The night Jersey rock royalty, including Bruce Springsteen, saluted Brian Wilson at PNC
Wilson's career included reaching unmatched creative heights of rock 'n' roll artistry, and decades of prolonged bouts of mental illness, where Wilson's public persona was shrouded in mystery.
Wilson, who played bass for the Beach Boys' live shows in the early 1960s, successfully returned to concert stages in his later years. His shows with the Beach Boys and solo were always events at the Jersey Shore. None more so than 10 years ago on July 1, 2015, at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel.
Wilson and his backing band, which included Beach Boys Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin, played band classics and two new Wilson songs, "No Pier Pressure" and "Runaway Dancer," that summer night.
Matt Jardine, Al's son, enchanted with his rendition of "Don't Worry Baby," a song closely associated with Wilson's late brother, Carl Wilson.
Wilson introduced "God Only Knows" by saying, "People say it's the best song I ever wrote."
He then sang, from behind his keyboards, in a halting, clipped style, which compellingly contrasted against the beautifully lush arrangement of the song.
Then the Boss came: Bruce Springsteen sang harmony for "Barbara Ann," and played guitar on "Surfin' U.S.A."
He was met by a chorus of "Bruuuuces" by the surprised crowd, which included Pat DiNizio, Jim Babjak and Dennis Diken of the Smithereens.
After Springsteen left, Wilson at his white piano performed "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "Love & Mercy" to close the show.
"The songs he created with the Beach Boys still give me tears of joy," said Babjak Wednesday afternoon on social media.
He greeted Wilson backstage that night.
"I'm so glad he created music in my lifetime," Babjak said.
Subscribe to app.com for the latest on the New Jersey music scene.
Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact Matt Jardine, Al's son, enchanted with his rendition of "Don't Worry Baby," a song closely associated with Wilson's late brother, Carl Wilson.him at cjordan@app.com
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey rock royalty saluted Brian Wilson, PNC Bank Arts Center
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
8 minutes ago
- USA Today
This homesick football player cried on air. It sparked a conversation about masculinity.
A post shared by Hail Varsity (@hailvarsity) A University of Nebraska freshman punter's first media appearance quickly went viral – not for what he said about football, but for an emotional moment about his life off the field. When asked about being away from home during the Aug. 12 press conference, 19-year-old Archie Wilson shared a candid response about how being far from his family has impacted him. "Yeah, that part's hard, I'm sorry," Wilson said before breaking down in tears and placing his head on the table. Wilson is from Frankston South in Victoria, Australia – making his family 15 hours ahead of his location in Lincoln, Nebraska. "I love them a lot. I got two little brothers, and my mom and dad. That's the tough part about being here. I love them a lot and I miss them." The heartwarming moment opened up a conversation around masculinity and emotion online. Mental health experts say it's crucial for young boys and men to understand the importance of showing emotion, which can contribute to building long-lasting relationships and overall mental wellness. Popular figures like athletes and celebrities help fill the space of role models at an age when boys are highly impressionable, according to Sheldon Jacobs, a licensed therapist who serves on the National Alliance on Mental Illness Board of Directors. "Any display of emotion, especially for men, it challenges the traditional stereotypes of masculinity, which often discourages men from, unfortunately, opening up and expressing their feelings," Sheldon says. Did you see? Men are going to brutal boot camps to reclaim their masculinity. How did we get here? The idea that 'boys don't cry' is outdated Wilson's moment hit sports accounts on X and Instagram, where viewers flooded the comment sections with support. "Today" co-host Jenna Bush Hager featured it on Aug. 13 as her "Morning Boost" segment, where she shared that she plans to show the clip to her 6-year-old son. Wilson, who never played an organized game of football, impressed the Huskers coach with his rugby background and strong kicks. He'll play his first game for Nebraska on Aug. 28 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. He shared during the press conference that his family is visiting Lincoln in September to watch him play his first home games of the season. Wilson's openness is part of a wider trend of male sports figures and