Thursday January 6, 1977
Hollywood Sportatorium, Hollywood, FL (8:00 PM Show)
As 1977 began the Beach Boys were again one of the most popular groups in the world and with Brian actively participating and Dennis at the height of his creative powers it seemed anything was possible. They began the year with a successful January tour of the east coast. Accompanying them were Bobby Figueroa, Ed Carter, Charles Lloyd, Carli Munoz, Elmo Peeler, Billy Hinsche and the Hornettes (Lance Bueller, John Foss, Michael Andreas, Rod Novak and Charlie McCarthy Jr.), who were now dubbed Tornado because, according to Mike “they blow up a storm.” Also along was Jerry Schilling. Road Manager Rick Nelson was leaving and Schilling was being groomed to succeed him. A close friend of Elvis Presley, he’d been road manager for Billy Joel in 1976. Schilling would be associated with the group on and off to the present day.
Brian was there for most of the dates. He told the Atlanta Journal that touring was “fun. I mean it’s a remarkable experience… It’s not normal by any means, but it is a lot more elaborate than the old days. We have a lot of good road management and we’re taken care of with good accommodations.” Some critics, who observed Brian’s eccentric behavior on stage, questioned the genuineness of such statements and noted that he was carefully watched at all times by his “minders,” Rocky Pamplin and Stan Love, to make sure he didn’t get into trouble or walk off stage. Whatever the truth was, Brian looked healthier than he had in years and fans were excited to see him.
Friday January 7, 1977
Lakeland Civic Center, Lakeland, FL (8:30 PM Show)
A sellout crowd of 11,000 packed the Civic Center. For those who came to catch a glimpse of Brian, Bob Ross of the St. Petersburg Times, declared that the concert “was a moment of deep happiness. He looked great-played piano, sang, even danced around and smiled a bit.” Ross praised the performances, noting, “Fans enjoyed classics such as ‘Help Me Rhonda’ and ‘Surfer Girl’ as if they were brand new. Other favorites on the program included ‘California Girls’, ‘Sloop John B’, ‘Darlin’ and that heavy-duty surfing thriller, ‘Catch a Wave.’ The tunes were delivered in crisp, tarnish free packages.”
Saturday January 8, 1977
Florida Field, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL-with the Outlaws (2:00 PM Show)
The Beach Boys performed for the third time at the University of Florida, with openers The Outlaws (a band from Tampa that had also opened for the BBs in 1975 at Jacksonville). 12,500-fans turned out for the afternoon show. Mary Ann Giordano of the Florida Alligator noted, “From the time Brian Wilson’s massive body first made its way across the field to the stage, to the last notes of Fun, Fun, Fun, everyone’s cares were left behind. For almost two hours the Beach Boys brought everyone together with memories of youth and childhood for many and just plain good fun for all.”
Sunday January 9, 1977
Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, GA (8:00 PM Show)
This show suffered from pacing problems. The group tried to play new material, rather than just oldies, but the audience proved resistant. They all but drowned out Mike’s introduction to his paean to Maharishi, “Everyone’s In Love With You.” The reviewer from the University of Georgia’s Red and Black was sympathetic to the band, noting, “the crowd exhibited a pitiful lack of respect for the performers, greeting Mike Love’s request for quiet with more noise.” But, Mark Parker, of the Georgia Tech Technique, blamed the group for playing so many unfamiliar songs and attacked Mike for yelling at the crowd, “something to the effect of ‘be thankful for what you’re getting.’” Brian was present and took the lead on Sloop John B and Back Home, as he had done on the 1976 tour.
Monday January 10, 1977
Von Braun Civic Center, Huntsville, AL (7:30 PM Show)
Brian didn’t appear at this show, having flown home for a few days to complete the Love You album, which was assembled on January 14. However, Lee Roop of the Huntsville Times argued that “four out of five can do just fine, and nobody in the audience wanted to be anywhere else…It was the best lit concert ever to play the Civic Center, the band and the audience had more fun, and the vibrations were so good even the civic center security guards were rapping their flashlights into their palms to keep time.” Fans who stuck around for the encore even witnessed a surprise appearance by Dean Martin Jr. and Olivia Hussey, dancing along to “Fun, Fun, Fun.”
Tuesday January 11, 1977
Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, TN (8:00 PM Show)
Despite Brian’s absence, 8,600 fans at this concert had a blast. Lewis Nolan of the Memphis Commercial Appeal noted that the group’s songs “ranging from the pounding surf rhythm of ‘Catch a Wave’ to the gentle ballad of the old Kingston Trio standard ‘Sloop John B’ were warmly, indeed almost wildly at times, received by the audience. Dozens of persons, including some in their young teens and more than a few long past their teenage years, rushed the stage at several points of the concert.”
Wednesday January 12, 1977
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, IN (8:00 PM Show)
In spite of near zero temperatures and tons of snow outside, 15,000 fans turned up at the Arena to hear sounds of summer. Mike told the audience “It may be cold outside, but this sounds like a hot crowd tonight.” After taking off his white jacket to reveal a gold sequined vest he added “Just trying to create the illusion of being back in California…It’s a lot warmer back there.” Zach Dunkin of the Indianapolis News declared the concert the best performance by the group he’d ever seen and noted that the “thirty songs ranged from those old surfing hits of the 60s to a pair of new numbers, ‘Airplane’ and ‘Love is a Woman’ from the upcoming Beach Boys Love You album to be released in February. In between there were songs for Beach Boys ‘purists,’ Carl Wilson’s majestic ‘Feel Flows’ and ‘This is That.’ His soaring vocals were unbelievably true to form for a live situation.”
The set-list consisted of: “California Girls”, “Darlin’”, “Sloop John B”, “Little Deuce Coupe”, “In My Room”, “Sail On Sailor”, “California Saga”, “God Only Knows”, “Airplane”, “Back Home”, “Catch a Wave”, “Susie Cincinnati”, and “Be True To Your School” followed by an intermission. After a break they played: “It’s OK”, “A Casual Look”, “Love is a Woman”, “Everyone’s in Love with You”, “Feel Flows”, “All This is That”, “Surfer Girl”, “Heroes and Villains”, “Help Me Rhonda”, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, “I Get Around”, “Good Vibrations” and “Surfin’ USA.” The encore consisted of: “You Are So Beautiful”, “Barbara Ann”, “Rock and Roll Music” and “Fun, Fun, Fun.”
Thursday January 13, 1977
Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH (7:30 PM Show)
A near capacity crowd attended this concert. Despite the absence of Brian and a nearly hour delay before it began, Jane Scott of the Cleveland Plains Dealer declared “it was Good Vibrations from the opening ‘California Girls’ to the final encore ‘Fun, Fun, Fun.' But this was more than just a surfin' safari. The group wove in fun loving songs such as Little Deuce Coupe and Be True To Your School with quieter ones and unpublished material. And ready with rhythm behind the four Beach Boys were eleven other musicians, from a five man horn section to flute player Charles Lloyd. Guitar-keyboard player Carl Wilson introduced his brother-in-law, Billy Hinsche, who sang a yearning 'Sail On Sailor.' His voice, deeper and rougher in texture, was a good contrast to the Beach Boys."
