Update (March 29): Brian Wilson continues to expand the tour with additional dates (see below).
Brian Wilson has announced a 2016 world tour to celebrate and perform the iconic album Pet Sounds for a final time, in honor of its 50th anniversary. Originally released on May 16, 1966, Pet Sounds is often hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time. With more than 70 dates being confirmed, and several previously announced dates selling out in record time, the classic rock legend and his band will be joined by former bandmates Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin when they kick off the tour this Spring.
Read our coverage of the ambitious re-release plans for Pet Sounds.
Concert stops include dates in Australia, Japan, the U.K., Spain, Israel, and Portugal followed by a full U.S. tour later this Summer and Fall. Fans can expect a live performance of Pet Sounds in its entirety, as well as top hits and fan favorites spanning his 54-year career with The Beach Boys and as a solo artist. Ticket presales begin this Wednesday, January 27th with the official onsale January 29 in most markets. Additional dates and special events to be announced. For tickets, click here.
In 1965, with the Beach Boys out on tour, Wilson began session work on some of the most deeply personal recordings of his career. Inspired by The Beatles’ Rubber Soul, he challenged himself to create an immaculate musical masterpiece. A vast departure from the band’s then commercial sound, the resulting “concept album” Pet Sounds achieved great critical success helping usher in a new musical landscape and hit the Top 10 in the US while topping the charts in the U.K.
Pet Sounds‘ most well known songs are “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Sloop John B” and “God Only Knows.”
“It’s really been a trip to sit here and think about releasing Pet Sounds 50 years ago,” says Wilson. “I love performing this album with my band and look forward to playing it for fans all across the world.”
In 2015, Wilson released his latest solo album No Pier Pressure (Capitol) – click here for Best Classic Bands‘ review. He was the subject of the critically acclaimed, award-winning biopic Love & Mercy, which starred John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti. Click here for BCB‘s rave review (“Best Rock Biopic Ever?”).
Brian Wilson is a Kennedy Center Honors recipient and a Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee. As a member of The Beach Boys, Wilson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and honored with The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.
Wilson has added the following dates:
April 28 Jackson, MS Thalia Mara Hall
May 01 Grand Prairie, TX Verizon Theatre
May 22 London, England Palladium
June 8 Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel Raanana Amphitheatre
June 12 Brooklyn, NY Northside Fest – Maccarran Park
June 30 San Diego, CA San Diego County Fair
July 03 Ottawa, Canada Ottawa Jazz Festival
July 04 Toronto, Canada Massey Hall
July 06 Burlington, VT Flynn Center for the Perf. Arts
July 10 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
Aug 16 Bowling Green, KY SkyPAC
Aug 18 Asheville, NC US Cellular Center Asheville
Aug 19 Raleigh, NC Duke Energy Center for the Perf. Arts
Aug 20 Roanoke, VA Elmwood Park
Aug 23 Baltimore, MD Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick PAC
Aug 25 Pittsburgh, PA Benedum Center
Aug 28 Gilford, NH Bank of NH Pavilion @ Meadowbrook
Sept 9 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
Sept 10 St. Augustine, FL St. Augustine Amphitheatre
Sept 11 Sarasota, FL Van Wezel Performance Arts Hall
Sept 16 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
Oct 5 Salt Lake City, UT Abravanel Hall
Oct 12 San Francisco, CA Masonic
Oct 15 Sacramento, CA Sacramento Community Center Theater