celebrities opening up about emotion in recent years, according to Ronald Levant, a professor emeritus of psychology at The University of Akron and co-author of "The Problem with Men: Insights on Overcoming a Traumatic Childhood from a World-Renowned Psychologist." Last March, an emotional Jason Kelce made waves with his announcement that he was retiring following 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. In videos from the news conference, Kelce let his emotion show while his brother Travis Kelce, who stars in GQ Magazine's September issue, also wiped away tears. In April, Justin Bieber posted a series of photos on Instagram from a performance that included selfies with tears streaming down his face. And Baddy Bunny went viral after posting a teary-eyed video on TikTok over his song "DTMF" in appreciation of fans' response to his album. "It does give young men permission to say, 'It's OK not be OK. It's OK to struggle, you know, because I'm not alone in this,'" Jacobs says. In case you missed it: Jason Kelce's retirement tears hold an important lesson for men: It's OK to cry Gender norms around emotion are changing – and experts say that's a good thing. Levant said younger men are reacting against the strictures of traditional masculinity, the most notable of which is crying. "That's kind of the No. 1 rule. If you're a boy, you get punished for crying; you're told, 'Boys don't cry,'" Levant says. Still, young men are growing up during a male loneliness epidemic. In a 2021 survey by the Survey Center on American Life, only 1 in 5 men said they received emotional support from a friend within the past week, compared with 4 in 10 of women. And half as many men as women told a friend they loved them within the past week. Experts say being more open about emotion can contribute to solutions. "It's really, really impactful for young men," Jacobs says. "Historically, cultural norms have discouraged men… to show vulnerability, which perpetuates that stigma around mental health."Rachel Hale's role covering Youth Mental Health at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Reach her at rhale@ and @rachelleighhale on X.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
A'ja Wilson Drops 29 Birthday Buckets As Aces Set WNBA Record With 40th Consecutive Sellout
Friday night's game had an undeniable celebration vibe, and not only because they won the game 90-86. As the Aces faced the Seattle Storm, two Aces players - and NaLyssa Smith - celebrated their birthdays, and the team set the record for most consecutive sellouts. To celebrate star player Wilson, the team's hosts, CJ & Joe, and the team mascot, BUCKET$, all donned pink wigs and fits in honor of her 29th birthday. Aces Deal The Storm A Losing Hand On A Historic Night In Las Vegas It was a great birthday game for Wilson, who led the Aces to an impressive win over the Storm, 90-86. She played 35 minutes, scoring 29 points (ironically, on her 29th birthday), had 12 rebounds, and three assists. Jackie Young added 26 points, with her second basket in the first half moving her past coach Becky Hammon for fifth in franchise history for most made field goals. She capped a 9-0 run with seven straight points, pushing the Aces ahead halfway through the third quarter. Chelsea Gray scored 13 points, and Wilson's birthday twin, Smith, had 10 points and 11 rebounds. The Aces Had Their 40th Consecutive Sellout Friday Night During the game, it was announced that the Aces set the WNBA record for most consecutive sellouts during Friday night's game. On IG, the team shared, "𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 Our 40th straight sold out game marks the most consecutive sellouts in WNBA history!" One person took to the comments to say, "Everyone watches women's sports." Another wrote, "We're gonna need a bigger arena." And one other fan shared, "Because win or lose, Vegas shows up! Y'all got the whole city behind you!" Many others just left fire and clapping emojis to show their excitement for the amazing milestone. Birthday Celebrations For A'ja Wilson And NaLyssa Smith! Friday night was a celebration from warmups to the final buzzer because it was Wilson and Smith's birthdays. Many fans held up birthday signs in the crowd for the two, and the hosts and mascots even wore pink wigs and attire, as well as pink A'One sneakers in honor Wilson. The team shared some birthday love on their IG page, captioning the post, "Birthday celly the way only Vegas could." Many fans shared their thoughts in the comment section. "I love how they celebrate each other!!!" one person wrote. Another added, "Fantastic birthday win!" A few others pointed out the "big Leo" energy. Nothing Was Thrown In Michelob ULTRA Arena During The Aces Game There's been a lot