Dennis seemed to be in a good place but he continued to wrestle with his demons. The day after the concert, Dennis dropped by WMMS Radio in Cleveland to tape an interview with DJ Murray Saul. Possibly because of the DJ’s name and the alcohol he was liberally imbibing from a flask-Dennis suddenly broke down and began discussing abuse by his dad-the show was being videotaped and recorded but Warner Brothers' Executives confiscated the tapes and they remain in the vault. The photo of Carl was taken at a record signing at Peaches on April 15 before the BBs flew to Detroit.
Saturday January 15, 1977
Olympia Stadium, Detroit, MI (7:30 PM Show)
After a one-day break, the group headed to Detroit, where they were reunited with Brian, who played the remainder of the tour. John Laycock of the Windsor Star declared that he’d never seen a happier audience and that the Beach Boys seemed just as enthusiastic to be there. He noted that Brian, the main focus of the audience’s attention, “bobbed Buddha like at the baby grand piano, singing a little in a husky voice, waving like a victor and absorbing adulation-some of it from his brothers and cousins in the band, more of it from the totally blessed out audience.”
Sunday January 16, 1977
Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, ON, Canada (Two shows at 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM)
Close to 35,000 people attended these two shows. Peter Goddard of the Toronto Star noted, "The Beach Boys brought extra ammunition-in the person of Brian Wilson, their troubled guru and chief songwriter...Wilson appeared to be trying desperately to seem offhanded and as casual as the rest and the others on stage seemed over eager to make him feel at home. But it was very strange-Wilson would suddenly smile or wave his arms and then just as suddenly stop, as if going through motions he barely remembered once doing. Without Brian Wilson the Beach Boys were coasting. Now with him again, they're struggling to get back in gear. Last night saw the premiere (for Toronto at least) of two new Brian Wilson pieces, both included on an album, The Beach Boys Love You, that's due out next month. The two songs, called Airplane and Love is a Woman, indicated that Brian is still the match of any songwriter around now but also that he's lost something. They were marvelously crafted but neither had the freaky, erratic kind of genius of his songs, from say, the Pet Sounds album of 1966...An almost solemn, preachy tone pervaded the show when the group wasn't playing old hits like Good Vibrations, Heroes and Villains and Help Me Rhonda. The audience members were up on their feet for the nostalgia but positively numb with disinterest with almost everything else."
Monday January 17, 1977
Forum, Montreal, QB, Canada (8:00 PM Show)
15,000 fans turned out to see the Beach Boys and get a glimpse of Brian, who had never appeared in the city before. Juan Rodriguez of the Montreal Gazette noted that the show was delayed by technical problems and described the tension backstage: "Beach Boys' managers, emissaries, advisors, technicians and roadies-outfitted in blue satin baseball jackets and red sweatshirts, all with Beach Boys logos sewn on-paced about with expressions of consternation. 'I've never seen a group look so worried about getting through their show,' remarked one of the Forum's crew. Brian Wilson, pale and bearded, his eyes far away from the crowd, clutched at his wife's hand as he strolled about backstage in silence. He was wearing what seemed to be a striped pajama top (if it was a shirt, it looked as if he had slept in it, which is quite possible from what the legend mill tells us these days). He looked like a man spaced out and trying to walk the tightrope of straightness. The group finally emerged from the dressing room, brother Carl, Dennis and Brian, cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine, together over 16-years. They stood at the backstage exit and stared at the beautifully lit stage adorned with plastic palm trees...They made their southern California lifestyle so foreign and fascinating and....weird. They come across as affluent, insecure, idle, carefree, paranoid (Manson in the air), transcendental, spaced out. But they make a unique music. The sound of white southern California (Disneyland on acid or meditation, whatever your preference)."
David Freeston of the Montreal Star praised their performance as “superb” and noted that as they “harmonized their way through a perfectly paced show of 30 songs, the excitement and enthusiasm gradually turned to rapture, so that by the time the group was into its second or third encore the Forum was filled with the kind of awesome din not witnessed since…the last Beach Boys’ concert here, five months ago.” Rodriguez noted one humorous incident involving Brian: He accidentally walked out the wrong exit at halftime and emerged in a lobby full of fans, who had to direct him to the stage door.
Tuesday January 18, 1977
Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
A crowd of over 19,000 attended this concert, despite mountains of ice and snow. Many came to catch a glimpse of Brian, making his first appearance in Philadelphia since 1965. John Fisher of the Courier Times argued that he “seemed totally relaxed at his normal perch behind the concert grand piano. His vocals added to the fullness of the Beach Boys’ harmonies. For one number, he went back to playing the bass, which he originally played for the group. He pranced around showing a new energy and also a trimmed down waistline.”
Wednesday January 19, 1977
Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA (7:45 PM)
The Beach Boys played before over 16,000 people. Pete Bishop of the Pittsburgh Press declared it “one of the great concerts” and noted that he’d “never seen fans go so wild simply because they were having such a good time…They played a lot more lesser-known songs than usual, like ‘Back Home,’ ‘California Saga,’ ‘It’s Ok’ and ‘Everyone’s In Love With You,’ and a couple of brand new ones, ‘Airplane’ and ‘Love Is A Woman.’ The biggest cheers, of course, were reserved for the oldies and today’s teens know all the words and screamed when the opening bars of each favorite were played.’” The photo was taken one month later (February 19), when all three Wilson brothers presented at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
Thursday January 20 and Friday January 21, 1977
Capitol Centre, Largo, MD
Despite the fact that Jimmy Carter’s Inaugural Ball was taking place in DC, for many people the biggest event in the area was the Beach Boys’ two-nights at the Capitol Centre. 18,000 fans attended the first night’s show alone. The Capitol Centre was one of the first venues to film the performers so they could be seen on the large jumbotron screens above the stage. A videotape of this feed exists (though it is unclear if it is for the first or second night). Dressed casually in a t-shirt and jeans, Brian was the center of attention, with the camera frequently on him. He sang with confidence, though there was some self-parody in his delivery at times (He sang the words but seldom seemed actually invested in the performance). That being said, fans that had dreamed of seeing Brian onstage got their money’s worth. Brian was an active participant, vocally and instrumentally.
With no more concerts scheduled till the summer, the Beach Boys went their separate ways. During this long layoff, Dennis finished his solo album Pacific Ocean Blue, Brian worked on his (ultimately) unreleased solo album Adult Child and Mike went off to Switzerland for a six month TM course.
