Jokermen Podcast: Teaser // Al Jardine & The Pet Sounds Band LIVE In Show & Concert

Date: November 27, 2025
Host: Ian (A)
Guest/Co-host: Grace (B)

Episode Overview

In this special episode, Jokermen host Ian welcomes back his wife Grace for a lively, unscripted conversation reflecting on their experience attending the Al Jardine & The Pet Sounds Band concert in Cerritos, California. The episode captures the communal and intergenerational spirit of the show and delves into the enduring magic of Beach Boys music as performed by original member Al Jardine, his son Matt Jardine, and the crack Pet Sounds Band.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Family Affair & Ramshackle Vibe

• The episode is recorded informally at Ian’s sister’s apartment, setting a “ramshackle family style conversation” (01:00).
• The hosts describe the concert itself as a “ramshackle family affair, but just a complete full delight from beginning to end” (01:21 - Ian).

2. Unique Tour Venues & "Snowbird" Spirit

• The tour is marked by quirky, “odd venues” around the country—Florida, upstate New York, Minnesota—with the Los Angeles area date held in Cerritos.
• Ian muses: “He’s kind of flying by the seat of his pants” regarding Al Jardine’s itinerant schedule (02:21).
• Grace dubs this the “Snowbird tour,” joking about older audiences and warm locations (02:31).

3. Audience: Cross-Generational & Vibrant

• While the crowd skews older, Grace points out “A number of younger folks in the audience singing along to every word of even some of the deeper cuts” (03:02).

• Ian notes loved seeing “kids in some classic ‘Keep It Clean with Al Jardine’ T-shirts” and “hot young ladies dancing right up there in the front at the end of the show” (03:26; 03:31).

• There’s warmth in describing the generational blend and the way these shows allow them to feel “like the young ones for once” (04:13).

  “It’s a very nice, sort of generational communal experience where we can kind of get in touch with those above us and below us on the age ladder.”
  — Ian (04:23)

4. The Pet Sounds Band: Who's Who & Musical Power

• Explained for listeners: The Pet Sounds Band is essentially Brian Wilson’s longtime touring ensemble, now helmed by Al Jardine, featuring:
  • Darian Sahanaja (bandleader, earlier Jokermen guest)
  • Jim Laspiza (previously interviewed)
  • Matt Jardine (Al’s son; high harmony/falsetto)
  • Carney Wilson’s husband (lead guitar; name escapes Ian in the moment)
  • Expanded instrumentation: “10 piece unit full of synthesizers...horns and woodwinds and flutes and shit” (05:13)
• Ian calls it a “fantastic, big picture presentation of this material... beautiful music presented live so well” (05:19).
• With Brian Wilson no longer touring, Ian finds the tradition "cranking along just fine under dear old Al's valiant leadership" (05:53).

5. Matt Jardine: The Not-So-Secret Weapon

• Discussion centers on Matt Jardine’s ability to cover Brian Wilson’s signature falsetto, notably on “Don’t Worry Baby.”
• Ian marvels: “I’m surprised that a man so big can sing so high” (06:29).
• Grace provides context: “There is a loose correlation [between size and vocal range]...but a falsetto is sort of a different animal and he just has one. Not everybody does.” (06:44)
• Both express the anticipation and nerves that come with seeing founding Beach Boys perform, especially when the “Brian” parts come up (06:55).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “My voice is cracking already. It’s early in the morning. Not that early.”
  — Ian, opening the episode (00:27)

• “Was it better than the Bob show?”
  — Ian (01:35)
  “Oh, how could one even compare the two?”
  — Grace (01:37)

• “He just has one [a falsetto]. Not everybody does. ...the Brian Wilson part scares me every time because you just never know until it’s happening whether or not it’s going to happen. Well.”
  — Grace (06:46-06:58)

Important Segments & Timestamps

• 00:25–01:21 – Episode starts, banter about the setting, “ramshackle” style, and familial recording atmosphere
• 01:32–02:33 – Reflections on the concert's atmosphere, weird tour stops, and “Snowbird tour” nickname
• 03:02–04:23 – Cross-generation audience, concert community, and stories from the crowd
• 04:23–05:53 – The makeup of the Pet Sounds Band, their “big picture” sound, and Al’s ongoing leadership
• 06:00–06:58 – Matt Jardine’s vocal prowess, falsetto discussion, and the tension of live performances

Episode Tone & Language

The conversation is casual, affectionate, and laced with playful humor—balancing earnest appreciation for Al Jardine and the Beach Boys legacy with the hosts' back-and-forth, asides, and lived-in chemistry. The tone evokes the warmth, nostalgia, and spirit of a family reminiscence, mirroring the concert’s own communal energy.

Summary Takeaway

This heartfelt, off-the-cuff episode is equal parts Beach Boys adoration, generational reflection, and concert storytelling—a must-listen for fans of Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, and seekers of genuine music community moments.