Brian Wilson Royal Festival Hall – Today – file under one of best nights ever! I have loved Brian Wilson since I was 7 and tonight he proved once again why!!!

Well, I hadn’t planned to go to the concert tonight, I had tickets for Saturday night, but after a wonderful e-mail from Val at Beach Boys Britain inviting me to a meet and greet back stage, I booked my tickets with haste.  Thank goodness I did.. we had such a great night!  I got there at 3ish and sat out side the Royal Festival Hall in the glorious autumn sunshine and finished my book whilst I waited the arrival of everyone else. I didn’t have to wait long but was informed I was in the wrong place, they were all at the County Hall. Got the directions text from AGD as its been a few years since I stayed there and I was soon to be found in the bar with my fellow Beach Boy friends.  It’s so great to see these friends at each concert, we were all saying we have been if you will pardon the pun riding this wave for ten years now and firm friendships have formed. We reminisced about the amazing times we have had and are still amazed it has gone on so long!!!!

Then for the concert!  AMAZING the first set just flew past with Brian and the band performing the new Reimagines Gershwin album which sounded even better with the Stockholm Strings and Horns to accompany the already brilliant band!

Brian was on top form, standout tracks were ‘I Loves You Porgy’ and also my fav ‘Some One To Watch Over Me’ which he sang with such emotion, as though he really meant it, which I’m sure he did. ‘Summertime’ was great, what can I say it was ALL great!

Then after an intermission we were back for all the Beach Boy tracks. You got the usual suspects but were also treated to lots of great early tracks, one of my fav’s ‘Wendy’ sounded brilliant, ‘Surfer Moon’ was played by them live for the first time ever, though you wouldn’t have known it, that one gave me goosebumps!

Darian sang a brilliant version of ‘Darlin’ so great to hear him have a lead, the vocals were shared about more than usual which was great. Jeff gave us Don’t Worry Baby and Scott sang ‘Sail on Sailor’ what else was there…. so many songs; Liz said you certainly get your moneys worth… oh yes of course Nicky did a brilliant ‘Pet Sounds’.

Hillarious moment was when a drunk a few rows in front of us kept dancing when no one else was and security were trying to get him to sit down. He was giving them the finger and just as they were about to swoop in and kick him out  the band burst into ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’ and Scott said ‘now everyone up on your feet’, so our drunk got a brilliant repreive!

Then after the concert we met the others and headed into a tiny room where Brian sat with Jeffrey. I had such a tough time wondering what to get him to sign this time, but decided upon an original ‘Smile’ album cover art that was already signed by Frank Holmes and a lovely black and white picture of the band in ’63, though I do always feel bad as Iworry it might make Brian sad to see his lost brothers….

Just in case I had printed off the album art to ‘All Summer Long’. Martin had got a surprise back stage pass and nothing to sign so I gave him that!  So brilliant result… I told Brian how I had loved him since I was 7 and tonight once again he had validated that love and he looked up at me and thanked me… he doesn’t usually do that so I was blown away! I also passed on a message from the brilliant David Sandler (American Spring Album) to Brian’s manager, hopefully they might reply 🙂

Then it was upstairs in a lift with Nicky Wonder and Mike D’Amico for  the aftershow party!!!  This an unexpected bonus.

I was pleased to see Probyn as I had some a-ha cd’s for his wife :-). We hung out with the band, I got a piccie with each member… I look like a startled rabbit on all of them..:-) told them about the drunk you can see Darian laughing in the piccie of he and I.

Then at Waterloo station I bumped into a long lost friend! Who I had in fact taken to see Brian back in 2004… strange how the Gods move the  chess pieces about to bring people back together!

Then it was off into the night. We just managed to catch the last train home with literally one minute to spare!  The gods certainly did look out for me tonight!  as did Val. Thanks Val 🙂

Below is some film I took, the visual isn’t great as security guards were looming about but hey just close your eyes and listen to the music. Also check out the reaction to ‘God Only Knows’, wonderful!