Friday February 10, 1967

Convention Hall, Miami, FL-with Question Mark and the Mysterians, the Left Banke, the Electric Prunes and Keith (8:30 PM Show)

As 1967 began, it was clear that Smile was nowhere near finished. Many awe inspiring tracks, however, were in the can and everyone still believed that Brian would be able to complete the record in time for a March release if he worked in a disciplined way.  Yet, with Capitol breathing down his neck, Brian chose instead to spend much of January tinkering endlessly with “Heroes and Villains,” the song he saw as the follow up to “Good Vibrations.” As the NME’s Tracy Thomas noted, Brian had become a “fanatical perfectionist.  He will listen to a track over and over for 20 minutes before throwing it out.  I’ve been at a three hour recording session during which only one set of da-doo-ron-rons were recorded.”  Many observers began to worry, however, that the high expectations in the industry and all the attention he was getting were causing Brian to over obsess about making the perfect record.  Friends nervously watched as brilliant sections of music were created and then scrapped.  In the midst of recording sessions for Smile, the Beach Boys embarked on a ten-day tour.  Dick Duryea and Steve Korthof accompanied them.  The eclectic bill included Michigan band, Question Mark and the Mysterians, then riding high on the success of their single “96 Tears,” the Left Banke, which had success with “Walk Away Renee,” the Electric Prunes who had scored a hit single with “I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night),” and Keith, of “98.6” fame.

Saturday February 11, 1967

Bayfront Center Arena, St. Petersburg, FL-with Question Mark and the Mysterians, the Left Banke, the Electric Prunes and Keith (8:15 PM Show)

The Beach Boys performed for 7,700 fans at this show.  Bob Blumberg of the Evening Independent noted, “Every song they sang was well known and heartily applauded. The most liked group effort seemed to be the slow and sedate ‘Surfer Girl.’  The drummer, Dennis Wilson, left his drums to sing a beautiful and inspiring rendition of ‘You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away.’  An interesting note of the evening was that the lesser groups all either had long hair or wild clothes, while the famous Beach Boys were a group of clean cut young men simply attired.”

Sunday February 12, 1967

Civic Auditorium, Jacksonville, FL-with Question Mark and the Mysterians, the Left Banke, the Electric Prunes and Keith (Two shows at 6:00 and 8:30 PM)

James Lowe, of the Electric Prunes, usually watched the Beach Boys set and recalled, “as with all bands, some nights the Beach Boys sounded a little disjointed but when there were large venues they shined.  I can still remember Carl singing ‘In My Room’ with a huge blue spotlight on him…it was amazing.”

Monday Feb 13 1967

Municipal Auditorium, Columbus, GA with Keith, the Left Banke and the Electric Prunes

I discovered this show after the publication of my book

Tuesday February 14, 1967

Memorial Gym, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN-with the Left Banke, the Electric Prunes and Keith (8:00 PM Show)

Gail McLain of the Sidelines noted, “Mike Love, 25, vocalist, entertained the audience with his endless wit between numbers, while Bruce Johnston, 24, played bass guitar and organ and Carl Wilson, 20, provided leading notes on his guitar. Both Al Jardine and Carl Wilson, tenors, singing two slow, soothing ballads (‘Surfer Girl’ and ‘God Only Knows’) added variety to their program.  After many requests, the Boys did ‘Barbara Ann,’ a favorite with the audience, and concluded with ‘Good Good Vibrations.’

Wednesday February 15, 1967

Lone Oak High School Gym, Paducah, KY- with the Moxies, the Left Banke, the Electric Prunes and Keith (5:00 PM Show)

I was not aware of this concert when I wrote my book.  The Moxies opened the show. They were a Paducah garage band.

Thursday February 16, 1967

Roberts Stadium, Evansville, IN with the Villains, the Roadrunners, the Left Banke, the Electric Prunes and Keith

I discovered this show, the BBs second appearance in Evansville, after the publication of my book.

Friday February 17, 1967

Bradley University, Peoria, IL-with the Left Banke, the Electric Prunes and Keith (8:00 PM Show)

Bob Garner of WRBU interviewed the BBs backstage before this show.  He asked a bearded Mike why he kept growing and shaving off his beard and Mike responded, “Well Brian doesn’t like it and we’ve had a few fights about it.  So, whenever Brian isn’t with us, I grow it again and he never knows the difference.” Garner asked Carl where Brian was and he answered, “Brian doesn’t travel with us anymore. He’s too busy writing songs and making arrangements for the new album we’re doing.” Garner than asked them to explain what instruments they played. Dennis commented, “Well, let’s start with me, since I’m the most important! I play the drums.” Al than broke in, “Wait a second. How can you say that? Why don’t you tell Bob who’s really the most important?” Mike said, “Ok it’s me” and Al sputtered, “What? You don’t even play anything!” Mike retorted, “I play the theremin” and Carl replied, “That’s a cross between a harpsichord and a car radiator.”  Garner than asked Dennis about playing at colleges and he replied, “We like it. They don’t scream and yell like some crowds but they want to be entertained.” Carl added, “Yeah they’re under pressure all the time and when they’re able to relax they want something good, like us!”

Saturday February 18, 1967

Memorial Hall, Dayton, OH-with the Electric Prunes, Keith and the Left Banke (Two shows at 3:00 and 7:30 PM) and Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Columbus, OH-with the Electric Prunes, Keith, the Left Banke, The Rebounds and the Grayps (Two shows at 6:00 and 8:45 PM)

In a truly insane set-up, the Beach Boys played in Dayton at 3 PM then rushed to Columbus for an evening show, then returned to Dayton for a 7:30 show, and then back to Columbus for their fourth concert of the day.  Sterling Smith, then a keyboardist for the Columbus band the Grayps, recalled, “Steve Korthof, rented Vox amps for the shows from a local music store and, in the first show, Carl was getting some bad hum or crackling (either from the amp or a bad cord).  Mike Love sarcastically told the crowd, ‘These are the same amps the Beatles (sneer) use.’” Despite the technical problems, however, Smith was very impressed by the Beach Boys.  “The five of them playing with no sidemen through the house PA sounded phenomenal…It was just simple, crisp.  I wasn’t a major Beach Boys fan, I was more of a Beatles, Rolling Stones, British Invasion guy but I was really impressed.  I was blown away by how good they were.”

Sunday February 19, 1967

Masonic Auditorium, Detroit, MI-with the Electric Prunes, Keith and the Left Banke (7:30 PM Show)

A capacity crowd attended this show.  Lorraine Alterman of the Detroit Free Press commented, “The Beach Boys breezed through a collection of their hits like ‘Surfer Girl,’ ‘Sloop John B’ and ‘Good Vibrations.’…The bearded Mike Love, wearing a white fur cap a la Dr. Zhivago, joked around with the audience between numbers in a casual way that made the crowd feel they were at a friendly get together not a concert.  Unfortunately, the Beach Boys gave the impression on their songs that this was just another job to them.  It was, but you still would like to think they were singing and playing their hearts out for you.  They didn’t project that added zing of excitement which distinguishes a great performance from a good one.”

Friday March 17, 1967

Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL-with the Standard Deviationists and the Contents Are

Although Brian finally finished a version of “Heroes” to his apparent satisfaction in early March, months had been wasted by which point two problems had developed which further threatened the future of Smile.  The first problem was the group’s increasingly strained relations with their record label.   Their decision to form their own company, Brother Records, led to tension with Capitol.  As Mike explained to Derek Taylor, “Our contract says that whatever we make has to be checked and finally worked out by Capitol.  We signed this contract years ago…It’s not possible anymore to go to Capitol, with an idea of Brian’s, than wait fourteen days because they have to talk about it…There’s only one way out for us: our own record label.  Well, Capitol did not want to do this.” In addition to these frustrations, Nick Grillo had an audit done which showed that the band had been short-changed money over the years and that Brian had not been paid properly for producing their records.  The Beach Boys launched a lawsuit on February 24 demanding that the label pay them $225,000 in unpaid royalties.  They believed that their suit had merit and that even if a judge refused to grant them the money they would “probably succeed in getting the court to rule that they are no longer obliged to record for Capitol, and thus may be their own best selling stars for the new label.”  A side effect of the suit, however, was that the group held back on giving the label any new material.  “Heroes and Villains” remained on the shelf.   Of far greater consequences for Smile, however, was Van Dyke Parks departure in March.  He was increasingly uncomfortable defending his lyrics and had relied on Brian to maintain the integrity of the album.  In the face of group criticisms, however, Brian began to suffer his own doubts about some of Van Dyke’s more artistic lyrics.  Parks was offered a chance to make a solo record by Warner Brothers and decided to abandon what he saw as a sinking ship.  The loss threw Brian into a panic.  There were still numerous songs that required lyrics and no one else could write them. For over a month, Brian avoided the studio and did not work on anything related to Smile.

Despite the uncertainty, the group soldiered on.  They were confident that Heroes and Villains was a winning song and expected the single to be released soon. They headed off for more tour dates, while Brian pondered the future. The set list at this concert included “Help Me Rhonda,” “I Get Around,” “Surfin’ USA,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “God Only Knows,” “Good Vibrations,” “Barbara Ann,” and a cover of Gary U.S. Bond’s 1961 hit “New Orleans.”

