Brian Wilson
Chicago Theater, Chicago (July 22, 2000)
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Brian Wilson
Chicago Theater, Chicago
July 22, 2000 |
Though Wilson is well past his prime as a performer, his accompanying assembly of musicians provided a vivid backdrop for the Beach Boys' renowned studio songs, including the centerpiece of the show, a full performance of the band's 1966 masterwork, Pet Sounds.
The three-set evening began with a 55-piece orchestra performing a half-hour overture of Wilson-penned music. Arranged by longtime Wilson collaborator Van Dyke Parks, the "Brian Wilson Suite" opened with the familiar intro to "California Girls" and swept through classics such as "In My Room" and "Don't Worry Baby" as well as lesser known tunes like "Our Prayer" and "Wonderful." During the latter, Wilson could be seen sitting at the edge of the stage, peering out into the audience to see how his compositions were being received.
With the lights off after the orchestral performance, Wilson and his band (featuring members of the Wondermints and Poi Dog Pondering) took the stage to loud applause for a short set of Beach Boys classics, rarities, and a new song, "The First Time."
The beautiful, haunting ballad "Til I Die," from 1971's "Surf's Up" album, rested well alongside early hits like "Kiss Me Baby" and "I Get Around" and post-Pet Sounds compositions "Do It Again" and "Add Some Music To Your Day," which Wilson set up by saying "This next song, I think, has the best lyrics the Beach Boys ever wrote. So listen closely to the lyrics, 'cause they're pretty good!"
Such well-meaning but slightly skewed remarks were the order of the evening. Wilson repeatedly asked the crowd to yell as loud as possible, then claimed his ears were hurting. He also took to referring to himself in the third person (after taking bass guitar duties for "Surfer Girl," he exclaimed "Brian on bass!").
After a set break, the band and orchestra took the stage together and performed Pet Sounds in its entirety. Even 30 years on, the album remains one of rock's great landmark records. An emotional, symphonic pop experience, it's not the kind of thing one expects to see performed live, but the crowd on stage made an effective stab at recreating the record.
The least true-to-form musical component was Wilson's own faltering voice. He was consistently flat through songs like "You Still Believe In Me" and "Sloop John B," the 58-year-old man having lost quite a bit of the cotton-candy perfection his voice held at age 23.
But on other tunes like "That's Not Me," it was clear that the straining Wilson was trying his hardest to pay homage to his own intricate compositions, and the crowd was dulyappreciative. Throughout the evening, he was celebrated more as a composer than a performer, the sounds of his music a more fitting tribute to his career than his mere presence could provide.
The highlight of the album performance was the instrumental "Let's Go Away For Awhile," on which the rock band and the orchestra combined wonderfully to recapture the intelligence and emotion of Pet Sounds. Wilson kept his back turned to the audience, joining his crowd in appreciation of the song, rather than participating.
As an encore to Pet Sounds, Wilson and band turned in a rollicking version of the pocket symphony "Good Vibrations" and tore through a series of early Beach Boys rockers before closing with the meditative "Love And Mercy," from his 1988 self-titled solo album.
TROY CARPENTER | Troy Carpenter founded NATN from a Chicago apartment during the ambitious winter of 1998 with co-conspirators Ben French and Jonathan Cohen. After a five-year stint in New York, he and wife Lourdes have recently relocated to Indianapolis, where he spends days listening to music and nights in the kitchen at Elements restaurant. Musical heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Super Furry Animals. What else makes life worth living: Sushi, Phucty, runs in the park, and the Atlanta Braves.