Not counting an all-too-brief 50th anniversary reunion tour in 2012, Brian Wilson hadn’t been a regular member of The Beach Boys since the late ’90s.
Yet, his absence was definitely missed — even more so than usual — when the Mike Love-led Beach Boys performed on Sunday (Aug. 17) at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga. It was the band’s first Bay Area concert since Wilson — the mastermind behind nearly every song performed on Sunday night — died in June at the age of 82.
“We miss him every night,” Love told the audience. “But he’s in our music, that’s for sure.”
And what incredible music it is. Opening with “Do It Again,” one of the band’s handful of keepers from the post-“Pet Sounds” era,” The Beach Boys would go on to showcase some of the greatest tunes in pop music history — all of which bore Wilson’s fingerprints — during the two-hour show.
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Each of those remarkable numbers — from the landmark love ballad “Surfer Girl” to the untouchable pop music mastery of “Good Vibrations” — served to underscore why Wilson deserves to be ranked among the most remarkable composers, from any genre, of the 20th century.
The Beach Boys also served up a video tribute to Wilson in the middle of the show. Yet, it wasn’t set to a recording by Wilson, but rather one by Love — “Brian’s Back” — which is a schmaltzy throwaway originally intended for an unreleased solo project.
That was an odd choice in many ways, not the least of which was a title and lyrics that really don’t work in context with someone having just died. Yet, to me, it was even more disturbing and telling that Love would use this time as a showcase for himself — not just by playing a recording of his own song but by filling this tribute with so many pictures of himself.
Indeed, it seemed like Love got nearly as much screen time in this Brian Wilson tribute as Wilson himself — while the other Beach Boys (including the two other Wilson brothers) were basically ignored in this segment.
Chalk it up as a yet another sign of the very complicated relationship that Love had with Wilson, one in which — at least publicly — the latter was often seen as the genius and the former was recognized as the guy wearing the hat. You can learn more about the relationship by reading Love’s “Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy,” a memoir that can be basically be summed up as “Hey, I’m important, too!”
And indeed he is — and always has been. Living in Wilson’s shadow, even after Wilson’s death, Love certainly doesn’t get enough credit for his songwriting work and other irreplaceable contributions to the band. Sure, he’s a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. But he also might just be the most underrated rock hero in that room full of giants.
I get why he wants his credit, but putting so much of himself into this Wilson tribute seemed like the wrong thing to do.
Otherwise, the 84-year-old front man made all the right moves as he lead this latest version of The Beach Boys — featuring keyboardist Bruce Johnston, guitarist/musical director Brian Eichenberger, guitarist Christian (son of Mike) Love, keyboardist Tim Bonhomme, drummer Jon Bolton, bassist Keith Hubacher, saxophonist Randy Leago and guitarist John Wedemeyer — through two sets and 31 songs.
This is an excellent group of players, who can handle the vocal range and harmonies — as well as the sometimes complex musical arrangements — in ways that should please any longtime Beach Boys aficionado. I know a lot of fans have stayed away from this band, out of allegiance to Wilson (who still drew a paycheck from the group whether or not he was a part of it), but they are sure missing out on some great music by doing so.
Both Love and Johnston, the two long-term Beach Boys, are a bit rough these days in the vocal department. Yet, they know their limits and sing right up to them in passable fashion. Then there’s Eichenberger, an outstanding musical director, who handles those high soaring Brian Wilson parts with bravado. His falsetto vocal work on “Don’t Worry Baby” was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Eichenberger also combined with fellow fretboard ace Wedemeyer, who grew up just a few miles away in Los Gatos, for some really sensational surf/oldies guitar work on the likes of “Surfin’ U.S.A.” and “Do You Wanna Dance?” And there was also some fun punk thrown into the mix during the uproarious cover of “Rockaway Beach” by the Ramones (who had first covered the Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ Safari”).
Christian Love has also got it going on in the vocal department, settling into those dreamy Carl Wilson parts quite nicely on a pair of the greatest songs ever written — “Good Only Knows” and “Good Vibrations.” He also filled in for Al Jardine on a really solid version of “Help Me, Rhonda.”
The highlight of the show — as per usual in recent years — was the Keith Moon-esque wild-man drum work of Jon Bolton, whose incredible energy and enthusiasm for the music just seems to lift the game of every other musician on the stage. He does things on the kit that I’ve never seen anybody else do, stealing the spotlight on at least half of the songs, and also adding some fine lead vocals for “Darlin’” and a grand cover of The Mamas and Papas’ landmark “California Dreamin’.”
The band brought the evening to a close with some of its finest — including “Good Vibrations,” “Help Me, Rhonda,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and the “Fun, Fun, Fun” closer — underscoring once again the genius of Brian Wilson and the lasting appeal of The Beach Boys.
Jon Bolton of the The Beach Boys performs during their “Endless Summer Gold” tour at Music in the Park 2024 at Plaza de Cesar Chavez in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Sunday, July 28, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Beach Boys setlist:
1. “Do It Again”
2. “Surfin’ Safari”
3. “Catch a Wave
4. “Hawaii”
5. “Rockaway Beach”
6. “Surfin’ U.S.A.”
7. “Surfer Girl”
8. “Getcha Back”
9. “You’re So Good to Me”
10. “I Can Hear Music”
11. “Darlin’”
12. “In My Room”
13. “Don’t Worry Baby”
14. “Little Deuce Coupe”
15. “409”
16. “Shut Down”
17. “Little Honda”
18. “I Get Around”
Set 2:
Brian Wilson tribute video (set to recording of “Brian’s Back”)
19. “The Warmth of the Sun”
20. “God Only Knows”
21. “California Girls”
22. “Then I Kissed Her”
23. “California Dreamin’”
24. “Sloop John B”
25. “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”
26. “Help Me, Rhonda”
27. “Do You Wanna Dance?”
28. “Good Vibrations”
29. “Kokomo”
30. “Barbara Ann”
31. “Fun, Fun, Fun”