{"id":804,"date":"2012-06-08T20:00:07","date_gmt":"2012-06-08T20:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/216.71.127.204\/wordpress\/?p=804"},"modified":"2015-10-13T16:48:36","modified_gmt":"2015-10-13T16:48:36","slug":"the-beach-boys-woodlands-pavilion-spring-tx","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/2012\/06\/08\/the-beach-boys-woodlands-pavilion-spring-tx\/","title":{"rendered":"The Beach Boys – Woodlands Pavilion – Spring, TX"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n
Written by Dave Clements <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jun 08, 2012 at 08:00 PM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Image\"It seems that 50 is a number that has come into play a lot lately and this past Friday night at The Woodlands Pavilion was no exception.<\/p>\n

Yes, we had 50 SHADES OF GRAY.\u00a0 It dominated the audience who was bound\u00a0 to have come from\u00a0 far and wide\u2026it just wasn\u2019t\u00a0 about\u00a0\u00a0 what you think, shame on you.\u00a0\u00a0 It was about the multiple shades of gray hair on the baby boomer fans of America\u2019s Band\u2026THE BEACH BOYS!<\/p>\n

Besides, it was the\u00a0 Beach Boys FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY TOUR.\u00a0 Wow!\u00a0 Fifty years of making terrific beach music and touring the world.\u00a0 Frankly, they looked pretty darn good given their\u00a0 longevity!<\/p>\n

Also, with no shortage of songs to sing they generously gave the massive audience of 14,000 plus a set list that included 50 songs.\u00a0 Guess it had to be pretty difficult to put that list together and select the order. No one could argue that they didn\u2019t give their fans their money\u2019s worth!<\/p>\n

At times it sure looked like there were another 50 musicians up on stage singing harmonies with the guys.<\/p>\n

Obviously that wasn\u2019t really the case however there was a gang\u00a0 and ,respectfully, they probably needed\u00a0 all they had up there to duplicate that special sound\u00a0 that made them so indelibly popular for sooooo many years. Certainly no criticism from me for trying and succeeding in delivering a terrific PRODUCT to who were there!<\/p>\n

Speaking of singing there was a time during the show that I carefully tried to listen to Brian Wilson\u2019s vocals and watch the big screen and I was fairly convinced that his microphone was either not on, or set so low that there was nothing\u00a0 vocally coming through. Having said that, Wilson has had such an incredible musical background and has been so influential in shaping the sounds so many of us still love and enjoy after all these years that it really didn\u2019t matter.\u00a0 I respect how he has hung in there as long as he has! Sadly his general demeanor, other than a very occasional smile, was in my judgment not one of a healthy, happy man.\u00a0 I hope I\u2019m wrong!<\/p>\n

Apparently very healthy Mike Love , lead vocalist, was really the focal point of most of the show.\u00a0 He provided lots of animation , energy, and fun throughout the night.\u00a0 I think he made a very key statement that I believe represented the collective view of the band\u2026..\u00a0 \u2019We are never\u00a0 going to grow up!\u2019\u00a0 I love it!<\/p>\n

Bruce Johnston , on keyboards ,was introduced as being a newer member of the band as he didn\u2019t\u00a0 join the group until\u00a0 1965 ! Only 47 years!\u00a0\u00a0 He was also very visible and upbeat.\u00a0 He was clearly the band\u2019s cheerleader and did a great job of interacting with the audience.<\/p>\n

As an aside,\u00a0 they shared that Johnston wrote the Grammy Winning Song for Barry Manilow , \u201cI Write the Songs\u201d.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t sing it however they did go directly into a song featuring Johnston called Disney Girls.\u00a0 It was a nice change of pace and nicely done!<\/p>\n

Before I move on, a reminder to check out my images that can be found in \u2018the HMR Photo Gallery\u2019.\u00a0 As is normally the case the photographers are given the show\u2019s first two songs to photograph the band. Unfortunately, two BEACH BOY songs\u00a0 go by very quickly, especially when the band is committed to playing 50 tunes during the show!<\/p>\n

And speaking of photography one of my big complaints of a group\/band is that they do not \u2018come together\u2019 to provide a good photo op while the photographers are out front. Some bands do, like Lady A, but most are clueless. So considering all of that, it was particularly frustrating to see all the guys gather around Brian\u2019s beautiful white grand piano and sing together at the beginning of the second half of the show!\u00a0 This would have been a terrific, if not historical shot, to share with you and show just\u00a0 how poignant this 50 year celebration was.\u00a0 This was the low point of the night for me, and sad given that there will probably NOT be a 60 year anniversary tour \u2026.therefore no so of them all!!!<\/p>\n

\"Image\"On a happier note several\u00a0 times\u00a0 during the show I closed my eyes to just get rid of everything but the sounds I was listening to. Each time it was clear I was listening to The Beach Boys in all their glory and all their terrific harmonies that have been so distinctive and pleasing\u00a0 for so long. Their sounds took me back to a simpler time, hanging out on 29th street and Altantic Ave at the beach(VB) . My mind drifted\u00a0 further back to the first time I saw the BB\u2019s. It was at The Alan B Sheppard Convention Center, better known as The Dome for those of us who grew up in Va Beach Va.\u00a0 A guy who I recently had the opportunity to meet, Glen Campbell, now suffering from dementia, was playing with them at the time. They were so much fun then and I am pleased to report they were the same Friday night\u2026 just 50 shades of gray lighter.<\/p>\n

I would have loved to survey the crowd and ask them if they could remember the first time they saw the BB\u2019s.\u00a0 My guess is that most had and could tell you where and when. I think they are just that distinctive to the musical landscape of our Country. Don\u2019t you agree?\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to imply that there were no younger fans present.\u00a0 Many in the audience looked like they were the grandchildren of us baby boomers, and certainly none of those folks\u00a0 looked like they were there under duress being there!<\/p>\n

One of the evening highlights was Be True To Your School\u00a0\u00a0 probably because it featured photographs of the guys from their High School days.\u00a0 Love the power of a photograph and the memory it can create. It definitely impacts a lot of why I do what I do with a camera.\u00a0 Don\u2019t Worry Baby seemed to be a big hit with the audience as well.\u00a0 The harmonizing vocals were especially soothing and pleasing providing the crowd a collective dreamy, feel good moment.<\/p>\n

To close this review, I\u2019d like to observe that some might say 50 years is overkill and wonder why would they keep touring and performing.\u00a0 It\u2019s certainly not for the money.\u00a0\u00a0 I think the money is\u00a0 probably nice AND I think it is essentially\u00a0 for their loyal, enthusiastic coast to coast fans.\u00a0 With each show they are saying\u00a0 THANK YOU FOR BEING A BEACH BOYS FAN\u00a0 FOR ALL THESE YEARS and supporting what we do.<\/p>\n

These guys have sung about the beaches we\u2019ve enjoyed, the cars we\u2019ve driven or wished we had, the women we\u2019ve loved and those who we wished had loved us, and the endless summer that they and we hope will never end.\u00a0 Thank you guys\u2026<\/p>\n

Until the next time hope you keep it between the navigational beacons!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by Dave Clements Jun 08, 2012 at 08:00 PM It seems that 50 is a number that has come into play a lot lately and this past Friday night at The Woodlands Pavilion was no exception. Yes, we had 50 SHADES OF GRAY.\u00a0 It dominated the audience who was bound\u00a0 to have come from\u00a0… <\/p>\n

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