs to be in the setlist! GREAT Al vocal and there are likely some interesting stories behind the recording and re-recording.

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

Woohoo New York City Winery April 1st tickets on sale soon! Yes!

That's great! 

[All Summer Long]

Photos from the January 29 show in Phoenix.

https://richardshattuck.smugmug.com/Al-Jardine-in-concert-at-the-Musical-Instrument-Museum-Jan/

(Is the monster that dwarfs Al in the third photo known as anything other than an acoustic bass (if that's what it is)?

There's many names for it.

Acoustic bass, double bass, upright bass, string bass, standup bass, contrabass.

I think double bass and upright bass are the two most common names. 

[Gabo]

Al was his usual self with lyrical misfortunes; he did the ending to "Sloop" twice, both with the "this is the BEST trip..." line and then explained he knew he messed up but it was because there have been so many different versions of "Sloop", and he counted his children's book's lyrics as one of them. He also slipped on a couple of his own songs, "California" & "Postcard".

Al's near constant lyrical flubs onstage make me wonder how familiar he actually is with The Beach Boys music and what his work ethic is like. He's at the very least bad at his job of being one of Brian's "messengers," seemingly not knowing the lyrics to any of their hit songs beyond what he can muster from muscle memory. True, his voice is good and, at the very least, he was physically present as a Beach Boy back in the 1960s. I would, however, be more likely to pay to see Mike and co., though.

[HeyJude]

Al was his usual self with lyrical misfortunes; he did the ending to "Sloop" twice, both with the "this is the BEST trip..." line and then explained he knew he messed up but it was because there have been so many different versions of "Sloop", and he counted his children's book's lyrics as one of them. He also slipped on a couple of his own songs, "California" & "Postcard".

Al's near constant lyrical flubs onstage make me wonder how familiar he actually is with The Beach Boys music and what his work ethic is like. He's at the very least bad at his job of being one of Brian's "messengers," seemingly not knowing the lyrics to any of their hit songs beyond what he can muster from muscle memory. True, his voice is good and, at the very least, he was physically present as a Beach Boy back in the 1960s. I would, however, more likely to pay to see Mike and co., though.

Geez, what are you watching or listening to?

Al biffs the lyrics more often than is typical I guess (going all the way back to the 60s and 70s; check out him biffing the very beginning of WIBN back in 1970 on, I think, David Frost), and it's really just funny and nothing more. But how many times have you seen Al in concert, and/or how many live recordings have you seen/heard? It's not like his flubs are rampant or problematic.

I've seen Al with the BBs, Al numerous times with Brian, and several Al solo shows (both "Family & Friends" and just a local solo gig), and he does just fine. I saw him at a little private fundraiser show in 2005 and he sang all the songs just fine, and even did some lead guitar work.

Al functions just fine as one of Brian's messengers; he's regularly one of the main highlights of Brian's current shows. As has been discussed throughout this thread, Al has always been a little indecisive when performing in more of a solo setting, starting and stopping and all of that.

But questioning the guy's work ethic? He's done nearly 200 shows with Brian over the last two years, and he's schlepping out to CLUBS to do solo gigs, and, trust me, he ain't making any substantial amount of money off of these gigs.

Geez, a guy who doesn't need to work or perform another day in his life decides, at the age of nearly 76, to *finally* do a stripped-down club tour and schlepp his way out to weird clubs in (sometimes) off-market towns, and you're questioning his work ethic?

Al is *literally* singing and playing guitar more at these gigs than he probably EVER has at BB or Brian concerts of even "Family & Friends" concerts.