REVIEW ~ The Beach Boys: Wisconsin State Fair (Milwaukee, WI) August 6, 2017

The Beach Boys Wisconsin State Fair (Milwaukee, WI)August 6, 2017

BRIAN ANDERSON

Beach Boy Fan & Prayer For Surf Friend

The main stage evening show on Sunday, August 6, at the Wisconsin State Fair in Milwaukee, Wis., featured the Beach Boys with special guests The Temptations. These Motown legends (with one “classic” member remaining in the line-up) performed their hits, all of which I’m sure everyone knows, plus a few lesser-recognized songs. The old man in me found their set to be a bit too loud (it should never be so loud as to be right at, or into, the “distorted” realm of sound), but the Beach Boys sound quality was just right. I was looking at this Beach Boys performance as maybe being my final time seeing the surviving band. When you add the opportunity I had of seeing Brian Wilson (with Al Jardine) — in the company of Phil Miglioratti — also in Milwaukee this spring, I’ve pretty well covered the original band members within five months. Am I wrong to consider Bruce Johnston as maybe not a “founding” member, but an “original” member? But I digress.

In my opinion, the addition of Jeff Foskett to Mike Love’s traveling Beach Boys is great for the quality of the live music. Seeing Brian Wilson this year, and obviously knowing Brian’s vocal limitations, I feel that Foskette does a better overall job of infusing the “feel of Brian” into the performances. Foskette nails Brian’s falsettos nearly flawlessly, and what I noticed this time was that when he sang the lead on “Darlin’,” his voice seemingly morphed to closely resembled Carl Wilson’s style. I was very impressed with the band’s musicianship and their current interpretation of the tunes we all know so well from memorizing the studio albums for decades. 

Mike Love was, well, Mike Love, still performing in top form at age 76. Bruce Johnston did not sing any lead vocals (they did not play “Disney Girls [1957],” which is sometimes his highlight). In fact, if you didn’t know who he is, you probably wouldn’t have paid any attention to him throughout the show. Perhaps he was not feeling up to singing lead this evening. Other vocals were handled by lead guitarist Scott Totten, most impressively on “The Ballad of Ole’ Betsy,” a song I had never heard performed live before. That was one of the highlights of the night. Totten also sang lead on “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” later in the show. Bassist Brian Eichenberger sang lead on “Then I Kissed Her” later in the show. While hearing Al Jardine sing this song with his almost perfectly-preserved 1965 voice is always a plus, Eichenberger’s version was spot-on as far as an audio-authentic version.

The only snag on the evening was that a rainstorm popped up from nowhere about 2/3 into the show, and much of the crowd scrambled behind/beneath the grandstands. I, of course, armed with an umbrella against the wind and rain, stayed in my seat to the end, not wanting to miss something I may never see/hear again. I hope I get the chance to see them live again, but at this point with the original members’ ages, nothing is guaranteed. See them when you get a chance!

— Brian Anderson


Concert Song List:

Surfin’ Safari
Catch A Wave
Little Honda
Do It Again
Surfin’ U.S.A.
Surfer Girl
Don’t Worry Baby
Little Deuce Coupe
409
Shut Down
I Get Around
Ballad of Ole’ Betsy (Scott Totten vocal)
Getcha Back
Why Do Fools Fall In Love
When I Grow Up To Be A Man
Darlin’ (Jeff Foskett vocal)
Be True To Your School
God Only Knows (with Carl Wilson audio/video vocal)
Pisces Brothers (Mike Love song)
(Rainstorm began)
California Girls
Then I Kissed Her (Brian Eichenberger vocal)
Sloop John B
Wouldn’t It Be Nice (Scott Totten vocal)
Do You Wanna Dance (with Dennis Wilson audio vocal)
Help Me Rhonda
Kokomo
Good Vibrations (Jeff Foskett vocal)
Barbara Ann*
Fun, Fun, Fun*

*Normally done as a separate encore, but they took mercy on the fans sitting in the driving rain and just tacked them onto the end of the set with no delay.