Friday July 2, 1976
“Day on the Green No. 5”, Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA-with America, the Elvin Bishop Band and John Sebastian (3:00 PM Show)
As 1976 began, the group was busy, recording their first album of new material since 1972 and planning a giant summer tour. Manager Steve Love came up with the idea for a “Brian’s Back” campaign. The plan was to thrust Brian back into the limelight. It was expected that his participation in the group would generate massive record sales and sell concert tickets. Brian’s participation in the Beach Boys had dropped considerably after 1970. It was difficult to determine whether it was drugs, mental health issues or disinterest that kept Brian away from the studio in the early 70s. The death of Murry in June 1973 had been a definite turning point. Brian retreated to his room, only occasionally emerging to attend a recording session or a party. By 1975 stories of his odd behavior had become the talk of Hollywood and his family became alarmed. That fall, he was placed under the care of therapist Dr. Eugene Landy, who coaxed Brian out of his room, took away his drugs, and forced him to exercise. The Beach Boys helped cover the exorbitant fees that Dr. Landy charged with the understanding that he’d get Brian back in the studio. By early 1976 Brian was recording music for the album known as 15 Big Ones.
Publicly, the group painted a rosy picture of the joy they felt at his return, but behind the scenes there was tension over the decision to give him control. As Dennis commented to Janet Maslin of Newsweek, “He was always the absolute producer, but little did he know that in his absence people grew up, people became as sensitive as the next guy. Why should I relinquish my rights as an artist?” But everyone agreed that the magic words “produced by Brian Wilson” generated excitement and expectation. Initially the band planned on creating a record of all new material, but Brian had written few new songs and those were mostly melancholy ballads. This was hardly a commercial direction and commercialism is what was sought. The decision was made to record a selection of oldie cover tunes like “Sea Cruise” and “Rock and Roll Music.” Carl and Dennis were unhappy with the decision to release an oldies album. Carl told a reporter the initial plan was to “warm up with old rock and roll classics and then do an album of new things. So I was at first disappointed when it was just a combination.” They also were unhappy with the lack of care that went into the record. Carl recalled “once we had finished a certain batch of songs, Brian said, ‘That’s it; put it out.’ That’s why the album sounds unfinished. Brian just wanted to do one cut and capture the moment rather than working on something.”
Despite the problems, it turned out to be the Beach Boys highest charting album of new material in over a decade, rising to number eight on the Billboard charts. Steve Love organized a massive publicity campaign and reporters rushed to California to interview Brian. Lorne Michaels of NBC’s Saturday Night Live agreed to produce a TV special about the Beach Boys, to air in August. Camera crews captured Brian’s 34th birthday party (attended by Paul McCartney) and went inside Brother Studio to film Brian and the group performing “That Same Song.” Probably the most memorable part of the show involved Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi posing as cops who barge into Brian’s house, force him out of bed and drag him to the beach where he’s instructed to “Go Surfing.” The “Brian’s Back” campaign was predicated on getting him to participate as much as possible and he was cajoled into joining the group at their summer tour opener in Oakland. Carli Munoz, Billy Hinsche (piano/guitar), Bobby Figueroa (drums/percussion), Ron Altbach (Synths) and Ed Carter (bass) accompanied them. A five-piece horn section dubbed the Hornettes included Michael Andreas (alto and tenor sax and flute), Rod Novak (sax), Charlie McCarthy (sax), Lance Bueller (trumpet) and John Foss (trumpet). Ron Altbach recalled, “Those were my guys. I put that together for the Beach Boys. They wanted to have horns. I thought it was stupid. I mean it didn’t really add anything. But they wanted it, so they did it.” A dramatic new stage set included a neon lit sailboat that formed a magical backdrop for performances.
The audience of 50,00 plus witnessed the Beach Boys show begin with twelve California girls, in bikinis and carrying surfboards, saluting the crowd as balloons fell from the sky. The group then launched into ‘California Girls” to thunderous applause. They played all the hits plus songs from their recent album, including “A Casual Look”, “It’s OK,” “Palisades Park” and “Rock and Roll Music.” The emotional highlight of the Oakland show was undoubtedly when a nervous Brian, dressed in a white safari suit, came out during “God Only Knows” and sat at the piano, where he remained the rest of the night. It was his first appearance onstage since 1973. According to Oakland Tribune reviewer Peter Cowan, “at first, he seemed almost dazed, barely playing piano and singing in brief segments but as the crowd’s enthusiasm warmed and he found his concert legs, Wilson gradually emerged from his shell. He even mugged for the people seated behind him, waving and smiling, and he took a lead vocal on a new song from the 15 Big Ones LP, ‘Back Home.’” Bobby Figueroa recalled, “It was exciting but you could tell he was a little uncomfortable. But he was trying really hard to be there and we tried to support him. We were having fun, doing our show but Brian being there added a whole other dynamic. It was pretty neat seeing him get into the show.”
