Show 28: Riverbend - Cincinnati, OH 6/12/12

[Rocker]

Regarding "Darlin'": I've heard both - Cowsill and Darian - sing it, although just on youtube. No question for me that, shouldn't a Beach Boy sing it, it has to go to Darian. He absolutely nails that. 

[RubberSoul13]

Regarding "Darlin'": I've heard both - Cowsill and Darian - sing it, although just on youtube. No question for me that, shouldn't a Beach Boy sing it, it has to go to Darian. He absolutely nails that. 

Agreed. When I saw Mike Love's boys, and cowsill sang it, he ran down front and sang it because Stamos was there to drum, but the clips on youtube with him drumming and singing seem to really challenge him, which is understandable. I remember he did the same thing for Help Me Rhonda too, and the place went nuts!

[Lowbacca]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MooyPHhDbc4 

[RubberSoul13]

Hahahaha, that was fantastic! Thanks for sharing

[Autotune]

No more leads to band members, please.
If a BB can't do it, don't do it.

[drbeachboy]

No more leads to band members, please.
If a BB can't do it, don't do it.

Wait a gosh-darn minute! Haven't The Boys' themselves always stated that the music is the star, moreso than the band? If it is OK for them play the music, then it is OK to sing a few leads that the main guys can no longer manage to do. As for Darlin', I think both Darian & John have put enough time in to deserve a chance to do the lead vocal.

[Autotune]

No more leads to band members, please.
If a BB can't do it, don't do it.

Wait a gosh-darn minute! Haven't The Boys' themselves always stated that the music is the star, moreso than the band? If it is OK for them play the music, then it is OK to sing a few leads that the main guys can no longer manage to do. As for Darlin', I think both Darian & John have put enough time in to deserve a chance to do the lead vocal.

I almost always agree with your posts, Dr., but not this time.
The "music is the star" quote is truthful as it is adequate. But it can be taken to certain extremes I'd rather avoid while I can.

On the other hand, if giving lead vocals to band members helps shutting them up from making "we're above this countyfair merda" comments to the press like they have, I say let them sing the entire catalogue.

[Rocker]

Cowsill 2009:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ9Tb5RtAXE&feature=related

Darian 2011:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK8STs3-5Dk


Generally I agree with Dr. Lenny though.

[Musketeer]

The review is in:

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120613/ENT03/306130044/Review-Beach-Boys-bring-classic-hits-Riverbend?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

[Autotune]

Heck, Brian could do Back Home or Wonderful. Perhaps he could even atrempt Darlin', IDK. Or PCH from the new album. Al could do Vegetables or Honkin, Bruce Dierdre, Mike All I Wanna Do or Aren't you glad. But I am more than happy with the current lineup, would be ok if they did not change anything and receive gratefully whatever addition comes in.

[drbeachboy]

Heck, Brian could do Back Home or Wonderful. Perhaps he could even atrempt Darlin', IDK. Or PCH from the new album. Al could do Vegetables or Honkin, Bruce Dierdre, Mike All I Wanna Do or Aren't you glad. But I am more than happy with the current lineup, would be ok if they did not change anything and receive gratefully whatever addition comes in.

I've seen Brian sing Darlin'; he is not very good. It is a very tough song to sing. I would have preferred that Carl sing Darlin' during the Tribute and leave GOK for Brian to handle.

[musicismylife101]

Wasn't there but I heard from someone else that at soundcheck they also rehearsed Vegetables and Graduation Day.

[Justin]

Wasn't there but I heard from someone else that at soundcheck they also rehearsed Vegetables and Graduation Day.

Oh man

[southbay]

Wasn't there but I heard from someone else that at soundcheck they also rehearsed Vegetables and Graduation Day.

Oh man

Oh man oh man. Gotta be Darian for Darlin'.  Also, when people post the setlist, who do they keep telling us that Then I Kissed Her is  a Crystals cover; that Do You Wanna Dance is a Bobby Freeman cover; Barbra Ann a Regents cover and so forth every show?

[onkster]

I wish they'd do "Indian Lake" with Cowsill! But I know that's a bit much to ask.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Wasn't there but I heard from someone else that at soundcheck they also rehearsed Vegetables and Graduation Day.

Oh man

Oh man oh man. Gotta be Darian for Darlin'.  Also, when people post the setlist, who do they keep telling us that Then I Kissed Her is  a Crystals cover; that Do You Wanna Dance is a Bobby Freeman cover; Barbra Ann a Regents cover and so forth every show?

Because Then I Kissed Her is a The Crystals cover, Do You Wanna Dance is a Bobby Freeman cover and Barbara Ann is a The Regents cover.

[RubberSoul13]

Wasn't there but I heard from someone else that at soundcheck they also rehearsed Vegetables and Graduation Day.

Oh man

Oh man oh man. Gotta be Darian for Darlin'.  Also, when people post the setlist, who do they keep telling us that Then I Kissed Her is  a Crystals cover; that Do You Wanna Dance is a Bobby Freeman cover; Barbra Ann a Regents cover and so forth every show?

Because Then I Kissed Her is a The Crystals cover, Do You Wanna Dance is a Bobby Freeman cover and Barbara Ann is a The Regents cover.

Yes but...what is the point?

[Ziggy Stardust]

Troll aside, i think it's a good thing people reminds who did the song first (and well, why shouldn't they after all), might help kids who didn't know and might be then interested.

[MaxL]

Wasn't there but I heard from someone else that at soundcheck they also rehearsed Vegetables and Graduation Day.

