Another write up---Brian Wilson Live in Santa Rosa, Dec 22

My friend Wayne, did a write up for the show in Santa Rosa last week.

Enjoy,  Dogbone

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Although I had thought about seeing the “Brian Wilson Presents the Christmas Album Live” show with piqued interest for quite some time, actually buying tickets for the December 22nd performance in Santa Rosa and attending was a last minute idea.

After seeing the “Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary Show” in San Francisco at the Masonic Auditorium in 2016 and leaving with mixed thoughts about it, I had decided at that point, that this would be the last Brian Wilson show I would attend. I thought back to all of the shows I was privileged to attend, including the Roxy Theater Show in Los Angeles (back in April of 2000, for the live album recording), the “That Lucky Old Sun” Tour (with the album played in its entirety), the SMiLE performances, and all of the others I had attended, which included mostly lesser known and cherished Beach Boys songs that the truest of fans longed to hear live. This is what made a Brian Wilson show special and unique to see, compared to the Beach Boys concerts during the same period of time. Still, with this said I love seeing the Beach Boys touring band for what they are and still admired how well Mike Love leads them through all the big hits and popular show stoppers. I believe the touring Beach Boys even raised their “live show game” by adding songs which had not been performed by them in a long time or ever at all, because of Brian’s shows. But after 2016, I had no desire to see Brian do a “Greatest Hits Live” show or another show that continued the 50th Anniversary celebrations of Pet Sounds. Yet, the freshness and promise of the Beach Boys’ Christmas music being performed live changed my mind and I was off to one more show.

After an entertaining opening act, Brian Wilson and his band took to the stage. As I watched Brian struggle to get to his Piano, with Paul Von Mertens helping him, all I could hear in my head was the old B-side “He Couldn’t Get His Poor Old Body To Move”. This happened at the beginning of the show, and also following the encore. In the two years since the “Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary Show” in San Francisco, it was alarming to see how difficult it had become for Brian to get around and the help he needed to get to his piano and backstage. And during the show, Brian simply sat at the piano staring forward and never got up or moved until it was time to leave. I was feeling quite sad for him. The crowd still went wild for him and Brian gave a “Hello Santa Rosa” shout out before going into “Little Saint Nick”. For the first half of the show Brian performed parts during the Christmas songs, by sometimes singing but more often than not, talking his way through the lyrics. I know this is typical of an “off night” for Brian. Among the many other fans I know, we’ve always discussed that on any given night, you never knew which Brian you might get and many of us just hope for the best. As the show continued, Brian talked less and less, and on many of the songs didn’t sing at all, even though the teleprompter was always available. I can only recall Brian singing and participating only during “God Only Knows” and “Good Vibrations” following the initial sixteen Christmas songs. I sat to Brian’s left about eight rows back, and from this observation point, I could see him doing very little, except look straight ahead and occasionally take a sip from his water bottle, as if he needed something to do. That is all I can say about how Brian was that night as he appeared ready to get back to the hotel after the first 45 minutes into the show.

But on the bright side the band, as usual, was awesome, energetic and carried the show and the audience loved the performance regardless of how closely they may have paid attention to the details of Brian’s performance, like I do after forty years of attending Beach Boys’ related shows. Al Jardine, who seemed to have greatly benefited from his recent solo shows by showing a refreshed confidence, took over the emcee spot from Brian for the second half of the show. He did an exceptional job singing “Christmas Day” and the killer rarity “Winter Symphony” (Best of set to me), followed by “Christmas Time is Here Again”. He was in fine voice and in an upbeat mood and explained how the record label did not want to release their 1978 Christmas album before singing the latter two songs mentioned. And, as many do say, he looked great for a 75 year old guy and appeared to still really enjoy being on stage. In addition to his signature songs “Sloop John B” and “Help Me, Rhonda” he also sang most of Brian’s parts during the remaining Beach Boys hits which finished up the main set.

Then came Blondie Chaplin, who appeared on stage every four or five songs and sang his soulful leads, adding a high energy lead guitar to “Merry Christmas, Baby”, “Blue Christmas” the Chuck Berry Christmas Classic “Run Rudolph Run” and as expected, “Sail On, Sailor”. Chaplin’s short bursts of energy pumped life into the show and his “Keith Richards’ type” vocal banter certainly entertained the audience before and after his songs. Then off the stage he would go again, until finally reappearing for the home stretch as the band pounded out fan favorites “Barbara Ann”, “Surfin’ USA” and “Fun, Fun, Fun” in succession, without pausing for a moment!

And in similar fashion to the Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Shows, where Mike Love, Al, Bruce Johnston, David Marks and Jeff Foskett, would surround Brian at his piano to sing “Add Some Music To Your Day”, on this night, to close the show following a pleasant “White Christmas”, the entire band circled around Brian for the a capella finale of “Auld Lang Syne”. Everyone, sang, except Brian. It’s quite evident that the entire backing band knows Brian’s body of work so well to be able to sing his arrangements with the precision they present musically and vocally at these live shows. You can clearly see that they appreciate and thrive on having one of the “best gigs” there is. They love Brian.

Anyway, although I have said it before, for me this is probably my last Brian Wilson show but I will still go see the Beach Boys next spring, summer or for however long they tour as I usually do.

“Why sit hypnotized…When you can feel alive?
Take my simple advice…You’ve gotta get your poor old body to move.”

WAYNE TONKIN, Brentwood, California, Dec. 23, 2018