Saturday July 3, 1976
Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, CA-with America, Santana and Gerard (3 PM Show)
This concert was billed as “Southern California’s Only Bicentennial Rock Event.” Over 54,000 people turned up. NBC TV filmed the Beach Boys portion of the concert for their upcoming TV special (and this footage has since appeared in numerous Beach Boys documentaries). Dressed in white tie and tails and a gold sequined vest, Mike introduced the songs and paid tribute to Brian, seated behind his piano. Brian received a thunderous ovation, but remained mute, save for his lead on “Back Home.” Michael Jensen of the Pasadena Star News reported, “The music got the crowd off so much that the patrons on the club level were asked to stop dancing and jumping for fear of structural damage to the stadium. The high point of the show came when the group turned on the lights in the stadium and sang ‘Good Vibrations.’…One thing is for sure, the Beach Boys will remain a strong and vital band that’s going to be around for a long, long time.” The photo shows Brian backstage.
Monday July 12 to Wednesday July 14, 1976
Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI-with Billy Joel (One show at 7:30 PM on Monday and one show at 1:00 PM on Tuesday and Wednesday)
The Beach Boys hit the road for the first two-week leg of their summer tour. The same personnel who had accompanied them at the two California shows traveled with the band, along with Rick Nelson, Jason Raphalian and assorted wives and girlfriends. Brian Wilson, however, remained at home, giving more interviews to the hundreds of reporters eager to meet the reclusive star. Meanwhile, the Beach Boys enjoyed playing their three-day residency at the open-air Pine Knob theater. Al commented to the Lansing State Journal, “I love this-it’s incredible. It’s scenically beautiful, just a great setting for a concert and for us that’s really refreshing. The smoke can really get bad-intolerable in some places. You can’t even tell if people are smoking here though. It’s better for our voices and for the crowd. We had a chance to play Pontiac Stadium but we chose here instead. Elton played there a couple of nights ago and told us it was miserable. He said he would not play there again. It’s great being outdoors but if it rains you can get wet some places but here you’re completely protected (due to a roof over the stage).”
Billy Joel, who had recently released his fourth album Turnstiles and was represented by the Beach Boys booking agent Chip Rachlin, opened for the Beach Boys again on this tour. However, the success of that album and songs such as “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” and “New York State of Mind” would soon move him to a headliner.
Friday July 16 and Saturday July 17, 1976
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, IL-with Billy Joel (One show each night at 8:00 PM)
The Beach Boys played two nights at the now demolished Chicago Stadium, the indoor arena where the NBA Chicago Bulls played their games. Lynn Van Matre of the Tribune noted, “Harmony is what the Beach Boys have always been about and harmonies were the keynote of the concert Friday night featuring Love and guitarists Al Jardine and Carl Wilson on most of the vocal euphorics. Predictably enough, it was the oldies that went over best: California Girls, Surfin USA, Little Deuce Coupe and Good Vibrations, songs still fresh as a summer breeze and light as foam…Onstage it’s Love that generally presides over the proceedings, though drummer Dennis Wilson was coaxed out from behind his drums to sing California Girls and assure the crowd they were in ‘the top ten Beach Boys audiences.'”
Sunday July 18, 1976
Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO-with Gerard, Fleetwood Mac, Santana, Tommy Bolin and Natural Gas (12:00 PM Show)
A record turnout of 62,000 attended this show, jamming the aisles. Promoters declared it the largest audience ever at a Colorado show. The bill also included Fleetwood Mac, enjoying great success with their self-titled LP Fleetwood Mac, the first recorded with Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks and Santana, riding high with their new album Amigos. Also sharing the stage was Gerard, a Colorado band fronted by Gerard McMahon, that had a debut album produced by Jim Guercio. The photo was taken for the People Magazine cover story that appeared on August 23-the photo was probably taken in late June-early July.
Wednesday July 21, 1976
Coliseum, Edmonton, AB, Canada (Two shows at 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM)
Canadian fans were enthusiastic to see the group and both Edmonton concerts sold out. However, Joe Sornberger of the Edmonton Journal accused the band of “just not performing up to scratch. Vocals were out of whack with the volumes off balance and vocal chords unready. And at both shows they were leaving an inordinate amount of time between each song.” He noted that the shows suffered from the decision to highlight new material the crowd was unfamiliar with. However, he declared “A Casual Look,” from 15 Big Ones, was actually the highlight of the evening. The photo shows the cover of the 1976 tour program.
Friday July 23, 1976
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO-with the Doobie Brothers, Jeff Beck, Firefall and the Ozark Mountain Daredevils
Despite sweltering 120-degree heat, 33,000 turned out for this 6-hour outdoor event, which also included the Doobie Brothers, who had singer Michael McDonald to the mix for their new LP Taking It to the Streets, guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck, who was promoting his new album Wired, and Firefall, the country-rock band from Boulder, Colorado that were promoting their self titled debut LP. The first band, Firefall, did not take the stage till 8 PM, so the BBs did not play till after midnight. Discussing the BBs performance, Robert Bowlin of the Kansas City Times noted, “Starting with California Girls, they offered Palisades Park, Little Deuce Coupe and some new music, Suzie Cincinnati from the new 15 Big Ones LP, Catch a Wave, God Only Knows, Darlin and Sail on Sailor….With Surfer Girl, the first song the Beach Boys ever recorded, the subdued crowd sang along tenderly and reverently the simple and innocent lyrics of such a classic ballad. The list of great songs continued with Heroes and Villains, a vocal masterpiece written by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks, Help Me Rhonda, Be True To Your School, In My Room, Sloop John B, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, I Get Around, Surfin USA and….Good Vibrations. The crowd went crazy when Dennis Wilson sang a solo encore You Are So Beautiful and brought the band on to charge through Barbara Ann, Rock and Roll Music and Fun, Fun, Fun, to finish the show at about 2:30 this morning.”
