Had I been downtown on Saturday night, I would have been hard pressed to know there was something else happening than a typical Mooseheads game. There was very little activity around the Scotiabank Centre, and there was little buzz or fanfare to alert folks to the fact that one of the founding members of the Beach Boys was in town to perform one of the bands’ much ballyhooed albums in Pet Sounds. Granted, said album turned 50 last year, but it is still regarded as one of (if not the) best pop albums of all time.

Let me set things straight up front, while the Beach Boys were part of that aural tapestry of my life, they were never key figures. I knew those massive hits “Good Vibrations”, “Help Me Rhonda”, “Barbara-Ann” and of course “Surfing USA”, but neither Brian Wilson or the Beach Boys were a band I ever purposefully sought out. I went into the Scotiabank Centre a blank slate, looking to be transported to a much sunnier and simpler time (well, as simple as time can be when the US just entered the Vietnam war).

Now when the Beach Boys were at the peak of their popularity, studio time was a precious commodity, because recordings were not easily corrected with a simple swipe of the mouse or the push of a button. Instead, the harmonies of The Beach Boys were (and still are) instantly recognizable, and while Al Jardine was a fundamental figure in the band, a great deal of that signature sound is attributed directly to Brian Wilson and his songwriting and work inside of the studio. So it’s no surprise to see the show billed as Brian Wilson presents: Pet Sounds (The Final Performances).

The band took to the stage initially, and then you saw Mr. Wilson walk on stage, and he was promptly guided to his glossy white piano where he would spend most of the next two and half hours. Then the lights went down, and Wilson launched into the instantly recognizable “California Girls” (which was covered in the ’80s by “Diamond” Dave Lee Roth) and sounded strong. Even though he was assisted on stage, that in no way diminished the way in which he harmonized with longtime friend and bandmate Al Jardine, who took his place at Wilson’s right side. Flanking Wilson’s left side was none other than Jardine’s son Matthew, who would spend the night handling the heavy lifting when it came to the upper harmonies and took lead at points during the show.

Considering that Pet Sounds came later in the Beach Boys history, it was only fitting that the opening set was awash in those sun-drenched surf-tunes that made the band a household name throughout the sixties and the decades which followed. To hear tracks such as “Little Deuce Coupe”, “I Get Around”, and “Surfer Girl” was a trip, but when Blondie Chaplin stepped to the mic, it was magic. His voice just soared around the cavernous room, his soulful sound was powerful and helped to elevate “Feel Flows”, and then his scintillating guitar work was the cherry on top. He was the definite highlight of the opening set, which would have only been helped by having Wilson sing more, but as the set wound down, Wilson shuffled off stage for a brief intermission. (Blondie would come and go throughout the evening – returning at one point to lead the Halifax audience in a hand-clap session.)

When Wilson and his band returned, it was then time for Pet Sounds. It was an album that marked a departure from the happier, surf-pop fare the band had been commonly known for, and instead these arrangements were an abrupt change of pace. The arrangements were far more layered and intricate, and were crafted by Wilson himself. This is an album that is considered to largely be the unofficial debut of Brian Wilson – solo artist. It’s an interesting album that seems to earmark the fact that he was ready to branch out beyond The Beach Boys (see “That’s Not Me”), but it was a delight to hear Brian Wilson sing “God Only Knows” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, as well as the lion’s share of Pet Sounds. Al and Matt Jardine provided necessary support, but Wilson handled the heavy lifting for the most part. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the talented band that Wilson assembled for this tour, as they provided a dream-like sonic backdrop to the evening.

All in all, it was a wonderful evening from one of the most well-renowned figures in pop-music history. He has had storied bouts with depression, not to mention drugs and alcohol, which have taken a toll on his sweetly smooth voice, and provided these interesting quirks and tatters to his sound. This isn’t a detriment by any means, as it adds an interesting character to Wilson’s voice and sound. As my carriage was soon to become a pumpkin, I started to make my way out of the Scotiabank Centre at the top of the 3^rd set (errr, “encore”) which consisted of the Beach Boys classics, so I hung around to hear a great rendition of “Good Vibrations”, and as Matt Jardine kicked off “Help Me Rhonda”, I headed out into the dark Halifax evening.