BW in Minneapolis, 11/15/08

[the captain]

Was anyone else at this show? Want to talk about it? I thought the Beach Boys set was somewhat workmanlike: flawless from the band, decent but almost mailed-in from Brian at times. (The biggest exception to that was God Only Knows, which I thought was great.) TLOS, though, struck me as amazing, some of the best I've seen in my four shows. "Side Two" (if there were still sides...) was particularly amazing, and very well-received by the audience.

[the captain]

Set list, according to Star Tribune. (I didn't keep track.)

First set: 1. California Girls 2. Dance Dance Dance 3. Surfer Girl 4. In My Room 5. Salt Lake City 6. All Summer Long 7. Please Let Me Wonder 8. Add Some Music 9. The Little Girl I Once Knew 10. Do You Wanna Dance 11. Do It Again 12. Sail On Sailor 13. Marcella 14. I Get Around 15. Wouldnt It Be Nice 16. God Only Knows 17. Good Vibrations

Second set: That Lucky Old Sun/Morning beat/Room with a View/Good Kind of Love/Forever She’ll Be My Surfer Girl/Venice Beach/Live Let Live/Mexican Girl/Cinco De Mayo California Role/Between Pictures/Oxygen to the Brain/Can’t Wait Too Long/Midnight’s Another Day/That’s Luck Old Sun/Going Home/Southern California

encore: 1. Johnny B Goode 2. Help Me Rhonda 3. Barbara Ann 4. Surfin USA 5. Fun Fun Fun 6. Love and Mercy

[the captain]

Here is what I wrote on another board about the show, if you're interested in a little more detail and opinion.

The sound was the worst I've heard in the four BW shows I've attended, which surprised me in that I think it was the smallest venue in which I've seen him. It also wasn't sold out, but probably 80%. The initial set was a Beach Boys set (literally: no solo BW songs at all), mostly hits, although it included "Add Some Music," "Salt Lake City" and "The Little Girl I Once Knew"). Others were (and I didn't take notes, so this is off memory and not in order) "California Girls," "Do It Again," "God Only Knows," "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Good Vibrations," "Marcella," "Sail On Sailor," "Surfer Girl," "In My Room."

I thought Brian mailed in the bulk of that set. The band was flawless but it was like a donut, with its BW-center opting out of most of the group vocals and only doing his solo lines, for the most part. He had his moments in that set, especially in the beautifully performed GOK--maybe my favorite version of that song in the four times I've seen it done. Brian sang it very gently, which meant he struggled on the higher notes, but not terribly so. I'd say the ballads all went over better than the rockers, which struck me as imitations of rock, not rock. They just lacked life for me

However, as happened the first time I saw him do Smile (in Glasgow in '04), he came to life for the second set. Brian sang very well and purposefully throughout TLOS. His parts were almost never doubled, and he handled them just fine. He didn't use the teleprompter much, either. Without a doubt, the highlight of TLOS was "Oxygen..." through "Goin Home." "Midnight's Another Day," in particular, was amazing. It was for me better than any boot of live material, the demo or the album version. The swells in that lead to "feel so alone" were amazing, exactly what you'd guess they ought to be. After the first one, the crowd really went crazy, and Brian added a "thank you very much" while the group went on. He sang that song amazingly: not a flawed note or word. My guest, a casual-at-most fan who mostly just knows BB music through her parents, actually teared up during that song. (She also threatened me with death if I tell our friends. So shhh.)

The encore set was also very good: Johnny B Good, Fun Fun Fun, Help Me Rhonda, Barbara Ann and the nearly a capella Love & Mercy. The rock 'n' roll there had 10x the energy of the first set. It was convincing.


The worst part for me was Scott Bennett, who seemed to be trying his best to be a rock star throughout. Lots of what Frank Zappa once called "pointing your weenie skyward," meaning posing and posturing in rock star fashion. I ought to give him the benefit of the doubt: he was trying to get the energy across and put on a show. But unlike, say, Nelson's energy or Jeff's goofing around (which he did during Marcella, and seemed to have nothing else to do when not singing), it wasn't likable at all. My companion asked me early on "who the hell does that guy think he is? Brian Wilson?" But really, overall it was a very good show. I still doubt I'll attend another one, but if I don't, this was a good way to go out.

[MBE]

California Role does end side one. They were even selling the vinyl at the Chicago show yesterday. Gee I hope I didn't miss Love and Mercy last night. I left after Fun, Fun, Fun, because Brian left the stage and Jeff said goodnight.

[the captain]

Gee I hope I didn't miss Love and Mercy last night. I left after Fun, Fun, Fun, because Brian left the stage and Jeff said goodnight.

You may well have, because it was a 2nd encore in Minneapolis. They all left and returned for that song.

[Aegir]

Never leave until they turn the house lights on, that's a general rule of thumb.