Saturday July 24, 1976
Wisconsin State Fair, Milwaukee, WI-with the Doobie Brothers, Firefall and Gerard (12:00 PM Show)
This show was almost derailed when the Doobie Brothers equipment failed to arrive, which caused a two-hour delay after Firefall and Gerard had played. However, all was forgiven when the Beach Boys finally arrived and took the stage (the Dooble Brothers followed them when their equipment finally arrived). Damien Jacques of the Milwaukee Sentinel noted, “The Beach Boys are possibly the coolest, mellowest, happiest band to ever play rock and roll. That is the key to their success over 15 years of cutting hit records and playing to huge crowds.” The photo is from this tour but may not be from this show.
Sunday July 25, 1976
Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines, IA-with Jeff Beck and the Jan Hammer Group, the Doobie Brothers and Gerard
While he believed Jeff Back stole the show, Jim Healey of the Des Moines Register declared that the Beach Boys “sang and played better than in any previous Iowa show. You could even hear some bass guitar and now and then a real guitar lead from Carl Wilson or Al Jardine.” Following this show, the group returned to California to attend Bruce Johnston’s wedding on July 29 in Catalina. They performed a few numbers at the event but it wasn’t an actual concert, just an impromptu jam. The photo is from 1976 but may not be this night.
Friday August 6, 1976
Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, MN-with Rags. Tower of Power and Boz Scaggs (7:00 PM Show)
This show was planned as a Beachago reunion with Todd Rundgren and Gerard opening, hence the decision to use Metropolitan Stadium, rather than the smaller Parade Stadium as originally planned. However, Chicago canceled at the last minute when Terry Kath was injured in a car accident and Todd Rundgren and Gerard dropped out. Despite the last minute addition of Tower of Power and Boz Scaggs, attendance suffered and promoter Dick Shapiro lost a fortune. The same backing musicians as on the July tour accompanied the group. Dennis had brought along his wife Karen Lamm and the two wore matching racing jackets, while Carl Wilson took to the stage in a custom Beach Boys baseball jersey and hat, which he continued to wear on certain dates throughout this tour. Once again the band played with a mock sailing ship as a background. Interviewed before the show, Dennis commented, “I’m recording my first solo album now. I hope to have it out by October. I guess that’s the first one for one of our band. Four songs are done. Karen’s helping me.” “I don’t sing very well,” said Karen. “You should hear how flat I sing on this one number! But it’s going to be a great album. Two of the songs, ‘River’ and ‘Pacific Ocean Blue’ are really sensational!”
Michael Anthony of the Star Tribune argued that the BBs did not perform as well as they had the previous year and noted, “Carl Wilson, according to reports, had been sick most of the day, and by late in the group’s 90-minute set-I Get Around and Good Vibrations-Wilson’s voice was in bad shape. The particular brand off high spirits and sunshine the Beach Boys peddle…came through at the opening (California Girls) and during the encores. At other times, the group seemed to be just going through the motions, which means middle-aged men reliving their teen-years. Simple music-and much of this group’s material is good but very simple-has to be done very well, almost to perfection, to be convincing. But the vocals weren’t so hot Friday night nor was the balance. The horns, placed onstage in a mock sailing ship, make a good contribution to the sound but in this case, sometimes drowned out the vocals.”
Saturday August 7, 1976
UNI Dome, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA (8:00 PM Show)
This was one of three concerts on this tour advertised with Billy Joel. However, he dropped out and the Bellamy Brothers were added, but then they had a car accident on the day of the show and the Beach Boys played two sets instead. Deb Lorenzen of the Waterloo Courier noted, “The volley of hits were all there and were all equally enjoyed and applauded: Good Vibrations, Surfer Girl, Help Me Rhonda…on and on, in an intense, although over amplified show of enthusiasm and American fun, that seems to radiate a feeling of American youth and vitality.” However, she astutely commented that, “Several peeks at their new album, Fifteen Big Ones, seemed less than promising, even with the addition of brass instruments, piano. organ and a second drummer and bass player.”
Sunday August 8, 1976
Kiel Auditorium, St Louis, MO
The group played for 11,500 people. R.A. Wilber of the Globe-Democrat expressed regret that the audience was so enthralled by oldies since it meant “musically more complex and lyrically better songs from such albums as Holland and Surf’s Up were only rarely heard during Sunday night’s show, but the crowd never missed them…The crowd came to hear some good old fashioned Beach Boys music. And the Beach Boys delivered.” The photo shows the Beach Boys in the studio in 1976.
