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Author Topic: Brian Wilson 2020 Live Thread  (Read 55580 times)
rab2591
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« Reply #125 on: January 22, 2020, 09:44:24 AM »

I think it comes down to whether the performer is harming himself or others in the process of his touring. If I saw a solo performer destroying his/her life with drugs and alcohol I'd be less inclined to go their shows. I think there is a moral obligation for the concert goer to say "This man needs help and I'm not going to support this lifestyle anymore."

I guess some people see this with Brian. I honestly don't see how he is harming himself or others by performing. And as far as paying for a ticket and expecting a top-dollar show: In the age of digital media, I can watch the show from a couple nights ago on YouTube and get a general idea of what to expect for an upcoming show. It isn't at all a mystery to me as to what I'm going to hear...and this is likely the case for anyone who shells out the money to go see his concerts. We all probably leave going, "man Brian is aging" but with Blondie, Al, Matt, etc all there creating an incredible wall of harmonies and sound, no one leaves expecting their money back.

Funny thing, we all know Brian is loaded. There are plenty of legacy artists out there who are trying to make an actual living by touring. So if Brian were trying to put food on his table and did the exact same shows he is doing now it is likely that a lot of fans would show up and support him no matter how he performs on stage. So what's the difference here? Just because he has millions of dollars in the bank means he needs to sit on his ass at home?

Again, he doesn't like aspects of touring, but he also admits that he likes other aspects of touring. He isn't shutting down at shows, he is walking onto the stage on his own will. People aren't standing outside of the box-offices demanding their money back. No one in Brian's family or circle of friends has been publicly protesting his touring. So I have to think that this is something Brian wants to do himself.

I also think it's important to have these discussions. Brian will have to quit touring some day. But in the meantime, if we go to his shows and leave with a smile on our faces (and if Brian is happy to perform), then I don't see what the big fuss is about.
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« Reply #126 on: January 22, 2020, 10:54:23 AM »

I just want Brian to do what Brian wants to do. If he likes being out there, he should be out there. If ticket sales go down and he's forced to sit his ass at home for the duration of his life (which some people really want), I guess that's what will happen. (and I say "sit his ass at home" because he's said recently he doesn't have any plans to record, so besides touring he's not left with too many options).

One thing I will say, Mike and Bruce sound like sh*t on their YouTube recordings as well - in fact, much of my cell phone recordings of live Brian don't sound good at all....yet when you're there in person you're experiencing something totally different than what your phone captures. You're listening to a recording from a microphone less than the size of a grain of rice picking up amplified audio from a plethora of speakers - it's gonna sound bad. And I totally concede that it would sound better if Brian weren't nearly 80 years old. But he is nearly 80 and thats what we're gonna hear when we go to his shows.

Again, I just want Brian to do what he wants to do - if he wants to watch re-runs of Jeopardy on Netflix for the rest of his life, he absolutely should. He owes us fans absolutely nothing. But I also think if any of us were in his family, and we were trying to force Brian to quit touring (and he didn't want to quit), that would be a shameful thing to do.

Many (probably all) of us have seen firsthand an elderly person in our families age into their 80s/90s. It is a sad thing to witness, and many questions are raised during this time. Should an 85 year old with jittery hands and bad reflexes drive a car? No, because it puts people's lives in danger. Keeping them from driving can make them depressed. It sucks but you're possibly saving lives doing this. However, you want an elderly person doing as much as they can to keep active - it keeps them from depression, it gives them exercise, anything mentally stimulating is good. Sitting in a chair all day without moving gives you blood clots, watching TV all day does nothing good for your brain activity, not doing what you love (be it wood cutting, mowing the lawn, or singing some songs to a crowd) can send you into a depression.

Anyways, my point being, if Brian wants to be up there, I think that's why he's up there. His family probably sees the benefits of it, Brian isn't harming anyone by getting up there singing shows. I guess if you think he's being forced to tour against his will, then yeah I can see why you'd want to force him to quit touring. But if you logically think about how members of his family (close and extended), circles of friends, doctors, etc all don't protest his touring, that alone tells me that he's up there doing what he wants to do and it's healthy for him to do (the bad back he has on stage is the same bad back he'd have to deal with at home).

Very good points, it's a shame they have to be repeated so often.

