Pictured: The Beach Boys on the set of their new Ray-ban commercial
“We began in the fall of 1961, and our first tour was in 1962, and it’s been nonstop since then. Now we’re gearing up for the 50th anniversary, and Brian Wilson, who has been working on some unfinished Gershwin music project, will rejoin us. I’m sad that Carl Wilson passed away 11, 12 years ago from the same lung cancer problem that claimed the life of George Harrison. That was not a fun time for us. But I am happy that now my son Christian is in the group. Yes, the lineup has changed over the years, but it’s been pretty consistent the past several years."
Of course, Brian Wilson is widely recognized as a genius songwriter and singer so obviously him doing anything musically is kind of a big deal. But the real news here is that The Beach Boys are still a thing. Not only are they a thing, but they are a thing that you can probably see live in the next few months provided you live on Earth. Check out these tour dates:
06/25 – Belfast, UK @ Bellfast Waterfont
06/26 – Castlebar, IE @ TF Royal Theatre
06/27 – Dublin, IE @ National Concert Hall
06/29 – Helsinski, FI @ Helsinki Ice Arena
07/01 – Kungalv, SE @ Bohus Fastning
07/02 – Karlstad, SE @ Mariebergsskogen
07/03 – Malilla, SE @ G&B Arena
07/07 – Santa Cruz de Tenerife, ES @ Pabellon Insular Santiago Martin
07/09 – Girona, ES @ Jardins De Cap Roig Festival
07/10 – Vasteras, SE @ Logarangen
07/17 – Santa Maria, CA @ Santa Barbara County Fair
07/18 – Saratoga, CA @ The Mountain Winery
07/20 – Turlock, CA @ Stanisalus County Fair
07/21 – Central Point, OR @ Jackson County Fair
07/22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Asser Levy Park
07/23 – Westbury, NY @ Theatre at Westbury
07/24 – Baltimore, MD @ Pier Six Pavilion
07/25 – Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap
07/26 – Rangeley, ME @ Rangeley Health And Wellness Pavilion
07/28 – Englewood, NJ @ Bergen Performing Arts Center
07/29 – Harrington, DE @ Delaware State Fair
07/30 – Rising Sun, IN @ Grand Victoria Casino
07/31 – Rising Sun, IN @ Grand Victoria Casino
08/01 – Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
08/03 – Clearfield, PA @ Clearfield County Fair
08/04 – Morristown, NJ @ The Community Theatre At Mayo Center For The Performing Arts
08/05 – Stamford, CT @ Alive at Five
08/06 – Mashantucket, CT @ MGM Grand at Foxwoods
08/07 – Hyannis, MA @ Cape Cod Melody Tent
08/08 – Cohasset, MA @ South Shore Music Circus
08/10 – Moncton, NB @ Moncton Casino
08/11 – Moncton, NB @ Moncton Casino
08/12 – Rama, ON @ Casino Rama Entertainment Centre
08/13 – Rama, ON @ Casino Rama Entertainment Centre
08/14 – Ocean Grove, NJ @ The Great Auditorium
08/22 – Temecula, CA @ Pechanga Resort & Casino
08/23 – Lancaster, CA @ Antelope Valley Fair
08/24 – Kennewick, WA @ Benton Franklin Fair
08/26 – Missoula, MT @ Western Montana Fairgrounds
08/27 – Butte, MT @ Butte Civic Center
08/28 – Billings, MT @ Alberta Bair Theater
08/29 – Bloomington, IL @ U.S. Cellular Coliseum
09/01 – Highland Park, IL @ Ravinia Festival
09/02 – Marshfield, WI @ Central Wisconsin State Fair
09/03 – Harris, MI @ Island Resort & Casino
09/04 – Harris, MI @ Island Resort & Casino
09/05 – Elkhorn, WI @ Walworth County Wair
09/10 – San Diego, CA @ Humphrey’s Concerts By The Bay
09/11 – Rancho Mirage, CA @ The Show At Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa
09/30 – Calgary, AB @ Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
10/01 – Red Deer, AB @ Westerner Park
10/02 – Enoch, AB @ River Cree Resort And Casino
10/06 – Lexington, KY @ Singletary Center For The Arts
10/07 – Jackson, TN @ Carl Perkins Civic Center
10/08 – Biloxi, MS @ Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
10/09 – Biloxi, MS @ Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
11/04 – Provo, UT @ TBA
11/05 – Thackerville, OK @ Winstar World Casino
Jeez, are these guys just constantly touring? Don't they rest? According to Mike Love, "[The band's] still out there doing 150 shows a year, and the sound has reached all the way around the globe."
Look, Mike Love is 69 years old. That is really old to attend even one concert a year. Just the fact that he thinks 2010 Beach Boys concerts are why "the sound has reached all the way around the globe," tells me he is too old to tour at all. Actually that explains it a little bit. Maybe he's trying to make sure every single person sees the Beach Boys live so that they can know what they sound like.
As for the rest of the band, I don't know how old they are because I don't know anything about them because no one does.
The strangest part of this is that The Beach Boys make no new music and go around playing their old hits, which are basically Brian Wilson's hits, and people go to see that? Also, I guess Mike Love is kind of an asshole:
It’s very difficult to pick a real favorite,” laughed Mike when I talked with him before he flew here. “I’m proudest of all, though, with ‘Good Vibrations.’ I think it really says what we are all about. We must have played it somewhere over 7,500 times over the years. … If I had a nickel for every … fortunately, I do!”
Haha, the problem with that, Mike Love, is that you hated that song and called it 'avant-garde shit'. Also, you profit from your current touring because you have initiated three lawsuits against former band mates (including two against Brian Wilson) in order to make sure you can continue to profit from the Beach Boys name and that you get your share of anything else anyone tries to do. Love even tried to collect money after the 2004 release of Smile, which he played a role in canceling back in 1966.
So, Brian Wilson may rejoin The Beach Boys, which is really just a Beach Boys cover band at this point. Maybe? Maybe not? Who cares.
But one thing is for sure. The Beach Boys are still around. And still profiting from Brian Wilson's genius.
It's the first day of summer, and Love talked more about the band's current tour than Wilson's return, so I'm guessing he's just trying to build buzz for their shows. How else will people get to hear a bunch of Beach Boys' song's from the 60's?
[via COS]
Just heard them tonight and they were excellent. Mayb Brian didn't have the corner on excellence. Great music is great music....
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