Monday August 9, 1976
Glen Oak Park Amphitheatre, Peoria, IL-with the Watermelon Rhythm Band (7:00 PM Show)
John Amberg of Peoria Music Live attended the show in Peoria, as far as I know the Beach Boys first appearance there, and noted, “The 1976 tour in support of their album 15 Big Ones was supposed to mark the return of Brian Wilson, the band’s founder and famously iconoclastic and fragile genius. Brian had endured nervous breakdowns, drug addiction, and numerous other demons. But when the band assembled onstage, no Brian. At one point, a fan yelled out, “Where’s Brian?” “He’s at home,” lead singer Mike Love replied. Despite his absence, it was the classic 70’s-era Beach Boys line-up: Mike Love, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston, plus touring members Billy Hinsche (who tragically passed away recently), Ed Carter, and Ron Altbach. The Beach Boys looked and sounded exactly like I pictured them. They didn’t waste time, opening with one of their all-time great songs “California Girls.” Amid the hits were sprinkled some songs that I would soon understand to be “deep tracks.” They did “Sail On Sailor” and the “California Saga.” They sprinkled in a few songs from the new album (“Susie Cincinnati,” “It’s OK,”). Dennis Wilson even came out from behind the drums to croon “You Are So Beautiful.” When they closed with “Fun Fun Fun,” I didn’t want them to stop. One more encore! Please!” Joan Richardson of the Journal Star reported “The fine hip shaking music took the audience through ‘Little Deuce Coupe,’ ‘Surfin’, ‘Help Me Rhonda,’ ‘Be True To Your School,’ ‘Sloop John B,’ ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice,’ ‘I Get Around,’ and ‘Good Vibrations.’…Al Jardine, rhythm guitarist, sang the lead on ‘A Casual Look,’ a song Mike Love said was ‘for the elderly people in the audience, meaning people in there 20s.’ Carl Wilson had the lead on ‘Palisades Park,’ where he ‘gives the girl a hug in the tunnel of love.’” The photo was taken that day outside the venue.
Tuesday August 10, 1976
UD Arena, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH-with Heart (8:00 PM Show)
Billy Joel was advertised as appearing as the opener at this show but the now legendary Heart (fronted by two women also named Wilson), who were promoting their debut album ‘Dreamboat Annie’ appeared instead. They also opened for the Beach Boys in Philadelphia. The photo is a still from the It’s Ok TV special produced by SNL’s Lorne Michaels that aired on August 5, 1976 and shows Dennis and Carl singing backgrounds for That Same Song.
Wednesday August 11 and Thursday August 12, 1976
Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA-with Heart (One show each night at 8:00 PM)
The group played two nights at the Spectrum. Prior to the first show, Mike and Al taped an appearance on the Mike Douglas TV show, where they discussed TM and Mike performed a solo version of Everyone’s in Love With You, his tribute to Maharishi. Matt Damsker of the Evening Bulletin attended the concert that night and reported the crowd “was on its feet and deliriously engaged in the music from the opening bars of the opening number, ‘California Girls.’ …Indeed the Beach Boys’ infectious strong points seem as vital and appealing today as ever before…The focal point, stage wise, remains Beach Boy Mike Love, whose flippantly casual presence-last night in elegant summer white-perfectly complements the less theatrical energies of his partners, drummer Dennis Wilson and guitarists Carl Wilson and Alan Jardine.”
Friday August 13, 1976
Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA-with the Cate Brothers (8:00 PM Show)
13,500-fans turned out to see the Beach Boys in Virginia. Marianne Roberson of the Newport News Daily Press noted, “The show had its own vitality and an unexplainable rapport that was absorbed by the pulsating audience and transformed into a collective spirit soaring with its own vitality. The music thundered on-Palisades Park, Little Deuce Coupe-favorites from years gone by….The sheer intensity and volume of the crowd prompted Love on several occasions to caution those standing in the Arena section about pushing too close to the stage and crushing those in front….On and on it went-Catch a Wave and God Only Knows-again bringing to their feet those who weren’t already standing….Most of the good old songs-like Surfer Girl-found their way into the medley presented Friday. I remember some of them in a softer tone without so much feedback but I’m not so much of a musical purist that I would allow that to distract from my overall enchantment with such favorites as In My Room, I Get Around and Sloop John B.” The photo was taken on August 11 in Philadelphia.
Saturday August 14, 1976
Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA-with Gary Wright and Peter Frampton (2:00 PM Show)
Over 48,000 people turned out for this mammoth afternoon show at the now demolished Three Rivers Stadium, the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team and the Steelers football team. The bill also included Peter Frampton, whose Frampton Comes Alive album was a huge chart smash, and Gary Wright. Promoters set up barbecue stations in the outfield and the concert took on the feel of an all day fair. The Beach Boys showed up in limousines during Peter Frampton’s set and strolled around backstage partaking of the food. Carl Wilson played in the red and white baseball jersey that he wore at many concerts on this tour but briefly added a Pittsburgh Pirates cap, which he requested before the show. The group also gained favor by tweaking the lyrics of “Back Home” to include a reference to Pennsylvania. The collegial atmosphere invited fan participation. One group were invited on stage to present Mike with a cardboard surfboard, emblazoned with the words “Surfin’ USA.”
Sunday August 15, 1976
St. John’s Arena, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (8:00 PM Show)
The Beach Boys finished the second leg of their 15 Big Ones tour with a sold-out show in Columbus. Mike Salster of The Columbus Dispatch noted that the show “hit so many highs it’s impossible to single out more than a couple of moments to highlight the incredible show the group performed…During the particularly intricate harmonic transition at the bridge of Darlin, everyone paused a beat then burst into the chorus-oh so sweetly…What provided the biggest surprises of the night was the blistering solo guitar work of Carl on Barbara Ann and the nothing short of amazing harmonies the group mustered time and again…A pleasant surprise was Billy Hinsche, who soloed on Sail On Sailor.”
