2008 Woodie Awards
Wilson offers peppy show at Keswick
Mark Rybaltowski '07
Issue date: 12/1/06 Section: Entertainment
Rock 'n' roll has always been grounded in youth. From its very beginning, rock music has always been the sound of the young and indestructible. When a fresh-faced Elvis Presley started shaking his hips, adults across the country threw their arms up in terror. The Who screamed about dying before they got old, while the Beatles were all under 30 when they broke up after over 10 years of making music. The energy and power that creates the best rock music is usually based on that youthful exuberance and energy. Accordingly, I have always been reluctant to attend shows of touring older artists. The idea of watching old men jump around on stage while they try and relive their glory days always seemed a bit pathetic to me, so I have kept my attendance to these shows down to only a couple. However, when it was announced that Brian Wilson would be performing the entirety of Pet Sounds at the Keswick Theater, I decided that this was an opportunity that should not be missed.
The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds is one of the most influential albums of all time, and it has always had a direct correlation to youth. Wilson and lyricist Tony Asher were able to capture one of the best accounts of young adulthood ever written. Wilson opened himself up more than ever before, talking about young love, the fear of leaving home for the first time, loneliness, and the confusion of entering into the world. Brian Wilson was only 24 years old when he recorded Pet Sounds, and the sheer heart, honesty, and purity with which he created it has always been its shining characteristic. It is also one of the reasons generation after generation continues to connect with the record.
The crowd at the Keswick Theater was primarily older, with the average age of the audience being about 40. Brian Wilson and his 11 piece band came onstage and played an opening set of older Beach Boys tracks and songs from parts of Wilson's solo career. The band, seeming more like a cast of characters than a backing band, was extraordinarily tight, playing each of their parts with the skill of seasoned veterans. Wilson has always worked with the best musicians and his current line-up seemed like no exception. Wilson, himself, was looking good and healthy, a promising sight for a man who has struggled with many personal demons throughout his life. His voice was in good form, sounding bright and excited, and his onstage body motions (although limited mostly to arm movements and hand motions) exuded genuine enjoyment. The quick opening set was appeasing, but the real show was still to come.
The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds is one of the most influential albums of all time, and it has always had a direct correlation to youth. Wilson and lyricist Tony Asher were able to capture one of the best accounts of young adulthood ever written. Wilson opened himself up more than ever before, talking about young love, the fear of leaving home for the first time, loneliness, and the confusion of entering into the world. Brian Wilson was only 24 years old when he recorded Pet Sounds, and the sheer heart, honesty, and purity with which he created it has always been its shining characteristic. It is also one of the reasons generation after generation continues to connect with the record.
The crowd at the Keswick Theater was primarily older, with the average age of the audience being about 40. Brian Wilson and his 11 piece band came onstage and played an opening set of older Beach Boys tracks and songs from parts of Wilson's solo career. The band, seeming more like a cast of characters than a backing band, was extraordinarily tight, playing each of their parts with the skill of seasoned veterans. Wilson has always worked with the best musicians and his current line-up seemed like no exception. Wilson, himself, was looking good and healthy, a promising sight for a man who has struggled with many personal demons throughout his life. His voice was in good form, sounding bright and excited, and his onstage body motions (although limited mostly to arm movements and hand motions) exuded genuine enjoyment. The quick opening set was appeasing, but the real show was still to come.
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