The point in bold: From the clips emerging from Mike's tours especially from 2013-1016 or thereabouts at that time, I'd say the examples of Mike being off key and some of the group vocals sounding "off" overall outweighed those where it actually sounded good. A recording from a phone can alter quality but it can't alter pitch from the singers. Either it's in tune or it's not, and some of those were downright bad.

Yet if people observed that, they were accused of "bashing" Mike, and being haters. Well, no, it just didn't sound good and Mike in some cases sounded worn out, tired, or sounded like his age. I haven't watched any in recent months from recent tours, but even with the almost total lack of reviews from Mike's recent shows you rarely saw them commenting on Mike's voice in particular.

So there's a comparison if you look for it.

But the takeaway in the post above is that people are going for the experience of seeing a performer like Brian Wilson live and in person. It truly is that simple.

In a world where there were artists who were Brian's peers in the 60's like Frankie Valli who charged people good money to see him and then lip-synched and mimed to backing tracks *at a live concert*...at least Brian is singing live. And yes, it is warts and all, but he is pushing 80 (as if anyone needed clarification on that...) and he wants to be on stage playing for his fans at this point. And as long as people are buying tickets and venues are confident enough on their returns that they keep booking Brian, it's a pointless pursuit to again try to convince someone out there that it's not worth it, and that Brian should hang it up and retire.

Don't buy tickets if you think he should retire. Save up 125 bucks to see Mike in concert, or check one of the many Hawaiian-shirt-clad BB tribute bands padding around the US. It's that simple.
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« Reply #127 on: January 22, 2020, 11:42:38 AM »

Guitarfool, I guess my basic gripe is as a consumer that I don’t feel the price for a decent ticket to see Brian and company is commensurate with the product.  As a consumer I feel as though if I’m going to put out in excess of 100 US dollars for a good seat, that I would like to see a little more than a 30 song greatest hits show.  I had no problem shelling how 100 dollars for That Lucky Old Sun tour or the Smile tour or even The Beach Boys reunion tour or the Jeff Beck double bill.  Personally for me 100 bucks for the novelty of seeing Brian is a bit steep for a greatest hits show and the declining vocals.   
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« Reply #128 on: January 22, 2020, 11:55:25 AM »

Then just don’t go! Not a big deal. Just let him tour if he wants to for the people who do want to see him.

Just my two cents.
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marcella27
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« Reply #129 on: January 22, 2020, 01:28:48 PM »

Guitarfool, I guess my basic gripe is as a consumer that I don’t feel the price for a decent ticket to see Brian and company is commensurate with the product.  As a consumer I feel as though if I’m going to put out in excess of 100 US dollars for a good seat, that I would like to see a little more than a 30 song greatest hits show.  I had no problem shelling how 100 dollars for That Lucky Old Sun tour or the Smile tour or even The Beach Boys reunion tour or the Jeff Beck double bill.  Personally for me 100 bucks for the novelty of seeing Brian is a bit steep for a greatest hits show and the declining vocals.  

Wow, your standards are pretty high!  Didn't the C50 reunion tour shows regularly include well over 40 songs?  I'd say that 100 bucks for a show like that is a damn good deal and I'd be only too happy to pay that again.  Brian's shows are still relatively reasonably priced, all things considered.  I saw him in September on the Something Great from 68 Tour - I paid I think just over $100 for a fourth row seat to one of the best shows of my life.  It was money extraordinarily well-spent.  You're getting what, an EXCELLENT twelve-piece band playing some of the best pop music ever written, for that price.  In comparison, Mike and Bruce's shows aren't exactly cheap anymore, unless you happen to catch them at a state fair or something.  They're playing Washington DC and the good seats are $127 plus fees.

It's all personal choice.  You've said that for you, the product isn't worth the price.  But for some people, it is.  One of the advantages of youtube, social media, etc...is that you can see clips of pretty much any performer.  With a little help from google, it's easy to make an informed decision before buying tickets to a concert.  If people don't want to buy tickets, fine.  If they do, fine.  I'm not saying this isn't a valid topic for discussion, but it has been debated endlessly on this board and I honestly don't know what more can be said about the subject.  
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RubberSoul13
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« Reply #130 on: January 22, 2020, 02:06:44 PM »

As someone who completely chose to not attend this evening AND as someone that very regularly goes to see BOTH touring groups, I have not left Mike and Bruce's show disappointed as often as I have left Brian's show disappointed.

