Celebrating The Music Of Brian Wilson

The Best Fest has turned the spotlight on Brian Wilson. The Beach Boy will be celebrated later this month with performances from more than a dozen acts including Norah Jones, Brandon Flowers, Heart’s Ann Wilson, Wayne Coyne and Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips, and Devendra Banhart.

Photo: Chris McKay / WireImage.com

Chastain Park Amphitheatre, Atlanta, Ga.

The folks that brought you events dedicated to Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones and George Harrison will present the first-ever Brian Fest on March 30 at The Fonda in Los Angeles.

The lineup, which will play Wilson-penned tunes, also boasts M. Ward, Boz Scaggs, Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast, Joy Williams, Local Natives, Sebu Simonian of Capital Cities, Doyle Bramhall II, Al Jardine, Wilson Phillips, Karen Elson, Jade Castrinos, Adam Busch & Danny Masterson and Gingger Shankar. The one and only Brian Wilson will also make an appearance. Best Fest’s Cabin Down Below Band will once again be the hosts for the evening.

Photo: AP Photo

East Room @ The White House, Washington, D.C.

You might have noticed the mention of Wilson’s former bandmate Al Jardine. We’ll have to wait and see if any other Beach Boys will take the stage. After all, the poster promise “many, many more surprises.”

Brian Fest takes place a week ahead of the release of Wilson’s 11^th solo studio album. Pier Pressure is due out April 7 via Capitol Records.

The album includes guest appearances from Wilson’s former bandmates Al Jardine, David Marks and Blondie Chaplin, along with Kacey Musgraves, fun.’s Nate Ruess, She & Him’s Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, Peter Hollens, Capital Cities’ Sebu Simonian, and trumpet master Mark Isham. Members of Wilson’s longtime touring band – Scott Bennett, Paul Mertens, Darian Sahanaja, and Probyn Gregory – also contributed to the recording, as well as session musicians Don Was, Jim Keltner, Dean Parks and Kenny Aronoff. Plus, Beach Boys “vice principal” Jeffrey Foskett and Matt Jardine, son of Al Jardine, also helped out.

Photo: Kevin Carroll / A Digitial Cure for Eye on Annapolis

Silopanna Music Festival, Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds, Crownsville, Md.

Tickets for “Brian Fest: A Night To Celebrate The Music Of Brian Wilson” are on sale now. Proceeds benefit Sweet Relief on behalf of the Jameson Neighborhood Fund.

Visit TheBestFest.com for more details.