Brian Wilson - The 2017 Pet Sounds Tour thread!

The spotlight on Brian was a little too bright for my iPhone to handle on this photo....

 

Being dead clearly hasn't sapped Lou Reed's energy.

 

Great shots above, thanks. Gary Griffin is the second keybist on this tour, I think someone was wondering that above...?

I've seen Brian live somewhere between 20-25 times since 1998; while a slight and obvious general diminution in his ability to sing professionally can be seen, particularly in a nearly gone ability to hold a note or syllable for more than a beat or two, he's within his range of abilities quite erratic, that is, I've seen him worse than he was in 2017 in 2009 and in 2002 and.....

To me, the band, particular the fullness richness and depth of its vocal sound, is really lacking since the loss of Foskett, Sahanaja, and Bennett. At times it doesn't even sound like a GREAT bunch of singers, just a lot of average voices trying to hit a note. Matt's falsetto is perhaps more human and gritty than Jeff's, but also less "pro" but the general sound of the vocals often feels less Wilsonian beauty than "a bunch of guys singing" to me these days. I saw Mike's band within a few months of Brian's, and Mike's currently has a more reliably rich and good "Beach Boys"y vocal sound. (To me while Al when he started being a regular with Brian 6 years ago or so was a rare 60s guy who had pretty much full youthful power, he has fallen to just "pretty good" now.)

I have had both first hand and reliable second hand direct reports from people "close to Wilson circles" but not beholden to it that say Brian today is actually surprisingly quite happy with what he's doing, and that the touring wouldn't be happening if he wasn't down for it. Even tho for sure it doesn't always seem it. To me the most obvious yet neglected "dog that didn't bark" in wondering, hmmm, how is Brian these days? Is he a messed-up wreck? Is that since 1998 his "people" have reliably known that they can get this guy to show up on time and do a very difficult and stressful thing (that is, sing a 2-hour concert), all the time without fail, and while he for sure doesn't always rise to the standard of pro vocals, he is in their swinging every time.

 

Overall, it was a fantastic concert. Brian was as noted above, not as capable as when he was a young man. Brian has also been through a staggeringly difficult battle with mental health and has come out the back side of it. I have family members/friends that have dealt with serious mental health issues and I always want to support them when they are back to being part of our everyday (normal?!) society. I can't imagine having to deal with what Brian has been through. Regardless, it was a wonderful evening!

My younger daughter, who is 20 and in 3rd year university, took an evening off of studying for final exams to come join her dad at an amazing concert. She is a budding audiophile and music lover. (For those that may be interested, I have set her up with a Rega RP-1/Performance Pack, Rega integrated and Epos M-12 speakers). Last Christmas I gave her the Analog Productions copy of Pet Sounds, after she had said how blown away she was by 'Love And Mercy'. She has loved that album and plays it a few times a week. So, most importantly, this was a great experience for father and daughter.

I started going to concerts as a young teenager and have seen most of the bigger bands with the exception of The Who. Never could land tickets for them : ( My favourite experiences these days are in smaller venues that football stadiums. The Queen Elizabeth Theater in Vancouver is where they held the Pet Sounds concert and I believe that it has about 2000 seats. So that makes it more expensive than the arena concerts, but I would prefer to see one really good concert per year than several at the arena. It isn't ever a guarantee that the performer is at their best that night, but it does guarantee a more personal experience.

There was a total of 11 musicians on stage tonight and they were tight! Except for the vocal harmonizing, when you hear the vocals, you heard it as one voice. That isn't easy to do and I have seen lots of concerts where that isn't even close to happening! I enjoyed the musicianship of each performer on stage including Brian. Brian left the high notes to Mathew Jardine, which I think is smart. Brian's vocal timing and expressiveness was not at the level that it was 50 years ago, but so what! Would I like it to be? Yes, absolutely, but that isn't reality and I wanted to see Brian perform as they are saying that this is his final tour. It should be at the ripe old age of 74! I think that he has been booked for too many nights over the coming weeks and months, but I am glad that I had a chance to see him. I was born in 1963, so I was a toddler/young child when he was at his peak. If I want to hear him at his peak, I put my copy of (Analog Productions) Pet Sounds on and enjoy that.

Pet Sounds truly is a remarkable album. It took me a lot of years to appreciate all of the detail and the fabulous writing, but it deserves that accolades that it has gotten. To quote my daughter, "I will remember that concert for the rest of my life!". Me too.

 

Hahaha! Blondie Chaplin is a character. He was terrific when performing and kept the band in stitches during the concert. He turned 'accompanying tambourine' into a high energy performance : )

 

I didn't realize Sahanaja wasn't in the band anymore; he was there last fall, at least. I definitely missed Foskett, though. Matt seems like a nice kid, and he did an admirable job singing some really tough parts, but he didn't really fit the vocal blend.

 

Wasn't there when I saw Brian last summer (Billy Hinsche was). I know that at this moment he's touring with the Zombies.

 

While the situations with Jeff and Scott are more clearly "gone not to return" my understanding of Darian is he will still play with him when he can, but he's not part of this particular tour; he does road work with Heart and the Zombies these days.

 

Thanks Brian, that was a good post. I can see what you mean with each comment and I can only comment on the concert from Saturday night. I think from the rumblings that I have read the last few years that Brian tours because he wants to. I think that anyone who has been through what he has been through is unlikely to ever look as super happy or 'lit-up' in expression. But, to go out and perform and be loved in each place has to be a special experience. I'm sure it's grinding as well, but I personally hope that he gets some of the love that the audience is sending his way. BTW, they ended with Love and Mercy. I thought that was perfect!

 

He was definitely there last September. I can't blame him for doing the Zombies gig, though.