Saturday March 18, 1967

Masonic Temple, Davenport, IA-with Keith, the Casinos and the Harper’s Bizarre (Two shows at 7:00 and 9:30 PM)

The opening acts on many dates of this tour included the Cincinnati doowop group The Casinos, who had a big hit with ‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye”, and the Harper’s Bizarre, a Santa Cruz band that scored with their cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘59^th Street Bridge Song.’ Interestingly, some members of the Harper’s Bizarre had previously been part of The Tikis, who’d opened for the Beach Boys in 1964-65.

Sunday March 19, 1967

Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, MO-with Keith, the Casinos and the Harper’s Bizarre (Two shows at 6:30 and 9:00 PM)

About 2,576 people showed up for this show.  Nancy Miller of the Kansas City Times noted, “The audience…responded enthusiastically with clapping and spasmodic screams to such songs as ‘Sloop John B,’ ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’ and ‘California Girls’ but remained in their seats and left quietly when the show ended.  The Beach Boys are an attractive group with a maximum of talent and stage presence, both of which served them well last night.”

Monday March 20, 1967

Kiel Opera House, St Louis, MO-with Keith, the Casinos and the Harper’s Bizarre (8:00 PM Show)

Tuesday March 21, 1967

Tulsa Assembly Center, Tulsa, OK-with Keith, the Casinos and the Harper’s Bizarre (8:00 PM Show)

Wednesday March 22, 1967

Mid South Coliseum, Memphis, TN-with Keith, the Casinos, the Buckinghams and the Wild Kingdom (8:00 PM Show)

6,000 enthusiastic fans attended this show.  The Commercial Appeal praised the group as “masters of showmanship” but questioned their sarcastic in-between song patter.  “When they called for requests, one of the Beach Boys said, ‘what?  Leave town?’  Before introducing the song ‘God Only Knows’ which several in the audience said they had never heard, the quintet warned, ‘We’re going to do a song that’s kind of quiet, so you can all leave now…If anyone knows the words, just feel free to go ahead and shut up because we’re going to do the song.”

Thursday March 23, 1967

Municipal Auditorium, Austin, TX-with Keith, the Casinos and the Buckinghams (8:00 PM Show)

Mike Cox of the Austin American Statesman noted that the Beach Boys stole the show “since it was theirs anyways. The medium haired, tastefully dressed five-some did just about all their well-known hits, including ‘Surfer Girl,’ ‘Sloop John B,’ ‘God Only Knows,’ and their most recent big hit, ‘Good Vibrations.’

The Buckinghams, who had a huge hit with “Kind of a Drag,” opened at these shows.  Guitarist Carl Giammarese recalled, “I was in a locker room and Bruce Johnston was playing me their new song ‘Heroes and Villains.’ He was sure it was going to be a hit.  The feeling I got from Bruce was they had huge expectations for ‘Heroes and Villains.’  Bruce was very engaging, very friendly.  Always took the time to ask what you were doing.  He was the most engaging of the group in my opinion.”  Giammarese also noted, “I was really blown away by how great their vocal harmonies were live.  The way they used to blend their voices was incredible.  When we toured with them I would always listen to their sound checks.  I never thought Dennis was that a good drummer but vocally they were amazing.”

Friday March 24, 1967

Will Rogers Auditorium, Fort Worth, TX-with Keith, the Casinos and the Buckinghams (7:00 PM Show)

Dallas Memorial Auditorium, Dallas, TX-with Keith, the Casinos and the Buckinghams (8:30 PM Show)

After each group played in Fort Worth, they rushed to nearby Dallas to play there as well.  The Dallas show was a complete sell-out attended by 10, 500 fans.  Backstage in Fort Worth, Mike, Al, Dennis and road-manager Steve Korthof (the Wilson’s cousin) were interviewed by a local reporter, Cameo Jones, shown in the photograph.   Asked about the changes to the setlist, Mike commented, “We grew up and we changed. As we matured our style altered. Everybody has to grow up.” Dennis was asked about the psychedelic light shows preferred by many new bands. He commented that they “stink…I don’t really know what they mean. They are just a bunch of light: they have no meaning.” Asked about a potential army draft (which would soon become a major issue for brother Carl), Dennis said nonchalantly, “The draft doesn’t bother me.  I’ve never felt any pressure from it. If I get drafted, I get drafted.”  Al noted, “The fans are growing up with us. The days of the screaming mob is out-that’s only for new groups. We like fans who listen. Then we like we’re out there for a reason.” Korthof commented, “Right now we’re working out a lawsuit with Capitol Records.  The Boys have formed their own label, Brother Records, and they want to record under that.”

Saturday March 25, 1967

Music Hall, Houston, TX-with the Casinos, the Buckinghams and Neil Ford and the Fanatics (Two Shows at 6:30 and 9:30 PM)

Thursday April 13, 1967

Animal Husbandry Building, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS (8:00 PM Show)

In April Brian and Van Dyke Parks briefly reunited and Brian reentered the studio to begin work on “Vegetables.” Brian’s current interests in physical fitness and eating right inspired the humorous song, complete with sounds of carrots and celery being chomped.  On April 10, while the group was recording vocals, Paul McCartney dropped in on the proceedings.  Brian and Paul enjoyed each other’s company in the studio and ended up making a late night visit to John and Michelle Philips house where Brian directed them all in a jam with, “Brian on glasses of water filled to various levels, Paul on cello, Michelle on drums and John on bugle.”  The evening, however, had a greater significance for Brian.  Paul played him acetates of some of the Beatles completed tracks for their new album, due for release in June.  When Brian heard the dazzling, string laden, “A Day in the Life” and “She’s Leaving Home,” he understood that his production race with the Beatles was at an end.  The Beach Boys were leaving for another tour on April 13 and would proceed directly to Europe after that.  There was no way that Smile would be finished before Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.  On April 14, Brian held a last recording session for “Vegetables” and then again abandoned the studio.

The group somewhat dispiritedly hit the road. For the first time in the States and Europe, a mini orchestra led by cellist Igor Horoshevsky of the Robert Shaw Chorale, accompanied the group.  On the Beach Boys tour plane in Europe, the word “The Beach Boys and Igor” appeared on the side of the plane. Al told the Finnish Elanto magazine’s Marjut Valakivi that “Igor is a ‘Russian-born musician who grew up in China and moved to the USA from there via Europe…Nice man. We let his name be written on the side of the plane because we thought it was a nice idea. You know, everyone knows that we are Americans and that Igor is a Russian name.” The other members of the group were Frank St. Peters on sax, flute and clarinet, Jim Carther on flute, clarinet and sax and Richard Thompson on flute, flugelhorn, sax, harpsichord and organ.  Bruce Johnston told a reporter, “Our biggest problem on stage had been the actual reproduction of our records sounds.  We have solved this problem by bringing our entire band with us on this trip.”  Despite the lofty ambitions, the tour got off to a rough start when two of the group’s guitars were stolen during this opening show.  Steve Korthof began shouting and cursing and was arrested by local police.  The group had to bail him out of jail that night.

Friday April 14, 1967

Civic Center, Charleston, WV-with the Collegiates, Jim and Jean, the Casinos and the Left Banke (8:00 PM Show)

Saturday April 15, 1967

University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (7:00 PM Show)

Washington Coliseum, Washington, DC-with the Casinos, Jim and Jean, the Minus IV, Weam Redcoats and the Chartbusters (8:30 PM Show)

The Beach Boys performed as part of Easter celebrations at the University.  Although they played their usual 50-minute set, University students were expecting a longer show.  One student complained, “The lead singer was obnoxious and they appeared to put very little effort into their performance.”  The group then headed to Washington D.C. for a late-night performance there (seen in the photo).

Sunday April 16, 1967

Cambria County War Memorial Arena, Johnstown, PA-with Tommy James and the Shondells, the Uncalled For Three, the Left Banke and Jim and Jean (2:30 PM Show)

Penn Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA-with Tommy James and the Shondells, the Uncalled For Three, the Left Banke and Jim and Jean (Two shows at 5:00 and 7:30 PM)

2,700 fans attended the Johnstown show.  The group then performed two evening shows in Pittsburgh, both of which were sellouts.

Monday April 17, 1967

Metheny Fieldhouse, Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA-with Jim and Jean and the Pickle Brothers

The group, dressed in striped shirts, played another sold out gig.  Dave Davison of the Beaver County Times wrote, “The group…seemed to appreciate the opportunity to have their music listened to and, despite several technical difficulties with their amplification system, gave a well balanced and entertaining show…The group sang a selection of their biggest hits, spaced with occasional ballads, and although screaming was kept at a low level, several young people could be heard singing along with the group.  An indication of how entranced some of the kids were came when the group sang ‘Graduation Day,’ dedicated to all upcoming graduates.  Many in the young audience, perhaps thinking of their own graduation, broke into tears as they sang along.”

Tuesday April 18, 1967

State Farm Arena, Harrisburg, PA-with the Grains of Sand, Jim and Jean, the Casinos and the Pickle Brothers (7:30 PM Show)

Wednesday April 19, 1967

Defiance College, Defiance, OH-with Jim and Jean, the Casinos and the Pickle Brothers (8:00 PM Show)

The Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity sponsored this show, attended by 3,500 fans.