Saturday July 30, 1977
CBS Convention, Grosvenor House Hotel, London, UK-with Crawler and Teddy Pendergrass
Brian had continued recording all through the fall of 1976 and by early 1977 he had completed production of The Beach Boys Love You. With the other members otherwise engaged for much of the time, it was practically a Brian solo album. Indeed he allegedly played most of the instruments on the record himself. As such, it opened a window into where Brian was at in 1977. All the eccentricities of a man who’d spent the majority of the last five years in his bedroom were on display. It was, as engineer Earl Mankey put it, “Brian straight and raw.” The Love You album divided critics and continues to divide fans to this day. Many were turned off by the ragged harmonies and quirky tunes. However, others were thrilled by what looked like a real return to form after the disappointing and rushed 15 Big Ones. Influential critic Lester Bangs went so far as to call it “their best album ever” in Circus Magazine, though he admitted that it was pretty weird. Songs such as “Solar System” and, Brian’s ode to his favorite talk show host, “Johnny Carson” were certainly bizarre but the overall production definitely showed some traces of the old magic, especially the brilliant “The Night Was So Young,” which featured a nice if slightly stoned lead vocal from Carl and a high falsetto background from Brian. Brian actually seemed to be coming “back.” The LP, however, was a commercial failure.
The record had been released during the long hiatus that followed the January tour. The Beach Boys planned to regroup in July for their first UK appearances since 1975. Carl Wilson flew to London at the end of June to announce that four open air concerts were booked; Cardiff Castle on July 23, Bellevue in Manchester on July 24, Wembley Stadium on July 30 and Dalymont Park Stadium in Dublin on August 1. The opening acts were to be Dr. Feelgood, Ricci Martin and Dave Edmunds’ Rockpile, with Gallagher and Lyle added to the bill for three of the dates and Barclay James Harvest scheduled to play at Manchester. In addition the group had scheduled some continental appearances, including a July 26 concert at Lorely Amphitheater in St. Gorshausen, Germany. They had also committed to make an appearance at the Convention being held in London by CBS Records, their new label. However, only a week before the tour was to begin, the group abruptly backed out of their obligations. The official reason for the cancellation, issued to the press on July 14, was “inadequate time to make preparations,” but behind the scenes other explanations were being proffered. Harvey Kubernik reported in Melody Maker that the group’s management “had been overambitious in trying for the Wembley Stadium” and that the band only managed to sell 40,000 of the 60,000 tickets necessary to make the Stadium booking profitable. It was also rumored that some of the other outdoor shows had weak advance sales. Predictably, management quickly denied that this was the case. However, such protestations rang hollow after the always-honest Brian told a reporter from The Guardian that the tour was canceled because “the promotion didn’t hold up-we had to cancel because tickets weren’t selling.”
While poor ticket sales certainly played a part, it was also suggested that the cancelation of the tour had more to do with changes in the group’s management. The Beach Boys left Warner/Reprise in 1977 and signed with Caribou, which was distributed by CBS. With Mike out of the country in Switzerland, the Wilsons allowed Stephen Love’s contract as manager to lapse. The band once again fell under the management of James Guercio. It was alleged that he got them to back out of the tour since he “felt that certain contractual and other preparations had not been carried out as he wanted.” Ironically, by the time that the tour was scheduled to begin he had been fired as Manager and replaced, at Carl’s behest, by Henry Lazarus, an acquaintance of his from Los Angeles. The group soon became dissatisfied with him too and it was floated to the press that the tour fell apart because Lazarus failed to secure work visas and tax documents for everyone involved in time.
Despite canceling their UK tour, the group was contractually obligated to appear at the annual CBS Convention,. It was a private event, with an invitation-only audience of close to 1,600 people. Amongst the guests were Neil Diamond, Patti Labelle, Stephen Stills, Art Garfunkel, Ray Davies, Jeff Beck, Eric Idle, Ron Wood, Mick Jagger, Boz Scaggs and Little Feat. The purpose of the convention was to publicize CBS’ important acts and it was vital that their newest acquisition, the Beach Boys, be present. Max Bell spoke for many in the UK when he wrote that “Apparently the aging old ravers can find time to play their greatest hits routine for the conglomeration of CBS international corps but can’t make with the music for the people who pay the wages; that’s you.' Carl defended the decision by noting that the group had signed papers in March, when they signed with Caribou, committing them to appear at the Convention. However, British fans still felt upset. The Beach Boys would not return for a real tour until 1980.
Despite scant rehearsal, the group closed the convention with a 90-minute concert. Alf Martin, reviewing the show for Record Mirror, noted that when they began, “they were not together at all-very shaky, bad harmonies.” But he argued that the group soon came alive: “The Grosvenor had never seen anything like it, people standing on chairs AND tables. ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’, ‘I Get Around’, ‘Good Vibrations’, if you could spot a closed mouth in the place, its owner was either so drunk he couldn’t hear or a waiter-and even one of those was standing on a chair, singing along.” Robin Denselow of the Guardian called the concert “an exhilarating, emotional performance, far more lively than their last album (even when they performed the same songs) and it proved triumphantly that even after 16 years they are unbeatable at their joyous and melodic harmony style.” Some, however, were more critical. Bruce Johnston, who attended the event, declined to join them onstage for an encore because, as he related to Melody Maker, “the band sounded so shitty that I didn’t want to be a part of it.” Max Bell, of NME, admitted that the corporate crowd was enthusiastic but argued, “They’re paid to like it. A real Beach Boys fan couldn’t have dug it if he or she had been lost in a maze of acid. It was a nightmare of boredom.” Bell remarked that the group looked tired and Brian “looked like he didn’t know what the hell was going on…Only Carl Wilson made any pretense to professionalism, the others were on hold.” Harry Doherty of Melody Maker noted that Brian, who had slimmed down considerably and cut his hair short, “looked totally zomboid and completely unaware of what was happening around him.” Doherty was the only reviewer to notice tension between Mike and Brian. When Brian moved from piano to bass at one point during the show, Mike announced with heavy sarcasm “Here he is, Brian Wilson, the Eternal Kid…The Eternal Teenager” and during ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’ Mike rushed over towards Brian at the piano and “attempted to turn the grand piano over, but instead toppled Wilson’s mike over. Wilson looked positively terrified at this and when the song ended, walked from behind the keyboard, keeping one eye on Love, waved and left the stage."
Friday August 19, 1977
Indiana State Fairgrounds Grandstand, Indianapolis, IN-with Ricci Martin (8:00 PM Show)
Three weeks after the British tour debacle, the group (including Brian) embarked on a short two-week trek through the states with opener Ricci Martin (whose debut album had been produced by future brother-in-law Carl Wilson.) Jerry Schilling had now replaced Rick Nelson as Tour Manager, but did not join the band on the road till September, due to the death of his good friend Elvis Presley on August 16. The backing band consisted of Bobby Figueroa, Billy Hinsche, Charles Lloyd, Ron Altbach, Carli Munoz, Ed Carter and the Tornado horn section. The biggest change was a new stage design, with Brian seated behind a keyboard built inside the shell of a 1957 Chevy convertible. However, it was missing from the opening show in Indianapolis, because there was not enough room on the stage for it.
