The Beach Boys - Hollywood Bowl - 6/2/12 - Los Angeles - Music

Gebrown3226

Nice review of a great show, but it might have been interesting to point out that this bunch of 70-ish guys played 46 songs in a little under three hours (allowing for the intermission and California Saga bit). The only other show I've seen that approached this was last summer's Monkees performance at the Greek, which I think was 43 songs in around three hours. A lot of younger bands should aspire to that kind of work ethic.

Peter Ames Carlin

Hi Danielle,

Thanks for the snappily written review, with a perspective that avoids the reflexive cliches strewn by some critics, and the reflexive contempt by the mirror group on the other side of time and taste.

But I think a bit more research on your end (a few minutes with a Beach Boys/Brian Wilson wikipedia page, for instance) might have done your work a world of good.

For instance, Brian Wilson toured extensively with the Beach Boys from 1976 until 1982, which means your assertion that this is his first tour since 1965 is incorrect.

Conceptually, your analysis of the show seems based entirely on the evening's hit-centric first half. By not digging deep into the second set you missed a chance to discuss Wilson's far more complex work from 1965 forward. The songs performed then, drawn from "Pet Sounds," "Smile," and the group's surprisingly strong albums in the late '60s and early '70s, represents the period that elevated the group from pop idols to serious artists. The group tumbled a long way after that that point (creatively, at least) and the story gets remarkably complex after that -- too tangled to get into in a concert review, perhaps. But it's not quite fair or accurate to judge the band by its earliest hits.

"Be True to Your School" does present as a remarkably corny song. But the cultural context -- consider that the band members grew up in working class Hawthorne, which made competition with the wealthier schools from west LA, say, a kind of class-against-class struggle. At which point school loyalty took on entirely new dimensions.

That's my take on the issue, anyway. You're definitely welcome to yours.

Peter Ames Carlin

gunshotglitter

Let's look at Wikipedia, shall we?

"The Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Reunion Tour, also marketed as Celebration!, is a 2012 world concert tour by The Beach Boys, an American rock band.[1] The tour marks the first time since 1965 that founding member Brian Wilson has performed on a full tour with the band, although from 1965 to 1996 he did join them in select shows and appearances."

I think a bit more research on your end (about five seconds with the Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Reunion Tour Wikipedia page, for instance) might have done your critique a world of good.

californiason

I love the people on this blog who critique the critics, but get their critiques wrong.

"For instance, Brian Wilson toured extensively with the Beach Boys from 1976 until 1982, which means your assertion that this is his first tour since 1965 is incorrect." She wrote, "For the first time since Wilson stopped performing with the group in 1965 in order to focus on composing and recording (and dropping acid), he has joined his mates FOR A FULL-FLEDGED TOUR, celebrating 50 years of their music." (emphasis mine)"But I think a bit more research on your end (a few minutes with a Beach Boys/Brian Wilson wikipedia page, for instance) might have done your work a world of good.

Let's look at Wikipedia, shall we?

"The tour marks the first time since 1965 that founding member Brian Wilson has performed on a full tour with the band, although from 1965 to 1996 he did join them in select shows and appearances.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T...

I think a bit more research on your end (about five seconds with the Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Reunion Tour Wikipedia page, for instance) might have done your faulty critique a world of good.

gunshotglitter

I love the people on this blog who critique the critics, but get the critiques wrong."For instance, Brian Wilson toured extensively with the Beach Boys from 1976 until 1982, which means your assertion that this is his first tour since 1965 is incorrect."She actually wrote, "For the first time since Wilson stopped performing with the group in 1965 in order to focus on composing and recording (and dropping acid), he has joined his mates FOR A FULL-FLEDGED TOUR, celebrating 50 years of their music." (emphasis mine)

"(A) bit more research on your end (a few minutes with a Beach Boys/Brian Wilson wikipedia page, for instance) might have done your work a world of good."

Let's look at Wikipedia, shall we?

"The tour marks the first time since 1965 that founding member Brian Wilson has performed on a full tour with the band, although from 1965 to 1996 he did join them in select shows and appearances."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T... bit more research on your end (about five seconds with the Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Reunion Tour Wikipedia page, for instance) might have done your bullshit critique a world of good.

Vietcongvictorcharlie

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

Alice Hoffman

The new Album comes out in a month and i think it will do so much better thantheir last effort, Summer in Paradise.They are on tour at the moment in the USAand tickets are cheap at Ticketexecutive .. They soundreally really good for a band where all the members are around 70 years old.

Alice Hoffman

The new Album comes out in a month and i think it will do so much better thantheir last effort, Summer in Paradise.They are on tour at the moment in the USAand tickets are cheap at http://www.ticketexecutive.com...

Michael Earthstudent2012

Good review, but you forgot to mention the second song that CALIFORNIA SAGA - the clutch of offspring did - "All That I Am" ( an ode to meditation). Believe it or not, all my group of friends attending the show agreed that "Friends" and the just mentioned song , sung by the California Saga, were a couple of the highlights of the evening.

gunshotglitter

The song about TM is actually entitled "All This Is That."

Eric

"Car songs" is just an easy handle for lazy reviewers. No mention of utter gems like Marcella, Sail On Sailor, Add Some Music, This Whole World, I Just Wasn't Made For These Times, etc.

Mrstevela

A nice review with a great shot of Brian Wilson - worth reading just to get that pic! Sad to hear Love's voice was faltering, though, - I was up the mid-priced seats and couldn't quite pick that out that far back. What I liked most was seeing the whole group, with Jardine out front where he belongs. And his version of "Rhonda" was right on the money! Jardine has received too little credit ever the years for his contributions.

On car songs and corny: These statements indicate the reviewer was not around in that era (i.e., young, lucky her!). Cars and girls (in that order) were serious business in that time window. Very serious. What happened when the light turned green was what we lived for.

On ethnic background: I don't really care what color the audience was - don't even get why it's worth a mention. The Bowl was sold out, and everyone there was on their feet at the end. What's not to like about that! The "twenty somethings" I saw were dancing in the aisles with all the rest of us. Not too many 70 year artists who can create that scenario!

Andrea Mendes

I was at the Beach Boys Concert (3rd row) and no it was "not" just white people - a few Asians, Latinos and African Americans in the mix of the large crowd. I love the Beach Boys since I was a kid growing up in L.A. and I will always love their music. It was a memorable experience and the band was spectacular. Unlike you, Kokomo, in my opinion, is one of my favorites and Mike was Awesome! To get to see these Legends live in person is something I will never forget.