Oh man

Oh man oh man. Gotta be Darian for Darlin'.  Also, when people post the setlist, who do they keep telling us that Then I Kissed Her is  a Crystals cover; that Do You Wanna Dance is a Bobby Freeman cover; Barbra Ann a Regents cover and so forth every show?

Because Then I Kissed Her is a The Crystals cover, Do You Wanna Dance is a Bobby Freeman cover and Barbara Ann is a The Regents cover.

Yes but...what is the point?

Because they're copied from setlist.fm where they list covers as such. Just no point going to the effort to remove them.

[SG7]

Was Nicky Wonder back with them?

[SG7]

Wasn't there but I heard from someone else that at soundcheck they also rehearsed Vegetables and Graduation Day.

Aw man! I would have LOVED Graduation Day at my show. I had just graduated college  the previous week lol.

[Wah Wah Wah Ooooo]

I figure what better first post could I have here (been reading this board faithfully since TLOS came out) than writing a review of my first concert by The Beach Boys. I have been a fan since I was a teenager in the 90s, and am probably a little more obsessed with Brian and the Boys than is healthy.  I never got a chance to see them with Carl and I've never seen the Mike/Bruce band or a solo Brian show, so this was my initiation into the Beach Boys concert world.  And one heck of an initiation it was. 

I met a cousin and his son at the gate a good two hours before showtime and we were fortunate enough to hear a good chunk of the soundcheck.  I got really excited to hear them rehearse "Darlin," thinking maybe I'd get to hear it's tour debut, but they didn't play it in the show. Also, I don't think, as was stated earlier, that the band rehearsed "Graduation Day," but they were playing the Four Freshman's version over the PA as we walked in, so maybe that's what was heard.

I read some bad reviews of the venue online beforehand, but I found Riverbend to be an excellent setting for this concert.  Were in the first few rows of the second tier under the pavilion, dead center to the stage, and I have to say, there couldn't be a bad seat in the house. Even my cousin's son who sat in the lawn had a great view and the sound there was fantastic too.  The audience throughout the show was really good. Lots of energy, though there was more sitting and standing (standing for the BIG hits) than I would have liked. I think I'd have stood through the whole thing, except I'm really tall, so I block 2-3 rows when I stand if they're sitting.  About an hour before showtime, sitting alone in my section, Scott Bennett walked passed me on his way to the soundboard. I stopped him with a "Hey Scott," and I think he was surprised I knew who he was.  It was right as "Ride" by The Wondermints was playing on the PA and I told him I was a huge fan of his and the Wondermints, meaning both separately, and I think he thought that I thought he was a Wondermint and he said, "oh thanks man, but there's only a few Wondermints. Everybody thinks we all are, because Brian called us all the Wondermints for so long," and he left with a handshake and a chuckle.

Anyway, on to the band and the songs....

I have seen U2 (my other favorite band) twice, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Santana and scores of younger, "hipper" bands and I have to say that this was probably the best concert I've ever been to.  The sound was amazing.  The mix, the blend, the backup band...all stellar. Oh, someone asked about Nicky Wonder earlier...no, he was not present on stage at this concert. 

Growing up in the 90's it was easy for me to be on the "Mike Love sucks" train, and I was. Last night, though, he was superb. He was in fine voice, he was kind and respectful to Brian and everyone, he was funny (in his own corny way) and he really just seemed like he was having a blast. He also told us we were the first audience to know that the album was going to be #3.

Brian was about like I expected him to be, based on reading this board. Vocally, he was superb on his solos.  A couple of times he conducted the audience or waved his arms or snapped his fingers, but for the most part, he sat there stoically. 

Al Jardine...the man is quite simply an amazing singer.  He flubbed the rhythm of "California Saga" pretty badly on a verse, so badly that the band almost had to stop, but they all got back on track. Other than that, he was really stellar all night.  What a voice that guy has after all these years.

Bruce...I'm not a huge Bruce fan, but "Disney Girls" was nice and a highlight of the show was his vocals in the tags on "God Only Knows" and "California Girls." He sounds pretty much just like the records.

David Marks was the absolute star of the show to me. He just oozes coolness. His solos were at once faithful to the originals and creative and new.  His presence with the band adds such an authenticity to the early material, and his playing on the latter material, especially stuff like "Marcella" and "Sail on Sailor" just kicks ass.

The setlist was phenomenal. They have more hits packed into half of one set than most bands have in an entire career. I was thrilled to hear two of my favorites back to back in "This Whole World" and "Marcella."  The tributes to Dennis and Carl were very moving and very well done, IMO. 

I think I should stop rambling on my first post, or I may get kicked out quickly    I'm just so thrilled to have had such a wonderful experience with my favorite band, my favorite musician ever (Brian)...my heroes, really...I could go on and on, but I won't. 

Happy to be a part of the board in a more official way now that I'm no longer just a lurker. 

[Ziggy Stardust]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MooyPHhDbc4 

Actually that smiley REALLY looks like Darian.

[HeyJude]

Brian may not be able to pull off an amazing "Darlin'", but I think he could do as well on it as some of the other songs he's doing on this tour and has done on recent solo tours. I thought he sounded rather weak on "This Whole World" all the way back in 1999, and he's still singing that one 13 years later. I think "Darlin'", with the key lowered as heard on the Roxy live album, would sound okay with Brian singing.

[Emdeeh]

I'm quite OK with Darian singing "Darlin'" -- he did a superb job of singing it at Brian's Gershwin tour show in Atlanta last year. He's spot on with the emotive aspect of the song.