USA late summer tour ?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Even though, as per, it's not on his own website, three dates in North America for Brian are selling tickets:

8/9 - River Rock Casino Show Theater, Vancouver BC
8/10 - River Rock Casino Show Theater, Vancouver BC
8/11 - Reno, NV

[endofposts]

Hmm, Reno in August might be part of their Hot August Nights celebration, where they have oldies music and old cars.   I wonder why no venue mentioned?  Maybe it will be one of the free shows they have up there? 

[Andrew G. Doe]

Sorry - it's at the Silver Legacy casino.

So... Brian's doing casino shows now as well. Bet that won't get the slating on A.N. Other MB that Mike & Bruce doing the same does.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Casino shows?! Oh my fucking shits...hell, what's next? Minor league baseball games?

[SG7]

I know it's low paying when he'll come to my college. 


And trust me the attendence there would be really low

[endofposts]

Brian had done casino shows for years.  Now that the US has Indian gaming, the casino venues have proliferated.  Heck, he did the "Smile" tour stop in the San Diego area at an Indian casino.  He's also played the Mohegan Sun more than once (somewhere back east), plus Vegas.   Brian has done fairs, as well.  The main difference between Brian and the Beach Boys is that he does fewer gigs, and his ticket prices tend to be higher.   His ticket prices for Silver Legacy are awfully high, especially in comparison to other acts.  And the usual Reno audience tends to be drawn from weekend ers from Northern California, where he's already played three times this year (Oakland, Saratoga, and Santa Rosa).   Hot August Nights might give him a boost, though, because that draws a large amount of extra tourists to Reno from all over.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

The main difference between Brian and the Beach Boys is that he does fewer gigs, and his ticket prices tend to be higher.   His ticket prices for Silver Legacy are awfully high, especially in comparison to other acts.

WTF is up with that? The show I went to 3 years ago was cheap,and that was a friggin' SMiLE tour! Yet, now the prices are like $30 more across the board, for an oldies show.

[SG7]

I think he was $8 more  at the Keswick last year then he was back in 2004. The front row for the NJ shows were $176 and that was just sick (and I downgraded in protest). I just wonder what next sometimes? If his management thinks they can aim for Streisand prices every tour, you got to be kidding me. And I'm someone who tries to see him everytime he comes near me!!

[endofposts]

I think he was $8 more  at the Keswick last year then he was back in 2004. The front row for the NJ shows were $176 and that was just sick (and I downgraded in protest). I just wonder what next sometimes? If his management thinks they can aim for Streisand prices every tour, you got to be kidding me. And I'm someone who tries to see him everytime he comes near me!!

Exactly!  I think I paid $30 the first time in 1999, and it was around $40 for a Smile show at Davies Symphony Hall, and my seat was in the second row.  The Pet Sounds tour was pretty reasonable, too.  Now, he's doing the same old set, and it's way more expensive.  Even in relation to equivalent acts.  He's more than Hall and Oates at the Silver Legacy, and while Hall and Oates are not musical geniuses, they have popularity-parity, and sing much better.  Brian's singing is getting worse (he sounds much worse on that Oslo show than any bootleg I have from 1999, where he was pretty poor), and they charge way more.  Even though his fan base is pretty much the same, not growing.  When I went to his Oakland show, it was with nosebleed cheap seats bought at the last minute.  And mostly because Al was in the show.  I've also missed some dates, such as Saratoga this year and the Berkeley show a couple of years ago.  If the prices were more reasonable, I would have attended both, even with little new in the sets.    I realize the band is large, but if the choice is between higher ticket prices, losing money on a tour, or reducing the size of the band, I say reduce the band a bit.  Especially if it's an oldies show.    As it is, the originals now no longer play at every show.

[HeyJude]

I feel even worse for the European fans, because judging from reports of Brian's current European setlist, he's shortened the show even more than it was for the June California dates. Obviously, they had to cut "California Saga" without Al, but the show seems to be a few songs shorter. I only mention this because it will probably continue with the later US dates. Unless, at some point during this European tour, he works in whatever that "special anniversary" commemoration is supposed to be.

If I hadn't already seen Brian twice this year in the Bay Area (both times with Al no less), I might have considered checking Brian out in August in Reno. But adding in some traveling costs and even the mega-cheap hotel rates (I've stayed at the Silver Legacy and Eldorado in Reno, and during the weekdays it can get like $29 per night), that would be too much money to catch the current shortened setlist. I don't even mind the length of the show so much as the fact that while the show has plenty of off-the-beaten-path tracks that aren't "hits", he's still working with the same setlist (with of course a few changes here and there) that he's been using since 2004. It would be neat if they would even work in some stuff he's done on previous tours that he hasn't regularly played lately, like "The Night Was So Young", "You're So Good To Me", "Let It Shine", "Melt Away", and so on.

