Concert Review: Brian Wilson

By Craig Rosen

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Brian Wilson brought "Smile," his once-shelved album, to the Disney Concert Hall on Tuesday night.

The event ended a 37-year wait for die-hard fans who had longed for the album's official release -- which finally came last month, when Nonesuch issued a newly recorded version of the work -- and could only dream of seeing it performed live.

There was such anticipation that Wilson's "Smile" co-writer, lyricist Van Dyke Parks, received an ovation when he took his seat in the hall with no introduction and the house lights still on.

The first show of Wilson's two-night engagement fell on Election Night. That seemed as if it would only ratchet the drama up another notch, but the evening's political battle proved to be a nonfactor. Vote for Change this was not.

As Wilson famously sang on a track from 1966's "Pet Sounds," "I just wasn't made for these times." Apparently he wasn't made for these times either, choosing to completely ignore the evening's other historical event. Perhaps he didn't want to risk offending a portion of the audience, so he missed the opportunity to dedicate "Heroes and Villains" to the candidates.

Then again, Wilson's and the Beach Boys' best work isn't about politics but love, the loss of innocence and coming to grips with confusion. In the early '60s, the Beach Boys' fun-and-sun anthems provided comfort from such harsh realities as the assassination of President Kennedy.

Indeed, much of Wilson's first set Tuesday brought the crowd back to a simpler time. Opening with a semi-acoustic rendition of "Surfer Girl," Wilson and his crack 10-piece band huddled as if they were at a beach campfire. After the group spread out on the stage, a mix of Beach Boys standards such as "Sloop John B" and "California Girls" and lesser-known songs like "Gettin' in Over My Head," the title track from Wilson's other 2004 album, followed. A midset rendition of "God Only Knows" prompted a standing ovation, but the opening hourlong set was just a primer for the main event: "Smile."

Usually, the mere recreation of a recording isn't a fulfilling experience for an audience. They expect something more -- spontaneity, or some sort of flourish that will make the performance stand above a recording. But "Smile" is no mere album. The fact that Wilson and his band -- a mix of the L.A.-based Wondermints, the eight-piece Stockholm Strings n' Horns and other players -- were able to re-create the intricate song cycle live, complete with its lush orchestrations and perfect harmonies, was nothing short of amazing.

Seated behind a keyboard at center stage for the majority of the show, Wilson was strong in voice and accentuated the music with hand motions that were part conductor, part cheerleader.

The performance of "Smile" was so powerful that an encore of more Beach Boys hits, including "Barbara Ann," "Help Me, Rhonda" and "Surfin' U.S.A.," seemed better suited for Disneyland than the Disney Concert Hall. However, the set-closing "Love and Mercy," from Wilson's 1988 solo debut, left all with good vibrations.