DATE: Friday 28th
September 2012
VENUE: Wembley
Arena, London
COST: £55
plus wildly extortionate booking fee of £7.88
OUR VERDICT: Phenomenal
final show
Links:
It was quite
bittersweet that the first Beach Boys concert Minty went to (circa 1986) was at
Wembley Arena and tonight’s concert, at the same venue was the very last time we
would be able to see the surviving members playing together in harmony. The
last time Minty saw The Beach Boys play Wembley Arena, (around 1989), half of the
venue had the seats blacked out and the arena was less than half full. Tonight
there was hardly an empty seat (including the VIP seats in the first 20 rows
that didn’t sell and were released for general sale a couple of weeks before
the gig at half price!).
 |
| The Arena was packed |
 |
| Mike Love |
Just to
remind you all, the front line is the five surviving Beach Boys, Brian Wilson,
Mike Love, David Marks, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston, along with Scott Totten,
from the Mike and Bruce touring band, and Jeff Foskett who toured as a Beach Boy
during the 80’s, and is also Brian Wilson’s right hand man in his own touring
band set up. The back line have a real musical pedigree, with members of Brian
Wilson’s touring band, Darian Sahanaja, Mike D’Amico, Probyn Gregory, Scott Bennett,
Nelson Bragg, Paul Von Mertens and the drummer from the Mike & Bruce set
up, John Cowsill.
 |
| Not a bad picture considering how far away we were! |
Our seats
were up in the Gods, but that meant we had the option of standing or sitting
down, unlike those on the main arena floor who had no choice but to stand
for the full length as those at the front stood up, out of their seats from the
very first drum beat to “Do It Again” pounding through the sound system.
 |
| The backdrop to the stage showed some great video - this one of the waves |
The set list
was only marginally shorter than last night with just a mere fifty five tunes - “Little
Girl I Once Knew”, “Marcella”, “Good Timin’”, Still Cruising”, “Our Prayer” and
“Let Him Run Wild” being omitted tonight.
 |
| Sometimes had to use the screens.... |
Once again,
the sound was awesome, and the two screens either side of the stage showed the
film being shot of the concert, so for those of us up in the Gods, we could see
some close up views. We are at great risk of repeating what we wrote about last
night’s Albert Hall gig, and we would be spot on if we were to just copy and
paste that review!
 |
| Brian Wilson |
Highlights
for us tonight were Brian’s vocal on “Please Let Me Wonder” and “You’re So Good
To Me”. He really got into “Heroes And Villains” and he beamed all the way through
“California Dreaming”.
"Add Some Music" never fails to disappoint us, and Brian was very comfortable performing this tonight.
"Add Some Music" never fails to disappoint us, and Brian was very comfortable performing this tonight.
Mike Love was the quintessential front man, dressed in
his gold sparkly jacket, but with a white shirt tonight. His vocals sounded
spot on through the Wembley sound system. Bruce was a bit weak on “Wendy” but “Disney
Girls” got a rapturous applause.
 |
| Darlin' by Darian Sahanaja |
Darian
Sahanaja singing “Darlin’” was just wonderful again and yesterday’s lump in
Minty’s throat turned to glassy eyes as the videotape for “Forever” and “God
Only Knows” with Dennis and Carl on the leads was played for the last time.
 |
| Dennis Wilson - Forever |
 |
| Carl Wilson - God Only Knows |
The songs
from the new album “That’s Why God Made the Radio” and the new single “Isn’t It
Time” really shone through and the album’s final track, “Summer’s Gone” made it
into the main set tonight, sounding awesome once again. The videotape projected
on the big screen above the stage of a setting sun was so fitting.
 |
| During the encore - Fun Fun Fun |
People around
us laughed as The Beeb sang the “hum de dums” on Good Vibrations but again,
no-one else joined in! There was certainly a lot of love in that arena tonight
and a lot of fun had on stage, including Scott Bennett jumping on the grand
piano for a bit of “Surfin’ USA”.
First Half
1.
Do
It Again
2.
Little
Honda
3.
Catch
A Wave
4.
Hawaii
5.
Don’t
Back Down
6.
Surfin’
Safari
7.
Surfer
Girl
8.
Please
Let me Wonder
9.
This
Whole World
10. Wendy
11. Getcha Back
12. Then I Kissed Her
13. You’re So Good To Me
14. Kiss Me Baby
15. Isn’t It Time
16. Come Go With Me
17. Why Do Fools Fall In Love
18. When I Grow Up To Be A Man
19. Dance, Dance, Dance
20. Darlin’
21. Disney Girls
22. It’s OK
23. Cottonfields
24. Be True To Your School
25. Ballad Of Ole’ Betsy
26. Don’t Worry Baby
27. Little Deuce Coupe
28. 409
29. Shut Down
30. I Get Around
Second
Half
31. Pet Sounds
32. Add Some Music
33. Sail On Sailor
34. Heroes & Villains
35. I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times
36. California Dreaming
37. California Saga
38. In My Room
39. All This Is That
40. That’s Why God Made The Radio
41. Summer’s Gone
42. Forever
43. God Only Knows
44. Sloop John B
45. Wouldn’t It Be Nice
46. Good Vibrations
47. California Girls
48. All Summer Long
49. Help Me Rhonda
50. Rock & Roll Music
51. Do You Wanna Dance
52. Surfin’ USA
Encore
53. Kokomo
54. Barbara Ann
55. Fun, Fun, Fun
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