I am surprised they've booked Brian in Reno. As was mentioned above, he's already done three (or four if you count Monterey) Bay Area shows in the first half of this year. He'll probably sell fine for this Reno show with the Hot August Nights crowd. If nothing else, it's easier for the venue to unload unsold tickets at a place like the Silver Legacy than a normal concert venue. They can comp tickets and give them away in contests and whatnot. Although I've been to Reno a number of times, I've never actually seen a show at the Silver Legacy, so I don't know how big the venue is. I would guess it seats a few thousand.

Casino shows aren't new for Brian, as others have mentioned. He did a "Smile" show at the Pala Casino, and just last year he did that one-off show in Las Vegas at "The Cannery" or whatever it was called. (I was actually in Las Vegas when he did that show, but had already made plans to see the Cirque Beatles "Love" show and then Ringo in concert on the same day.)

[SG7]

Maybe that explains why some of them are "leaving the coupe" if you get what I mean. Plus even with all the money they get, they don't get paid a whole lot. I've seen him since 2004 near me, Philly and New Jersey (and thank timing both Darian and Scott were at that show!!). Its just weird going to the shows  now because it is more of me meeting up with friends, the band, then anything going on in the show anymore. It's like "what else can you offer us Brian?" and it's just dead silence. He is not offering up anything new. This "Lucky Old Sun" thing even one of them told me "is no smile." Usually it's a big thing seeing him because since I'm only 18 I have to take my mom with me, gas, where to stay, time etc... I am just wondering if it is worth it anymore now these days.

[HeyJude]

I think he was $8 more  at the Keswick last year then he was back in 2004. The front row for the NJ shows were $176 and that was just sick (and I downgraded in protest). I just wonder what next sometimes? If his management thinks they can aim for Streisand prices every tour, you got to be kidding me. And I'm someone who tries to see him everytime he comes near me!!

Exactly!  I think I paid $30 the first time in 1999, and it was around $40 for a Smile show at Davies Symphony Hall, and my seat was in the second row.  The Pet Sounds tour was pretty reasonable, too.  Now, he's doing the same old set, and it's way more expensive.  Even in relation to equivalent acts.  He's more than Hall and Oates at the Silver Legacy, and while Hall and Oates are not musical geniuses, they have popularity-parity, and sing much better.  Brian's singing is getting worse (he sounds much worse on that Oslo show than any bootleg I have from 1999, where he was pretty poor), and they charge way more.  Even though his fan base is pretty much the same, not growing.  When I went to his Oakland show, it was with nosebleed cheap seats bought at the last minute.  And mostly because Al was in the show.  I've also missed some dates, such as Saratoga this year and the Berkeley show a couple of years ago.  If the prices were more reasonable, I would have attended both, even with little new in the sets.    I realize the band is large, but if the choice is between higher ticket prices, losing money on a tour, or reducing the size of the band, I say reduce the band a bit.  Especially if it's an oldies show.    As it is, the originals now no longer play at every show.

The ticket prices are a strange thing. In terms of face value (in other words, not counting the extra $15 or so in various service charges), I paid $65 to see Brian and Al in January play the last "Pet Sounds" show. I just paid $85 for the Mountain Winery show in Saratoga, which was basically the January show but simply with "Pet Sounds" removed and not much added back in. The more expensive show was much shorter. I did get to see Al at both shows, so it was still worth it. Looking at my ticket stub collection, this is what I've paid for each Brian show I've seen, all in California:

1999 - Warfield Theater, San Francisco - $39.50 (balcony, because the floor only had basically nightclub-style tables)
2000 - Mountain Winery, Saratoga - $60-$80 (stub doesn't have the price, but it was about 60-80, for second row seats)
2001 - Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View - $68.50 (Paul Simon tour, lower reserved section, but was only a 70 min. show)
2004 - Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco - $65.50 (about 15 or so rows from the front)
2005 - Greek Theatre, Berkeley - $60-80 (stub doesn't have the price, but it was around this price, for a reserved set in the second section back)
2007 - Paramount Theatre, Oakland - $65 (bottom section, but a ways back)
2007 - Mountain Winery, Saratoga - $85 (near the back of the small floor seating section)

On the basis of dollars per minute of music, the 2001 Paul Simon tour was obviously the biggest ripoff if you're only there to see Brian. That was about $1 per minute. The 1999 show was the cheapest, but those seats weren't that great; but that venue isn't so great to begin with, and the 1999 show was not as long as most later shows. The two Pet Sounds shows I saw (2000 and 2007) and two Smile shows (2004, 2005) were probably the best value in terms of dollars per minute, as those shows were usually the longest. Overall, the 2000 show for me was probably the best because the show was long with a varied setlist, Brian was in the best vocal form I've seen him, and I had a second row seat.

