Brian Wilson, special guests bring Beach Boys catalog to The Palace
Some things just never get old.
For original Beach Boy Al Jardine, that includes singing the songs that made the group famous 60 years ago.
Jardine will perform hits and deep cuts from the group’s vast catalog with co-founder Brian Wilson on Oct. 19 at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg.
“It’s a good time to see Brian. He’s in top form,” Jardine said. “And you know, he’s one of the world’s topmost composers.”
Wilson’s mental and physical health issues have been well-documented over the years, but he’s in a good place now, Jardine said.
In fact, Wilson has a new album, “At My Piano,” set for release Nov. 19.
On it, the musical legend performs a re-imagined collection of his historically popular songs — including “God Only Knows,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “California Girls” and “Good Vibrations” — as the album title says, alone at his piano.
The Greensburg audience will hear those songs, too, but not in such spare form.
In addition to Jardine, Wilson will be joined by former Beach Boy Blondie Chaplin, Jardine’s son Matt Jardine and a backing band.
“We’ll have a big full orchestra, with Brian front and center on the piano, and he’ll be flanked by Jardines,” Jardine said.
Matt Jardine now supplies the falsetto notes that are harder for the OG Beach Boys to reach these days.
Note for note
“The show is packed with hits, and we do them note for note,” Jardine said, but Wilson and company also will mine the depths of the Beach Boys oeuvre.
On the set list, he said, “The hits stay the same, but the deep cuts may change. If we get to where we want to do something different, we will.
“There are so many songs, we could never get to all of them,” he said. “The deep cuts are the best part of the show.”
Chaplin, a native of South Africa who was a Beach Boy in the early 1970s, will sing lead on songs produced during his time with the group — including “Sail On, Sailor,” which is considered his signature song.
Jardine took the lead on singles such as “Help Me, Rhonda,” “Then I Kissed Her,” “Cotton Fields” and “Come Go With Me.”
In concert, he also sings a personal favorite, “California Saga,” which he described as “ ‘California Girls’ with a northern California take on it.”
Jardine said the shows they’ll be playing in October are particularly meaningful to him and Wilson, as the month marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Beach Boys.
Through times together and apart, making solo music or collaborating with other musicians, there’s always a draw back to those good old songs.
Greatest album, greatest artists
Formed in Southern California by Wilson and his brothers, Carl and Dennis; their cousin, Mike Love; and school friend Jardine, the band quickly gained fame for its harmonies and sophisticated arrangements of songs about young love and sunny, Southern California life.
With more than 100 million records sold worldwide, the band had 36 songs in the U.S. Top 40 and four topping the Billboard Hot 100. Rolling Stone magazine ranked their “Pet Sounds” No. 2 on its list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time,” and the group No. 12 on its list of “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”
In 1988, the Beach Boys were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award.
Jardine said that, while he and Brian Wilson own the Beach Boys name, Mike Love is licensed to use it and continues to tour with a band billed as the Beach Boys. Dennis Wilson died in 1983, and Carl Wilson died in 1998.
The group’s 60th anniversary will be marked by the release of a retrospective five-CD set, a new documentary and, “hopefully,” a world tour, Jardine said.
Being on the road hasn’t gotten old yet, said Jardine, even though he and Wilson are both 79.
“It’s a good way to run away from your problems,” he joked. “But when you get home, they’re still waiting for you, and the mail’s all piled up.”
On a more serious note, he said, “It’s still just good music, and we love it.”
Tickets to the show at The Palace are $39.50-$125. Various VIP packages are available, with perks including access to a pre-show soundcheck with Wilson, Jardine and Chaplin, a collectible tour poster and merchandise.
Details: 724-836-8000 or thepalacetheatre.org
Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Shirley by email at smcmarlin@triblive.com or via Twitter .
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.