Brian Wilson concert was like a Beach Boys reunion
“This may be the last time we see him,” an ardent Brian Wilson fan warned as the cofounder and former leader of the Beach Boys launched into another crowd favourite at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver earlier this month.
The living legend, who turns 75 in June and should lose about that many pounds, had to be helped on and off the stage, and his voice is not what it used to be, thanks to the devastating effects of years' worth of drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
However, there were flashes of the old Brian’s voice from time to time, especially on God Only Knows, which Rolling Stone magazine once placed at No. 25 on its list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. It was greeted with a standing ovation by the 2,800 fans despite the fact it was originally sung by his brother, Carl, who died from lung cancer in 1998.
The tour is billed as An Evening with Brian Wilson Celebrating Pet Sounds’ 50th Anniversary featuring guests Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin. It should have been billed as a Beach Boys reunion but the (socalled real) Beach Boys are still going under lead singer Mike Love.
Brian Wilson brought a dozen musicians with him who, with Brian’s limitations, more than adequately filled in. For those not familiar with the complicated Beach Boys’ history, Alan Charles Jardine (born Sept. 3, 1942) co-founded the BB and was the band’s rhythm guitarist.
Terence William (Blondie) Chaplin supplied rhythm guitar for the BB from 1971-73, and is a long-term backing vocalist, percussionist and acoustic rhythm guitarist for The Rolling Stones on their recordings and tours since 1997.
Billy Hinsche, brother-in-law to Carl, has played keyboard, guitar, bass and sung vocals with the Beach Boys since 1965. He opened for the Beach Boys in the mid-’60s as part of the trio Dino, Desi and Billy with Dino, the son of Dean Martin, and Desi Arnaz Jr.
The family connections don’t end there, with Jardine’s son, Matt, born five years after the Beach Boys were established in 1961.
Band members joked Matt had to audition before he was allowed to join the current tour. In fact, even though he stood at the back of the stage for most of the concert, he was one of its stars, singing all of Brian Wilson’s falsetto parts while Brian did the mid-range.
For much of the concert, Brian seemed almost disinterested and was singing/playing from memory but the ardent fan reminded: “It’s awesome that he’s even on this stage. He was the Mozart of the 1960s and 1970s.”
Brian did show he still has a sense of humour during Good Vibrations — extending both arms over his baby grand piano and shaking his hands as if he could feel the vibrations.
Reading his history of mental breakdowns, excessive alcohol consumption, chain smoking and regular use of cocaine, heroin, LSD and other psychotropics, it was hard to disagree that Brian is fortunate to reach 74 years.
The first set was filled with Beach Boys’ greatest hits, including the lead-off California Girls (with introductory snippets of River Deep, Mountain High), Dance, Dance, Dance, I Get Around, Little Deuce Coupe and Surfer Girl. The second set was the 13-song Pet Sounds, often cited among the all-time greatest albums. Although the record was issued under the group’s name, Pet Sounds is arguably seen as a Brian Wilson solo album. The mandatory encore returned to the greatest hits theme with: Good Vibrations, Help Me, Rhonda, Barbara Ann, Surfin’ USA and Fun, Fun, Fun. The final piece was the love message, Love and Mercy.
The chorus said it all to his loyal fans: “Love and mercy, that’s what you need tonight; So love and mercy to you and your friends tonight.”
Hopefully, that love brings him back to British Columbia sooner than later.