Thursday April 20, 1967

Alumni Coliseum, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY-with the Pickle Brothers (8:00 PM Show)

The Beach Boys arrived at Eastern Kentucky University in the late afternoon and took part in a pick-up game of softball with local students prior to their well-attended evening concert.  Bruce chose to sit in the stands during the ballgame and was interviewed by Craig Ammerman for the campus paper The Progress.  Bruce commented that he was too worn out from touring to take part in the game, but added, “This is one of the highpoints of our trip.  For once we are able to carry on normal communication with people…This is what we miss most; the chance to lead normal lives and enjoy the things other people are able to take part in.”

Friday April 21, 1967

V.P.I Coliseum, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA-with the Happenings (8:00 PM Show)

Saturday April 22, 1967

Assembly Hall, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL-with the Casinos, Jim and Jean and the Pickle Brothers (8:00 PM Show)

The University of Illinois records show that Carl signed a contract on behalf of the group on January 5 stipulating that the group would receive a guarantee of $7,500 for the appearance against 60% of the gross.  The contract also stated that the Beach Boys would supply opening acts to fill out the bill at no cost to the University and that they would appear on stage for no less than fifty minutes.  The University agreed to supply no less than twenty police or private security officers, two stage hands, a sound system, four microphones, colored stage lights and a riser for Dennis’s drums.

The Daily Illini reviewer reported that “The Beach Boys roared into town Saturday and when they left no one could doubt that they were the kings of good clean all-American rock n’ roll music…While it is difficult to perform some of their more recent hits without the added electrical gimmicks of a recording studio, the fine job they did on such songs as ‘Good Vibrations,’ ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice,’ and ‘God Only Knows’ practically brought the crowd to their feet.  ‘Good Vibrations’ was the one the audience seemed to enjoy the most.”

Sunday April 23, 1967

Cincinnati Gardens, Cincinnati, OH-with the Casinos, the Pickle Brothers and the Buckinghams (afternoon show)

Canton Memorial Auditorium, Canton, OH-with the Buckinghams, Jim and Jean and Terry Knight and the Pack (7:30 PM Show)

Backstage at the Cincinnati show, the BBs were interviewed by reporters Karen Combs and Larry Schneider. Al commented that the group were looking forward to their upcoming European tour and noted, “We’ll still sport our usual outfits, though, wide-striped shirts and white pants. We sure don’t wear these things offstage.” Terry Knight and the Pack, a Flint Michigan band that had a regional hit with “Mister, You’re a Better Man Than I” opened for the Beach Boys at the evening show in Canton and in Akron the next night.  Members of the group later formed the 1970s band Grand Funk Railroad.

Monday April 24, 1967

Akron Civic Theatre, Akron, OH-with the Buckinghams, Jim and Jean and Terry Knight and the Pack (7:30 PM Show)

Tuesday April 25, 1967

Westchester County Center, White Plains, NY-with Jim and Jean, the Buckinghams, the Chain Reaction, the Teardrops and Satan’s Helpers (8:00 PM Show)

This was the second time that a Beach Boys show was opened by Chain Reaction, a local White Plains group that featured a young Steven Tyler of future Aerosmith fame.

Wednesday April 26, 1967

Long Island Arena, Commack, NY-with Jim and Jean and the Buckinghams (8:15 PM Show)

Prior to this show, Carl was arrested in New York City by F.B.I agents and charged with draft evasion, a serious charge since a conviction meant a five-year prison sentence.  His arrest shocked friends and family.  The group had always maintained an apolitical image, avoiding comments on Vietnam and other issues of the day.  Carl, however, had developed strong anti-war beliefs.  In court that June he stated, “We were put here to live.  Killing is very evil and destructive and results in human suffering.  I love my country very much, but I won’t take part in the destruction of people.”  He posted bail and was released in time for the show.  His arrest, however, threw a cloud over the group’s future and threatened to disrupt an upcoming European tour.  The Selective Service Board informed Carl they were opposed to letting him leave the country with the group.

Thursday April 27, 1967

Community War Memorial, Rochester, NY-with Tommy James and the Shondels, Jim and Jean and the Buckinghams (7:30 PM Show)

Fans were concerned that Carl would not be present, but despite the stress he was under, he performed with the group.  The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported, “Seven thousand youngsters or more, wired with flash bulbs and equipped with screams welcomed the Beach Boys back to Rochester last night.  The rock n’ roll group, including Carl Dean Wilson, whose travels are currently limited by the FBI on account of draft board troubles, caused a phenomenon like one long, continuous flash of lightning as thousands of cameras ‘shot’ the celebrities.”

Friday April 28, 1967

Back Bay Theatre, Boston, MA-with Tommy James and the Shondels, Jim and Jean and the Buckinghams (Two shows at 7:00 and 9:30 PM)

While the rest of the group continued on to Boston after their Rochester show, Carl was forced to return to New York for a hearing in U.S district court. He was informed that as he would have to appear before a judge in Los Angeles if he wanted to receive permission to go to Europe.  He agreed to show up in court in L.A. on Monday. After the hearing Carl hurried to Boston to appear with the group.

Tommy James and the Shondells were on some of the dates of this tour. They were on the charts with “I Think Were Alone Now’ at the time. In his 2010 book Me, the Mob and the Music, Tommy James commented, “In Boston, we played with the Beach Boys at the Back Bay Theater and I was so blown away not just by them but by their stage gear. We had never worked with a professional monitor system before. They had a truck for nothing but their front sound system and monitors. We were still using whatever contraption the venue handed us, shouting into the microphones and hoping the crowd could hear us. The Beach Boys had a guy out of New Jersey named Jersey Joe who ran their sound. They were just coming off their hit single “Good Vibrations” so they were also riding high. It was amazing watching them perform, especially Mike Love on the theremin. It sounded like you were in a studio. We got to use their system because we were sharing the stage and everything was set up for them. That turned our heads around, and we traveled with our own sound system from then on,”

The system was designed by Steve Desper.  A Florida native, he had moved to California in the mid-sixties and found employment at Universal Sound Studios working on TV shows such as The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Star Trek.  While there he became friendly with a relative of Mike Love’s wife (the Jersey Joe mentioned by Tommy James).  Desper recalled, “He informed me that Mike Love wanted to build a sound system that he would own and rent to the Beach Boys…I designed a portable sound system for them and got together with an audio company and specified the system and the time allotted to build it and they built the console and the cases. So we went out on the road with that.”

Saturday April 29, 1967

Symphony Hall, Newark, NJ-with Jim and Jean, the Buckinghams and the Doughboys (2:00 PM Show)

Memorial Field House, Union College, Schenectady, NY-with Jim and Jean, the Casinos, David Frye and the Buckinghams (8:00 PM Show)

The Beach Boys concluded their American tour with a matinee show in New Jersey followed by an evening appearance at Union College.  The tour had been a stressful affair for the entire band, but it especially affected Dennis.  The strain of watching his younger brother arrested by the FBI and facing the possibility of jail time proved too much for him.  Guitarist Carl Giammarese of the Buckinghams recalled that in Newark, the local opening act the Doughboys “asked permission to use Dennis’s drums for their performance.  They did a Who kind of act and the drummer knocked over Dennis’s drums during their set.”  The Doughboys were stunned when Dennis raced onstage, while the band was finishing their set, and attacked band member Myke Scavone.  Fourteen-year-old Doughboys’ guitarist Richard Heyman recalled, “Dennis was throwing punches and wrestling down our front man to the floor.  The curtains hadn’t even closed yet.  The members of the audience had that look of astonished horror and bewilderment for that moment before the curtains came together.”   Once the curtain went down, the fight got even worse, with Dennis and Scavone trading punches until their respective camps pulled them apart.  Dennis later apologized for his behavior.  Giammarese, who had gotten to know Dennis a little bit on tour, was not that surprised by the drummer’s outburst and commented “Dennis could be a really nice guy sometimes, but he had a split personality.”

The Union College gig that night (from where the photo comes) proved less eventful.  According to Mike Hyland of the Schenectady Gazette, “the Beach Boys were great as usual and sang most of their bigger hits… including ‘Help Me Rhonda,’ ‘Surfer Girl,’ ‘California Girls,’ ‘Sloop John B,’ ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice,’ ‘God Only Knows’ ‘Good Vibrations’ and their last song for the night was ‘Barbara Ann.’”

Tuesday May 2, 1967

Dublin Adelphi, Dublin, Ireland-with The Freshmen, the Vampires, the Strangers and Joe Cahill (Two shows at 6:45 and 9:00 PM)

The Beach Boys embarked on a three week European tour, accompanied by a large entourage that included Lynda Jardine, Steve Korthof, Dick Duryea, Igor’s four piece orchestra, Jersey Joe (who was their sound engineer), a lighting technician and some roadies.  However, they flew to Ireland without Carl Wilson, while he returned to Los Angeles to appear before U.S. District Court Judge A. Andrew Hauk.  He pleaded innocent to the charge and was ordered to appear in court on June 20.  The Judge then granted him permission to go to Europe in return for a $25,000 bond.  Carl and his wife Annie chartered a private plane, at a cost of $5,000, to fly to Dublin in time for the concert.  The group nervously paced backstage, hoping that he would arrive in time for the 6:30 show, but instead they were forced to play without him.

