Search - The Beach Boys - Good Timin' (Live at Knebworth, England 1980) on DVD

Bringing Back Memories

Good Doctor | Deep South | 07/03/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After watching this DVD, I was kind of wondering which DVD many of the reviewers were watching. First off, Dennis looked fine. He was having a blast playing drums and joking with Mike Meros through most of the concert. Yeah, Brian looked bad, but he did back then. Anyone who saw these guys in concert from 76 on would know Brian wasn't much of a presence on stage. His vocals were pretty bad as well. That was normal. Every now and then he would surprise people, but you couldn't see a Beach Boys concert at that time and expect a lot from Brian. The rest of the guys and supporting cast did what they did, . . . they put on a good show. Unlike concerts from a few years earlier, they had already begun shortening the show, and doing more top 40 music. I miss the days when they would do Marcella, Long Promised Road, Funky Pretty and others in their live shows and play for 90 to 120 minutes. Not to mention, while the vocals are great, I miss the more rock oriented shows. The stage is fairly small compared to a lot of the shows they put on in the states, so the guys tended to stand around. So Mike isn't allowed to prance like he used to do. They all appeared in good spirits, although now and then looking like they were going through the motions. There was not a 'fight' between Carl and Mike. In those days, it was not unusual for these guys to bow together, and Mike missed his spot. This is also consistent with Carl's problems with the boys lack of rehearsal time before shows. And during Surfer Girl, it's Dennis moving closer to Mike, and Mike seems a little hesitant. First off, the rift between the two is legendary, but it also appears as though the music pushes all that aside during the shows. Of course, Dennis was also known to play pranks on Mike 'on stage' so Mike could be hesitant because of that. But it hardly takes away from the song, although the song is far too rushed, which again is something they began doing around 1980.

Favorite songs from this set had to be "I Get Around," and "Keepin' the Summer Alive."

Overall, I enjoyed this, but also realized why shortly after Dennis died I stopped attending Beach Boy concerts. They were transforming into a Las Vegas act. It is interesting to see some of the little things going on, on stage, such as Carl keeping an eye on Brian; Dennis kissing Brian on the back of the head; Al asking Brian if he's okay right before, I think "Barbara Ann." I also wonder about the sign that Brian could read from his piano which reads: "Don't Panic."

Mainly I am amazed at how easy these guys made it look, but saddened that they did not take advantage of the arsenal of songs they could have played to make the show longer. These guys are legends, and we get to see elements of that, but for me, the writing was on the wall. Accept this DVD for what it is, a glimpse of what was truly an endless summer, where you can go to that nearest faraway place, and let your heart be filled with spring."

Great bit of Beach Boy history

Good Doctor | 04/23/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"1980 was the Beach Boys just a little bit past their "post-Endless-Summer" touring prime which is generally considered to be 1975-1977. The good news is that Dennis Wilson is back on tour with big brother Brian as well. Dennis was about to enter a downward spiral at this point and Brian was coming out of one (he would relapse but eventually come clean). Dennis Wilson is the primary reason to watch this DVD. He drums (bashes is more like it), sings, and plays a little piano. He also does what he did best...antagonize Mike Love on stage! There are some genuine moments between the Wilson brothers as well. The DTS mix is great. Carl Wilson was the musical leader of the group at this point and it really shows. I've seen pretty much all the BB VHS/DVD stuff there is and this one ranks right up there."

With a Little Help From The Studio

HUGH H. KIRKPATRICK | COOPER CITY, FL USA | 11/14/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First off, nobody loves the Beach Boys more than I do. I grew up with thier music. As a musician, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Brian Wilson for what he taught me about harmony. I've seen dozens of their shows, some awful, some incredible. And in 1983, a famous band I was in was their opening act for 3 weeks, so I got to hang with them and hear them every night. Live performances are generally never quite up to par with studio performances, and as a performing musician, producer, and engineer, I understand that. It's nearly impossible to achieve on stage amongst the roar of amplifiers and monitors what can be done in the studio where there is a totally controlled environment - and the ability to repair any mistakes. "Good Timin'" is indeed a live performance, but it has been enhanced or 'sweetened' back in the recording studio before being released. The backround harmonies have been supplemented by overdubs, if not all replaced completely. A trained ear will hear the double-tracking of parts - commonplace in any studio recording. It just makes everything sound "fatter". This is nothing new. The Eagles have done this on all their live recordings, as have Fleetwood Mac and plenty of other vocal groups. Some groups, like the Bee Gees, will even run pre-recorded tracks at their live shows to recreate the lush wall of voices that characterize their studio recordings. Personally, I like hearing the rough edges and rawness of a true live recording. The Beach Boys made the best harmony records of anybody, so we know they can sing. I don't mind hearing a missed part or flat note here & there. I wish they'd just mixed "Good Timin'" the way it was. The real beauty here is seeing The Boys all playing together for the very last time."

Bittersweet

anthony nasti | Brooklyn, NY United States | 01/28/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There are two words that describe this dvd: bittersweet. While it's a joyous occasion to see the band onstage again, it's sad knowing this would be one of the last times the group would be performing onstage in the UK. There's an extremely high level of emotion on this dvd, as well as some tension. Mike Love takes over most of the show, making the rest of the group seem like a backing band. Dennis Wilson is good here but his use of drugs becomes increasingly evident with each performance. Al and Carl give the best performances. Al dlievers strong renditions of "Cottonfields", "Heroes And Villains" and "Help Me Rhonda, and Carl's heavenly voice shines above the rest on "God Only Knows". Bruce Johnston remains hidden for the most of the show, but this would change later in the tour when he got his own solo spot. Brian Wilson, overweight to the nines at this point, sits perched behind a piano for most of the show, contributing a few lines on "Sloop John B" and "Surfer Girl". The main complaint I have is the sound. The band's backing vocals on "God Only Knows" seem to be buried in the mix. These differences aside, this makes for a very good dvd."