This Week in BB History Feb 25 to March 7

Mar 2 1962-The BBs played at Millikan High Auditorium in Long Beach, prior to the showing of a Surf film by Don Brown. Dave Marks remembers playing this show, which was probably his first appearance as a BB. Five days later (March 7) the new BB lineup played at Steve Love’s school Morningside High School in Inglewood.

March 1 and 2 1963-These are the likely dates that the BBs played the Spanish Castle in Des Moines, WA and at Pat O’Day’s Party Line Club in Seattle. According to O’Day, Murry called him expressing interest in bringing the Boys to Seattle to provide them exposure in a new market. However, less than 300 people showed up at the 2,000-seat Spanish Castle and the visit was considered a failure. Mar 4 1963-The BBs provided backing vocals on Surfin and Surfin Safari at a Jan and Dean session. March 5 1963-Brian produced Shoot the Curl and Surfin Down the Swanee for the Honeys. Two days later he produced “The Baker Man” and the unreleased “Side Two.”
Feb 28 1964-The BBs played at Cupertino HS and then at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds in San Jose with the Rip Chords, the Dartells, The Surfaris, Bruce and Terry, Chris Crosby, Ramona King and The Preps
Mar 3 1964- The BBs recorded a German version of In My Room. Mar 5 1964-Brian produced Gary Usher’s single “Sacramento” backed with “Just the Way I Feel” Mar 6 1964-The BBs played the Bellflower Rollarena. I have a photo of them playing there on my site.

Feb 26 1965-The BBs played in San Jose with the Beau Brummels, Paul Revere & the Raiders, the Tikis and the Preps. The next day they played in Sacramento with the Marauders and Paul Revere and the Raiders. Glen Campbell played both dates.
March 3, 4 1965-The BBs worked on Help Me Rhonda. The infamous Murry tapes may come from the March 3 session.

Mar 3 1966- The BBs worked on vocals for Wouldn’t It Be Nice at Columbia. They then headed to Western to do work on Good Vibrations, Wouldn’t It Be Nice and I Know There’s An Answer. The next day the BBs headed to Oregon to play in Corvallis. On March 5 they played the University of Oregon in Eugene with Noel Harrison (son of Rex), the Heirs and Critters. The short college tour ended at Southern Oregon State in Ashland on March 6 1966. Brian was at Western that day working on the track of I’m Waiting For the Day

Feb 26 1967-Teen Screen Magazine Awards were held at the Hollywood Palladium and the BBs received the award for Record of the Year-Good Vibrations from Billy Hinsche-Carl and Bruce are shown in photos receiving the award in person. Feb 27-28, Mar 1 and 2, 1967-The BBs worked on the track for Heroes and Villains. On March 3 1967 Carl held a session for his first song Tones, aka Tune X.

Feb 28 1968-Mike Love arrives in India to study with the Maharishi, stays till at least March 16 than heads to London-where NME interviewed him circa Mar 22 or 23 and Melody Maker on March 25. In his absence on Feb 29 the BBs worked on Little Bird and Brian recorded a version of “My Little Red Book”-mistakenly thought to be from Smile period by Badman. On March 6 1968-The BBs worked on the track for Be Here In the Morning but this version was not used. On March 7 1968-The BBs held a Mixing Session and Al and Bruce popped over to another studio to meet Elvis (Bruce had already met him in 1966)

Feb 28 1969- The BBs appeared on the Joey Bishop Show, to sing their new single I Can Hear Music. As far as I know the footage is lost. Mar 3 1969-the BBs added a moog overdub to Celebrate the News. March 5 and 6 1969-The BBs worked on Loop De Loop at Sunset Sound.

Feb 26 1970 the BBs played at Gonzaga University in Spokane, with Paul Revere and the Raiders. This was the tour on which Brian replaced an ailing Mike Love. I have photos of this show in my book-regrettably the campus photographer didn’t realize the significance of the occasion and there were no photos of Brian in their files (nor Carl for that matter). Would have been interesting to see Brian in the white suit they were still wearing. Someone out there must have photos of this tour (if this were the Beatles-they’d all be online by now!). The next day the BBs played in Vancouver and then at the Opera House in Seattle on Feb 28 1970-which was taped by a fan and makes the rounds. Reviewer wasn't that jazzed and reported, “For a group that has traded on their harmonic blend, they certainly didn’t live up to past achievements in that area. The harmony was sloppy and often out of tune…True Mike Love, a regular member of the group, was absent. Mike Love was replaced by Brian Wilson, who hasn’t been with them in performance for five years. But excuses are not allowed to professionals. Besides, the trouble didn’t seem to lie in Brian Wilson’s work at all, but was rather an overall sloppiness that seemed to infect the entire group.” The final show was in Portland on March 1.