They opened with “Help Me Rhonda,” “I Get Around,” “Do You Wanna Dance” and “Surfer Girl.”  The crowd quickly made their displeasure known by chanting, “We want Carl.”  Rather than change the act, the group soldiered on with the usual set, which led to a problem when it came time to perform “God Only Knows.”  It was left to Bruce to sing the lead and apparently it did not go well.  Ray Coleman of Disc and Music Echo reported, “This was a brave, misguided failure.  Bruce forgot the words. To say it was an embarrassing moment would be minimizing an electrifyingly disastrous moment… It should not have happened…it was utterly unbelievable that any member of a group reckoned by some to be the world’s number two could not know the words of any part of their repertoire before going on stage.  Especially as they’d had time to plan things if Carl failed to arrive in time.”  Boos rained down on the group and 70 members of the audience demanded their money back.  B. P Fallon of Melody Maker commented, “It was to, to be as polite and charitable as possible, a disaster.  The audience wanted Carl, but not as much as the four men who were struggling to make do without him.  They seemed at a complete loss, like some amateur group struck with stage fright at the local talent contest.”

The Beach Boys recognized how badly things had gone and were reluctant to return the stage for their second show. Soon they received word Carl had landed in Dublin and was being speedily driven to the Adelphi.  Much to their relief, he arrived midway through the set and raced onstage, still dressed in the clothes he wore on the plane.  Fallon remarked, “From then on it was the same act, if rougher, that audiences heard on the last tour.  We had ‘God Only Knows,’ ‘Sloop John B’- the number booed in the disastrous first house- ‘Good Vibrations’ and ‘Graduation Day.’”

Wednesday May 3, 1967

ABC Theatre, Belfast, United Kingdom- with The Freshmen, the Vampires, the Strangers and Joe Cahill (Two Shows at 6:45 and 9:00 PM)

Backstage in Belfast, reporter John Coughlan interviewed Carl.  Asked about his arrest in New York, Carl did some damage control and disingenuously stated, “I went into a police station myself. We were on tour at the time and it was the first chance I got after receiving my call up papers.  The court hearing (that followed) was held because I objected to being drafted into the Army. I refused on religious grounds.  The New York Court decided I could not leave the country until the case was decided…I don’t like to kill-it’s against all my principles and I will continue to appeal against the draft.” Carl also admitted that he was very depressed, as he knew his appeal would probably be unsuccessful.

Thursday May 4, 1967

Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK-with Helen Shapiro, Simon Dupree & the Big Sound, the Marionettes, Alan Field and Terry Reid with Peter Jay’s Jaywalkers (Two shows at 6:45 and 9:00 PM)

After two dates in Ireland, the group flew to London, where an increasingly skeptical British press awaited them.  If the media had given the group a relatively easy time in 1966, they seemed intent on taking the opposite tack on this tour.  Melody Maker writer Nick Jones wrote a scathing review of their opening shows at the Hammersmith Odeon.  “One expects a group as experienced as the Beach Boys…to have far more presence on stage.  As the curtain slides up, the impact should strike you dumb.  But one just hears the disjointed, empty, nervous instrumental sound.”  Although Jones was undoubtedly aware that the group was prevented by the U.K. musicians’’ union from using extra musicians at the show, he singled out their inability to replicate their recorded sound as the biggest sin.  “Maybe it is the polished perfection and the wealth of sound and orchestration that one is used to on their records that makes the live Beach Boys seem so comparably amateurish-floundering weakly as though their umbilical cord to Brian Wilson had been severed.”  The group was stung by the negative reviews and lashed out at their critics.  Mike told Bill Harry in the Record Mirror, “If I said we could reproduce that record sound on stage I’d be nuts.  We get the occasional comments from people who say we don’t sound like the records.  But it’s a dumb comment to make because naturally we’re not like the records.  It’s the people who usually don’t pay to come in and see the show who criticize.”

If that wasn’t bad enough, the group arrived in Europe to find that EMI had released the 1965 track “Then I Kissed Her” as a single without their approval.  The song sounded horribly dated in the wake of Pet Sounds and was clearly a disastrous follow up to “Good Vibrations.” One sympathetic reviewer commented sadly, “To release ‘Then I Kissed Her’ as the Beach Boys ‘New’ single is to go backwards and can do the Beach Boys nothing but harm.”  Expressing the group’s feelings, Bruce exclaimed, “It’s really ridiculous. The record is in no way representative of the kind of things we are doing now…this is not the music that won us the NME award as the World’s Top Vocal Group.”

Friday May 5, 1967

Finsbury Park, Astoria, London, UK- with Helen Shapiro, Simon Dupree & the Big Sound, the Marionettes, Alan Field and Terry Reid with Peter Jay’s Jaywalkers (Two shows at 6:40 and 9:10 PM)

The other acts on these British dates included Helen Shapiro, who’d had a long string of British hit singles in the early 60s including ‘You Don’t Know’ and ‘Tell Me What He Said’, as well as Terry Reid and the Jaywalkers, who had a hit with “The Hand Don’t Fit the Glove’ but broke up soon after this tour. Reid then became a successful solo act in the late 60s and early 70s

Saturday May 6, 1967

Odeon Theatre, Birmingham, UK- with Helen Shapiro, Simon Dupree & the Big Sound, the Marionettes, Alan Field and Terry Reid with Peter Jay’s Jaywalkers (Two shows at 6:30 and 9:00 PM)

While the group was in Europe, momentous events were also unfolding in America. On May 6, Derek Taylor broke the news, in his column in Disc & Music Echo, that Smile had been “SCRAPPED.  Not destroyed, but scrapped.  For what Wilson seals in a can and destroys is scrapped.  As an average fan of The Beach Boys, I think it is bitterly disappointing.” Dennis told reporters “We got a little frightened.  We’ve got a lot of songs recorded, but we got nervous about whether they were good enough.  We’ve got afraid to put anything out, unless it comes up to a certain standard.”  The demoralized group soldiered on with their European tour, while Brian stayed mum.  Speaking years later, he suggested that he needed at least another year to work on Smile, but he knew that this was impossible.  Time had run out.

Sunday May 7, 1967

NME Poll Winner’s Concert, Empire Pool, Wembley, London, UK-with Jeff Beck, Cream, the Dubliners, Simon Dee, Dusty Springfield, Georgie Fame, Paul Jones, Lulu, the Move, Cliff Richard, the Small Faces, the Spencer Davis Group, the Alan Price Set, Cat Stevens, the Tremeloes, the Troggs, Steve Winwood and Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band (2:00 PM Show)

The Beach Boys appeared at the NME Poll Winner’s show to pick up their award as “World’s Top Vocal Group” and perform a short set.  However, the Beach Boys found themselves in the unenviable position of apologizing for failing to live up to the hype.  Disc & Music Echo’s Jonathan King went so far as to declare the group passé.  “Wax wizard Brian Wilson may still be, but it has to be said, in this country, The Beach Boys are finished.  This tour and this record (“Then I Kissed Her”) were the decline…Very sad.”  It was a demoralizing experience for the group, who had come to England expecting to be treated as triumphant heroes. As a result of the “Then I Kissed Her” debacle and the negative comments about their recent concerts, the group’s morale was low and they expressed some anxiety about accepting the award. Bruce Johnson told Keith Altham, “Frankly I was little embarrassed to be receiving a world’s top vocal group award from the NME…I mean to all of us there is only one number one and that’s the Beatles.  I told Ringo about this and he said that was nonsense and wished us the best of luck in your poll again next year.  I thought that was really nice.”  Later that night, members of the group attended Jimi Hendrix’s concert at the Saville Theatre, along with Ringo Starr, Brian Jones, and others.

Monday May 8, 1967

Odeon Theatre, Manchester, UK- with Helen Shapiro, Simon Dupree & the Big Sound, the Marionettes, Alan Field and Terry Reid with Peter Jay’s Jaywalkers (Two shows at 6:15 and 8:45 PM)

While in Manchester, Carl granted an interview to Melody Maker about his draft case.  He told the paper, “I am an objector on the grounds of conscience.  I have to make them believe me; otherwise, the alternative is jail-and in America it is usually for a term of three years.  But I have feelings about these things and I feel absolutely certain that the worst will not happen.  I only hope I’m right!”

Tuesday May 9, 1967

Odeon Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland, UK- with Helen Shapiro, Simon Dupree & the Big Sound, the Marionettes, Alan Field and Terry Reid with Peter Jay’s Jaywalkers (Two shows at 6:40 and 9:00 PM)

Drew King of the Evening Times managed to snag a backstage interview with the group.  He noted that it was the group’s first appearance in Scotland but Carl gushed, “It won’t be the last.  It’s so peaceful here and the kids are just great.  We’re playing at Edinburgh tomorrow and we’re all looking forward to exploring the castle.”