I've seen Mike and Bruce's show ten times between 2010-2018, and Brian and Al's show five times between 2013-2018, (and Al's story teller show twice!) of course out of all of these the "winner" is none of them. The best concert I've attended with any Beach Boys present, was June 15th 2012 with all five living members. 2nd row dead center, soundcheck + meet and greet, with Brian in GREAT form that night on and off stage. Only once since then, have I seen Brian in BETTER shape and that was the Strathmore Pet Sounds show in 2016. He was a damn firecracker that night and I'll never forget it. 2013 with Jeff Beck & 2015 NPP were "eh", and the other two Pet Sounds shows (2016 & 2018) were truly awful nights from Brian. As for Mike and Bruce, they were on fire from 2013-2016, but the aftermath of C50 crumbling apart cast a dark cloud over it and it did infringe on the experience for me, thinking about what could have been. In 2017, I was verbally abused by Bruce Johnston for no good reason after a so-so show in Ocean City (with front row seats no less). I swore I wouldn't put more money in their pocket, then they came back around with the Christmas Tour in 2018 and I caved as I'd never heard those. It was a rough night vocally, for everybody, and was definitely the worst I've seen them.

Why do I share all this? Because after all that, I still hope and pray that there is one last peaceful and musically magical encounter with Mike, Brian, and Al together before we don't have the luxury of complaining about this anymore.
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« Reply #131 on: January 22, 2020, 02:56:34 PM »

In 2017, I was verbally abused by Bruce Johnston for no good reason after a so-so show in Ocean City (with front row seats no less).

Whoa.  Verbally abused?  How did that happen?
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« Reply #132 on: January 22, 2020, 03:48:43 PM »

In 2017, I was verbally abused by Bruce Johnston for no good reason after a so-so show in Ocean City (with front row seats no less).

Whoa.  Verbally abused?  How did that happen?

Simply by waiting in a spot by the stage door that a member of the touring team told me to wait to speak to John Cowsill and get an autograph (I had met his siblings on the Happy Together tour, and wanted to add his autograph to theirs). Bruce assumed I was waiting for him when I simply bade him good night while he was making his way to the bus, then got in my face and went off on me about how he wasn't signing anything for me (I did not bring him anything, nor did I ask him to sign anything). This was minutes after he was talking chummy with me from the edge of the stage about how great Mike's book was (I brought and asked Mike to sign it after the encore, which he proudly did as he got to show off the book lol). Anyway, I kept my cool and told him I was waiting for Mr. Cowsill, thus coining the phrase that my fiancé and I still toss around in jest "Well all RIGHT then Mr. MAAAAN!" and stomping his feet up the steps of the bus, and slamming the door. The whole band walked by one at a time while I waited for John (he was last), including Mike Love, and I wished them all good night and thanked them for the show. They were all gracious, returned the gesture, and moved on.
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« Reply #133 on: January 22, 2020, 04:37:02 PM »

Brian’s shows, with the exception of four years or so (roughly the 2000 orchestral Pet Sounds shows through the 2004 Smile shows) have always been perceived as partial novelties by the public. Brian has always been an erratic and unique live performer. What’s funny is that his actual best stretch of performing was probably 2007-2010, when a lot of folks simply weren’t watching.

Anyway, he’s getting older and the shows are getting worse (or at least less consistent). The fans knows this. But a good BW show for us was always a little different than a good performance from almost any other act. His shows have also never sold that well in the United States, with the exception of the post-Love and Mercy Pet Sounds shows.

The situation has always been complicated, and the views of the general public, fans, and those in Brian’s orbit frequently differ. There’s never a single answer, except that I’m glad his band has work. They deserve it.
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« Reply #134 on: January 22, 2020, 05:48:03 PM »

In 2017, I was verbally abused by Bruce Johnston for no good reason after a so-so show in Ocean City (with front row seats no less).

Whoa.  Verbally abused?  How did that happen?