Zach Dunkin of the Indianapolis News noted that the presence of Brian at this show made it special. “His vocals…on ‘Sloop John B,’ ‘Airplane’ and ‘Love is a Woman,’ were surprisingly better than what has been heard on the group’s last two albums. He’s looking much better too, with the smaller waistline. His short hair and beard were startling changes. Once, Brian left the security of his piano…to strap on a bass guitar and sing ‘Back Home’ from the 15 Big Ones album. After the first line of the song, which mentions the state of Ohio, he stopped, started all over again and substituted ‘Indiana.’ The crowd and the rest of the Beach Boys went bananas. The move was totally out of character for Brian Wilson." The photo was taken on that day and shows Brian with Beach Boys' fan Greg Shady.
Saturday August 20, 1977
Kentucky State Fairgrounds, Louisville, KY-with Ricci Martin (3:00 PM Show)
The band was over an hour and a half late in taking the stage for this concert. Mike blamed the tardiness on their ignorance of the time-change between Indianapolis and Kentucky. Alanna Nash of the Courier-Journal suggested that the lateness had rattled the band, which in her estimation took a long time to get into the groove. Nevertheless, she acknowledged that the crowd had a great time, though they were “appreciative but not enamored of the new work” from the Love You album that the band dispersed amongst the oldies.
Sunday August 21, 1977
Mississippi River Festival, Edwardsville, IL-with Ricci Martin
This was a benefit concert for which the group received no guarantee, though they were promised a share of the ticket gate. The Beach Boys were late getting onstage, but the crowd of 9,200 was patient and cheered loudly throughout the show. Chris Sullivan of the Edwardsville Intelligencer noted that “they played almost nothing that everyone in the crowd didn’t know all the lyrics too. There was a nice new song called ‘Airplane’ and a few others that we hadn’t heard before, but otherwise it was all that old wailing ‘ooh-ooh-waa-ahhh.”
Monday August 22, 1977
Iowa State Fair, Des Moines, IA-with Ricci Martin
The Iowa State Fair gig attracted over 15,000 fans. Despite problems with the sound system that played havoc with delicate ballads like “Surfer Girl”, critic Jim Healey of the Des Moines Register declared it “their best Iowa concert ever.” He argued that unlike previous Fair appearances “this one had real musical depth. The band was lighter, the arrangements better and with Brian’s voice to draw on, the harmonies when they were on, were exactly right. It sounded more like the Beach Boys of yore; the good time surfin’ and draggin’ crooners of the 60s.”
Wednesday August 24 to Friday August 26, 1977
Pine Knob Music Theater, Clarkston, MI-with Ricci Martin and Dennis Wilson (Five shows in three days)
The Beach Boys played a three-day residency at the open-air Pine Knob Theater outside Detroit. Jim Dolan of the Detroit Free Press reviewed the first show and noted, “The five man group and a 12-piece band opened with ‘California Girls’ and received their first standing ovation. An hour and ten minutes into the show, the crowd stood up after an excellent rendition of ‘Help Me Rhonda’ and didn’t sit down for the rest of the show. The Boys were in perfect form, except for one horrendous solo by Carl Wilson (probably Brian) on ‘Love Is A Woman.’ But it was a Beach Boys crowd and no one seemed to mind, just as they ignored a few technical problems at the beginning of the show.”
These concerts were notable for the fact that Dennis Wilson played short solo sets to promote his upcoming solo album Pacific Ocean Blue. He handled keyboards, while Bobby Figueroa manned drums, along with Carli Munoz, Ed Carter, Billy Hinsche, guitarist Ed Tuleja and bassist Wayne Tweed. The decision to play was very last minute. Bobby Figueroa recalled that they never rehearsed other than a quick sound check. “We did a half hour set of mostly Pacific Ocean Blue songs. Most of us had played on that, so we were all familiar with it. We did it at Pine Knob and one or two other places but it didn’t last very long.” Dennis was excited about his album, which would be released in September. He signed advance copies of the release at a number of record stores on this tour. In an interview with Mike Duffy of the Detroit Free Press he noted, "My press has been friend of Manson, sensationalist crap. I learned a great deal from that. Maybe I smoked a little more pot than the rest of the guys. And maybe I messed around with more girls. But so what? I don't think people should be judgmental. I don't think it's healthy. It's very difficult to do a solo album when you are part of a group. I felt vulnerable, frightened...It's 100% mine. I wrote 100% of it. I arranged 100% of it and I sang 90% of it. I even played the strings on 90% of it." He commented that he was "going for a much bigger sound than the Beach Boys" have. "My album is more into poetry and music, listening to the sounds, the overall experience." He also commented on his demons: "I've been in moods where I'd do cocaine for a week, not for the He-He-He of it but for the experience."
Saturday August 27, 1977
Castle Farms Music Theatre, Charlevoix, MI-with Ricci Martin (7:30 PM Show)
Sunday August 28 and Monday August 29, 1977
CNE Grandstand, Toronto, ON, Canada-with Ricci Martin
The Beach Boys attracted capacity crowds in Toronto despite the fact that they’d visited the city twice in the previous 12 months. Steven Davey noted, "As the 17-piece-band played the opening passage to California Girls, a wave of nostalgia swept the arena. And at stage right behind the piano, looking nearly skinny in a yellow turtleneck, sat Brian Wilson. Wilson has been the 'musical sage of the age' (as Mike Love introduced him) since the Beach Boys beginnings...The band's four keyboard players added a wash of sound. Particularly outstanding was jazz flutist Charles Lloyd. The trademark harmonies were crisp and exciting. But it was Be True To Your School, Surfer Girl and In My Room that won the crowd's attention. A brilliant rendition of Good Vibrations, the Beach Boys at their most complex, was followed by the trite and rapturously received Barbara Ann. Maybe in another 15-years the Beach Boys newer songs will be met with the same ingrained affection." Dennis apparently played a two song solo set during this show to publicize his upcoming album Pacific Ocean Blue. The setlist for this show consisted of: California Girls, Darlin'. Sloop John B, Little Deuce Coupe, In My Room, Sail on Sailor, California Saga: California, Airplane, Back Home, Surfer Girl, Lady Lynda, Catch a Wave, Be True To Your School, Honkin Down the Highway, It's OK, Love is a Woman, Roller Skating Child, Everyone's In Love With You, All This Is That, Friday Night (Dennis only), What's Wrong (Dennis only), Heroes and Villains, Help Me Rhonda, Wouldn't It Be Nice, I Get Around, Good Vibrations, Surfin USA, You Are So Beautiful, Rock and Roll Music, Barbara Ann and Fun, Fun, Fun
Wednesday August 31, 1977
SPAC, Saratoga, NY-with Ricci Martin (7:00 PM Show)
Over 40,000 fans turned out for this show, with much of the attention focused on Brian. Dressed in a Beach Boys t-shirt, he spent most of the night seated at the piano. He did not say a single word, though he did take a few lead vocals. According to Donna Hartman of The North Adams Transcript, “His solo performance of ‘In My Room’, a ballad he wrote, drew tremendous applause. But the old wailing falsetto was missing from what has become what some call his theme song.” The concert allegedly was again opened by Dennis (after Ricci Martin's set) and included a performance of “You and I” from his solo album. The photo was taken on September 15 at a rehearsal for the televised Don Kirshner Music Awards.
