Tucson double-dipped in the bragging-rights department Tuesday night when the Beach Boys opened their 50th anniversary tour at Casino del Sol's AVA.
Not only were we the initial stop on the band's 50-city tour, we also were the first ones to see founding member Brian Wilson on tour with his longtime band mates for the first time in 46 years.
Truth be told, Wilson did not look like he was relishing the moment for the 2 1/2-hour concert's first half. Several times he lost his place and came in too early or too late. He seemed to be referring to sheet music on his white piano, and several times with the stage cameras on him he looked horribly frustrated.
When the band broke for intermission an hour into the night, Wilson ambled off stage moments after everyone - there were 15 counting the backing band - had already sneaked off.
To be fair, the band as a whole was slow to start. They seemed understandably nervous, launching a historic tour in the middle of the desert before an audience that filled about two-thirds of the AVA. It took them a few songs to find their rhythm and acclimate themselves to being back on stage.
That intermission did them and, in particular, Wilson loads of good. He returned for the second half in stronger voice and temperament and actually cracked a half dozen smiles.
As a whole, the Beach Boys were in pretty impressive form after the bumpy start. Sure their voices were not nearly as strong or dynamic as they were back when the Beach Boys were ranked one of the top bands in the world. But they could still pull off their signature harmonies on "Surfin' Safari," "Be True to Your School," "Little Deuce Coupe" and "I Get Around" - songs that got the audience on their feet dancing.
Mike Love, the band's de facto frontman, was the emcee, but he was hardly the center of attention. That role was split equally among the band members as each took a turn in the spotlight: Bruce Johnston was superb on "Disney Girls," Al Jardine put a smooth Southern twang on "Cotton Fields" and David Marks contributed consistently good harmonies throughout.
The tenor role that's such a big part of the Beach Boys sound was admirably undertaken by a member of the backing band.
Brian wasn't the only Wilson on the lineup. In video performances that look to date to the 1970s, late brothers Dennis ("Forever") and Carl ("God Only Knows") Wilson joined the band on stage. (No, it was not nearly as creepy as Tupac's holographic return-from-the-dead performance at Coachella two weeks ago.)
But the night truly belonged to Brian Wilson. Even in the first half, when he seemed so uncomfortable in his skin, the audience applauded him. In the second half, when his voice had the vigor of his younger self and he was singing songs that seemed to strike an emotional chord - "Sloop John B," "Sail On, Sailor," "Heroes and Villains" and "In My Room" - Wilson seemed to actually relish the attention.
Review
Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Tour at Casino del Sol's AVA Tuesday.
