Beach Boys at the Olympia, Paris

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Beach Boys at the Olympia, Paris
Beach Boys at the Olympia, Paris

We decided to go to the Beach Boys when they came to Paris with our friends Jean Luc and Nancy. The Beach Boys made their comeback last year in 2012. Their latest album “That’s Why God Made the Radio” was in 3rd position on the U.S. charts: this is the best group ranking for 37 years with the release of Endless Summer. In total, the Beach Boys have spent 49 years and one week in the top 10 Billboard 200, even the Beatles did not do better with their 47 years in the top 10 albums. Since the hugely successful 2012 50th anniversary tour of Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, David Marks, Bruce Johnston and Mike Love, fans were hoping for a repeat this year. The group’s creative leader, Brian Wilson doubts he will ever play with the Beach Boys again. The singer and songwriter reunited with the group for a number of 50th anniversary shows last year, but he and members Al Jardine and David Marks were told before the end of the tour they were being let go by Mike Love, who owns the rights to The Beach Boys name. Since Love announced that he and Johnston will return to their pre-reunion version of the Beach Boys, minus Wilson, Jardine, Marks and several members of the Brian Wilson Band who had been key parts of the reunion juggernaut, he has unleashed a tidal wave of public and private response. Much of it was critical of Love, who many years ago won legal control over the Beach Boys name and brand. Mike Love said:

“You’ve got to be careful not to get overexposed,” Love said last week when the group members gathered at the Grammy Museum for the opening of a new Beach Boys 50th anniversary exhibit and an evening salute to their musical legacy. “There are promoters who are interested [in more shows by the reunited lineup], but they’ve said, Give it a rest for a year. The Eagles found out the hard way when they went out for a second year and wound up selling tickets for $5.”

The Beach Boys, shown at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, at the end of their 50th anniversary reunion tour in London. (Becky Sapp / Grammy Museum)
The Beach Boys, shown at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, at the end of their 50th anniversary reunion tour in London. (Becky Sapp / Grammy Museum)

That comment won Love no fans among the Eagles, with whom the Beach Boys have toured in the past. They responded; “Regarding Mr. Love’s statement about Eagles tickets being sold for $5, according to our records that did happen on June 21, 1975, when the band performed at Wembley Stadium with the Beach Boys.” In response, Love subsequently sent “care packages” to each of the Eagles, through their management, “out of respect” to the band. Brian Wilson has confirmed he is recording and self-producing his 11th studio album with Capitol Music Group after being inspired by his band’s comeback album and tour last year, and is touring on his own. So anyway, despite all of the politics, we decided to go because we all love the Beach Boys music and of course we wanted to see them in Paris.

Beach Boys at the Olympia, Paris
Beach Boys at the Olympia, Paris
The Olympia, Paris
The Olympia, Paris
The Olympia, Paris
The Olympia, Paris
The Olympia, Paris
The Olympia, Paris

The Olympia Was founded in 1888, by Joseph Oller, the creator of the Moulin Rouge, today easily recognizable by its giant red glowing letters announcing its name. It opened in 1889 as the “Montagnes Russes” but was renamed the Olympia in 1893. Édith Piaf achieved great acclaim at the Olympia giving several series of recitals from January 1955 until October 1962. Jeff Buckley, long an admirer of Piaf, gave what he considered the finest performance of his career there in 1995, which was later released in 2001 on Live at L’Olympia. Jacques Brel’s 1961 and 1964 concerts at L’Olympia are legendary and preserved to this day on new CD releases. Marlene Dietrich’s 1962 Olympia concert was broadcast. On May 3–4, 1972, The Grateful Dead played two concerts here as part of their first major European tour.

Beach Boys at the Olympia, Paris
Beach Boys at the Olympia, Paris
Beach Boys at the Olympia, Paris
Beach Boys at the Olympia, Paris
Beach Boys at the Olympia, Paris
Beach Boys at the Olympia, Paris
Beach Boys at the Olympia, Paris
Beach Boys at the Olympia, Paris

The concert was great, the acoustics of the room were very nice and the sold out crowd was ready for a concert. Mike Love and Bruce Johnston, who joined the group in 1965 (notably he has worked with Pink Floyd and Elton John) were joined by Christian Love, Randell Kirsch, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill and Scott Totten. The concert got people standing up several times and even dancing in the aisles. It was interesting to see lots of under twenties there, maybe the Beach Boys are cultivating a new audience. The instrumentals were handled by the younger members of the band and both the lead guitarist and drums were solid. We all had a great time in a historic venue (in Paris) with great memories of when we were all much younger.

References:

Olympia Hall: http://en.olympiahall.com/

Brian Wilson: http://www.brianwilson.com/