Thursday September 1, 1977
Central Park, New York, NY-with Ricci Martin (12:30 PM Show)
The Beach Boys played a free concert for a massive crowd estimated at between 75,000 to 150,000 people. WNEW FM and CBS Records sponsored the show, which cost $50,000 to set up. The show aired live on the radio. Chip Rachlin recalled that on this tour “the Central Park gig was one I fought really hard for. It was to celebrate the tenth anniversary of WNEW. My old partner from Carnegie Hall, Michael Klenfner, was on air talent from midnight to six Saturdays and Sundays. The chance to headline Central Park for 100,000 people was huge. I said to the Beach Boys, ‘you have got to do this. This is the most important market to this band. You are doing this show!’ Then I had the task of finding 20,000 for expenses. If they were going to do a free show, they wanted the hotel and airfare covered. Mel Karmazin (then VP of WNEW) looked at me like I had two heads. He said ‘This is a free show!’ but in the end I got the $20,000.” For Rachlin, nearing the end of his time with the band, it was a sentimental moment. “I thought I had put everything that’s important to me on that stage. I gave a gift to the city of New York. That was the last hurrah…after that I said I can’t do anymore…It became my entire life. At a certain point you have say, ‘Look at what we fucking did!’ and then you have to let go.” The set list consisted of: “California Girls”, “Darlin”, “Sloop John B”, “Little Deuce Coupe”, “In My Room”, “Sail On Sailor”, “California”, “Airplane”, “Back Home”, “Surfer Girl”, “Lady Lynda”, “Catch a Wave”, “Be True To Your School”, “Honkin’ Down the Highway”, “It’s OK”, “Love is a Woman”, “Roller Skating Child”, “Everyone’s In Love With You”, “Feel Flows”, “Heroes and Villains”, “Help Me Rhonda”, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, “I Get Around”, “Good Vibrations”, “Surfin’ USA” and “Fun, Fun, Fun.”
Friday September 2, 1977
Narragansett Racetrack, Pawtucket, RI-with Ricci Martin and Leo Sayer (6:00 PM Show)
The 1977 tour culminated with this open-air concert that attracted close to 40,000 fans. Chip Rachlin recalled that promoter Frank Russo wanted the group so badly that he gave them the largest guarantee of their career up to that time, a promise of no less than $100,000 for two hours of work. To make up for the outlay, tickets sold for the then unheard of price of ten dollars. Fans, many of whom arrived at noon to get a seat, were surprisingly sanguine about the prices and the endless delays, including opener Ricci Martin’s difficulty in getting to the venue, which resulted in the show starting two hours late. The concert, however, was by most accounts a disappointment. Perhaps the group was tired after the exhilarating Central Park show or dispirited by a horrendous business meeting that had just taken place in New York, but reviewers agreed that their performance was flat. Bob Kerr of the Providence Journal argued that the group “just went through the motions. They walked out in front of probably the largest rock audience ever assembled in Rhode Island and dogged it, giving the minimum for a maximum pay day." Kerr singled out Brian’s performance as particularly bad. Steve Morse of the Boston Globe also commented that Brian’s “voice lacks its falsetto quality, so high harmonies are now filled by Carl Wilson. Brian did sing a harsh lead on ‘Sloop John B’ and ‘Back Home’ but was shaky and vanished after four numbers, returning only for ‘Help Me Rhonda.’” Morse was also disappointed that Dennis did not perform a single song from his solo album and “that sloppy musicianship prevailed, similar to the band’s Schaefer Stadium appearance two years ago and way below their tight Boston Garden shows last fall."
The Beach Boys were totally at odds with each other. Up until the mid 1970s, the Beach Boys had been run as four-man corporation, which meant that when Mike disagreed with a business decision his cousins often outvoted him. However, by 1977 they had finally forgiven Al for leaving the group in 1962 and granted him an equal share, thus entitling him to a vote. Since Brian seldom attended the meetings and often didn’t vote, this meant that by 1977 Dennis and Carl could no longer count on getting their way. On the last day of the tour, the group held a divisive meeting to decide who would take control of the band. Mike was unhappy that the managers and agents working for the band had fallen too far into the Wilson camp and he allegedly demanded that his brother Steve be re-signed as manager to redress the balance. Al also supported bringing Stephen Love back and Brian was convinced to add his vote as well. Carl and Dennis, however, threatened to leave the group rather than accept Love as manager again. They left the meeting so dispirited that Dennis commented to a Rolling Stone reporter “this could be the last Beach Boys concert tonight. I see the Beach Boys coming to a close and there’s a lot of backstabbing and maliciousness going on.” His words proved prophetic. Following the concert, the group had a very public fight at Newark International Airport and came perilously close to breaking up. Ron Altbach recalled that Dennis and Mike literally came to blows on the tarmac and had to be separated.
Friday October 14, 1977
Allen Field House, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (8:30 PM Show)
The Beach Boys patched up their feud enough to present an award at Don Kirshner's televised Rock Music Awards on September 15 but the group remained tense when they flew to Kansas City for the first date of a hastily arranged three-day tour. Dennis remarked to Dennis Hunt of the LA Times, “Everybody thinks the group is permanently back together just because we’re doing these shows. That’s pure bull. Nothing is finalized. We’re doing these shows because it’s been worked out that Steve Love won’t be representing Carl and me in these gigs. This time they were willing to lean in our direction so we could do these dates.” Press speculated that this might be the last chance for fans to see the Beach Boys before they broke up. Nor did the group wholly refute these rumors. When quizzed by a local reporter on Friday whether the stories were true, Dennis admitted that the possibility of breaking up existed. However when asked if it would be their last tour he optimistically answered, “No, not if things work out.” The lucky reporter was the only one to get a quote, as the band’s management issued a strict gag order on interviews.
Even if they weren’t talking, the group was under the microscope. Reviewers analyzed every movement on stage for clues to the state of the band and announced signs were not good. David Chartrand of the Lawrence Journal World claimed that one could “sense that the end is imminent as the band struggled through a 90 minute show here…Oh sure the packed field house got what it wanted and came away thoroughly pleased…But there was so little effort. With two exceptions (the tail ends of both 45 minute sets) the three Wilsons, Love and Jardine were just going through the motions.” The concert got off to a rocky start when the opening song “California Girls” was plagued by feedback that made Mike’s vocal almost inaudible. After a couple of numbers, a halt was called to the proceedings so the sound could be fixed which resulted in a lengthy unplanned intermission. The system was eventually fixed as much as it could be and the concert continued but Rick Thaemert of the University Daily Kansas argued that audio problems were not the only issue affecting the performance. He felt the band sounded all over the place and lacked tightness as a unit.
