This past Friday, the buzz in the air was palpable as my wife and I entered the events center at the Twin Rivers Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island. This was our first visit to the venue and parking have been confusing, but that all faded as we joined the crowd waiting for Brian Wilson's band to appear.
Just after 8:00 p.m., the band began to take their places on the stage. I'd heard that Brian was recovering from some physical issues, but it was still a bit of a shock to see him being rolled behind his piano within a wheelchair. Moments later, the band played the crystalline early notes of California Girls and the show began. Brian's voice was a bit shaky, but he sang the lead vocal and was soon buoyed by lush background vocals.
Brian's band is currently on tour and playing two shows entitled Greatest Hits and Pet Sounds: the Final Performances. This show was the Greatest Hits version, but later we also got to hear about half of the Pet Sounds album played live. So how did it feel? It felt wonderful. Brian has assembled an incredibly talented band and the Greatest Hits mostly referred to the work of the band he co-founded over fifty years ago, the Beachboys. Brian wrote most of the Beachboys music and his band plays a broad and deep version of the group's music and also played a few tunes from Brian's solo career.
This version of the band also has several members besides Brian who played with the Beachboys at various time. Al Jardine, sang lead vocals on numerous songs, including signature pieces such as Sloop John B and Help Me Ronda. His son, Matt Jardine, first played with the Beachboys in the late Nineties and has a strong falsetto that can fill in the high notes Brian used to sing. Matt did a wonderful job singing lead vocals on Don't Worry Baby and anchored the high end of the group's harmonies. When I saw the Beachboys in 1997, Matt had just joined the band, so he knows the material very well.
Another highlight of this concert was the participation of Blondie Champlin. Blondie was with the Beachboys for a couple of years in the early Seventies and brought a hard rock edge to the group, plus strong vocals. His signature song is Sail on Sailor (co-written by Brian) and it was great to hear him belt it out live at this concert. His voice is not as sweet these days, but is still strong. He's a commanding stage presence and played some outstanding guitar solos on a gold Les Paul. He was also featured as lead vocalist and guitarist on Feel Flows (a Carl Wilson song) and Wild Honey.
Another standout in the band is Darian Sahanaja, who has been an arranger and band leader for Brian for the past twenty years. He's extremely versatile as a musician, playing vibes, keyboards and several other instruments. On this night, he sang a compelling version of Darlin', a soulful, upbeat song from the late Sixties.
But truly words and a listing of songs don't really capture what we saw. This is a great band with lots of energy and versatility. Brian toughed it out and participated all night long, often singing the lead vocals. A highlight for me was their rendition of Add Some Music to Your Day, featuring lead vocals from Brian and several other band members and gorgeous harmonies. By my count, the band played 29 songs in all. The band finished with Brian's powerful Love and Mercy, a song he wrote in the late Eighties which ranks with his best work.
If this band comes anywhere near your town, go and see them. Brian is a living legend and his music and the sound of the Beachboys lives on.