Live at the Roxy Theater

Live at the Roxy Theater is a live double album by the American musician Brian Wilson from 2000. The album is a recording of two concerts at the Roxy Theater in April 2000 in Los Angeles . It is Brian Wilson's first live solo album.

The album was produced by Brian Wilson himself. Brian Wilson, Darian Sahanaja and Scott Bennett did the live arrangements for the pieces.

The story of the album

The peculiarity of this album is that Brian Wilson - founding member of the Beach Boys - had already declared in 1964 that he no longer wanted to perform in public. On the one hand he suffered from the stress of touring, on the other hand he wanted to concentrate more on working in the studio on new songs. He put this resolution into practice. Except for a few appearances (for example in 1967 for the "Lei'd in Hawaii" concert, the "Brian is back" campaign in 1976 or the Festival Live in Knebworth in 1980) he stayed away from the stages of the world and worked for years in Background.

In 1998 Wilson released his solo album Imagination . A gig was scheduled to present the album. The very positive reactions of the audience on the evening of this concert aroused Brian Wilson's interest in further concerts.

In 1999, Wilson accidentally discovered the right accompanying group for his tour in a small club in Los Angeles. A band called The Wondermints played there . To Wilson's surprise, they played Pet Sounds from the Beach Boys album of the same name from 1966. After the performance, he approached the band and asked them to accompany him during his tour.

The cast of the Wondermints consisted of the following members:

Taylor Mills (vocals)
Jeffrey Foskett (vocals, guitar, percussion)
Mike d'Amico (vocals, guitar, percussion)
Darian Sahanaja (vocals, keyboard, vibraphone)
Nick Walusko (vocals, guitar)
Paul Mertens (saxophone, flute)
Probyn Gregory (French horn, vocals, guitar, trumpet)
Scott Bennett (keyboard, vocals, vibraphone, percussion)
Jim Hines (drums)
Bob Lizik (bass).

Live at the Roxy

In April 2000, Brian Wilson performed with his ten-member backing band at the Roxy Theater in Los Angeles. A large number of celebrities were among the approximately 500 people in the audience. The audience was not disappointed. There was an excellent concert, the band played perfectly, the instrumentation of the pieces is excellent. The harmonies of the accompanying group are not only reminiscent of the Beach Boys, they even sound a lot better than the Beach Boys. Brian Wilson, who was a bit insecure at the beginning, gradually relieved his nervousness as the concert progressed.

The audience may have expected a succession of the most famous successes, but the selection of titles shows not only well-known Beach Boys titles such as California Girls , Good Vibrations or I Get Around, but also lesser- known Beach Boys titles and pieces from Wilson's solo oeuvre, for example The First Time . Wilson wrote this piece in 1983, "forgot" it and found it again by accident.

As a bonus there is an interview with Brian Wilson on the second CD.

The playlist

Little Girl intro
The Little Girl I Once Knew (Brian Wilson)
This Whole World (Brian Wilson)
Don't Worry Baby (Brian Wilson / Roger Christian)
Kiss Me Baby (Brian Wilson / Mike Love)
Do It Again (Brian Wilson / Mike Love)
California Girls (Brian Wilson / Mike Love)
I Get Around (Brian Wilson / Mike Love)
Back Home (Brian Wilson / Bob Norberg)
In My Room (Brian Wilson / Gary Usher)
Surfer Girl (Brian Wilson)
The First Time (Brian Wilson)
This Isn't Love (Brian Wilson / Tony Asher)
Add Some Music to Your Day (Brian Wilson / Joe Knott / Mike Love)
Please Let Me Wonder (Brian Wilson / Mike Love)
Band intro (band will be introduced by Jeffrey Foskett)
Brian Wilson (JS Page)
'Til I Die (Brian Wilson)
Darlin '(Brian Wilson / Mike Love)
Lets Go Away For Awhile (Brian Wilson)
Pet Sounds (Brian Wilson)
God Only Knows (Brian Wilson / Tony Ahser)
Lay Down Burden (Brian Wilson / Joe Thomas)
Be My Baby (Phil Spector / Greenwish / Barry)
Good Vibrations (Brian Wilson / Mike Love)
Caroline No (Brian Wilson / Tony Asher)
All Summer Long (Brian Wilson)
Love & Mercy (Brian Wilson)
Sloop John B. (Trad. Arr./Brian Wilson)
Barbara Ann (Fred Fassert)
Wouldn't It Be Nice (Brian Wilson / Tony Asher / Mike Love)
Help Me Rhonda (Brian Wilson / Mike Love)
Interview with Brian Wilson