Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Seems Like Surf's Up Forever

In the flavor-of-the-month world of pop culture golden anniversaries are extremely rare but The Beach Boys are celebrating that milestone right now that has stretched from 1962 to 2012. Actually, pop longevity at this level is unheard of so I welcome you to come up with another one. This year California's iconic band of brothers, cousin and friends are marking the moment with a world tour and album of brand new songs. Even the addition of "50" below their classic logo to celebrate these times feels like a natural fit.

As soon as the concert dates were first announced there was never a doubt that I'd be there for this historic concert at the legendary Greek Theater on the U.C. Berkeley campus.  What makes this anniversary even more important is the reuniting of all the original surviving members of the band. Like most performing groups they have had some rotation of personnel over the years and lost two original members, brothers Carl and Dennis Wilson, who have passed away. The reunion of four founding members Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and David Marks on stage with Bruce Johnston is really a dream come true for any fan of the band.

Long time Beach Boys followers from left to right: Peter Fields, me, Les Chan and Stu Ganz

While Hawaiian print shirts were seen everywhere I opted to honor the occasion with my classic striped shirt which became a signature look for the band in the mid-sixties. However, the true back story on how these shirts came about will surprise many fans. They were actually inspired by the legendary folk group, The Kingston Trio. Beach Boy, Alan Jardine, was a big folk music lover and he encouraged the rest of the band to take on this matching striped shirt look too. At the show I was constantly approached by so many people who said my shirt was the perfect one for the evening.  One lady even came up to me and said I looked like a popcorn box! :-)

At the end of the day it is still all about the music and we were not disappointed. There was no opening act and the fourteen performers on stage filled the classic amphitheater with 2.5 solid hours of harmony drenched heaven. From the appropriate opening number, "Do It Again" to their standard closing encore of "Fun Fun Fun" they delivered big time for both the casual and ardent fans. Great photos, video clips and a tribute to Carl and Dennis Wilson on the huge screen behind them made this anniversary concert the real deal.

The highlight of the night for me was when the five Beach Boys huddled around Brian's piano and launched into "Add Some Music To Your Day" to open up the second set. They all took turns on the lead vocal making for one very appropriate anthem to this past fifty years of musical heritage.

 

In the end they played 46 songs nearly one for each of their years together. For a complete set list click here. When the entire group of 14 performers lined up at the end to take a bow they nearly stretched across the giant stage. The sold out crowd of 8500 fans showered them with appreciation.

My parting shot is of a souvenir I got during a quick stop at the merch booth. The bright yellow color instantly reminded me of summer and the sunny soundtrack The Beach Boys have created for five decades. Some people think all of these songs are about surfing, cars and girls but really they are metaphors about the joys of youth and youthfulness at any age. Their newest song is called "That's Why God Made The Radio" which I find to be a bit ironic. Every time I hear these harmonies jump out of a speaker I think that's also why God made The Beach Boys.

Concert Review: Simon & Garfunkel Tribute Show

From the home page on their Tribute to Simon and Garfunkel site.

Right up front I will admit to not normally warming up to tribute shows. Although I admire the talent I generally opt for the original whenever possible. So what got me to drive all the way to Slim's in San Francisco on Sunday night for a tribute act? Well, a coupon offer of two tickets for the price of one did not hurt and being a huge fan of Simon and Garfunkel really made it a no-brainer.

What actually tipped the scale for me could do the same for you. I went to their website and simply clicked on the trailer tab. It's a collage of photos and audio clips that instantly dropped my jaw. I am a self-proclaimed junkie for anything Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel did together. I know every note and nuance of every song that Simon and Garfunkel ever released. It would take something special for me to appreciate someone other than Paul and Art performing their songs. And that something is A.J. Swearingen and Jonathan Beedle from Bethleham, Pennsylvania.

With just a quiet stage, only one acoustic guitar and two beautiful voices in harmony they recreate the magic of Simon and Garfunkel from their early years in Greenwich Village through their final project, Bridge Over Troubled Water.