of buzz lately about inappropriate objects being thrown onto the court during WNBA games. And while it's happened multiple times in the past two weeks, it did not happen in Vegas on Friday night. Security was on high alert, and it appeared there were more eyes on the court and in the crowd than usual. Players and coaches have been speaking out about this dangerous prank that could potentially hurt someone. And before the Aces game Friday night, the announcer shared that it is now a felony to throw anything onto the court. The person who threw a sex toy onto the court during the Golden State Valkyries vs. Atlanta Dream game on July 29 was arrested and charged with multiple offenses. It then happened again at the Golden State Valkyries vs. Chicago Sky game on August 1, and at the Indiana Fever vs. Los Angeles Sparks game on August 5. A second person was arrested at the Phoenix Mercury vs. Connecticut Sun game on August 5. Aces Recently Held A Back-To-School Drive And Fantasy Camp The Aces love being part of their Vegas community. They recently held a back-to-school drive and had their inaugural fantasy camp. On Thursday, two Aces players - Kiah Stokes and Dana Evans - helped pass out school supplies at the team's annual back-to-school drive held at Aces Headquarters. 'It was exciting when you get new things,' Aces Center Stokes said, according to KTNV. 'I think it makes the learning environment better, it made me want to learn, so hopefully it does the same for these kids.' Along with Stokes, Evans also helped to pass out tons of school supply items and 300 backpacks to kindergarten through 12th grade Title I Clark County School District students. 'They support and ride out with us, so I think it's only right for us to give back in ways like this,' Evans shared. The team's inaugural fantasy camp took place last weekend. According to their IG post, "The weekend included events such as competing on the Aces court, practiced with Coach Becky Hammon, and trained with franchise alumni Edna Campbell and Adrianne Ross at Aces HQ." Next up for the Aces - Sunday, Aug. 10 they face the Connecticut Sun at home, and then on Wednesday, Aug. 13, they go up against the New York Liberty, also at home.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Brian Wilson laid to rest
Brian Wilson has been laid to rest, almost two months after his death. The Beach Boys singer died on 11 June at the age of 82 and his daughter Carnie Wilson has revealed she and her family attended a funeral service for him on Wednesday (06.08.25), which has given her some "closure". Sharing a photo of pink, blue and purple flowers, she wrote on Instagram: "Today we laid my Daddy to rest. It was incredibly difficult to see that happen, but at the same time it gave more closure and more of a feeling of restful peace. "The last eight weeks have been extremely challenging and like nothing I've ever experienced. I love and miss him so much and I wish he could come back." The Wilson Phillips singer believes her dad has sent a number of "signs" since he passed away, which she has taken comfort in. She continued: "There's so many signs that he gives me every day and I know that he's around ...he can hear me and he can see me. He makes that apparent. I'm so grateful for this. "Today we had a couple of monarch butterflies that just would not leave the site. It was comforting and beautiful. "I'm trying to deal with my emotions -they're so up and down. I know that he would want everybody to feel happy and not sad. He didn't like it when I cried." And Carnie, 57, is grateful that her dad can live on and be remembered through his music. She concluded: "I was talking with my dear friend Gunnar Nelson today who lost his Pop Ricky Nelson years ago and he reminded me that the world will have his music to sing to and remember him every single solitary day until we are all gone. "This is a really special and a real heavy duty thought. It's much bigger than I can wrap my head around. "For this I am grateful for though because I know it's the truth. "So I just wanna say thank you... thank you Daddy for your beautiful contribution to so much happiness and real raw emotions that you have brought to people. Thank you to all the beautiful loving and supportive fans out there for honoring him. We share this together. God knows what we'd be without him. Love, Carnie (sic)" It was previously explained that Brian - who had dementia - died of "respiratory arrest", caused by "decreased respiratory effort", which leads to a lack of oxygen. Sepsis and cystitis were also listed as other causes of death, according to TMZ, which reports that obstructive sleep apnoea, neurodegenerative disorder, chronic respiratory failure and chronic kidney disease were cited as associated factors.
