Al Jardine to join Brian Wilson at Cork concert

Fans of legendary group The Beach Boys are in for a treat next month with the news that original founding member, Al Jardine is to join his old bandmate, Brian Wilson at his concert in Cork as part of the Live in the Marquee series.

Jardine was part of the original Beach Boys line-up when he joined with brothers, Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson and their cousin, Mike Love in Hawthorne, California to create the band's distinctive sound withclose vocal harmonies as they sang of girls, cars and surfing.

The band, who have sold over 100 million records worldwide, reached their creative zenith with their masterpiece, Pet Sounds album including the hit single, Good Vibrations in 1966 but their creative force, Brian Wilson, suffered a nervous breakdown in the late 1960s.

Although the band continued recording and touring, internal wrangling over contracts led to tensions which led to a split between Dennis and Carl Wilson on one side and Love and Jardine on the other with Brian Wilson remaining neutral.

Dennis Wilson drowned in 1983 and Carl Wilson died from cancer in 1998 but various incarnations of the band have performed since and in 2012, Brian Wilson re-united with Jardine and Love for a 50th anniversay tour.

Peter Aiken of Aiken Promotions said that Jardine's appearance with Brian Wilson at the Live at the Marquee concert in Cork on July 4th offers music fans a chance to see two legends of American music perform together.

“To have two of the original line up of The Beach Boys, one of the seminal groups that shaped modern music, on the stage together in Cork is just incredible - when you look at their careers with The Beach Boys, they created some of the greatest pop music the world has ever heard.

“Brian Wilson was the first act to ever play Live at the Marquee back in 2005 so it’s great to have him back again but to have him back with Al Jardine this time, it just promises to be a great night for anyone who loves music - I’m really looking forward to it.”

Meanwhile Live in the Marquee, which has already seen Boy Dylan, Tom Jones, Cliff Richards and Dolly Parton play the Cork venue this month, continues this week with Robert Plant, Neil Young and Bryan Adams among others.