Following this show, most of the Beach Boys returned home to California to relax. Mike, however, decided to jet to Europe to attend some TM training and to try to convince European television stations to air the Beach Boys TV special. While there, between August 18 and 25, he visited England, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
Thursday August 26, 1976
SPAC, Saratoga, NY-with the Cate Brothers (7:00 PM Show)
After a 10-day break, the band regrouped for the third and final leg of their US tour. Mike had still been in England that morning and flew on the Concord to make it home in time. Richard Taskin of the North Adams Transcript reported that the group “ran through their hits without a hint of weariness despite the fact that over the years they’ve toured as frequently as any major rock group.” He singled out Al Jardine for special praise, declaring “his impassioned vocal on ‘Wouldn’t Be Nice’ was the show stopper last night. Jardine makes a nice foil for Love’s many excesses, and their interplay of vocals on the offbeat ‘A Casual Look’ was one of the highlights of their concert last night.”
Friday August 27, 1976
Civic Center, Providence, RI (8:00 PM Show)
The Beach Boys were scheduled to play in Buffalo but that concert was moved to September 2 and the band played in Providence instead. Anthony Lioce of the Providence Journal noted, “A new horn section has been added and it plays sparingly and tastefully, adding subtle new colors to the bright old sound without overpowering it, as horns have a way of doing. Carl Wilson has developed into a master guitarist; energetic, clean lines flowed from his hollow-body electric all night long. And nobody but nobody can cavort like Mike Love…he remains one of the most infectiously playful front men in all of rock ‘n’ roll.” The photo is from 1976 but is probably not from this particular night.
Saturday August 28, 1976
Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, NJ-with the Richie Furay Band (7:30 PM Show)
30,000-fans turned out for this end-of-summer concert in Jersey City. Richie Furay, a former member of Buffalo Springfield and Poco, opened this show with his band. He had recently become a born-again Christian and was promoting his faith-tinged solo LP I’ve Got a Reason. The LP failed to chart and Furay would ultimately retire from the industry by the 1980s. Bruce Chadwick of The New York Daily News commented that, “The Beach Boys…put on a sensational show. Mike Love pranced and danced from one end of the stage to the other in his traditional white cap and gold brocade vest, as members of the audience kicked a huge beach ball from one end of the stadium to the other. The Beach Boys were in top form, as they sang most of their hits from 1961 to the present and songs from their new album Fifteen Big Ones. Some of the best were Little Surfer Girl, Fun, Fun, Fun, Help Me Rhonda, Good Vibrations, Sloop John B, Surf City (more likely Surfin USA) and I Get Around.”
Sunday August 29, 1976
Civic Center, Hartford, CT-with the Cate Brothers
A capacity crowd of 13,600 turned out for this show. J. Greg Robertson of the Hartford Courant noted, “The famous Beach Boys vocal harmony was exhibited mainly on ‘Little Surfer,’ ‘Heroes and Villains’ and ‘In My Room.’ Only Dennis, pounding aggressively at the drums and cymbals worked up a visible sweat. Special effects smoke cannons blasted during ‘Good Vibrations.’” The photo was taken on September 1, 1976.
Monday August 30 and Tuesday August 31, 1976
Capitol Centre, Largo, MD-with the Artful Dodger (One show each night at 8:00 PM)
The Beach Boys played two nights at the Capitol Centre. Larry Rohter of The Washington Post noted, “The Beach Boys…seem even stronger than they did last summer or the summer before. They’re leaning heavily on oldies, as they have since their comeback in 1972 but now they seem less reluctant to perform ambitious works like California Saga and Sail On Sailor, both of which feature choir like vocals and delicious melody lines. A horn section, stationed on board a sloop and framed by palm trees at the rear of the stage, gave familiar tunes like California Girls and Help Me Rhonda a new dimension.”
These appearances marked Brian Wilson’s first shows outside California since 1970. He played both nights, seated mainly behind a white piano but taking over bass for his performance of “Back Home.” The jumbotron screen at the Capitol Centre flashed the message “Brian is Back” on the screen during the show. Steve Parks of the Baltimore Sun noted Brian “still looks very tentative on stage-hiding behind the bass-perhaps because his shrink is never far off stage… To see him in person, one would never guess he wrote and performed the music that sold 80 million records.” The next day he returned home and wasn’t present for the rest of the tour. The photo shows Brian and his famous shrink, Dr. Eugene Landy, at Don Kirshner’s Rock Music Awards on September 18, 1976. On live television, Brian presented the single of the year award to Jefferson Starship for their song “Miracles” and received a standing ovation from the celebrity-studded audience.