Simply by waiting in a spot by the stage door that a member of the touring team told me to wait to speak to John Cowsill and get an autograph (I had met his siblings on the Happy Together tour, and wanted to add his autograph to theirs). Bruce assumed I was waiting for him when I simply bade him good night while he was making his way to the bus, then got in my face and went off on me about how he wasn't signing anything for me (I did not bring him anything, nor did I ask him to sign anything). This was minutes after he was talking chummy with me from the edge of the stage about how great Mike's book was (I brought and asked Mike to sign it after the encore, which he proudly did as he got to show off the book lol). Anyway, I kept my cool and told him I was waiting for Mr. Cowsill, thus coining the phrase that my fiancé and I still toss around in jest "Well all RIGHT then Mr. MAAAAN!" and stomping his feet up the steps of the bus, and slamming the door. The whole band walked by one at a time while I waited for John (he was last), including Mike Love, and I wished them all good night and thanked them for the show. They were all gracious, returned the gesture, and moved on.

Yikes, there's no excuse for treating a fan like that.
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« Reply #135 on: January 22, 2020, 08:12:25 PM »

If setlist.fm is to be trusted, it appears that "California Saga" and "Let Him Run Wild" returned. The latter being one of the few songs I've never heard any variant on the band perform live! I assume Matt takes the lead on that one?
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« Reply #136 on: January 22, 2020, 08:35:22 PM »

If setlist.fm is to be trusted, it appears that "California Saga" and "Let Him Run Wild" returned. The latter being one of the few songs I've never heard any variant on the band perform live! I assume Matt takes the lead on that one?

That's right, both those songs were in the setlist.  LHRW was in the setlist going back maybe two years to the later Pet Sounds shows.  Yup, Matt sings lead.  It's a good one for the band. 

I'll post tomorrow but it was a good show despite some issues with the sound mix, and a very sedate audience. 
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« Reply #137 on: January 22, 2020, 08:52:40 PM »

Just got back from the Maryland show at MGM.  This was my first time seeing BW since my parents took me to my first rock concert on June 6, 1983 when the Beach Boys played at RFK in DC after a Team America vs Fort Lauderdale Strikers soccer game.

I bought the $23 seats for my brother and me but was pleasantly surprised when offered by the ushers to move closer to the floor.  The place looked mostly full to me.  Anyway, we had a really great time and I'm very glad we went.  Crowd was mostly old-ish but there were some younger folks there as well including a young couple sitting near us that danced during several songs.  Al Jardine was awesome and Matt did a great job as well.  I thought Brian sounded good too, especially on Do It Again, Heroes and Villains, and Love and Mercy.  It smelled like someone must have lit a joint when Darian sang I Can Hear Music.

Lots of comments about whether Brian should continue touring...  I agree with those who say it's up to him.  I disagree that him performing could possibly take anything away from his legacy.  Nothing can take away from the songs and albums BW wrote and recorded....  

In addition the Beach Boys, I'm also into bluegrass and classic country music - and regret not seeing Bill Monroe and Johnny Cash when I had the chance.  Seeing a living legend perform tonight was a special experience.
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« Reply #138 on: January 22, 2020, 11:25:23 PM »

I think a lot of the younger fans just want the experience of seeing Brian in person. I was real happy when I saw the Beach Boys in the Kingdome in Seattle and Brian was with them. Didn't matter that he didn't sing a lot, he was looking better than he had in years. It was just cool he was there.
There are certain artists that you want the honor of seeing at least once while you share space on this planet with them. If it turns out to be a great concert, all the better.
Having said that, I have seen Brian in concert a few times - twice with the Beach Boys, and once with his own band; for me, that satisfied the need to just see him, to be in physical proximity to him. If I was to go see him again, it would be because I expected a great show.
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« Reply #139 on: January 23, 2020, 04:31:03 AM »

Ive seen Brian twice, in 2015 and 2016. And have seen Mike Love's band in 2016. No regrets whatsoever.  When you are pushing into your late 70's you arent going to have a good night every night.  Was happy just to see them when I did, I consider it a gift of sorts 

 
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« Reply #140 on: January 23, 2020, 07:51:45 AM »

It was such a joyful concert!

- I was up in the balcony, second row center, with my wife, mom, and dad. The place looked packed from my vantage point. There were definitely empty seats up in the balcony, but there were plenty of people in attendance. And what a HAPPY crowd! As has been said, it was an older crowd, however the balcony seemed to be full of younger people. People were dancing in the aisles, Brian got a long standing ovation after 'God Only Knows' (as usual)...Its just awesome how universal that is to every concert I've been to of his.

