Brian Wilson / Al Jardine Pet Sounds show Keswick Theatre 2006

This was a show I thought I would never happen. After seeing Brian in '05, I thought it was all over. That retirement thing I thought would be true. All of a sudden in September word got out he was touring Pet Sounds with Al Jardine! Even if I had "left the scene" I really didn't want to miss not going. So my Mom got tickets the night they came out.
I had a friend named Anthony. He's from England and we've been friends since late 2004. He is spoiled rotten with Brian in the U.K. so he never thought of coming to see him in Philly ever. Somehow I was able to convince him, I got so psyched.
I didn't figure out what I would wear till the night of. At the last minute I got a shirt that said Smile on it with yellow and green lettering and a striped shirt and my good pink flower jeans. It was the first Brian show I tried to curl my hair at the ends but I ended up looking like Farrah instead
It took a while to get to the keswick because they had done a lot of construction on the roads since we were in '04 seeing Brian but we got to the tavern around five. It was there I met the infamous *Jeff and *Tina. I had seen and heard much about them on the various boards I'm on. What turned me off about them was they kept forgetting I met them every time I came to their table! The people that were sitting next to them were sort of clueless. They didn't even know the Beach Boys had message boards on them! How can you not know seriously? Plus the wife who got all bitchy to me when I told her I had passes. Seriously it was weird having the shoe on the other foot.

I was trying to look for Anthony but he didn't seem to be anywhere. I got my mom to order soup and coke for me as I tried to find more people. I saw Susan who runs the conventions and I was happy to see her. She might not hold the convention she does every year because of Brian and Co. doing a SIX night gig at the R.F.H. (Royal Festival Hall) next summer. I met up with some other people and I did finally get to meet Anthony. He was really nice as he was online.
This was also a special show for me because it was my first with passes. Due to good fate, good genes or good taste I was able to obtain them for the after show. It was funny because they needed I.D. and of course I didn't know so I get my Mom over to have them. I ended up hating the seats I was in due to the obstruction but this guy next to me was a creep!! Turned out he works for McDonalds (I hope I get this story right) and Mike Love ended up going to his! Brian's wife and kids and from what I hear Carnie was at our show as well. My mom thinks it was the woman who kept hearing sunglasses but I have no desire to get stalkerish.

The first half I thought was good. It was nice to have Scott remember who I was and wave to me. The band was really there and to see Al with Brian was so awesome. This is just my opinion but Brian wasn't there like he was last year. He acted more like when I saw him the first time. He didn't smile a whole lot. It was the same old set with "Row Row Your Boat". I did see though they took some liberties with "Marcella" and gave Taylor some more vocal time (the guy next to me didn't seem to mind that though ).

Then there was intermission and I was bored, and this really hot guy kept looking at me. I was thinking in the back of my mind "what the hell? guys don't ever check me out!" Turned out the guy was from myspace (thanks Tom) and we had commented each other on there. Just then I saw Erin, who I met at a Peter Tork concert (yes folks it IS a small world). She saw me just after I scored the guy's number and it was just so ramdom.

Then the second part of the show was Brian, Al and band to perform Pet Sounds. The band of course kicks major a$$ and so they do no wrong musically. Brian just looked like he was going through the motions and poor Al looked kind of lost in the sea of talented, young musicians. It all sounded great but I think the magic of seeing him, the whole aura is sort of dying for me. No one was allowed near the front (no dancing onstage folks). I got as near as I could and I danced as close I could. It was a great encore and always "Love and Mercy" was the end.
I said goodbye to the cutie (more about him later) and got my passes on and went waiting. I saw so many people I knew but there just wasn't as much time as I would have liked to. First Jeff Foskett, Brian and Al came out. I got out of my seat to go over. I knew the moment I saw him he was kind of tired. I only reintroduced myself and told him he did a good show. I had already met Al and Jeff... I'll get to you another time.
Then... Darian came out He was lost in the sea of people and he knew who I was off the bat. I couldn't help but be the human paver of enthusiasm. I think I scared the poor man. At least he knows who I am now
I saw the cutie was still out, getting Darian's autograph and what not. Helped him get his pic with Darian. We parted ways and my mom and I got home by midnight.

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