We were treated to the following set of big hits and great obscure album tracks:

We've Got A Groovy Thing Goin'
Blues Run The Game
The Sound of Silence
A Hazy Shade of Winter
The Dangling Conversation
Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall
Blessed
Homeward Bound
At The Zoo
Mrs. Robinson
INTERMISSION
Richard Cory
Bridge Over Troubled Water
A Poem On An Underground Wall
Fakin' It
The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
America
Cecilia
Scarborough Fair/Canticle
The Only Living Boy In New York
Old Friends/Bookends Theme
ENCORE(S)
Red Rubber Ball
Punky's Dilemma
April Come She Will
I Am A Rock
The Boxer

A.J. and Jonathan are remarkable. Their passion for recreating Simon and Garfunkel shines through on every song. Even the later Simon and Garfunkel recordings with more complex production by Roy Halee have a stunning simplicity to them in this acoustic tribute. Great back stories and side bars kept the audience completely engaged in the fitting coffee house atmosphere of Slim's.

I highly recommend this show but you have to move quickly as A.J. Swearingen and Jonathan Beedle's tour zigzags across the country this summer. You can be sure the venues will be intimate settings where you will be up close and personal with the next best thing to Simon and Garfunkel themselves.

Adam Schlesinger + Mike Viola + The Corner Laughers = Positively Power Pop Pleasure

If most of these names don't ring a bell for you it is because they seldom make headlines themselves but are behind some of the best movie music ever. I admit to being a sucker for anything distantly related to the 1996 Tom Hanks directed film, That Thing You Do!. So it was a complete no brainer for me when I saw that Adam Schlesinger was performing this rare show with Mike Viola. After all, Adam wrote the infectiously catchy title tune, Mike sang the lead vocal and added his production talents all over the soundtrack of this favorite flick of mine.


With only two west coast appearances and the one in San Francisco being at the tiny Café Du Nord on Market Street we made sure to arrive plenty early for this very special performance. We took advantage of their priority seating for diners and had a great meal as well.


The warm up act was just a perfect way to kick off this evening. Featuring Karla Kane on vocals and an electric ukuele, The Corner Laughers treated us to a dose of cheery pop. They included a couple of festive Christmas songs including a great version of The Kinks holiday classic, "Father Christmas".


Adam Schlesinger's most notable work as a band member is his bass playing for the group, Fountains of Wayne who are a Grammy-nominated power pop band from New Jersey. So we also enjoyed a few FOW tunes and Adam's kicking bass lines.


In addition to Mike Viola's work on the "That Thing You Do!" soundtrack he also was a major contributor to the music for Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and most recently, "Get Him To The Greek".
When not playing lead guitar he took turns with Adam at the keyboards.


The band consisted of just Adam, Mike and their drummer. They joked about the night before at their Los Angeles show when they somehow neglected to introduce the guy pounding out all those beats. This oversight was especially funny with only a total of three of them on the stage performing. So they more than made up for it by constantly propping the guy behind them, Brian Wolfe. So here's a shot of Brian whose drums kept this performance stinging.


So we were delighted by The Corner Laughers and dazzled by two of the best pop songwriters around. This rare live collaboration of talent was a dream billing for any fan of power pop music.

And as the old expression goes..."That's The Ticket"!

Al Jardine's "A Postcard From California" Concert: A Big Sur Folk Festival Revisited

In September of 1969 many of the giants of folk and folk rock music gathered for the legendary Celebration at Big Sur. Just one month after the much larger and more famous Woodstock Festival the Celebration in Big Sur featured performances by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, and John Sebastian among others.

Although The Beach Boys were not on that bill the one founding member who was obviously the most influenced by folk music was Al Jardine. Al has called Big Sur his home since 1973, however, his Friday night show to debut his first solo album called "A Postcard From California" was also his first ever concert in those coastal woods.

My good friend and Beach Boys aficionado, Les Chan, had alerted me to this show. We made sure to leave Santa Cruz early enough for a stellar drive down Highway 1. About the only traffic hassle was so many drivers continuing to pull off the road (us included) to grab the seemingly endless scenic shots along the way. I decided my California flag cycling jersey would be most appropriate for this evening of props to the Golden State.


It is only about 26 miles between Carmel and Big Sur but the scenery is so spectacular that it attracts visitors from all over the world. There was no shortage of tourists at every scenic turnout to help each other snap photos. Here are a couple of shots I took as the autumn sun was starting set. It is easy to understand why many celebrities choose to live here.




Our destination for the concert was the Henry Miller Memorial Library. This venue is really not a library in the traditional sense but rather a tribute to a local legend. Henry Miller (1891 to 1980) was an American novelist and painter. Visiting the "library" you get an instant feel for Miller's free spirit and counter cultural work which makes for a perfect backdrop for any artistic event.