Wednesday September 1, 1976
Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY-with the Cate Brothers (8:00 PM Show)
The Beach Boys played to a crowd of 16,888-fans at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York. Wesley Strick of Circus Magazine noted, “The night is thick with magic moments. Carl croons the lush declaration ‘God Only Knows.’ As the applause fades, Jardine mutters, ‘That’s my favorite song’ into his microphone. It’s an offhand observation, just Gentlemen Jardine sharing an old secret. Mike Love calls Pet Sounds ‘Our favorite album.’ Billy Hinsche’s lead vocal on Sail on sailor is an unexpected delight and tonight’s rendition is a triumph of rollicking rhythm. And then there’s Dennis. In spite of Mike Love’s unflagging Jaggerisms, all the boppers pine for Dennis….Tonight Dennis is standing center stage, awkward and adorable, introducing the original Surfer Girl. He coaxes the diminutive, peroxided and painfully shy Audree Wilson from the shadows. Engulfing Audree in a backwards bear hug, Dennis exults, ‘This is the mother of Brian Wilson!’ The Virgin Mary never had it so good! And then Al leads the Coliseum in Surfer Girl. Ten-thousand shimmering adolescent voices wondering ‘Do you love me, do you Surfer Girl?’ The instant nostalgia is overwhelming. A Beach Boys concert may be America’s only authentic caucasian tribal rite.”
Thursday September 2, 1976
Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY-with the Cate Brothers and Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group (7:30 PM Show)
This was an important gig for the Beach Boys since among the 17,000 in attendance was Mo Ostin from their label Warner/Reprise Records. Dale Anderson of the Buffalo News praised the backing band, declaring that they “put a tidal wave of power behind the Beach Boys ocean of fabled surfing hits. ‘Help Me Rhonda’, with three keyboards churning rhythm, threw all sheets to the wind halfway through the 90-minute show. From there on it was nothing but old favorites right into their encore of Joe Cockers’s ‘You Are So Beautiful’, ‘Barbara Ann’, ‘Rock N’ Roll Music’ and ‘Fun, Fun, Fun.’”
Friday September 3 and Saturday September 4, 1976
CNE Grandstand, Toronto, ON, Canada-with the Garfield Band (One show on Friday at 8:30 PM and two shows on Saturday)
Over 65,000 people attended the band’s three Toronto shows. Sam Charters of the Toronto Globe and Mail praised the group for “continuing to give that rich, perfect and pure sound that has hung together for 15 years and may well go on indefinitely.” The photo was taken on September 1 at the Nassau Coliseum.
Sunday September 5, 1976
Civic Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada (8:00 PM Show)
A capacity crowd attended the Beach Boys Ottawa appearance. Bill Provick of the Ottawa Citizen reported that the audience of 10,000 was so enthusiastic that “when the crowd leapt to its feet for songs like Surfin USA, Help Me Rhonda and I Get Around, everyone stood and bounced with joy, even those way up in the farthest corners of the arena…Few rock bands trigger such a response and usually only as their concert climaxes but the Beach Boys nearly tore the place apart several times during their show.”
Monday September 6, 1976
Forum, Montreal, QB, Canada (8:00 PM Show)
The Beach Boys attracted 20,000-fans to their tour-ending concert at the Forum. Juan Rodriguez of The Montreal Gazette noted, “Last night’s crowd was up on its feet most of the way.” He commented that, “The way their sound thundered across last night it was easy to tell that Love, Dennis and Carl Wilson and Al Jardine and associates have never felt better. The harmonies-barbershop taken to symphonic operatic extremes-were smooth and resonant. The simple bass and drum sound was a perfect hand-clapping invitation. The combination of clapping and big electric beat was interestingly spontaneous…Ah, and the songs from all their periods: God Only Knows, Fun to Run (a new great one), Darlin, Sail On Sailor, Barbara Ann, Little Surfer Girl, Heroes and Villains, Help Me Rhonda, Be True To Your School, In My Room, Surfin USA, Sloop John B, Rock and Roll Music (their superb recent rendering of Chuck Berry’s original), Good Vibrations (more vibrant than ever), Wouldn’t It Be Nice, I Get Around and more. They allowed the repertoire to speak for itself with songs that have stood the test of time.”
As it turned out, this was the group’s last appearance for two months. Ron Altbach recalled, “Mike got hepatitis when the Beach Boys were in Montreal. I saw him completely yellow and freaked out.” Shows scheduled for BYU in Utah on September 16, the Kingdome in Seattle on Sept 18, San Diego on September 24, Sacramento on the 25th and Santa Barbara on the 26th were canceled. The group planned to tour the southwest in early October, including dates in Arkansas, Texas and Florida, but these dates were canceled as well.
Monday November 22, 1976
Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH
The Beach Boys reunited for concerts in the important cities of Cincinnati, New York and Boston. Flutist-Saxophonist Charles Lloyd, who’d toured with the group in 1972, joined the band. He was a follower of TM and close friends with Mike. Indeed, Lloyd told a reporter “Mike is my dearest friend. We were Dharmacly born on the same day, March 15. We were meant to get together. The Beach Boys are really good people and their music is a healthy, good vibe. It’s a joy to work with them.” In addition to Bobby Figueroa, Carli Munoz, Billy Hinsche and the Hornettes, Elmo Peeler also accompanied the group, having again taken Ron Altbach’s spot on piano and synths. More importantly, Brian was along as well. He played most of the dates, mainly sitting behind the piano but taking over bass for a few numbers. Brian had been productive during the break, recording much of what became Beach Boys Love You, and the band played the, as yet unreleased, “Airplane” and “Love Is a Woman” at these shows.