Wednesday May 10, 1967

A.B.C Theatre, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK- with Helen Shapiro, Simon Dupree & the Big Sound, the Marionettes, Alan Field and Terry Reid with Peter Jay’s Jaywalkers (Two shows at 6:30 and 8:50 PM)

Friday May 12, 1967

Grona Lund, Stockholm, Sweden (8:00 PM Show)

With their controversial British tour completed, the group flew to the  continent to play a few shows.  The Stones had recently played a show in Warsaw Poland and Al was asked if the Beach Boys were interested in playing behind the Iron Curtain, perhaps even in the Soviet Union. He replied: ‘No, I don’t think so…no.  Actually, I haven’t thought about it. I’m not interested in politics, if that’s what you mean. It’s so confusing.” The first stop was in Sweden to play in Stockholm for the third time in their career. Bruce Johnston told the Finnish Iskelmä magazine’s Erkki Pälli that the Beach Boys were ambivalent about performing in the Nordic countries: “The Scandinavian audience is so cold and unpredictable that it is difficult to perform in front of them.  It sometimes feels as if the authorities have FORBIDDEN them to participate and show their approval other than with restrained hand claps. In addition, I also feel a bit like our music is not really understood here in the north.” The show that night received mixed reviews.  A Swedish fan wrote to Melody Maker on June 17 to ask “What’s wrong with the Beach Boys? The Beach Boys appearances in Sweden were a fiasco. Their stage set was uninspired, their playing amateurish, and the PA system sounded like a distorted transistor radio. One would expect them to have better equipment so at least their fantastic voices could be heard.”

Saturday May 13, 1967

Messuhalli, Helsinki, Finland-with Jormas and Topmost (8:00 PM Show)

The group flew to Finland for the first time. The newspaper announced that the band would arrive at the airport ‘on their own plane at 2 p.m.’   The group was concerned that they’d be mobbed but only about thirty fans, as well as some reporters, were there to greet them when they landed about twenty minutes late. The smallness of the reception  was caused by the last-minute announcement that the band’s plane would not land until 4:40, which caused many fans to return to the city. The Beach Boys and their entourage were then directed to customs. Markku Veijalainen reported in Apu magazine that, “Originally, it was planned that the band would come through customs to a restaurant at the other end of the airport for a press reception. However, this plan fell through because the Beach Boys would have been required to enter the restaurant from outside the terminal.  Apparently, they were afraid of being torn apart by the group of thirty fans, although their own entourage was just as large. However, the Finnish customs men remained firm, and the American pop stars were very angry. After such surprising treatment, the world’s most popular guitar band refused to hold a press reception and left the airport in a furious mood.”

Once situated at their hotel, Dick Duryea agreed that the band would speak to the press in the lobby but the Beach Boys apparently had other ideas. In his book Live in Finland, Mikael Huhtamäki noted, “After about half an hour of waiting, Mike Love wearing a Sherlock Holmes hat arrived in the lobby with a ‘skinny long-haired pop girl’ under his arm and walked straight out the door of the Hotel… The rest of the group had gone to eat, and they were not to be disturbed. After another half hour, Carl Wilson came into the lobby hand in hand with his wife, also intending to go see the city. According to rumor, the band members were burning with a desire to see the streets of Helsinki because they wanted to see Soviet-style cars. However, Carl agreed for a few minutes to absentmindedly talk about the band’s marital status and his recent problems with the US army.” Asked about his draft avoidance, he said, ‘No, it’s not because of Vietnam. I am of the opinion that it is never, and for no reason, right to kill. When we return to California, I will face the court, but I can’t say anything more yet,”

Two popular Finnish bands opened the show that night, and then the Beach Boys took the stage.  The editor of a Youth Club column reported: “They arrived on stage in white pants and blue and white striped shirts. They picked up the guitars and Mike Love started the song ‘Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow’ in his bass voice to which the other boys joined in. The singing was pure, every movement and gesture carefully thought out. Mike danced a go-go step and conquered the crowd. The backing band, four members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, played the flute and cello beautifully. The songs ‘God Only Knows’ and ‘Good Vibrations’ were the most popular…The Messuhalli started to have the concert atmosphere of the good old days. The audience noticed that the Beach Boys are not just a pop group, but artists. The Boys also performed a beautiful four-part song without accompaniment, which of course raised their score even higher. The show was supposed to last 45 minutes. When the time was up, the Beach Boys left the stage smiling. There was no end to the applause.”

Wednesday May 17, 1967

Sport-Halle, Cologne, West Germany-with the Beat Stones, the Barking Dog, the Twangy Gang, the Small Faces, the Smoke and David Garrick (7:00 PM Show)

Following their appearance in Finland, the Beach Boys flew on to Holland on May 14 for a scheduled concert.  Unfortunately, bad luck continued to mar the group’s European tour.  The Beach Boys were unable to obtain the work permits necessary to perform and the show was canceled.  Instead they held a press conference at the Amsterdam Hilton on Sunday (the bottom color image was taken that day).  Hit Week reporter Peter Schroder was amongst the journalists who turned up to speak with them.  An admirer of the group, he nevertheless questioned their resistance to change.  For example, he asked why they continued to wear outdated clothing onstage.  To which Bruce replied, “Oh those clothes, we simply perform in clothes we find comfortable.”  Schroder also asked why they didn’t take a greater interest in how their records were packaged.  Carl testily answered “Are you from EMI or something?” When Schroder expressed enthusiasm for the Smile album jacket that had been advertised in Hit Week, Carl softened and declared, “You might have a point.  We used to not think about it too much, and left it to others.  From now on we’ll make sure that it’s in good hands.” While at the Hilton, the group also taped a television interview for the VARA TV show Fanclub with Judith Bosch.  During the interview, Carl revealed that problems with work permits had led to the cancelation of not only the show in Amsterdam but also a proposed concert in Paris.  As a result, the group had extra time on their hands until their concert in Germany on May 17.   The group spent an afternoon in Paris and then visited Madrid, Spain, before heading on to Germany, where the black and white photo was shot.

Over 3,000 excited German fans turned out for this show in Cologne.  The Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger reviewer noted that there was a long delay before the Beach Boys came out “because of photographers crowding the stage and fans occupying the incline of the cycling track.  The compere tried in vain to get the crowd to return to their seats but it was only when security men marched up and threatened to kick them out that the fans drew back.”  The Berlin Telegraf reported, “The American band managed to make the hall into an inferno from the very beginning.  Girls in multi-colored mini-skirts were screaming ‘Darling!’ and emitting jungle like sounds.  Male fans on the other hand stripped for the Beach Boys, undressing piece-by-piece, leaving only swim trunks.  The especially wild crowds were held back by security men when they tried to get onstage.”

Friday May 19, 1967

Berliner Sport Palast, Berlin, West Germany-with the Small Faces, the Smoke and David Garrick

This was the final show of the ill-fated tour.  Prior to the concert, the group held a press conference at the rooftop bar of the Hilton Hotel.  The Berlin Telegraf reported that “drummer Dennis Wilson was out of sorts but the other four Beach Boys entertained the press and radio people in an unusual manner.  ‘Please get together for a picture,’ Bruce Johnston called to the cameramen and took a flash picture for his souvenir album.  Alan Jardine rummaged through an Electrola press kit and burst into laughter every time he found a funny picture of himself or his partners.  Stubbornly sluggish Mike Love scratched his red beard and gave a play-by-play account to an AFN reporter. At the end of the bar Carl Wilson gave an interview for TV reporter Helmut Lohmeyer and his Zwischenstation program.”

Although this was their first concert in the city, the group had planned to appear in Berlin in 1966.  The authorities at that time had denied the permit because they were afraid that fans would riot and damage the Sport Palast.  Referring to this trip, Bruce told NME reporter Norrie Drummond “We played in Germany with the Small Faces and we had a really great time but Berlin really frightened me.  I went into East Berlin and that’s a pretty grim place but strangely enough away from the main streets there’s a real warmth.”

Saturday June 17, 1966

Monterey Pop Festival, Monterey, CA (Canceled)

As a result of the collapse of Smile, Derek Taylor released a statement that the Beach Boys wouldn’t tour that summer because they felt “that they haven’t been turning out enough in the studio, so they’re going to start concentrating on recording.”  The group had, however, made one important commitment.  In the heady days of Smile, Brian had promised that they would appear at a large California music festival being planned by John Phillips and Lou Adler.  Indeed, Brian was one of several prominent musicians listed as on the Board of Governors.  The Monterey Pop Festival quickly developed into the music event of the year and almost every important band of the time, with the exception of the Beatles, agreed to appear.  The Beach Boys were scheduled to headline a bill that included the Byrds, the Jefferson Airplane and Otis Redding on June 17.  In early June, however, the group announced that they would not appear.  They stated that they were canceling because of Carl’s draft issues and because “the pressure from their record company for a new single and album had become overwhelming.” Festival organizer John Phillips later alleged, however, that the real reason they didn’t appear was, because “Brian was afraid the hippies from San Francisco would think the Beach Boys were square and boo them.” Perhaps, he was right.  Right or wrong, however, the decision was a costly one.   Monterey marked the symbolic birth of the counter culture and signaled a major shift in the California music scene, as “slick” Los Angeles pop gave way to the acid influenced music of San Francisco bands, like the Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead.   As Carl noted years later, “Monterey was a turning point in rock and roll.  Over night the whole scene changed and we felt as if we’d been passed by.”

