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"For over 30 years, they have been rocking America" -radio spots for the BB show on October 3
30 years? Considering that Brian, Dennis, Carl, Mike and Al started the band in 1961, it's closer to 40 years. Only one of the "cousins, friends, and brothers" is with this particular lineup of the BB. That tends to give a seasoned BB fan a feeling of either bittersweetness or out and out hostility towards Mike Love. Many longtime BB fans have taken Mike to task for carrying on the BB after both Carl Wilson died in February 1998 and after Al Jardine's departure. Claiming that the BB at this point are no better than the multiple Coasters/Drifters/Supremes/etc. that tour the nostalgia circuit. They also claim that this ruins and tarnishes the BB considerable legacy. More sympathetic fans claim that, to quote Dennis Wilson, the music is the star, not the band members. This may be disconcerting to longtime fans, but I would argue that it is true. People go to see the BB to hear BB music, not to see Bruce Johnston or Al Jardine or whoever. Forget about the ethics, BB music should be enjoyed, not over-analysed.
With that in mind, Mike Love took his very capable band through Columbia, MO at the University of Missouri last night. They delivered a 32 song show that was 2/3 BB oldies from their golden period and about 1/3 covers (of that 1/3, about 1/2 were covers that were never recorded by the BB). The band was very tight and for the most part blended well together vocally, although on some of the slower numbers, Adrian Baker's Frankie Valli-esque falsetto stuck out of the vocal blend. There were some great moments (Baker's earth shattering cover of "Sherry", Bruce's humble rendition of "God Only Knows" in tribute to Carl which was ruined for me by an audience member's shout for "Barbara Ann", and a rocking medley of DO You Wanna Dance and Little Honda). And there were some clunkers like Mike's anti-Bill Clinton jokes, the car medley, and Kokomo (Kokomo got the biggest ovation of the night, no comment).
But the two bittersweet moments were during Duke of Earl and Hushabye. Guitarist Phil Bardowell sings Duke Of Earl and he sings with a soulful quality that Carl might have sing it with. I never liked the song, but I began wondering what it would have sounded like with Carl on the lead. But it was Hushabye that brought me to tears. It was performed beautifully, but I couldn't help but think that I'll never get to hear Carl and Al and Dennis help sing this in person. After Hushabye, I became a little less tolerant of the casual fans' shouts for a Kokomo or a Barbara Ann.
But despite that, it was a nice show. Nothing earth-shattering. It's good entertainment. On that level, Mike's band is a success and if he wants to keep doing it, then I guess that's OK. If seeing Mike's band turns off some people from discovering the BB's legacy, then that is their beef, not Mike's. But if someone decides to go deeper into the legacy, then having Mike's band and Al's band and a Brian band is a good thing. The BB will probably never reuinite for a last tour or record (too much excess baggage, I suppose), but their legacy needs to be kept alive so future generations can enjoy it.
The setlist:
- - California Girls
- - Do It Again
- - Catch A Wave
- - Hawaii
- - Do You Wanna Dance?
- - Little Honda
- - Surfer Girl
- - Don't Worry Baby
- - Duke Of Earl
- - Sherry
- - Why Do Fools Fall In Love (note: they start this live version by singing
as an intro the 4 Freshmen-like a capella that Brian came up with for the
middle part)
- - Be True To Your School (it needs cheerleaders, an old guy singing about
school is well, weird)
- - Little Deuce Coupe/409/Little Old Lady From Pasadena/Shut Down/I Get
Around
- - In My Room
- - Hushabye
- - California Dreamin'
- - God Only Knows
- - Sloop John B
- - Wouldn't It Be Nice
- - Good Vibrations
- - Kokomo
- - Help Me Rhonda
- - Barbara Ann
- - Surfin' Safari/Surf City/Surfin' USA
Encore:
- - Back In The USSR (Mike told the story about being in India at the
Maharishi's camp when the Beatles were there writing the White Album and
tells about how he suggested to Paul about singing about the Ukraine girls
in the middle 8)
- - Fun Fun Fun
Copywright 1999, Robert J. McCabe
Contributed by: Rob McCabe