Brian Wilson brought some unseasonable warmth in what turned out to be his first and only Gulf concert, at Dubai Tennis Stadium in 2016.
A near-capacity audience, a mixture of diehard Beach Boys fans, local musicians and the curious, packed Centre Court to see the musician, often described with the clichéd term “tortured genius”, perform the entirety of Pet Sounds, The Beach Boys’ seminal and perennially sunny 1966 album, alongside their greatest hits.
The historic nature of the night was underscored by the presence of fellow Beach Boy Al Jardine and longtime collaborator Blondie Chaplin among the 10-piece band.
The show felt like a welcome surprise on what would become Wilson’s final sprawling world tour. Following his death on Wednesday, aged 82, that unexpected visit now feels like part of a quiet farewell, a last glimpse of a faltering genius and a reminder of why Pet Sounds remains one of the most important pop albums of the 20th century.
While the album spoke to the almost spiritual comforts of love and companionship, the performance carried a raw emotional honesty. Seated behind a white piano, Wilson performed as a living symbol of resilience, a man who endured decades of inner turmoil yet still found his way to the stage.
That message was echoed in Love and Mercy, the well-received Beach Boys biopic released two years earlier. “It was very rough to talk about the negative parts of my life, but I’m glad I did because it tells people what I went through and my message of hope,” Wilson told The National before the show. “Not to do drugs is so important for people to know and learn about. It felt good to get it out and open up.”
The 32-song set list in Dubai was expansive. Rarely has the city heard such majestic harmonies. Wilson’s vocals, understandably at 74, didn’t always hold up. As The National’s reviewer noted, some of the soaring vocal lines fell short or were wisely handed over to the capable backing band.
It didn’t matter. When the group launched into California Girls, Help Me, Rhonda and Surfin’ U.S.A., the atmosphere turned giddy, with dancing in the aisles. “It would take a true cynic not to smile at these timeless pop masterpieces,” the review noted.
Wilson would go on to confine his touring to the United States until 2022, a move he had hinted at in the same interview. “We want as many people as possible to see and hear Pet Sounds performed live, but after a while it’s time to move on to other things,” he said. “I’m not stopping touring. I love touring, so I look forward to the future with old and new material.”
Now, with Wilson gone, that night in Dubai means something else. It wasn’t just a stop on a tour. It was a rare moment when the region hosted one of pop’s most complex and influential figures.
“You still believe in me,” he asked the crowd, introducing the song of the same name. The fans roared. They always believed.
“I’d like to be remembered as a good singer,” he told The National in closing.
His voice may have faltered, but it always landed within us. Right where it was meant to.
