Concert Review: Brian Wilson with Jeff Beck

      As many of you have probably already figured out from my continual references to Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys, they are my favorite artists of all time.  I haven't written any blogs about them because I'm afraid once I start I probably won't be able to stop.  But I have a real reason for writing about Wilson now because my wife and I traveled to Washington DC this past weekend and saw Brian and Jeff Beck at the Warner Theater.  Braced with that excuse I feel justified allowing myself this one moment to revel in my hero worship.


      The Warner Theater in Washington DC is a relatively small venue holding less than 1900 people.  I don't know the official attendance that evening but it was nearly full.  The theater itself is quite beautiful with great sight lines, comfortable seats, and decent overall sound quality all under a breathtaking chandelier.  The formal setting and the older age of the crowd meant that people would listen politely and then applaud after each song.  Many of the songs brought the audience to their feet and the shows climax was met with near continuous singing, cheering and even some fogie booty shaking (watching old fat people dancing in ecstasy was, in a horrifying way, more entertaining than the show itself).
     Wilson and his band  arrived on stage just after 8pm where he took his place comfortably seated behind a white grand piano. Joining Brian and his spectacular touring band were original Beach Boys David Marks, and Al Jardine.  Many of the lead vocals that have traditionally been sung by Mike Love were covered by Jardine who is more fun to watch and a far superior singer.  At 71 Wilson's days singing in his trademark falsetto are behind him so that duty fell to other Wilson band members, primarily Jeff Foskett.  He did, however, have no trouble working between his upper tenor range all the way down to a surprisingly strong baritone.  I don't think many Wilson fans would have expected the master of the falsetto to reach the bottom end of the doo wop. 

Al Jardine

      Wilson, Marks, & Jardine played many Beach Boys classics including California Girls, Good Vibrations, Fun Fun Fun, Little Deuce Coupe, Do It Again, and I Get Around.  The set included the new song That's Why God Made The Radio from the Beach Boys latest and probably last album of the same title. David Marks, sounding eerily like Brian's deceased brother Dennis, performed Dennis's song Little Bird.  Jardine took the lead vocal on Little Deuce Coupe, Cotton Fields, Help Me Rhonda as well as many others.  Brian dedicated God Only Knows to his brother Carl who died in 1998.   Another unusual entry in the set list was the instrumental Pet Sounds which highlighted the incredible talents of the band and included a dazzling moment between drummer Mike Damico and percussionist Nelson Bragg. 

David Marks

      In 2004 Brian finally competed and released the legendary SMiLE album and it was every bit the masterpiece that fans expected in 1967.  The three songs that were performed from it were Heroes and Villains, Our Prayer, and Surfs Up.  All three songs had been previously released.  Heroes and Villains appeared on the underrated Smiley Smile record, Our Prayer on 20/20, and Surfs Up from the Beach Boys Holland album  released in 1973.  The 1966 release of Heroes and Villains (famously called "psychedelic barbershop quartet" by Jimi Hendrix) was a beautiful song that was overshadowed by it's predecessor Good Vibrations and buried under the Beatle's 1967 Sergeant Pepper album.  Out of the context of SMiLE, Heroes is an interesting song that is deservedly recognized as a vocal masterpiece.  On Saturday it was one of the highlights of the show.  And while Wilson didn't include the rest of the suite that accompanies the song you could still hear the  concepts, changes and interludes that inspired the Beatles  A Day In The Life, & Rocky Raccoon, as well as Paul's Uncle Albert/Hands Across The Water.
      Our Prayer opened the combined set with Jeff Beck and is an acapella hymn, of sorts, that was a gem when the Beach Boys recorded it and is absolutely stunning performed live. Beck and his band then joined Brian and his group on-stage and performed several songs together including a few from the Yardbirds that featured Brian and his band on vocals.  Beck then took center stage and played the lead vocal part of Surfs Up on his guitar.  From his seat at stage right Brian watched as his song was rendered in a way he probably never imagined.  He was obviously moved by Becks incredible guitar interpretation of his song.  As the show closed Beck added his unique guitar lead abilities to Surfin USA which gave the song an updated feel  and brought the house down.

The Beach Boys circa 1964
Al, Carl Wilson, Brian, Mike Love
& Dennis Wilson on drums

       Wilson is an artist that could fairly be called an oldies act at this point in his career.  But I noticed that his performance, despite many of the songs being older than half of the audience, had a fresh feel that has been missing from Beach Boys shows for decades. Relieved of having to share an uncomfortable spotlight with Mike Love's ego has placed the focus squarely on Wilson and his extraordinary abilities.  The freshness of the music can possibly be credited to his back-up band and their obvious love and respect for Brian and his music.  They are a collection of virtuoso performers that seem to be able to play any composition,  arrangement, and instrument that Wilson's sometimes eccentric music needs.  Each member, with the exception of bassist Bob Lizik, is part of the dozen voices that Brian needs to translate both his vocal arrangements and it's musical accompaniment onto the stage.

     The show itself wasn't exactly perfect.  The sound system had some noticeable problems.  It was at times a bit muddy which dampened the quality of the music a bit.  Also there were some "early tour" issues that the band needs to work out.  For example you could see Al Jardine playing traffic cop at times with hand gestures and an occasional look.  David Marks had some guitar issues including boofing the lead on Do It Again and seeming to lose his place during Fun Fun Fun.  But the biggest issue was that Brian's microphone was to low.  It wasn't that he couldn't be heard, it's that his mike and the P.A. didn't place his voice front and center where it belonged.  Perhaps he just wants to be part of his own chorus or perhaps it was just a sound quality error but it didn't matter.  Brian was there and so was I and really, what more could I have asked for?

Al, Brian, Jeff Beck, & David Marks

     I'm sure my Brian Wilson mancrush/hero worship is, by now,  painfully obvious to all of you and I fully admit that it has colored this review.  But I am also certain that each of you has an artist and/or a list of songs that make up the backing sound track of your life that is equal in power to what Wilson's music has meant to me.  If that weren't true you probably wouldn't be here reading my stuff on a semi-regular basis.  For many people music is a dominating force that tends to influence every other aspect or our lives.  Without music I would possibly wither and die and Brain Wilson is the artist that has inspired me the most.  Like your first love you never forget and you never feel that way again.
       I am going to review the Jeff Beck performance as well, but I needed to gush about Brian first and get it out of my system.  I am pleased to be back with new blog entries and need to thank you again for your patience while I worked on other projects.
J