Of course, the Beach Boys had other matters to deal with at the time. On June 20, 1967 Carl appeared in court to answer his draft evasion charges, facing the possibility of a five-year prison sentence.  At the hearing, his attorney J. B. Tietz argued that Carl had been denied due process, because the draft board had denied his request to be classified as a conscientious objector without granting him a hearing.  Judge Andrew Hauk interviewed Carl and asked him if he was willing to serve his country in some other capacity than fighting, such as working in a VA Hospital.  Carl stated “Most definitely, I just want to do something good.” As a result, he was released, with the understanding that he would serve in some other way.   Carl’s legal problems appeared to be over.  The Beach Boys also settled their issues with Capitol since it was in no one’s interests anymore to continue the lawsuit.  It was mutually agreed that they would record for their own label Brother Records in the United States, but Capitol would press and distribute the records.  As Mike related to Derek Taylor, “Now they realize that after all it is not a bad deal for them at all, because Bruce, Dennis, and Brian are going to produce records separately for Brother Records…and the records will be released by the Capitol industries …Everything is settled perfectly.”

Friday August 25 and Saturday August 26, 1967

Honolulu International Center Arena, Honolulu, HI-with Paul Revere and the Raiders, the Pickle Brothers (Friday only), Dino, Desi and Billy (Saturday only), Bobbie Gentry and Val Richards Five (One show each night at 8:30 PM)

The Beach Boys single ‘Heroes and Villains’ stalled at number 12 on the Billboard charts and the band had serious doubts about the commercial appeal of their upcoming Smiley Smile LP.  A decision was made to record a live album and rush it out that fall in hopes of reversing the group’s fading fortunes.  The band flew to Hawaii to perform two concerts, which would be recorded for the proposed release.  Brian agreed to play his first full concerts with the group since 1965.  Bruce told the New Music Express, “This is definitely a one-shot appearance by Brian.  I was invited to take part in the Hawaii concert, but I shall not do so.  However, I’ll be playing with the group throughout its U.S. tour next month.”  While rehearsing with the group on Thursday, Brian explained to reporter Wayne Harada that he was appearing with the band because, “We wanted to do another live album where the mood’s good.  And it’s great here.  We’re calling it Lei’d in Hawaii.”  Despite his upbeat mood, however, Brian admitted that he “had a particular insecurity about traveling, so I stopped doing the live shows with the group.  Now that I’m back again, it’s a bit frightening.”  Brian seemed both proud and resentful of the group.  He told Harada, “I think rock n’ roll-the pop scene- is happening.  It’s great.  But I think basically, the Beach Boys are squares.  We’re not happening-but we’ve been so lucky in the past.  It doesn’t hurt now.  We get enjoyment in our recordings.  I write most of the songs and I’ve taken some drugs, which have opened my mind to a wider range of musical creativity.  I write anywhere, usually at home.  I don’t write about drugs and those things, though.  As I said, we’re not a hip group.  We’re pretty square.”

Certainly, the band looked pretty square when they emerged on stage in their matching blue and white striped shirts, which one reviewer disparagingly noted, “might have been borrowed from basketball referees.”  Brian took an active part in the proceedings, singing lead on a number of songs, including an interesting version of “Heroes and Villains.”  He alternated between his bulky Baldwin organ, which he insisted on lugging to Hawaii, and bass guitar.  With Bruce absent this meant that Carl had to play bass when Brian was on the organ.  The Beach Boys debuted both of their two summer 1967 singles, “Heroes and Villains” and the instantly forgotten “Gettin’ Hungry.”  Interestingly, the set lists for the two nights varied in a number of ways.  For example, on the second night the group played an instrumental titled “Hawthorne Boulevard” and added “Sloop John B” and “Help Me Rhonda.”  For the record, the set list for the first show was: “The Letter”, “Hawaii”, “You’re So Good to Me”, “Surfer Girl”, “Surfin’”, “Getting Hungry”, “California Girls”, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, “Heroes and Villains”, “God Only Knows”, “Good Vibrations” and “Barbara Ann.”  The second show consisted of  “Hawthorne Boulevard”, “Hawaii”, “You’re So Good to Me”, “Help Me Rhonda”, “California Girls”, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, “Gettin’ Hungry”, “Surfer Girl”, “Surfin’”, “Sloop John B”, “The Letter”, “God Only Knows”, “Good Vibrations”, “Heroes and Villains” and “Barbara Ann.”

Phil Mayer of the Honolulu Star Bulletin noted, “There were technical troubles with the Beach Boys numbers and they didn’t please anyone by working only about half as long as the Raiders.  Musicians who rely on mountains of amplifiers and speakers really ought to make sure that they work.”  Wayne Harada, of the Honolulu Advertiser commented, “The Beach Boys, who recorded their portion of the show for an upcoming album release, probably will have to do a lot of studio editing.  I particularly enjoyed the intricate harmony of ‘Heroes and Villains,’ the quintet’s latest chartbuster.  Brian Wilson’s falsetto and the boyish blend with hints of Barbershop and Bach proved to be a departure from usual surf and cycle Beach Boy-ism.  It was an obligation to include a short chorus of ‘Hawaii’ but it came off quite nicely.  ‘California Girls’ however had more spark.”

The Beach Boys professionally recorded both Hawaii shows.  However, when they listened to the tapes they were underwhelmed.  The performance was somewhat odd, possibly due to hallucinogenic substances the Wilson brothers ingested before taking the stage.  Recognizing the Hawaii tapes were un-releasable the group assembled, with Bruce back in the fold, at Wally Heider’s studio in September to basically re-record the concert in the studio. That didn’t work either. Soon the whole idea was scrapped.  Capitol released the concerts in their entirety, along with the Heider sessions, as part of the 2017 Live Sunshine digital download.  A portion of one of the concerts was also filmed, at Dennis’ instigation, on 16mm Kodachrome Stock, without sound.  Some of this footage, with audio from another concert dubbed onto it, can be seen in the American Band documentary.  The group is seen performing “God Only Knows”, with Brian on organ. In addition, Dennis or an assistant shot home movie footage of the band riding around on motorcycles, swimming, rehearsing (probably on August 24th) and backstage listening to the recently recorded audio.

Friday October 6, 1967

Indianapolis State Fairgrounds Coliseum, Indianapolis, IN-with the Box Tops, the Idle Few, and the Chosen Few (7:00 PM Show) and Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY-with Soul INC., the Alphabetical Order and the Box Tops (8:45 PM Show)

When the Beach Boys long-delayed follow up to Pet Sounds, now named Smiley Smile was released in September, the production was credited not to Brian but to the Beach Boys.  It made sense, since the album bore little comparison to any previous Brian Wilson productions. Due to the limitations of the home studio, the record had an unusual, stripped down sound.  As Brian explained in a radio interview, they used no echo on it, “because we didn’t have an echo chamber in the studio and we just liked the sound without echo.” Songs slated for Smile, like “Wonderful” and “Wind Chimes” were re-recorded with vastly simplified arrangements.  Instead of using outside musicians, the Beach Boys played most of the instrumental parts themselves. Perhaps the decision was an attempt to repair the harmony within the group that had been shattered by Smile.  Or perhaps, after Smile, Brian just no longer cared enough.  The LP had a stoned and slightly creepy vibe about it, which made sense since group members later admitted to taking drugs while recording it. No one in the Beach Boys seemed under any illusions that it was a masterpiece.  Carl seemed almost apologetic about the record, telling a reporter that September that the group had “decided not to have a complicated album this time.  We did Smiley Smile in a couple of weeks, to get something out.  It’s not nearly as ambitious an album as Pet Sounds was.”  Still, it came as a shock when Smiley Smile stalled at #41 on the Billboard charts, a major failure by Beach Boys standards.  Under pressure from the label, the group hastily headed back into the studio to record a follow up LP.  Brian showed no inclination to make any big production so the group went for simplicity. Wild Honey was a homespun Beach Boys R&B record.  

In the midst of recording the album, the group flew to the Midwest for a short tour with Alex Chilton and the Box Tops, famous for their song 'The Letter'.  Steve Korthof and Jon Parks accompanied the group. Parks recalled, "We had some great bands that we took on tour with us like the Box Tops and The Buffalo Springfield. The Box Tops were great, and we all got along, and Carl loved Alex Chilton’s voice and wanted to do some things with him, but their management company kept the Box Tops touring all year long. They would get songs written and record then fly Alex into Nashville to put his voice on and then fly him back to meet his band on tour." The Beach Boys appeared in their usual stage outfits of striped shirts, with Bruce now sporting a mustache.  The shows featured the debut of bassist Ron Brown as a Beach Boys sideman.  His presence freed up Bruce to play keyboards resulting in a fuller band sound.

The Indianapolis show was a return to the days of 1964, as the audience spent most of the show screaming their heads off.  Wendell Fowler of the Indianapolis Times commented, “The Beach Boys…seemed to accept the enthusiasm of the screaming youngsters with an air of humility when they appeared.  Despite all the screams, the veteran, striped shirt group sings to the best of their ability despite what people say about the lack of enthusiasm in groups today.  The last song of the show was the world premiere of ‘Wild Honey,’ which will be released in two weeks.”  Following the Indianapolis show, the group headed to Louisville to appear there.