Perhaps they were a little rusty after the long layoff, because reviewer Cliff Radel of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported, “The Beach Boys’ legendary harmonies were out of tune and poorly balanced for the opener ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’ and things did not get much better as the set progressed.” Perhaps, Ken Williams of the Journal News saw a different show because he declared it “exceptional” and singled out Carl’s performance of “God Only Knows” as one of the highlights. Williams noted, “The loudest ovation of the evening went to ‘Suzy Cincinnati.’ Even the real Suzy Cincinnati, an ex cab-driver now living in Covington, showed up for the excitement.” The photo shows the BBs being reunited with her backstage.
Wednesday November 24 to Friday November 26, 1976
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY (One show at 8:00 PM each night)
Brian continued his comeback. Following the Cincinnati show, he’d taped an appearance on The Mike Douglas Show, which aired on December 8. Dressed in a white suit, a nervous Brian gave a long and revealing interview to Douglas for his syndicated talk show about his many ups and downs and performed solo versions of “Sloop John B” and “Back Home” at the piano. An amusing moment occurred during this show, when Brian accidentally revealed the mantra given to him by Maharishi. The “Brian Is Back” campaign created such a buzz in NYC that the two scheduled shows were SRO, necessitating the addition of a Wednesday show. Close to 60,000 people saw the band over these three days. Brian joined them for the first two nights. Jim Fishel of Billboard noted that “the one thing that set the Beach Boys performance apart from all of the past 13 years of memorable concerts here was the presence of Brian Wilson…Throughout the entire performance, many of the young concertgoers shouted his name in a worshipful manner and they were richly rewarded by Brian’s vocal output.”
Not everyone, however, believed Brian was “back.” While fans loved seeing him, critics noted he appeared tentative before large crowds and spent most of his time hiding behind the piano, seldom joining in choruses of songs he wrote. Eudell Penski of the Times-Herald Record attended the New York shows and argued, “those empty, worthless years-lying in bed, smoking marijuana-have taken their toll on the big man. The voice just wasn’t there when Wilson sang Alan Jardine’s ‘Sloop John B’… After waiting so long to have Wilson perform with the group once again it was a sheer letdown not to see him at his best.” The Beach Boys close friend and booking agent Chip Rachlin felt, “Forcing Brian out there then and parading him around like a trained monkey was detrimental. I didn’t think that Brian being trotted around for the occasional date did him any good.” Drummer Bobby Figueroa commented, “You know at times you could tell that he didn’t want to be there. He didn’t feel he should be there. He felt uncomfortable. He was using every bit of energy he had to hold up his end and to come back and say ‘Ok I’m gonna give it a shot.’ At times he was into it and other times he just wasn’t into it. But there were many nights where it was fine.”
Saturday November 27, 1976
Boston Garden, Boston, MA (8:00 PM Show)
Over 17,000 people turned out for this concert. If they were hoping to see Brian Wilson, however, they were out of luck. He was making a controversial solo appearance on Saturday Night Live in New York, hosted that week by actress Jodi Foster. Dressed in a white suit, Brian performed “Back Home,” “Love Is a Woman” and a raspy version of “Good Vibrations,” while seated at the piano (as shown in photo). He also took part in a comedy sketch, dressed as a police officer. Steve Morse of the Boston Globe attended the Beach Boys concert and noted, “The band, dressed in white suits (though Mike Love soon pared down to a gold butterfly-embroidered vest), played more than two hours and did 25-songs. Atoning for a sloppy performance at Schaefer Stadium in their last visit, they played as well as longtime followers have ever seen them. Their energy was considerable but they proved, for this tour at least, that they are pandering unabashedly to a new pubescent generation…They did a few of the complex songs that earned them underground FM airplay during their 1968-1971 commercial low point but when an excellent Charles Lloyd flute solo drew no applause on ‘Feel Flows’, they quickly retreated to the safer, boogie sanctuary of oldies-Surfin USA, Help Me Rhonda, Barbara Ann and so on.”
Wednesday December 15, 1976
Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA (8:00 PM Show)
The Beach Boys returned to the road for some west coast dates. With the addition of Charles Lloyd and Brian, there were now sixteen musicians onstage, including Elmo Peeler, Carli Munoz, Billy Hinsche and the Hornettes. Larry Kelp of The Oakland Tribune argued that the large size of the band allowed “for little creativity or musical freedom by any player. They have to stick to a worked out format in order to keep the show together.” While underwhelmed by the concert as a whole, Kelp was impressed by the return of Brian Wilson, who played the show dressed in a blue bathrobe with silver trim, his standard wardrobe for the December tour dates. One reviewer referred to it as “something that might have been a bargain item at Gorgeous George’s estate sale.” He noted, “Brian Wilson performed the entire show, moving from his piano to electric bass and lead vocals on several numbers including Surfer Girl and Back Home. The audience stood and cheered wildly for him.” Joel Selvin of the San Francisco Chronicle noted, “The recovery of Brian Wilson is still far from complete-his playing and singing were off substantially at times on Wednesday-but his progress this year is nothing short of astounding. For Brian Wilson to even leave his home for an extended stay, let alone stand up and sing in front of 12,000-people, represents a major accomplishment.”