Feb 28 1971 the BBs were in Boston-with Seals and Croft. Dave Marks made a surprise app that night and accompanied them on March 1 1971 to the taping of the David Frost Show in New York, though he didn’t appear with them on camera. They sang Wouldn’t It Be Nice and Cool, Cool Water. Footage survives. Possibly that night-A film exists of the Beach Boys being interviewed in the Chelsea Hotel in New York by David Goldberg. The tape is in the Beach Boys’ vaults. A portion (with the BBs singing in a bath) appeared in the DVD release Do It Again in 2012. Early March 1971-The BBs played a show at Terminal Island Federal Prison, near Long Beach.

Feb 28 1972- At a Press Conference in London, Carl and Dennis announce that Ricky Fataar and Blondie Chaplin will be members. Mar 2 1974-Brian worked on his obsession at that time-Shortening Bread. Mar 5 1974- Dennis held a session for something called String Bass Song. Mar 3 1977-Dennis worked on Love Remember Me

Feb 26 1978-The BBs played in Auckland, NZ. Reviews of this tour were pretty mixed but the Herald stated that it was “the best rock and roll show seen in Auckland in years…the sound was bold and brassy with 17 musicians cramming the stage. But the music emanated totally from the magic fingers and voices of the five Beach Boys. Their high, tight harmonies combined with a thumping powerful orchestra background to drive the crowd into a frenzy of dancing and screaming.” The BBs then headed to Christchurch for a show on Feb 28-Filmed by New Zealand TV. The Star reporter had a very different reaction to the BBs show. “The Beach Boys are getting old…. They cannot hit the high notes, occasionally go flat and those wonderful Beach Boys harmonies are often rough…The fact that the audience went away last night satisfied was not due to the band’s performance; it was due to the fact that virtually every individual’s favorite Beach Boys song was played, particularly in the latter part of the band’s 90 minute performance.” Mar 2 1978-The BBs held a Press Conference in Sydney-Brian had a cold and left after 10 minutes. Mar 3-5 1978 the BBs played five shows in Brisbane.

Mar 1-4 1979 The BBs played four nights at Radio City Music Hall in NY with Brian only on first night. This was the infamous occasion where Here Comes the Night got loudly booed. Richard Forlenza of NY Rocker, who attended on March 2, noted, “The band seemed constricted, as if the slightest bit of spontaneity would send the whole structure tumbling. Only Dennis could be counted on for an occasional surprise, holding up the show so he could change his shoes, placing a Heineken bottle on the grand piano when the pianist began the Bach intro to ‘Lady Lynda,’ walking offstage for the performance of the discofied ‘Here Comes the Night.’ I sensed that Dennis is perhaps not all that happy with everything the band does, but his solid 4/4 drumming and spirited vocal on ‘Angel Come Home’ were the highlights of the show for me.”

Feb 26 to March 2 1980 the BBs played a residency at the Cleveland Palace Theater. Anastasia Pantsios of the Cleveland Plain Dealer was troubled by what she saw as the Beach Boys "segue into nightclub act status." She noted that a Vegas comedian (Glenn Super) opened and that they played almost nothing but oldies. Feb 26 1982-The BBs played in Tucson and then the next night in Tempe, AZ. The tour ended at New Mexico State University on Feb 28 1982. Michelle Stephens of the Round Up commented, "One couldn't help but realize that the Beach Boys are getting old. It was very noticeable, especially with Brian Wilson, who never seemed to move except on or off stage and to puff a cigarette. He seemed to choke out the lyrics to 'Good Vibrations.' All of their songs were several years old-nothing new...They're burnt out."

Feb 25 1983-The BBs played the NBC Arena in Honolulu, with Brian, his first gig since he began treatment again with Landy. He was still heavy but had already lost a lot since his November 1982 peak of 300 or so. He also appeared with them in Maui on Feb 27. On March 6 1983-The BBs played Tempe with Dennis but Brian wasn’t there. The next day some of the group visited the California Angels baseball team at their Francisco Grande Resort camp. Feb 28 1984-The BBs appeared on the Grammy Awards-to sing “Good Vibrations” with Brian. It was an emotional moment post Dennis’ death. March 3 1984-the BBs played at Reunion Arena for a March of Dimes Benefit in Dallas. Think I’ll stop here.

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