- There were some audio level issues, but overall it sounded great. Matt was sometimes seen pointing to his mic and wordlessly asking for his level to be raised. But the concert sounded so darn good - even as far away as the balcony.

- Matt on 'Let Him Run Wild' and 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' was incredible (and as usual he knocked it out of the park on 'Don't Worry Baby').

- Darian drew a well deserved long applause for his lead on 'Darlin' - that was a definite highlight of the evening for me.

- Al sounded young as usual...it's crazy how his voice hasn't changed much since the 60s.

- 'I Can Hear Music' was perfect - the harmonies were all on point.

- 'Feel Flows' was amazing. The sound of the bass reverberated through the theater was awesome, Blondie was super energetic. I am so glad that in their "Greatest Hits" shows they still include these more unknown gems.

- Blondie's guitar playing was rather distorted but it sure did rock. And when he'd wrap up the song with the band it was so well rehearsed.

- Brian overall sounded great. There were some missed cues here and there. But he was vocally on point for most of the night. He sounded fantastic on 'Little Deuce Coupe'. His lead on 'Love and Mercy' was darn near perfect and it was the most emotional part of the night. My wife said that Brian looked a bit more tired than compared to when we went to see him a few years ago. I couldn't really tell a difference but I know she's right.

When I looked out on the crowd everyone was happy. When I asked my dad what his favorite part of the concert was, he replied "the entire thing." That's the kind of night it was. People dancing in the aisles, young people up on the balcony standing and singing, the band was so into it. As was said by Senator Blutarsky, these concerts are a gift. If this type of thing doesn't bring you joy (seeing Brian in his old age, missing cues) then I guess I understand why you wouldn't attend. But no one in the crowd seemed to be bothered by it - people were just happy to be there and experience this incredible music, being led by one of the greatest songwriters of all time.

It was a definite gift for me. I hope to see him in concert again, but if he does retire soon then it ended on a high note for me.
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« Reply #141 on: January 23, 2020, 11:42:21 AM »

I had a great time at last night's show at National Harbour.  We had front row seats (the most beautiful words in the English language  Smiley) but from my vantage point, the crowd was awfully sedate.  I didn't see many people dancing at all (with the exception of two quite inebriated but joyful fellows right next to us) and usually the first few rows are full of pretty hyped-up people.  Anyway, setting that aside, the band seemed to be having fun, aside from some issues with the sound, which Rab mentioned.  Matt, Darian and Blondie were all gesturing for the bass to be turned down at various points.  The curtains were closed prior to the show and when they opened, the whole band, including Brian, were onstage playing.  At the end of the show, the band bowed, Brian remained seated, and the curtains closed.  So the audience did not see Brian move around onstage. 

The setlist was pretty strong for a "greatest hits" show.  For me the highlights were: 

Surfer Girl...when Brian sang the bridge and the spotlight shone on him, it was just beautiful.  As Rab noted, his vocals were good all night, with the exception of God Only Knows, which I think is consistently a struggle for him (and I don't wonder why...it's a hard song to sing, and requires a big range).  He actually ended God Only Knows early and was clearly eager to move on. 

Al is always a joy.  His voice is so great, and he just exudes this gentlemanly grace onstage.  It just makes me so happy to watch him up there, especially watching him next to Brian.  California Saga was a highlight for me. 

Do it Again is one of my favorite BB songs, so I'm always happy to see it included in any setlist.  But last night they recreated the drum effect at the very beginning of the recorded version.  In the last verse of the song, you could really hear that echo-y drum and I've never picked up on that when they've played it live before.  Brian actually said something about drums when Al introduced the song, but I didn't catch exactly what he said.   Anyway, very cool. 

Heroes and Villains...impeccable.  Nothing more to say. 

I Can Hear Music...Darian's rendition of this song is absolutely beautiful.  And I think this manages to hit a sweet spot in terms of pleasing the whole audience.  It's well-known enough that even the casual fan responds well, but it's enough of a rarity in live shows that it's a treat for more hardcore fans. 

Blondie's set was good, as always, and I too am so glad that they kept Feel Flows in the setlist (and that Blondie usually mentions Carl, which I think is really nice).  My only minor complaint about Blondie is that his funny antics (crazy dancing, etc...) almost detract from the fact that he is an ASTOUNDING singer.  Really, he has a voice from heaven. 

