BRIAN WILSON AND SMILE

[MicheBel]

Polyphonic Spree
Brian Wilson and "SMILE"
Hollywood Bowl
Sunday, September 4, 2005
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The concert started right at 7 pm. We were dashing over there from the Arthurfest daylong event, and got there right after 7. Polyphonic Spree was already onstage, spreading their message of joy and love. That really seemed to be the overwhelming theme of my weekend: LOVE JOY PEACE.

I don't have much familiarity with Polyphonic Spree, other than hearing a song of theirs on Indie (where I hear all my music). So it was interesting to see this mass of people onstage, all wearing what looked like choir robes, in a bright green color, with a zigzag red stripe. (My friend said it looked sorta like Charlie Brown's stripe.) And they were laughing and joyous and happy, like an Up with People for our time (I know that comparison's been made before).

As I sat there watching them, I was remembering the last concert I saw there: Arcade Fire and David Byrne, in which I TOTALLY LOVED Arcade Fire and thought David Byrne was eh. I was hoping that I wouldn't have the same experience. Alas...

So, I totally dug Polyphonic Spree. Their vibe was so great. And people were dancing in the aisles--as they had been to the energy of Arcade Fire.

Then Brian Wilson came out. All Californians have to stop reading here. I'm about to go into my purely Midwestern critic mode, and it's gonna piss you off.

I will say this, as the Californians are moving to another website now...it is an accomplishment that Brian Wilson finished SMILE, eons after its origins. I can really get behind an artist who drops a project, then finally comes around to completing it.

But let's be real. Smile is no Pet Sounds.

Furthermore, and I say this with all the kindness in my heart (are you Californians gone yet? GO!):

THE BEACH BOYS ARE DEAD. Long live the Beach Boys.

Watching Brian Wilson do this was like watching a train wreck. You just couldn't look away, but you kept thinking "Oh my god!" I was far enough away that watching the monitors was the main activity. And most of the time, the camera was on Wilson. Now, I wouldn't say he was lip-syching, exactly, but there was certainly some weirdness with his voice. It was coming across much stronger than he appeared to be singing.

And all of the singers, on the Beach Boys classics were in shadow, so you didn't know who was singing which part. But I swear there was someone up there who doubled Brian's part. So it ended up feeling like this spectacle, manufactured by Clive Davis and the record company. I can just hear them: "Get the best sets, the best lights, the best musicians in town! We can do this!"

And, to their credit, they did put together an amazing package. I have never seen so much percussion onstage. Drums for days. Singers who were absolutely incredible. Scott Campbell, this Owen Wilson-ish persona was simply amazing to watch. He sang, he danced (around), he played all kinds of instruments. He almost made the concert worth sitting through. They had a sax player from Chicago to die for, just incredible.

The band, was absolutely first-rate. And, I have to say, it's great to see so many musicians working. But in the service of what?

The first part of the show was a bunch of Beach Boys favorites. Then, they all came back and performed Smile, which opened with a daytime sunshine, and closed with a sparkly silver sun. (That Day and Night theme was present a lot this weekend too.) Then they did some 60s songs as encores.

But here's the thing. I think people were mostly there (I know I was) to see Brian Wilson (and probably because Californians love the Beach Boys so much). And Brian Wilson was...

In some ways, I gotta give him credit. He came back from some very scary places, and looks like he's happy now. But Brian, please, do us all a favor. Enjoy the money you made from this Smile tour and album, and go retire. Enjoy your California beachhouse whereever it is, and don't go on the road anymore.

Watching Brian Wilson was rather like watching someone do bad karoake. They sorta hit it sometimes, but most of the time, you just give them credit for trying. He even had a computer screen in front of him with all the words, which he looked to often. And from time to time, he'd make little gestures, like bad Pictionary or something. A song about people dancing had him mime with his hands people dancing. A sailor song had him giving a salute.

My friend was saying that he was like watching someone's dad dance. Badly.

It was, really, finally, despite all the great production that went into it, painful to watch. I couldn't wait to leave.

Cause you know, to me, the joy in watching a band's performance is as much about the music as it is watching the band mates together, interacting. That part will never happen again. And anything less just isn't the same.