Of course, you have to factor the seat number in relation to the value of the ticket, but I should note that on pretty much every tour I just go to Ticketmaster or wherever and go for the best ticket I can get (I think I picked a second-tier priced seat for the 2005 show, because I bought it from that "Baseline Ticketing" that was hooked up with Brian's website).

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I am just wondering if it is worth it anymore now these days.

Or for him to tour,for that matter.

because I bought it from that "Baseline Ticketing" that was hooked up with Brian's website).

As opposed to those "Freebase Ticketing" used for the other shows, as only a crackhead would want to charge us that much.

[SG7]

I think his best move would honestly not tour anymore. He is given us Pet Sounds and Smile live. If his people are smart, he'll end after this whole Lucky Sun business. I think if he keeps touring in the shape he is in, he'll have backlash what the M + B crew are facing now.

I did the Baseline too back in '05 and that was a rip. My tickets were so far back, I had to pay an extra $50 from a friend to sit closer. It paid off later because being closer to where Melinda was, hence being able to meet Brian but geez...

[HeyJude]

I think his best move would honestly not tour anymore. He is given us Pet Sounds and Smile live. If his people are smart, he'll end after this whole Lucky Sun business. I think if he keeps touring in the shape he is in, he'll have backlash what the M + B crew are facing now.

I did the Baseline too back in '05 and that was a rip. My tickets were so far back, I had to pay an extra $50 from a friend to sit closer. It paid off later because being closer to where Melinda was, hence being able to meet Brian but geez...

The Baseline thing for me didn't work out any worse than Ticketmaster. I was able to buy the tickets through Baseline prior to them going on sale through Ticketmaster, and simply for face value. Plus, I was able to pick the exact seats instead of just going for "best available" which is how Ticketmaster does it. I had already seen "Smile" only 10 months earlier in San Francisco, so, as I mentioned earlier, I was happy with the second-tier of pricing for that 2005 show in Berkeley.

The only downside was that they took forever to ship me the tickets, and when they did, the tickets looked nothing like normal Ticketmaster tickets. So, when I was going into the venue and was apparently the only or one of very few schlubs that used the Baseline thing, the people taking the tickets didn't know whether my tickets were legit. After a few minuts of asking around, they learned that the tickets were legit; they called them "Fan Club" tickets or something. So I got in.

But that whole program seemed pretty spotty; only certain shows available, only small blocks of seats available. They never tried doing that on subsequent tours. Of course, that 2005 tour was that last full-blown crosscountry US tour he has done to date.

[SG7]

Yeah I remember hearing about that and on some of the venues the dates were wrong. Fun stuff. 

[mikee]

I think that the more he continues on, the happier and  healthier he is likely to be.  He is a musician and a musician needs to perform or he rusts. I would like to see him keep updating the show and work in material that is not currently performed.  I 'd especially like to hear "Friends" and "Love You" material.   
 I really enjoy being able to see him once or twice a year.  Why would anyone be a member of this message board if they did not like that?  At the very worst it is like going to watch Arnold Palmer play golf.  They might not be all that competitive anymore but even the unknowing recognize they are seeing something special and draw something from it.  I've seen it in the eyes and from the comments of the previously uninnitiated after Brian's shows.  Going home and straring at the wall is not an option.  He's already tried that - and it didn't work.  I'ts really nice that we have this now.   

 Besides they still have the 

[Ann Op Surfer]

I think his best move would honestly not tour anymore. He is given us Pet Sounds and Smile live. If his people are smart, he'll end after this whole Lucky Sun business.

Performers want to go out at the top of their game.  Will LOS provide that opportunity?  The whispers seem to indicate not.  If his people were smart they would never have gotten him into this position in the first place.

[endofposts]

I think his best move would honestly not tour anymore. He is given us Pet Sounds and Smile live. If his people are smart, he'll end after this whole Lucky Sun business.

Performers want to go out at the top of their game.  Will LOS provide that opportunity?  The whispers seem to indicate not.  If his people were smart they would never have gotten him into this position in the first place.

Exactly.  It makes me really sad to see Brian as he is in that Oslo webcast.  As for him doing new material, it hasn't happened.  I don't want to see Brian once or twice a year if this is the best he can do.  As for him staring at four walls, who says he does that if he's not touring?  He has three young kids at home.   The older girls are going to quickly be getting to the age when it's no longer cool to hang out with dad.   Shouldn't he be spending the few summers of their childhoods with those kids instead of doing the same old oldies on the road?   

[Dave in KC]

Not when you're a rockstar.