I went into this show with tempered expectations.  The last time I saw Brian was the last show of the Something Great from 68 tour and it was MIND-BLOWING, so I was preparing myself for a less exciting setlist, the possibility of seeing Brian on an off night, etc...  But I was not disappointed at all, and I loved every second of it.  For me, the bottom line is that it's a chance to hear this music played live, and music played live by a real band is a sound that you simply cannot replicate any other way.  I love the many recorded versions of Heroes and Villains that I can listen to at home, but hearing the vocal blend by a live band sends chills down my spine.  Hearing the pause just before the last crashing chorus of Good Vibrations - hearing it live, I mean?  Bliss.  And this is a chance to hear that music performed by two original BBs and their hand-picked band.  I will keep going to see them every time I can. 
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« Reply #142 on: January 23, 2020, 01:52:37 PM »

I had a great time at last night's show at National Harbour.  We had front row seats (the most beautiful words in the English language  Smiley) but from my vantage point, the crowd was awfully sedate.  I didn't see many people dancing at all (with the exception of two quite inebriated but joyful fellows right next to us) and usually the first few rows are full of pretty hyped-up people.

This was my first show with a balcony seat, and it was cool to have a vantage point over the whole crowd. Haha I was looking at those inebriated fellows and wondered how the people around them were feeling about it...especially the people behind them. The people behind them actually started to stand just so they could see the show!

I was kinda lucky in that I was in the second row balcony but no one was sitting directly in front of us. So there wasn't anything to distract me from the show. I will say that the stage light was sometimes blinding to those of us in balcony seats. But it didn't happen often enough to give me a negative impression of the show.

Quote
Do it Again is one of my favorite BB songs, so I'm always happy to see it included in any setlist.  But last night they recreated the drum effect at the very beginning of the recorded version.  In the last verse of the song, you could really hear that echo-y drum and I've never picked up on that when they've played it live before.

Yes! I meant to mention this, but it was so cool to hear that - I kept trying to figure out how they were making that sound (I kept checking to see if there was an electronic drum pad but I couldn't see one).

Edit: also meant to add that I really dug the inclusion of the 'You Still Believe In Me' intro piece to the end of 'Love and Mercy' - I'm not sure if this is something they've been doing for a long time, but it's something I just noticed and really liked last night.
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« Reply #143 on: January 23, 2020, 04:48:30 PM »

So I have been lurking on this board for about 5 years now and have never posted anything.While I share a love of the BB’s music with all of you, I have no musical skills and oftentimes I find myself amazed at some of the musical knowledge of the contributors. So thank you for educating me.

That said, I wanted to echo what Rab, Marcella and the rest have posted regarding last night’s concert at National Harbour. I had actually not intended to go initially; seeing Brian struggle on stage during his last two appearances in the DC area was not something I wanted to go through again. But as the date of the concert drew nearer I began to realize - hey, how many more chances am I gonna have to share the same room with someone who has brought so much joy to my life? So, I relented and attended the show. One of the best decisions I’ve made in awhile!!

Brian’s voice was stronger than it’s been since the 50th anniversary tour and the rest of the guys all sounded great. The high point, among the many moments I enjoyed, was hearing the first few bars of GOK — I thought I would melt right there in my seat.

I guess what I wanted to impart to all of you is — if Brian and his band are scheduled to appear anywhere near your home, you should make a point of buying a ticket and attending. I don’t think you will be disappointed!
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RubberSoul13
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« Reply #144 on: January 23, 2020, 06:40:38 PM »

I'm so glad that this night turned into a success. I guess something I didn't take into account, is that a casino that's already populated with people may be obliged to buy tickets to who is performing, regardless of who it is. Not to say it wasn't Brian's crowd, no matter who it was it is clear Brian and the band made them his crowd! I hope we continue to hear about MORE nights like this!
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marcella27
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« Reply #145 on: January 23, 2020, 07:34:43 PM »

I had a great time at last night's show at National Harbour.  We had front row seats (the most beautiful words in the English language  Smiley) but from my vantage point, the crowd was awfully sedate.  I didn't see many people dancing at all (with the exception of two quite inebriated but joyful fellows right next to us) and usually the first few rows are full of pretty hyped-up people.

