The Beach Boys Knebworth, England Knebworth Rock Festival June 20, 1980 CD: Knebworth 1980 - The Beach Boys Mistral Music MM 9104 ("unofficial") One of the more well-known concerts of the Beach Boys' career. Excerpts of this concert have been featured on various documentaries. The concert was recorded with the intent of eventual official release. Now, more than 21 years later, it is scheduled to finally be released in mid-2001. Beach Boys present: (one of the rare times in this period that all 6 Beach Boys performed) Mike Love Bruce Johnston Dennis Wilson Al Jardine Brian Wilson Carl Wilson Backup band included: Ed Carter Mike Meros Bobby Figueroa Joe Chemay 1. California Girls 2. Sloop John B 3. Darlin' 4. Schooldays 5. God Only Knows 6. Do It Again 7. Little Deuce Coupe 8. Rock And Roll Music 9. I Get Around 10. Surfin' USA 11. Keepin' The Summer Alive 12. Lady Lynda 13. I Write The Songs (Bruce solo) 14. Good Vibrations *********************************************************** setlist created 1/1/02 stuart feldman from info on the 'net *********************************************************** below is more stuff found surfing around for this show ----------------------------------------------------------- from Knebworth Rock Festivals by Chryssie Lytton Cobold: "With the light fading and the drizzle creeping down, Richard Digance had a tough task keeping the fans entertained while the Beach Boys prepared for their set. Earlier they came up to the House and we set out a cold buffet and drinks for them. Brian Wilson looked sadly at the laden table and asked "Have you any cake?" I fetched a newly baked chocolate cake I had made for the children, which he greeted with a huge grin. He lay on the sofa, ate the whole cake, and then went to sleep with a cushion over his head. The other members of the group had a hard time waking him up to go down to the stage." "They arrived on stage half an hour early, hitherto unheard of at Knebworth concerts! Their new album 'Keeping The Summer Alive' somehow seemed very appropriate in the damp weather conditions. Brian Wilson sat at the piano still half asleep and the group tried to rally him by suggesting it was his birthday and shouting "Happy Birthday" to him. (It had been his birthday the day before). Creator of all of the Beach Boys classics, Brian was now a sad and tragic piece of sixties wreckage. They are a great dance band and we were all on our feet dancing throughout. It was only through seeing them live that one realises how many marvellous songs they have produced." "The show finished at 11.30pm, half an hour before deadline." ===================== from the Official Programme. Full transcript: 30 Sep 1999 from John Manning: "Yes there were more songs at the Knebworth gig. The set started with California Girls (which saw the sun break through the rain clouds at last) and Good Vibes/Barbara Ann and Fun Fun Fun were the encores. Santa Ana Winds was played there for the first time live (they said) and Cottonfields and Heroes and Villains was, if memory serves, played as a medley. I know the event was sponsored by Capitol Radio and probably broadcast live or at least recorded for later, which I guess might be the source. I'd LOVE a copy of this boot - it was my first BB gig, when I was 16 yrs old, and my first festival." "Other acts on the bill were the Blues Band, Elkie Brookes, Santana, Mike Oldfield and Lindisfarne. I can remember the crowd singing Happy Birthday to Brian Wilson (they were only a few days out), and Dennis singing You Are So Beautiful - magnificent. Strangely the song that came across strongest was Some of Your Love (KSA), which really rocked. And while mike was trying to announce to the crowd that the band was going to play the song everyone had been waiting for - Good Vibes - the crowd made it clear that they'd been waiting for Barbara Ann! I also remember Brian getting a ticking off - while the band was cueing up for one song he was miles away, either playing something completely different, or composing... and Dennis frequently left the stage. Otherwise the band was tight, played superbly well, and were in good form - as various video extracts of the filmed performance have already hinted." "The other acts? Well, the Blues Band opened in fine form, Lindisfarne's harmonies threatened to eclipse the Beach Boys, Elkie Brooks I can't remember, Sanatana and Mike Oldfield were technically brilliant but lost me completely with long, drawn out songs that I only got into in later life." "Other memorable bits? The field mouse that lived under our tent for the duration; the bikers smoking pot - my first taste of That Smell - on the train coming home, and getting lost and found again in a crowd of thousands. Oh, and at 16 it was the first time I bought lager (Kestrel lager), which tasted bloody awful and ended up in one of the huge bonfires that was lit on the campsite." JohnM (aka The Great Outdoors) ============================= Here is the full setlist: Knebworth, England June 20, 1980 Knebworth 1980 The Beach Boys Mistral Music; MM 9104 Quality: good, sound as well as the concert. A very nice version of I Write The Songs. SETLIST 1. California Girls 2. Sloop John B (Brian/Mike/Carl) 3. Darlin' 4. School Days 5. In My Room 6. Good Timin' 7. God Only Knows 8. Be True to Your School 9. Do It Again 10. Little Deuce Coupe 11. Catch a Wave 12. Cottonfields 13. Heroes & Villains (#12-13 performed as a medley) 14. Some of Your Love 15. Happy Birthday (in honor of Brian's 38th birthday) 16. Keepin' the Summer Alive 17. Lady Lynda 18. Surfer Girl 19. I Write The Songs (Bruce dedicates this to Dennis, who is present) 20. Santa Ana Winds 21. Help Me Rhonda 22. Wouldn't It Be Nice 23. Rock & Roll Music 24. I Get Around 25. Surfin' USA Encore: 26. You Are So Beautiful 27. Good Vibrations 28. Barbara Ann 29. Fun Fun Fun Contributed by: Alan Boyd ***********************************************