This was certainly to be expected considering the animosity within the group and the fact that there had been a major shakeup in the touring band. In an effort to get rid of all the drugs and negativity, Mike allegedly insisted that non-meditators be fired. Thus, while Ron Altbach, Ed Carter, Charles Lloyd and the Tornado horn section remained, Billy Hinsche was gone after six years with the group (though he briefly returned in December), Carli Munoz was replaced on keyboards by newcomer Gary Griffin and Mike Kowalski took over for Bobby Figueroa on extra percussion. Greg Berning was brought in as road manager. Ron Altbach recalled, “Mike (Love) believed that there’s a certain kind of influence that happens when people are following a healthy lifestyle and doing TM and he wanted that around him.” Bobby Figueroa commented, “I left because I wasn’t given a choice. Things were going in a certain direction with the MIU album and meditation. I wasn’t opposed to it but I didn’t want to be forced into it either. I mean… present it to me in a better way so I don’t feel like this is something I have to do. I am a pretty open minded individual and even if I don’t agree with something I can let it go on and not have a prejudice about anything. But I don’t like my philosophy being dictated to me. And if they reached out to me in a better way I probably would have been a lot more open to it but I was a little defiant about it. I was a hard ass.” While the replacement of these musicians must have been irritating to Carl and Dennis, Ron Altbach saw no indication of it. He recalled, “Carl was a sweet man and he didn’t get angry…He loved those musicians. He loved Carli and Billy and he was right, they were good musicians but Mike really didn’t like that atmosphere. So Carl kind of gave in to Mike on that stuff and it was what it was.”
Saturday October 15, 1977
University of Iowa Fieldhouse, Iowa City, IA
While the set list was similar to the August shows, the band did try out some new material at these concerts, notably Al Jardine’s ode to his first wife, “Lady Lynda,” and “Country Pie,” a King Harvest song that Mike liked, which though it never found a place on an album continued to be performed throughout 1978. Jeff Moravec of the Cedar Rapids Gazette praised the band’s appearance in Iowa as a testament to “the kind of relationship the group has with its’ audience…The exchange of energy is truly amazing: the audience feeding off a string of perfectly executed tunes and the band reaching for new heights with each new and subsequently more frenzied burst of appreciation from the fans.” Moravec, however, may have been viewing the show through rose-colored glasses. One attendee, Wendee Phillips, wrote a letter to the Gazette in which she declared that far from being a “perfect” performance, “there was continual feedback from the microphones. The tempo on several songs was wrong and thus the songs dragged. Their harmony was off on many of the songs, producing an effect equal to fingernails on a blackboard.” The photo was taken in Kansas the previous night.
Sunday October 16, 1977
Hulman Center, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN (7:00 PM Show)
Sound problems marred the first of two 45-minute sets by the group. However, the Sycamore Yearbook declared that in the second set “swinging into old hits ‘Good Vibrations’ and ‘Help Me Rhonda’, the Beach Boys brought the crowd back to life as many jumped to their feet swaying and singing with the music. The general consensus was that the finale was the best part of the entire show. After leaving the stage, the Beach Boys returned at the demands and applause of the audience. The show was concluded with ‘Barbara Ann’, ‘Surfin’ USA’ and ‘Rock and Roll Music.’
With the Beach Boys future still in doubt, Mike Love turned his energies towards the promotion of meditation. Ron Altbach recalled, “When we finished up in Switzerland in 1977, Mike, Charles and I went to see Maharishi and (magician) Doug Henning was there. And we made a promise that we would tour with Henning to raise awareness and money for TM.” The group organized a series of benefit shows to help fund the creation of “Age of Enlightenment” TM facilities in various cities. For the occasion, Mike created a new band called Waves that included Charles Lloyd, Ron Altbach, Ed Carter, Rusty Ford (on bass), Ernie Rodriguez (on guitar), Gary Griffin, Mike Kowalski and fellow TM enthusiast Al Jardine. Shows too place at the Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley, CA on October 17, Music Hall, Houston, TX on October 19, El Camino College, Torrance, CA on October 21, Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles, CA on October 22 (this show was filmed) and the California Theater, San Diego, CA on October 23, 1977.
Friday November 11, 1977
Freedom Hall Civic Center, Johnson City, TN (8:00 PM Show)
As November began, the Beach Boys remained divided. Dennis was contemplating a solo career, even going so far as rehearsing with a band on October 31 and November 1. Dates were tentatively booked at Hofstra University (Nov 22), Avery Fisher Hall in New York (Nov 23) and the Academy of Music in Philadelphia (Nov 29). Dennis, however, lacked confidence about going it on his own and when push came to shove he canceled, allegedly due to jealousy in the Beach Boys camp and the record label’s doubts about the tour’s commercial potential. Drummer Bobby Figueroa recalled, “The tour support wasn’t there from the label for Dennis to go out on the road. They kind of pulled the plug on him a little as far as supporting him to go out and tour and play these songs. It was a great album but I think they were losing confidence in Dennis at that point. Dennis was wrestling with some problems of his own and that had a lot to do with it.” Hence, instead of playing on his own, Dennis was back behind the drums for some tense dates with the Beach Boys.
The friction on stage extended to the studio. In November Mike and Al decided to record the next album at the Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa. As Al related, “We had an invitation from the Maharishi himself to record at his facilities. We wanted to do something different, so we accepted. We renovated Building 154 of the University, put in a cafeteria, dorm rooms, a studio in the basement, and did most of the arranging, singing, and writing there. It also gave our wives and children a fresh dip into TM while we worked.” Mike commented to a reporter that he felt the Institute would aid the creative process because “we all feel pressure, the music business is highly competitive, both while recording and after it’s out. We have deadlines and delivery dates but here the tension doesn’t build up.” However, if he hoped that the peaceful surroundings might ease the strife within the group, Mike was soon proven wrong. Carl and Dennis had no desire to be cooped up with the group on a meditation retreat and were mostly absent. Dennis spent a few days in Fairfield. Carl likewise only spent a week at the studio (in early December). Brian, under the watchful eye of his bodyguard Stan Love, remained for the duration, but proved unwilling or unable to take charge and production chores mostly fell to Al Jardine and pianist Ron Altbach.
The band had contractually agreed to play another weekend of shows and dutifully appeared in Tennessee. However, though they put up a good front, it proved impossible for the Beach Boys to totally hide their dissension from the audience. Nancy Wingate of the Kingsport Times noted, “There was a static and tension among the group that could be felt by the fans. They didn’t know what it was, but they didn’t like it…From ‘California Girls,’ probably the most representative song from the early years, through ‘Good Vibrations,’ the largest selling hit they ever had, to cuts from their latest album, The Beach Boys Love You, they sang them all. But it didn’t feel as if they loved anyone last Friday night. It felt as if they were having too many worries of their own.”