Friday December 17 and Saturday December 18, 1976
Seattle Coliseum, Seattle, WA (One show each night at 8:00 PM)
The Friday concert in Seattle was SRO and the Saturday show almost sold out as well. Fans rapturously received the group but Seattle Times critic Patrick MacDonald noted that with 16 people on stage “the simple little harmonies of the Beach Boys were overwhelmed by it all.” He was also critical of Brian’s return, commenting that he seemed “discombobulated” and looked “around from his piano bench frequently to get encouragement from somebody sitting behind him, presumably his psychoanalyst who is with him always…He acknowledged big signs that said ‘Welcome Back’ and waved back at people, but he had a blank, distant, unsmiling look on his face. At times it was eerie.” This photo was taken in Oakland on December 15
Sunday December 19, 1976
Coliseum, Spokane, WA (8:00 PM Show)
7000 people attended this show. Chuck Rehberg of the Spokane Chronicle reported that the group “wandered through a half dozen styles between their ‘oldies,’ seeking some chemistry with the audience, but finding little…The slow cadence of In My Room produced flat almost discordant sound. Mike Love’s voice was often over powered by the instruments….Brian and brother Dennis Wilson did achieve a magical moment in their version of ‘Little Surfer Girl,’ and the audience responded warmly but such moments were all too infrequent. Mike sang everything from the group’s new release (next month) ‘Airplane’ to a song about Transcendental Meditation. But few of the numbers moved the crowd.”
Tuesday December 21, 1976
Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC, Canada (8:00 PM Show)
The Beach Boys end of the year concerts received generally mixed-reviews. Nick Collier of the Vancouver Sun argued that the Vancouver show suffered from poor pacing and a bad sound system, which made the horn section “barely audible.” He was disappointed by the return of Brian, who spent most of the show behind a piano, staring “as if catatonic, while a shrugging bodyguard looked on from behind. Brian’s health was obviously suffering and, if there are ever to be compositions of worth from Brian again, it would be advisable that he retire from the rigors of the road in favor of producing and writing.”
Thursday December 23, 1976
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR (8:00 PM Show)
John Wendeborn of the Oregonian attended the Beach Boys Portland appearance and commented, "Some things just get better with age. So do some musicians...The five Beach Boys and ten other honorary Beach Boys returned to the Memorial Coliseum Thursday night to present a sell-out concert in front of 11,000-screaming fans. It was quite a show and that's an understatement...The two and a half hour concert held few surprises but that's the magic: the kids came to hear the songs and hear them they did! The music, such as Barbara Ann and I Get Around, sounds better with age. The band's ten-piece backing group included additional keyboards, percussion and a five-piece brass section. Biggest surprise of all was not the publicized appearance of Brian Wilson...but jazz player Charles Lloyd, whose jazz flute and tenor sax added some pretty, sensitive and tender moments to an already fun show. Music included I Wanna Go Home (Sloop John B), Little Deuce Coupe. Sail on Sailor, God Only Knows, Be True To Your School, Little Surfer Girl, Help Me Rhonda, I Get Around and Good Vibrations, which was followed by Surfin USA." The photo was taken on New Year's Eve in Los Angeles.
Monday December 27, 1976
Sports Arena, San Diego, CA (8:00 PM Show)
Over 13,000 fans turned out for this show. Steve Casey of the Evening Tribune opined that the majority was so young that few of them could remember when ‘Be True To Your School’ was a hit. He praised the band’s performance, though he noted that the sound system was poor and that “their voices-when you could hear them-sounded strained, like the tour has taken its toll. In the softer numbers their voices seemed more at ease.” Casey declared “Everyone’s In Love with You” to be one of the highlights along with a rousing “Help Me Rhonda” that “was perfectly executed and caught the shouting, stomping, whistling crowd at the peak of an emotional high.”
Friday December 31, 1976
Forum, Los Angeles, CA
The Beach Boys commemorated their 15th anniversary with a concert in their hometown. Nearly 20,000 fans turned out for the show, which started later than usual so they would be onstage when the New Year began. The group opened with “California Girls”, followed by “Darlin.’” Writer David Leaf reported in Pet Sounds that he had “never heard Carl sound hotter. His R & B gutsy lead vocal was a highlight of the evening.” Brian, dressed in a blue bathrobe with silver trim, sang “Sloop John B” and then the group performed “Little Deuce Coupe,” “In My Room” (with Al on lead), “Sail on Sailor” (sung by Billy Hinsche),“California,” “God Only Knows“ and “Airplane” which was unreleased at that point. Brian strapped on a bass for “Back Home” and then the group played “Catch a Wave”, “Susie Cincinnati” and “Be True to Your School” to wrap up the first half. After a break, they launched into “It’s OK” and “A Casual Look” from 15 Big Ones and then played another new song “Love is a Woman.” A trio of meditative tunes followed this: “Feel Flows”, “Everyone’s in Love with You” and “All This Is That.” The group then performed “Surfer Girl” with Brian breaking out his falsetto, before picking up the pace with “Heroes and Villains,” “Help Me Rhonda,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “I Get Around.” Shortly before midnight they started ‘Good Vibrations’ but Carl stopped in the middle to countdown the last ten seconds of 1976. The group then played the song again and closed with “Surfin USA.” When they returned for the encore, a large flaming banner with the words “The Beach Boys” descended behind them. Dennis sang “You Are So Beautiful”, and then the group returned for “Barbara Ann”, “Rock and Roll Music” and “Fun, Fun, Fun.”