Saturday October 7, 1967

Music Hall, Cleveland, OH-with the Box Tops, King Kirby & the U.S. Male and the Ohio Express (Two Shows at 7:00 and 9:30 PM)

In between the two Cleveland shows, the group answered questions from thirty local high school reporters backstage.  Questions ranged from why Al’s hair looked blonder then usual (the sun lightened it), to the group’s feelings about LSD (they opposed it).  Asked his opinion of hippies, Mike replied, “You’ve asked the wrong person, I don’t agree with their principles.”  An ironic answer considering that he would look very much likes a hippie by the following year.  They handed out Smiley Smile sweatshirts to all of the reporters after the conference.

Sunday October 8, 1967

Civic Opera House, Chicago, IL-with the Box Tops (Two shows at 5:00 and 8:00 PM)

Following these two shows, the Beach Boys flew back to LA on a TWA flight.  Sally O’Hare of the Chicago Daily News caught up with them at the airport but only Chicago-native Bruce could summon the energy to grant a brief interview. “’I’m the single one,’ he said grinning amiably from behind a handlebar mustache, ‘All the other guys are married-so I’m the one who gets to audition new rock groups in different cities when we’re on the road.  The other guys in the group stick around the hotel pretty much, watching the tube and calling their wives a lot on the phone.”  The photo was taken the night before in Cleveland

Friday November 17, 1967

Masonic Auditorium, Detroit, MI-with Buffalo Springfield, the Strawberry Alarm Clock, the Soul Survivors and the Pickle Brothers (8:30 PM Show)

This was the opening date of a ten-day trip billed as the “Fifth Annual Thanksgiving Tour.”  It was the group’s first tour in their new stage outfits, matching white suits. While arguably an improvement over the archaic the striped shirts, the outfits were hardly hip in comparison to the flamboyant stage clothes worn by most rock groups of the time.  Jon Parks recalled,"I had been with them for a while when we had our white suits made by a tailor in L.A. He actually made me a western style suit for free for bringing the guys in. That was quite a change from the stripe shirts; some of the guys liked them and some didn’t. Al wasn’t too happy with it and Dennis of course took his coat off to play drums. But it went along with the new direction, a little more formal appearance and choreographed show; they even ended the shows by standing together and bowing to the audience. The Beatles even started doing that. They each had one suit, so (while we were on tour) the hotels had to take them to be cleaned before we left the next day."

Ron Brown played bass on this tour and was joined by a second sideman, Daryl Dragon, who was hired to play keyboards.  Later to achieve fame as the “Captain” of the mega-hit act Captain and Tennile, Dragon was from a musical family with similarities to the Wilsons.  Like Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, Daryl and his two brothers Doug and Dennis all became professional musicians.  While, they would all tour with the Beach Boys at various times, Daryl was the first of the Dragon brothers to perform with the group.  He was introduced to them through Bruce Johnston, whom he had known for many years.  When the Beach Boys decided to add a keyboard player to the touring band, Bruce thought first of Doug Dragon, who passed on the offer and recommended Daryl.  According to Daryl, “The Beach Boys auditioned me.  My elder brother Doug knew that he couldn’t cut those charts.  They’re very sophisticated chords.  They’re not rhythm and blues you know, they’re classic songs.  The songs from Pet Sounds and those kinds of things are very difficult to figure out.  So, I think they gave me a tape to learn the stuff and I auditioned at a studio for Carl Wilson.  I wasn’t sure I was going to get the gig but he hired me.  But he told me, ‘You have to really beat the piano to death when you play Beach Boys stuff!’  So, I learned to do that.” Soon after he joined the group, Daryl earned a nickname that would stick with him for the rest of his career.  “Mike Love was sort of the spokesman of the group and I told him as a joke…I got a Captain’s hat one day at an old army surplus store…so I told him ‘Call me Captain Keyboards when you give me a solo on ‘Help Me Rhonda.’  They used to give me a piano solo.  And so (during the show) he said ‘and now here’s Captain Keyboards!’  And I started jumping around like Jerry Lee Lewis and that started it.”

Perhaps Mike felt more action on stage was needed for the Beach Boys to shine among some very impressive opening acts.  The Strawberry Alarm Clock were then riding the charts with their hit song “Incense and Peppermints” while the Soul Survivors had a hit with “Expressway to Your Heart.” The legendary, Buffalo Springfield also opened for the group at all of the shows on this tour.  They also had a hit record at the time, the Stephen Stills classic “For What It’s Worth.”  The Springfield was composed of guitarists’ Stills, Neil Young and Ritchie Furay, drummer Dewey Martin and bassist Bruce Palmer.  The Beach Boys took quite a liking to this group. In 1968 Bruce Johnston told Ann Moses of New Musical Express, “The Buffalo is the only group I’ve seen all the Beach Boys really dig since the Beatles.”  Mike Love later recalled that the Buffalo Springfield “was incredible. We used to go onstage and sit behind the speakers and listen to them.”  The Beach Boys were so taken with Stephen Stills’ song “Rock and Roll Woman” that by 1969 it was briefly part of their act.  Members of the two groups-maintained friendships off the road as well.  In the biography Shakey, Neil Young explained that he became quite close with Dennis and the two hung around a lot together.  In 1968 Dennis even introduced Neil to his new friend Charles Manson.

The group taped a number of shows on this tour.  As the concerts were recorded on two track tape (one track for the band and one ambient audience track) they were probably not intended for release.  Most likely they were taped so that the band could hear them to improve their performances.  The set list for the concert in Detroit consisted of: “Barbara Ann,” “Darlin,” “Country Air,” “I Get Around,” “How She Boogalooed It,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “God Only Knows,” “California Girls,” “Wild Honey,” “Graduation Day,” “Good Vibrations,” and “Johnny B. Goode.” Tapes of this show were released in 2017 as part of the download only  “Live Sunshine.”  Dick Duryea, Steve Korthof and Jon Parks accompanied the group on this tour.  Parks later recalled, "I was on that tour helping Steve with the logistics of the tour. We had a driver truck all our equipment to each venue and Steve, Dick, and I would be there to get the show set up and started. Steve liked to call the lights during the show, so I was available to Dick and the group for anything they needed."  The photo was taken of Mike on this tour by Howard Emerson

Saturday November 18, 1967

Lemoyne College, Syracuse, NY-with Buffalo Springfield, the Strawberry Alarm Clock, the Soul Survivors and the Pickle Brothers (2:00 PM Show) and Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY-with Buffalo Springfield, the Strawberry Alarm Clock, the Soul Survivors, the Pickle Brothers and Caesar and His Romans (8:30 PM Show)

On the second day of the tour, the group played a doubleheader in upstate New York.  The afternoon show in Syracuse was frustrating for the group since they were forced to play it without their new keyboardist.  Daryl Dragon recalled, “I didn’t know how touring worked.  I’d never done a major tour like that.  The road manager said we were going to meet in the lobby and I thought they were going to call me in my room.  So, when I got down to the lobby no one had called me and they had all left.  So, I missed the gig.  It was very embarrassing.”  6,000 enthusiastic fans attended the evening show in Buffalo. Difficulties with the sound system delayed the show by thirty minutes.  The Courier Express commented, “The Beach Boys are entertainment…The Boys are a civilized rock group. When they play, even an untrained ear hears the words, at least most of them.  They bop with the best of them and can effortlessly shift to the softer beats of unrequited love.”

Sunday November 19, 1967

Mosque, Richmond, VA (Matinee) and Constitution Hall, Washington D.C.-with the Strawberry Alarm Clock, the Soul Survivors, the Pickle Brothers and Buffalo Springfield (Two shows at 7:00 and 9:30 PM)

The Beach Boys gave three performances on this day, one of which (the 9:30 PM show) they taped.  This performance was released on Live Sunshine. Christine Moorhead of the Annapolis Capitol reviewed one of the DC shows and noted, “Strangely enough throughout the concert there wasn’t any of the usual screaming-only hand clapping, unlike many other rock and roll concerts. Mike Love…was the main spokesman for the popular group. His jokes interspersed between songs added humor and zest to the program and thrilled the audience.  The program included such songs as ‘Surfer Girl,’ ‘I Get Around,’ ‘God Only Knows,’ ‘California Girls,’ ‘Barbara Ann,’ and ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice.’”

Monday November 20, 1967

Bushnell Memorial, Hartford, CT-with Buffalo Springfield, the Strawberry Alarm Clock, the Soul Survivors and the Pickle Brothers (7:00 PM Show) and Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT-with Buffalo Springfield, the Strawberry Alarm Clock, the Soul Survivors and the Pickle Brothers (8:30 PM Show)

The group played concerts in two different cities on the same night.  Following the Fairfield show (attended by about 4000 people), Patrick Long of The Stag interviewed Carl.  Asked about the significance of Smiley Smile, he replied, “How were we to follow up Pet Sounds?  Use an 800-piece orchestra to back us up?  Smiley Smile is a collection of sounds without any deep meaning.  It is a very personal album and because of this there is a lot about it that the average listener doesn’t understand.”

