March 30, 1982 review: Brian Wilson with the Beach Boys in Kleinhans Music Hall

It felt like we lost a little piece of our collective soul when Brian Wilson died last week. "God Only Knows," which Paul McCartney described as the "greatest song ever written," has been bouncing around in my head ever since. I've taken in several Beach Boys concerts over the years, but I got to see Brian in person only once, when the group stopped here in Buffalo as winter was receding 43 years ago.

March 30, 1982 review

Beach Boys Discover Endless Summer on the Wane

When Carl Wilson left the Beach Boys a year ago to pursue a solo career, he said he would come back when the band was ready to do more than relive the past.

Carl, who formed the core of the group with his brothers Brian and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love and old friend Al Jardine, was conspicuously absent with the kings of surf rock swung their 20th anniversary tour into Kleinhans Music Hall for two near-sellout shows Monday night.

With Carl away, the remaining Beach Boys have regressed so deeply that they barely acknowledge anything newer than their 1968 hit "Do It Again." They could have played 90% of this set on their 10th anniversary. Or their fifth!

It wasn't always like this. Before Capitol Records revived their fortunes by repackaging their surf hits in the best-selling "Endless Summer" album, they regularly displayed examples from all three of their creative epochs -- "Heroes and Villains" and "Sail On, Sailor," as well as "Fun, Fun, Fun."

Then again, their output of late hasn't been much to crow about. Their last release, "Keeping the Summer Alive," came out two years ago. The delights of this 20th anniversary set, therefore, were recycled ones.

All the surf songs and all the car songs were condensed into medleys, a bit like Stars on 45. For new material, they went for stuff as old as their own -- the Del Vikings' 1957 "Come Go With Me," the Ronettes' 1963 "Be My Baby" and Murry Kellum's 1963 "Long Tall Texan."

The man who wrote all the car songs and the surf songs -- Brian Wilson -- sat behind a white grand piano at one side of the stage. A shaggy bearded, bear-like figure with a huge pot belly, he seemed only loosely connected to the rest of the proceedings. At one point, he lit a cigarette, plonged a discordant chord and stalked off in the middle of a tune. When he sang, the results were primitive. The high notes in "Good Vibrations" were simply beyond him.

In contrast was Mike Love, cheery, chipper and lean in a tan yachting suit and a cap advertising Nautilus exercise equipment. He flirted with the female fans, blew them kisses and invited them to the Hilton after the show. No vocal assignment was too much for him to attempt, not even the quirky tones of "Long Tall Texan."

One segment due for retirement, however, is keyboardist Bruce Johnston's solo spot. Johnston's a fine harmonizer and a showy sax player, but his rendition of "I Write the Songs," the Barry Manilow hit he penned, is worthy only of the nightclub spoofs on TV's "Saturday Night Live." At least Johnston remembered all the words this time.

Nevertheless, it was the only moment the fans got restive during the second show. They loved the rest of the sunny 60-minute set and the three-song encore, from the opening "California Girls" to the final "Fun, Fun, Fun." They rose en masse at Brian's command. They clapped at the slightest incentive. They sang along lustily. Some of them even wore Hawaiian shirts and cut-offs. After all, if the Beach Boys were here, could summer be far behind?

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IN THE PHOTO: The Beach Boys at the Great Allentown Fair in Pennsylvania on Labor Day weekend 1982. Brian's on the right.

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FOOTNOTE: My favorite account of Brian Wilson after his death came from his biographer Peter Ames Carlin, speaking to NPR host Steve Inskeep on Morning Edition: "Well, the way I always described Brian to friends is he's weirder than you can imagine, but not as crazy as you might think."

Here's what the Beach Boys played that night in Kleinhans, according to setlist.fm:

California Girls

Sloop John B

Do It Again

In My Room

Come Go With Me (Del-Vikings cover)

409

Shut Down

The Little Old Lady from Pasadena (Jan & Dean cover)

Little Deuce Coupe

I Get Around

Long Tall Texan (The Four Flickers cover)

I Write the Songs

Lady Lynda

Be My Baby (Ellie Greenwich cover)

God Only Knows

Help Me, Rhonda

Rock and Roll Music (Chuck Berry cover)

Surfer Girl

Surf City (Jan & Dean cover)

Surfin' U.S.A.

(encore)

Come Softly to Me (Fleetwoods cover)

Good Vibrations

Barbara Ann (The Regents cover)

Fun, Fun, Fun