Ever since I can remember, music has been a central part of my life. Music always had the ability to help me transcend whatever difficulties I was experiencing in life and transport me to another place where I could leave my worries behind. And no band’s music had the ability to take me to that place more than The Beach Boys. That is why I jumped at the chance to buy tickets in January when Hershey Theater announced that Brian Wilson would be performing there on April 25th.
I know most of you are probably saying, “Who is Brian Wilson?” That was the reaction I usually got when I told people I was going to see him in concert. Not just from Millennial’s, but also from most people in my own generation. Sadly, they don’t know he was the creative genius behind the Beach Boys. They are unaware that he was the oldest Wilson brother, who formed the Beach Boys with his two younger brothers, Carl and Dennis, and their cousin, Mike Love. They have no idea he was the one who taught them how to sing and who arranged all of those beautiful harmonies that still have the power to send chills down my spine even today. And they are completely oblivious to the fact that he made arguably the greatest pop album of all time – Pet Sounds, which was released in 1966 and includes what I believe to be the best song ever written, “God Only Knows.”
Tragically, there is a reason why so many people don’t know who Brian Wilson is. You see, Brian has battled serious mental illness for most of his adult life. An illness so debilitating that he gave up touring with the Beach Boys during the height of their popularity in the mid-sixties. The pressure of performing before live audiences and churning out hit records for The Beach Boys proved to be too much for Brian. He essentially left the band and became a recluse as he could no longer block out the voices he heard in his head. For the better part of the three decades, Brian largely remained out of the public eye while he fought to overcome his illness. And with the exception of die-hard fans like me, his name gradually faded from the public consciousness.
Although my anticipation of actually seeing Brian Wilson live in concert was high, my expectations for his performance were low as he is now 74 years old. I knew he no longer possessed that perfect falsetto voice that can be heard on songs like, “Surfer Girl” and “In My Room.” And I assumed the long years of substance abuse and grappling with mental illness had taken its toll on him physically.
When the concert began, my expectations were quickly affirmed when Brian had to be escorted on stage by a band member. He assumed his place behind the piano where he remained for the entire night. It was apparent that his health was somewhat fragile and he was not at all comfortable with performing live on stage. At times, his stamina waned and he would have to leave the stage before a song was finished. But every time, he returned to standing ovations from the audience to complete his set list.
As the concert went on, I began to realize that this was Brian’s way of coping with his illness. At some point, he must have decided that sharing his amazing gift of music and bringing joy to his adoring fans in the process was the best therapy of all. You could see that he fed off the energy of his audience. It’s almost as if he was announcing to the world that his mental illness did not defeat him and that he is determined to make up for all the lost years, even at the ripe old age of 74. And although his voice trembled at times and he struggled to carry a tune, he managed to pull it all together while performing his Magnum Opus, “God Only Knows.” And he brought down the house in the process. There were many tears flowing, including my own, as he received a standing ovation from the audience that did not stop until he rose from his seat to gratefully acknowledge his fans for their heart felt applause. I will never forget that moment.
I have attended many concerts over the years, but none has ever moved me the way this one did. Before the concert, I loved Brian Wilson for the beautiful music he created and all the joy he had brought into my life. I left the concert admiring him for his courage and his determination to triumph over his mental illness and give hope to those who share in his battle.
Love and Mercy!
Missionguy 
Leave a comment