Saturday November 12, 1977
William and Mary College, Williamsburg, VA (8:00 PM Show)
While acknowledging that the concert suffered from off key harmonies and the fact that the new group of backing musicians had not had sufficient playing time together to develop a real relationship, Ish Arango of the Flat Hat pronounced the group’s second appearance at William and Mary a success. He noted, “The high energy that the Beach Boys transmit is unlike that of most other bands. It remained present even after the show ended; people rushed home to play their Beach Boys’ records and tapes.” Arango gave special praise to Dennis who’s “magnetic persona shone strongest when he sang Joe Cocker’s ‘You Are So Beautiful’ and as he dropped to one knee (a la James Brown) at the end of ‘Surfer Girl” and to Brian, who briefly came alive while performing on the bass before again retreating behind his piano.
Sunday November 13, 1977
Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC (8:00 PM Show)
Brad Elliot reviewed this concert for the Florence Morning News. He noted that they played two 45-minute sets that greatly pleased the majority of fans in attendance. However, Elliot was disappointed that they played only golden oldies or recent tunes and that “of the late sixties/early seventies period they played only two songs. I was left with the impression they are trying to forget that period in which they tackled heavier subjects and released generally non-commercial product. It’s a shame because they turned out some outstanding material during that period.” Bob Drogin of the Charlotte Observer reported that “the Beach Boys…demonstrated to a packed crowd at the Charlotte Coliseum the superb harmonies, rich vocals and boogie beat that has made them one of America’s greatest white rock groups.” However, he noted with concern that Brian seemed out of sorts and commented that his voice on “In My Room,” “was shaky and weak. He looked bored and kept staring glassy eyed at the roof, or perhaps some point beyond. He only tried one verse of ‘Sloop John B,’ then went back to staring at the roof as his brother and lead guitarist Carl Wilson took over the lead.”
Friday November 18, 1977
Hammons Center, Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield, MO (8:00 PM Show)
Close to 10,000 fans turned out for this show, with many camping out overnight to get the seats closest to the stage. Mike O’Brien of the Springfield News and Leader noted that the show suffered from “lulls and rough spots and some annoying audio feedback” but argued that “when the five members of what is perhaps America’s most successful-certainly among the most important-rock music groups reached back to the early 1960s and dusted off their classic salutes to rolling waves and fast cars and California girls…well you could almost feel the sand between your toes.”
Saturday November 19, 1977
Assembly Hall, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL (8:00 PM Show)
This show was marred by the audience’s indifference to the band’s new material. Greg Allen of the Daily Illini noted that the crowd booed when Mike introduced “Country Pie” and showed impatience when other recent numbers were played. Allen argued that ironically the old songs the fans wanted to hear were the “material that was most lacking in execution. Most of the earlier material depends upon Brian Wilson’s distinctive falsetto as an integral part of the Beach Boys’ unique vocal blend. Sadly, he can’t sing this way anymore, and his voice was acutely missed. Even when Carl Wilson attempted to imitate Brian’s missing vocal parts, the result was a disappointment.”
Sunday November 20, 1977
UD Arena, University of Dayton, OH (7:30 PM Show)
Tom Scheidt of the Dayton Journal Herald attended this show and commented that, "The Beach Boys were in rare form. The balance between voices and instruments was superb, for the most part their vocals were in tune and the positive energy that the band was pouring on the crowd could be felt as a physical force. The thirtyish surfers played a good balance of new and old material but it was the smash 60s tunes that sent the crowd into banana-land. Little Deuce Coupe, Help Me Rhonda, Be True To Your School and Surfin USA had the fans screaming, clapping and dancing unlike any crowd this year." Despite the good vibes onstage, offstage was tense. Following this concert, the group again went their separate ways. Mike, Al and Brian returned to Iowa to record more of the MIU album, while Carl and Dennis went home. The photo shows Carl on his brief (week long) visit to MIU in early December with road manager Greg Berning.
Sunday December 11, 1977
Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC, Canada-with Foreman Young Band (8:00 PM Show)
Having recorded almost two albums worth of material in Iowa, the Beach Boys headed out on the road again. The touring band remained the same as in November: Ron Altbach, Gary Griffin, Mike Kowalski, Ed Carter, Charles Lloyd and the Tornado horns. Greg Berning and Jason Raphalian accompanied the band. The set list remained basically the same, though the band added a note of whimsy by dragging out “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow” for the encore. Unfortunately, the Vancouver concert was a disaster. The band remained in a fragile state and there had been no real rehearsal. As a result, harmonies were flat, vocals were all over the place and the band frequently was not on the same page. Dennis, undoubtedly under great stress/strain due to the tension in the group and probably depressed over the commercial failure of Pacific Ocean Blue, appeared inebriated and spent much of the show rambling inanities into the microphone between songs. Vaughn Palmer, of the Vancouver Sun declared it “one of the most disgracefully inept performances I have ever seen a major rock act mount."
They seemed unable to summon the joy and energy they'd displayed in 1975. Part of the problem was Carl’s altered state. He'd gone through a painful divorce from his first wife and been sidelined by excruciating back pain that led him to self medicate. The problems in the group only exacerbated his drug use. Chip Rachlin recalled that in 1977, “Carl was on a downward spiral...You get tired of fighting. Carl was not having much fun.” Since, as many Beach Boys’ insiders have frequently stated, Carl was the “quality control” of the group, his loss of focus couldn’t help but affect the performances. However, crowds didn’t seem to notice, as long as the band played “Little Deuce Coupe” and “Help Me Rhonda.” By 1977 the group was no longer expected to be as good as the records; they were just expected to be Beach Boys. As Seattle Times reviewer Patrick MacDonald tellingly commented “All the Beach Boys had to do was show up and play some semblance of their music and the crowd would have been satisfied. The rest of it-the sounds, the staging, the lights-wasn’t important, because it wasn’t a concert so much as a celebration, a tribute to nostalgia.” Unlike 1971-1973 when every concert was treated like a must win football game, the band now often showed up at the venue without rehearsing, confident that no one would notice or care.
Monday December 12, 1977
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR (8:00 PM Show)
12,000 fans turned out for this show. Oregonian reviewer John Wendeborn noted, “There was precious little change from any Beach Boys show of the past few years…The crowd didn’t seem to mind that the harmonies and the occasional solo were not up to the usually high harmonic quality…There were though many pleasurable moments in the show. Mike Love’s rap with the audience is always a highlight. And Dennis Wilson’s material is flat excellent. Vocal interplay on ‘God Only Knows’ was clean and some of the newer things outstanding.” The BBs spent the night in Seattle, which became their base of operations for the next week.