It was probably on this tour that engineer Steve Desper became the Beach Boys sound mixer on the road.  He had designed the portable sound system that the group had been using since the spring. However, initially a relative of Mike Love’s wife, known as Jersey Joe, served as road mixer. "Initially (the relative) was the mixer and I was the roadie.  I helped set it up, tear it down and took care of it.  He mixed for a couple of weeks and then one weekend he got sick and they asked if I would cover for him.  So I did.  Carl liked my mix so much that he asked if I would do it again, so I wound up finishing the tour as mixer.”

Desper recalled that being on the road with the group could be a stressful experience for a sound mixer. “I remember the first show I did with them, it was a big venue with 15 or 20 thousand people there and I plugged in the speakers and they didn’t work, nothing worked.  It turned out the speaker cables were connected backwards.  So it was a mad frantic thing.  They had 20,000 kids stomping and screaming and were madly taking connections apart and re-soldering the connections.  We were late about an hour but we finally got it up and running and the system worked quite well from then on.”   The Beach Boys were all enthusiastic about the better sound at their gigs.  Dennis noted to a reporter in 1968 that “Five years ago when we first started touring audiences would scream all through a performance.  Today they listen to the music then scream.  Other groups have noticed the same change and suddenly found themselves handicapped by inadequate sound systems.  We decided to do something about the problem and I fully suspect other groups will soon follow suit.”

Tuesday November 21, 1967

Westchester County Center, White Plains, NY-with Buffalo Springfield, the Soul Survivors, the Strawberry Alarm Clock and the Pickle Brothers (8:00 PM Show)

This show was sponsored by Iona College. Once again, this show was taped and released years later as part of Live Sunshine.  The group was accompanied on this tour by the Wilson's cousin, road manager Steve Korthof.  In addition, Dennis's childhood friend Jon Parks began working for the BBs around this time and traveled with them for most tours through 1973.

Wednesday November 22, 1967

Penn Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA-with Buffalo Springfield, the Strawberry Alarm Clock, the Soul Survivors and the Pickle Brothers (Two shows at 7:00 and 9:30 PM)

Once again, the Beach Boys taped one of their two shows.  The 9:30 PM set list consisted of: “Help Me Rhonda”, “Barbara Ann,” “Darlin”, “I Get Around”, “Surfer Girl”, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, “God Only Knows”, “California Girls”, “Wild Honey”, “Good Vibrations”, “Graduation Day,” “Sloop John B. and “Johnny B. Goode.”  Once again, this show was taped and released years later as part of Live Sunshine.  The photo was taken in Boston a few days later

Thursday November 23, 1967

Back Bay Theatre, Boston, MA-with Buffalo Springfield, the Strawberry Alarm Clock, the Soul Survivors and the Pickle Brothers (8:00 PM Show)

En route to Boston-The BBs and the Buffalo Springfield stopped to have Thanksgiving dinner at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, MA as the Buffalo Springfield manager Richard Davis Jr was the son of the school chef. In the photograph you can see Stephen Stills posing as a waiter and serving Dennis. Other members of Buffalo Springfield are sitting with Mike Love, while drummer Dewey Martin is standing behind Mike.

Friday November 24, 1967

Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI-with the Yeomen, Buffalo Springfield, the Strawberry Alarm Clock, the Soul Survivors and the Pickle Brothers (7:30 PM Show) and Back Bay Theatre, Boston, MA- with Buffalo Springfield, the Strawberry Alarm Clock, the Soul Survivors and the Pickle Brothers (9:00 PM Show)

The photo was apparently taken by Mark Waitz of the Strawberry Alarm Clock backstage in Boston on November 23. George Bunnell of the Alarm Clock was very impressed by the Beach Boys. He commented on a message board: “The Buffalo Springfield usually coaxed the Beach Boys into doing some a cappella for us after the shows and back at the hotels. We would have the whole top floor...all the doors opened and whatever...The Beach Boys up close and personal would raise the hair on your arms. I was a wild eighteen-year-old who loved The Who and the Yardbirds and they [the BB’s] really dug deep. Something to behold. On our first tour with both bands, we walked into an empty theater with the Beach Boys on stage and Buffalo Springfield sitting in the middle. They all welcomed us and said to have a seat. I sat next to Neil Young and made an eighteen-year-old comment, ‘Alright! Surf music.’ …to which Neil replied, 'Prepare to have your mind blown!' I shut up. Then from the stage came the count off to God Only Knows. To this day, I have never heard anything so beautiful. Big respect for ever and a day.”

Saturday November 25, 1967

West Point Military Academy, Highland Hills, NY-with Buffalo Springfield, The Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Soul Survivors and The Pickle Brothers and St. John’s University, Jamaica, NY- with Buffalo Springfield, The Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Soul Survivors and The Pickle Brothers (8:30 PM Show)

The concert at the military academy was attended by “the largest audience ever to see a show at West Point.” according to the West Point yearbook.  The appearance at St. John’s later that night was also a sellout.   The reviewer for the St. John's Torch noted, "The performance of the Beach Boys last Saturday night very successfully generated the physical excitement characteristic of the surfer cult.  Their art is one that is concerned with the emotional experience of the moment.  God Only Knows, by far the best song of the evening, was an extreme refinement of the vibrancy, the sensible reaction that they are trying to create.  As entertainers their style is sheer Americana...and although something about red and white striped shirts just smacks of overt commercialism, the audience honestly must admit to itself that not only has it been humming along with them, but that it knows all the words."

Sunday November 26, 1967

Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ- with Buffalo Springfield, The Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Soul Survivors and The Pickle Brothers (2:00 PM Show) and Civic Center, Baltimore, MD with Buffalo Springfield, The Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Soul Survivors, The Pickle Brothers and Bob Brady and the Concords (8:00 PM Show)

Alan Krutchkoff of the Hackensack Record attended the afternoon show at Seton Hall and noted that the Buffalo Springfield were a tough act to follow, “But Carl Wilson and company…had the crowd completely psyched out.  Dressed in white safari suits and sneakers, and with a 6-pack of soda on one of the guitar amps, they started in with ‘Barbara Ann’ and nine other songs, including ‘California Girls’ and ‘Sloop John B.’ Those who think the group has lost its popularity should have been there-a wild scene.”

The photograph was taken on the BBs tour plane and shows Dennis playing the flute, while Strawberry Alarm Clock bassist George Bunnell (with blonde hair) looks on and Carl reads the paper.

Friday December 15, 1967

UNICEF Gala, Paris, France-with Marlon Brando, Lena Horne, Victor Borge, Johnny Halliday, Ravi Shankar, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton

The Beach Boys arrived in Paris on Wednesday December 13 to prepare for their appearance at this star powered event on behalf of the United Nations Children’s Fund.  Highlights were aired on BBC1 television on December 27.  It was also filmed by Eurovision and aired in its entirety on Christmas Eve in France.  The eclectic gathering of talent included Marlon Brando performing Polynesian dances, Ravi Shankar playing Indian ragas on the sitar and Richard Burton singing a song from Camelot, while wife Liz Taylor held up a sign with his name on it.  The Beach Boys performed, “Barbara Ann”, “God Only Knows” “Good Vibrations” and “O Come All Ye Faithful” in white suits.   Ron Brown (bass) and Joe Sample of the Crusaders (keyboards) accompanied them onstage.

In a 1973 interview Mike mentioned that this was one of the few times he got nervous at a gig because “it was a big important show; you know everyone in the audience was in tuxes and everything in this really posh theater there.  There was a big huge orchestra behind us.  In the front there were three guys that we knew pretty well; they were pretty famous at the time…that was the Maharishi and John Lennon and George Harrison.”  Following the show, John and George introduced the Beach Boys to the Indian holy man, who gave them a mantra and explained transcendental meditation.  Ironically, Mike, who would become the most devout TM devotee in the group, traveled to London after the show with Jon Parks to attend a party thrown by Princess Margaret and missed the Maharishi meeting.  An excited Dennis called Mike and Jon and convinced them to return to Paris.  By the time the group flew to London on December 17, they had all become enthusiastic disciples of TM.  At a reception in their honor at the Hilton Hotel, Mike stated, “Maharishi’s ideas are so simple and so right that I cannot begin to explain how impressed I was.”  While Carl gushed “He’s the purest, most honest human being I’ve ever met…I’ve only been into this meditation practice for two days but I’m completely convinced that it is a good and constructive thing.”  Al, who would also become a lifelong TM devotee, was equally won over.  He told a reporter, “The Maharishi is really sincere.  He’s no con man.  At least, this is what I feel.”  The group was so taken with Maharishi that they dragged Brian along to meet him when he visited New York the following January.

The main purpose of the group’s year-end visit to England was to discuss yet another tour of the U.K. with promoter Arthur Howes.  The band first planned to return in the spring of 1968, but ultimately the tour did not happen until November.  While in England, the group made no TV appearances, but did consent to an interview for Alan Freeman’s BBC radio program Pop Inn on December 18.  Although the rest of the group flew home soon afterwards, Mike and Bruce remained in the UK long enough to attend the Beatles’ party at the Royal Lancaster Hotel to celebrate the upcoming premiere of their Magical Mystery Tour television special which aired on December 21.  All the guests turned up in wild costumes, including John Lennon who wore his black leather stage outfit from the early Cavern Club days.