One of our goals was to arrive in time for the sound check. The sun had set behind the huge redwoods and we knew that a special evening awaited us.


When Al and his Endless Summer Band finally took the stage they thrilled the audience with about twenty Beach Boys classics and all but one of the songs from Al's new "A Postcard From California." The original Beach Boys were all about family and Al Jardine is keeping that tradition alive by performing with his two sons, Matt and Adam. Other regular band members include long time Beach Boys associates, Billy Hinsche, Bobby Figueroa, Ed Carter and poet, Stephen Kalinich.


There was no doubt that Al Jardine is still enjoying the ride. Next year the three remaining original Beach Boys are discussing a series of five free concerts to celebrate their 50th anniversary. In the world of pop music this kind of longevity is as rare as the California condor.


My parting shot is of Al's acoustic guitar. It is covered with autographs of musical friends and has a few stories to tell I'm sure. I am proud to be a fan of his music since 1962. Some might call his new album a "Love Letter To Big Sur" but even at that this brand new music from the original "Folk Beach Boy" is refreshing and long overdue. Thank you A.J.

Sir Paul McCartney Live – It's All About BIG

When my good friend, Steven Lee, first suggested we go see Paul McCartney at the AT&T Park last night I must admit to being just a bit reluctant. It's not that Paul is known for disappointing. To the contrary I saw him perform twice in one year in San Jose and was just as amazed the second time around. But when tickets are $250 a seat you want to make sure you get your money's worth. The best adjective to describe last night was B-I-G. Our first clue was when we were greeted by the massive sign that hung below the clock on the AT&T tower.


Whether you are a huge Beatles fan or not seeing Paul McCartney live is a very big deal. Everything about this production was huge and it started with the massive stage they constructed in center field. This shot is of my friend, Howard Friedenberg, with the stage in the background. We were standing near home plate for this picture which was just about as far away as you can get from the stage area.

Although our tickets said 7:30 for showtime it was 8:30 when the band finally charged onto the stage. Massive video screens in a portrait layout flanked both sides of the stage which also entertained us with old photos and memorabilia while we awaited the performance.


No warm up act, no intermission and not much chatter in between songs. It was an onslaught of three solid hours of music, lighting, videos and even fireworks. The fog had rolled in but the magnitude of this show brought the outside temperature up at least ten degrees. We had the good fortune of sitting just 23 rows back center stage.

The other highly entertaining factor was the sea of fans who were all there with equally high expectations and enthusiasm. These two characters spent much of the evening posing for photographs.


For those of you who are curious I kept a set list on my iPhone notepad.
1. Venus And Mars/Rock Show/Jet Medley
2. All My Loving
3. Letting Go
4. Got To Get You Into My Life
5. Highway (The Fireman)
6. Let Me Roll It (Jimi Hendrix Foxy Lady riff & story)
7. The Long & Winding Road
8. Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five
9. Let 'Em In
10. My Love
11. I'm Looking Through You
12. Two Of Us
13. Blackbird
14. Here Today
15. Dance Tonight
16. Mrs. Vandebilt
17. San Francisco Bay Blues
18. Eleanor Rigby
19. Something (began just ukulele then full band)
20. Sing The Changes (The Fireman)
21. Band On The Run
22. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
23. Back In The U.S.S.R.
24. I've Got A Feeling
25. Paperback Writer
26. A Day In The Life/Give Peace A Chance Medley
27. Let It Be
28. Live And Let Die
29. Hey Jude
ENCORE
30. Day Tripper
31. Lady Madonna
32. Get Back
ENCORE #2
33. Yesterday
34. Helter Skelter
35. Sgt. Pepper Reprise/The End Medley

The other thing that makes Sir Paul deserve his title is the sheer talent of entertaining. From the quiet acoustic only version of "Yesterday" to the explosion of fireworks in "Live And Let Die" he moves brilliantly from not-a-hush-in-the-stadium-crowd to near hysteria. Your only option is to be completely engaged.



My parting shot is one of several I took when the video camera was tight on Paul singing. These images were so large they loomed over us sitting closer to the stage. But they were also in complete proportion with the scale of the entire show. At 68 Paul McCartney could be just resting on his laurels but instead he is out there continuing to over deliver to his fans. A splendid time was guaranteed and had by all. Thank you Paul for the great ride down the long and winding road.