Tuesday December 13, 1977
Seattle Coliseum, Seattle, WA (8:00 PM Show)
Patrick MacDonald, of the Seattle Times, complained about the poor sound and criticized group members for “their atrociously off key harmonies” in the first half, especially on an apparently god-awful version of “Sloop John B.” However, he argued that they got their act together in the second half “so much so that ‘Surfer Girl,’ another song that depends on harmony came off beautifully. The crowd was more excited in the second part too. A great body of people in the front of the stage swayed to the rhythm of ‘God Only Knows,’ almost everybody sang along with ‘Good Vibrations’ and the whole house was on its’ feet for the last twenty minutes.”
This show was filmed for an unreleased documentary on the making of the MIU album titled Our Team. Ron Altbach recalled, “It was done by Peter Marshall. I brought him out to California and set it up. (I don’t recall why it didn’t come out) But there was so much negativity about that album within the Beach Boys. I think we financed that film, not the Beach Boys. It was done as a Tax shelter.” The rarely seen film has footage of the group performing “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “Surfin’ USA” and of Dennis performing a moving version of “You Are So Beautiful,” which he dedicated to the crippled children the group had met that day in a local hospital. In addition to visiting the hospital, the group went into Kaye Stevens’ Studio to record public service announcements for Toys for Tots and add some overdubs to the MIU tracks. While there, Dennis, who had mostly avoided sessions in Fairfield, added his terrific lead for “My Diane.” Our Team has footage of a healthy-looking Dennis laying down his vocal.
Wednesday December 14, 1977
Beasley Coliseum, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
The Beach Boys appearance in Pullman was less than stellar. Once again the sound system was the biggest culprit, frustrating both fans and group members. Dennis was particularly annoyed and grumbled throughout the show about his inability to hear other members. Bruce Spotleson of The Lewiston Morning Tribune noted, however, that Dennis seemed to have other issues: “He’d been slurring words all night, mumbling jumbles and generally singing off key whenever he was given the opportunity.” His performance of “You Are So Beautiful” to begin the encore was apparently so incoherent that the band had to work hard to salvage the situation with their remaining three songs.
Saturday December 17, 1977
McArthur Court, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR (8:00 PM Show)
The Beach Boys were supposed to play at the Jackson County Expo on December 16 but the show was canceled. The group played for 9,500 fans at the University of Oregon, a venue they'd appeared at in 1966. It was apparently an incredible show culminating in spirited encores of “You Are So Beautiful,” “Papa Ooom-Mow-Mow,” “Barbara Ann”, “Rock and Roll Music” and “Fun, Fun, Fun” that had the crowd on their feet. Fred Crafts of the Eugene Register Guard, however, was troubled by Brian’s erratic behavior. He noted that Brian looked “drawn and nervous” and that onstage he “often screwed up his face in a nervous twitch.” Crafts related that at one point during the concert, much to the surprise of both band mates and the audience, “Wilson mysteriously left the stage. Suddenly he wandered into the audience in front of the stage where, with a bemused grin, he waved at the band, signed autographs, left the arena and went to his dressing room then returned to the stage as if nothing had happened.”
Monday December 26, 1977
San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, CA (8:00 PM Show)
The 12,000 fans who showed up for this concert suffered through a fifty minute delay because, according to a spokesman “a truck slipped off the road coming down from LA.” By the time the show started the crowd was restless and the first set fell flat. Jack Williams of the Evening Tribune complained “the sound system creaked and croaked” and the “boys were flat and off key more than they had a right to be.” Yet, like many reviewers, he acknowledged that the Beach Boys still possessed some kind of magic and when they turned up the energy in the second set with “Catch a Wave” and “Be True To Your School”, it began “to sound like a class reunion, be it first grade or high school…And when the band…broke into oldies but goodies like ‘Help Me Rhonda’, ‘I Get Around’, ‘Good Vibrations’ and ‘Surfin’ USA’ it was clear that they still knew how to pace a show and involve a crowd. Acoustics, sound system and flagging voices be damned.”
Tuesday December 27, 1977
Forum, Inglewood, CA (8:00 PM Show)
The Beach Boys returned to LA to celebrate their sixteenth anniversary. It was something of a Love family reunion, as Mike’s sister Maureen guested on harp for the two opening songs of the second set, “Catch a Wave” and “In My Room,” and his other sisters Stephanie and Margie sang backup vocals on one number. For once Loves outnumbered Wilsons and Mike joked to the crowd that “this kind of evens things up for all those years.” A film of the show exists and Billy Hinsche can be seen playing keyboards, after a two-month absence. Despite tension evident to other reviewers, Paul Grein of Billboard declared the concert “a triumph” and commented that “the group’s sunny harmonies and fluid grace brought to life songs like ‘Darlin’ and ‘California Saga’ while its’ warmth and humor also sparked such wonderfully corny songs as and ‘It’s OK.’ and ‘Be True to Your School,’ which closed the first half.” However, Grein noted that Brian seemed “lackadaisical and lost” for most of the show and that “the only members who were really vital and dynamic were Dennis Wilson, the group’s aggressive drummer, who also sang lead on ‘Surfer Girl’ and worked the keyboard banks, and Mike Love, lead singer on most of the songs and the group’s crowd pleaser.” Karen Lamm and Marilyn Wilson joined the BBs for the big encore performances of Barbara Ann, Rock and Roll Music and Fun, Fun, Fun.
Wednesday December 28, 1977
Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA (7:30 PM Show)
A fractious and difficult year came to an end with this concert at the Cow Palace. Billy Hinsche was again present (however, it was his last show with the group until Nov 1982). The set list consisted of: “California Girls”, “Darlin’”, “Sloop John B”, “Little Deuce Coupe”, “Love is a Woman”, “California Saga”, “Airplane”, “Back Home”, “Surfer Girl”, “Lady Lynda”, “God Only Knows”, “Honkin’ Down the Highway”, “Catch a Wave”, “Be True to Your School”, “It’s OK”, “In My Room”, “Everyone’s In Love With You”, “All This is That”, “Country Pie”, “Roller Skating Child”, “Heroes and Villains”, “Help Me Rhonda”, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, “I Get Around”, “Good Vibrations”, “Surfin’ USA”, “You Are So Beautiful”, “Papa Oom-Mow-Mow”, “Barbara Ann”, “Rock and Roll Music” and “Fun, Fun, Fun.” Dan Roach of the Peninsula Times noted, "The Beach Boys gave off their customary 'Good Vibrations' for most of Wednesday's ninety-minute appearance, which is why after sixteen years...they continue to be one of the hottest concert attractions around. It wasn't a flawless show but it contained some of the best pop songs of the last 16 years, like California Girls, Surfer Girl, In My Room, Be True to Your School, I Get Around and Good Vibrations...(Brian) Wilson the architect of the Beach Boys fabulous sound returned on Wednesday and played piano and sang lead on a number of songs. The first half of the show was marred by the fact that it was a full hour late in beginning and Wilson's microphone was non-functioning for the first three songs. Al Jardine and Mike Love filled in when Brian's first lead vocal of the night on Sloop John B produced the same affect as pantomime."