Saturday, July 31, 2010

Capitol Records' Teen Set Inner Sleeve 1964



All of my fellow vinyl junkies out there might be able to identify this. It was an inner sleeve found in Capitol's albums to promote their releases and their new 'Teen Set' magazine.

Friday, July 30, 2010

The Beach Boys At Theatre at Westbury, Westbury, NY 7/23/10




Okay, so maybe "The Beach Boys" is something of a misnomer seeing that two of the the founding members - lead guitarist/vocalist Carl Wilson and drummer/vocalist Dennis Wilson - have both passed away. Creative leader Brian Wilson has had an active solo career since the late 80's. And rhythm guitarist and vocalist Alan Jardine was unceremoniously fired by Mike Love after Carl's passing (real classy Mike) in 1998. So basically the band in question is Mike Love and Bruce Johnston with a handful of very talented others, including John Cowsill (of The Cowsills) who sang lead on "Help Me Rhonda" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice"...and special guest John Stamos (I wish I was kidding)*.

I've been a fan of The Beach Boys since the Summer of 1998. Basically since I first saw the VH-1 documentary Endless Harmony. The Beach Boys have since become one of my all-time favorite bands. The band is now basically a Beach Boys cover band (albeit a very, very good one) fronted by members Mike Love and Bruce Johnston. I'd been hemming and hawing over the notion of seeing them for long enough (these guys aren't getting any younger) and decided to see them.

All things considered - the show was wonderful. It would have been amazing to have seen these guys circa 1965 - 1975, but as there were no time machines handy this would have suffice. Bruce's vocals on "Disney Girls" were fantastic and Mike's vocals were as good as they've always been.

The band was fantastic and the venue was intimate and the acoustics were wonderful.

Set List:

Catch A Wave
Hawaii
Little Honda
Do It Again
Surf City
Surfin' Safari
Surfer Girl
Getcha Back
Wendy
I'm So Young
Why Do Fools Fall in Love
When I Grow Up (to Be a Man)
Darlin'
Be True to Your School
Ballad Of Ole Betsy
Don't Worry Baby
Little Deuce Coupe
409
Shut Down
I Get Around

Intermission For 25 minutes

California Dreaming
Then I Kissed Her
California Girls
Sloop John B
Wouldn't It Be Nice
Disney Girls (1957)
Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring
Forever (John Stamos On Lead Vocals)
God Only Knows
Good Vibrations
Help Me Rhonda
Rock & Roll Music
Do You Wanna Dance
Barbara Ann
Surfin' USA

Encore (although they never left the stage)


Kokomo
Summertime Blues
Fun Fun Fun.

* All kidding aside, Stamos was actually, and surprisingly, well-accounted for. He alternated between rhythm guitar, drums, backing vocals, timpani, bongos and took lead vocals on Dennis Wilson's "Forever". And he made the ladies swoon and squeal like it was 1964 all over again (I kid you not).