This was my first show with a balcony seat, and it was cool to have a vantage point over the whole crowd. Haha I was looking at those inebriated fellows and wondered how the people around them were feeling about it...especially the people behind them. The people behind them actually started to stand just so they could see the show!

I was kinda lucky in that I was in the second row balcony but no one was sitting directly in front of us. So there wasn't anything to distract me from the show. I will say that the stage light was sometimes blinding to those of us in balcony seats. But it didn't happen often enough to give me a negative impression of the show.

Quote
Do it Again is one of my favorite BB songs, so I'm always happy to see it included in any setlist.  But last night they recreated the drum effect at the very beginning of the recorded version.  In the last verse of the song, you could really hear that echo-y drum and I've never picked up on that when they've played it live before.

Yes! I meant to mention this, but it was so cool to hear that - I kept trying to figure out how they were making that sound (I kept checking to see if there was an electronic drum pad but I couldn't see one).

Edit: also meant to add that I really dug the inclusion of the 'You Still Believe In Me' intro piece to the end of 'Love and Mercy' - I'm not sure if this is something they've been doing for a long time, but it's something I just noticed and really liked last night.

Those guys were immediately to our right.  They were really drunk!  But they were so happy, and kept shouting things like "thank you so much" with such passion after songs that it was hard not to like them.  Then again, they weren't blocking my view.

I wondered too about a drum pad duing Do It Again but because the drum kit is raised, I couldn't see from where I was sitting.  I don't really know anything about drum equipment but I'd be curious to know what they did.  It was super cool. 

And yes, weaving in You Still Believe In Me to Love and Mercy is a lovely touch.  I love those little touches, like Darian playing the melody from Rhapsody in Blue at the end of Fun Fun Fun. They're like little hidden treats Smiley
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marcella27
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« Reply #146 on: January 23, 2020, 07:38:33 PM »

So I have been lurking on this board for about 5 years now and have never posted anything.While I share a love of the BB’s music with all of you, I have no musical skills and oftentimes I find myself amazed at some of the musical knowledge of the contributors. So thank you for educating me.

That said, I wanted to echo what Rab, Marcella and the rest have posted regarding last night’s concert at National Harbour. I had actually not intended to go initially; seeing Brian struggle on stage during his last two appearances in the DC area was not something I wanted to go through again. But as the date of the concert drew nearer I began to realize - hey, how many more chances am I gonna have to share the same room with someone who has brought so much joy to my life? So, I relented and attended the show. One of the best decisions I’ve made in awhile!!

Brian’s voice was stronger than it’s been since the 50th anniversary tour and the rest of the guys all sounded great. The high point, among the many moments I enjoyed, was hearing the first few bars of GOK — I thought I would melt right there in my seat.

I guess what I wanted to impart to all of you is — if Brian and his band are scheduled to appear anywhere near your home, you should make a point of buying a ticket and attending. I don’t think you will be disappointed!

Glad that you had a great time, and glad that you posted!
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spgass
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« Reply #147 on: January 23, 2020, 07:53:31 PM »

I'm so glad that this night turned into a success. I guess something I didn't take into account, is that a casino that's already populated with people may be obliged to buy tickets to who is performing, regardless of who it is. Not to say it wasn't Brian's crowd, no matter who it was it is clear Brian and the band made them his crowd! I hope we continue to hear about MORE nights like this!

I'm very glad as well.  I'm thinking they must have sold a lot of tickets in the last few days before the concert.  Although I wouldn't be surprised if some hotel guests attended, I think it was mostly concertgoers rather than the casino crowd - I was surprised how crowded the casino was on a Wednesday (we walked through on our way in), but think that was mostly locals who came for just the casino.  The casino had some kind of incentive thing going on - there were lots of people walking around with new comforters for beds.
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RubberSoul13
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« Reply #148 on: January 23, 2020, 07:57:41 PM »

I checked TicketBastard about two hours before showtime, and it was about 60% sold. A few stragglers on the back of the floor were left, and a lot of the balcony was left. I suspect they sold a lot of walkups, whether they were gamblers, or just confident concertgoers that didn't buy in advance! LOL
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Tony S
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« Reply #149 on: January 24, 2020, 04:58:26 AM »

It looks like Carney's husband has replaced Nick Walusco in the band. At least hes playing guitar in nicks spot on stage
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