The five remaining Beach Boys took to the stage complimented by ten additional musicians who dialed up the time machine for a trip to the past where the band breathtakingly delivered six songs in a mere thirteen minutes to open their second Chicago show. Opening with "Do it Again" the band performed "Little Honda", "Catch A Wave", "Hawaii", "Don't Back Down" and "Surfin' Safari" before they took a pause. At center stage was vocalist Mike Love, who did the most interacting with the crowd, told the story about the first song Brian Wilson wrote on his own before the band performed a lush rendition of "Surfer Girl", Wilson's first solo vocal performance of the evening. While each of the members had their fair share of time in the spotlight, whenever Wilson sang, the crowd directed their eyes to him with unblinking concentration. Each of the Beach Boys added something invaluable to their career and their legacy, but as time has progressed, Brian Wilson's genius has cemented itself into the history of music with not just Pet Sounds but with the recently released SMiLE which sat in the vaults for the better part of forty-plus years. His addition to the band for this tour gives the Beach Boys an added cache of respect. Further, the ten backing musicians revealed dimensions forgotten about. The meticulous song reproductions were more than magnificent, they were magical and yet the show never once felt perfunctory.

While Mike Love and Brian Wilson handled lead vocal duties for most of the songs, each of the members had their moment in the sun. Bruce Johnston had his solo spotlight with the wistful "Disney Girls". Guitarist Jeff Foskett provided some fine guitar work but more notably, his backing harmonies connected memories to the present day. He captures the spirit of Carl Wilson's vocals and melodies without coming off as a replacement. On "Don't Worry Baby" the crowd gave him a well deserved standing ovation for his wonderful lead vocal that was good enough to crawl under the surface of our skin. A pleasant surprise is the divergent set lists at every show. The show was sprinkled with a strong selection of covers performed with adroitness one may not have expected. "Cotton Fields" and "The I Kissed Her" found Al Jardine hitting the audience's sweet spots with his boyish vocal performance. "Rock and Roll Music", "Do You Wanna Dance" and "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" were more than audience pleasers. It's hard to imagine it, but fifty years ago the five men on the stage were exuberant teenagers who lived out their dreams in front of a mirror and for the first time in a long time, especially Mike Love who once again put his fan boy hat on.

While the Beach Boys have been a concert juggernaut for decades, this tour stands apart for the band's willingness to perform not just their biggest hits, but many deep album cuts that many have not heard in years. Rare songs such as "Marcella", "It's OK", "All This Is That" and "This Whole World" were performed with the same magnificence of their classics. "World" felt like something out of a dream as Wilson poignantly sung his heart out. The band even sung a new song, "That's Why God Made the Radio" from their forthcoming record of the same name (due to be released on June 5th). The song is culled from their 60's DNA and feels irrefutable and with a few more listens has the potential to be a modern classic. The second set opened up with "Add Some Music To Your Day" sung by Brian Wilson. He was surrounded by his four band mates around his white baby grand piano. It was a moment most people didn't feel would ever occur again and despite the fact that Carl and Dennis were not there, you couldn't help but become emotional over seeing these five men who are grandparents sing and perform in the same fashion they did more than fifty years back. Then there were the hits-"When I Grow Up (to Be a Man)", "Be True to Your School", "Little Deuce Coupe", "I Get Around", "Sloop John B", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Sail on, Sailor", "Heroes and Villains", "California Girls", "Help Me, Rhonda", "Good Vibrations" and "Surfin' USA". Do I need to even explain the wonder and splendor these performances induced? Even "Kokomo" was splendid. For the evening's final two songs, "Barbara Ann" and "Fun, Fun, Fun", Brian Wilson even came out to the front of the stage with a bass wrapped around him. The pacing and performances were so strong-willed and sentimental; you couldn't help but have an out-of-body experience. You literally could feel the sun beams radiate your skin under a perfect blue sky next to the ocean. I don't believe any set list by any artist could completely satisfy everyone, the Beach Boys came dangerously close. The music evoked sights and sound of malt shops, blue skies, surf shops and a time when gas guzzlers were dreamy. The music takes me to a place and time I never knew and that's as powerful as music can be.