Brian Wilson, Brighton Centre, June 5

Such is his standing, he was the first American to be invited to perform in the Jubilee celebrations and his fans include Paul McCartney who played with him as an equal on Monday and watched him as a fan last night.

The former leader of The Beach Boys received a deserved standing ovation as he walked onstage.

Watching Wilson is a poignant experience not least because it is almost a miracle he is alive today, let alone that he can perform in front of an audience with such meaning and relevance.

The word genius is over-used but it applies in Wilson's case. This is a man uniquely blessed with a gift for joyous harmony and yet ill-equipped to deal with quotidian life.

Pet Sounds, written when he was 23, marked the beginning of a terrible descent into mental illness which crippled this gentlest of souls for decades.

This tour is the first to include live performances of the seminal album, a feat which was once felt to be impossible. To help him, Wilson has assembled and fine-tuned an outstanding backing group.

The rhythm section of Jim Hines and Bob Lizik was surrounded by a collection of multi-instrumentalists in Darian Sahanjara, Nick Walusko and Probyn Gregory from The Wondermints (best known for their work on Austin Powers) with Scott Bennett, Paul Mertens and California Girl Taylor Mills on vocals.

Jeffery Foskett added his guitar and perfect vocals and collaborator Andy Paley completed the line-up.

Throughout the night, they switched from guitars, keyboards, harmonicas and saxophones to flute, piccolo, vibes and tannerin, instruments picked precisely for their texture to match the mood of the songs.

And what songs. The night took us through much of the Brian Wilson back catalogue and included a tribute to his late brother Dennis with Forever.

They matched the impossible playing of Pet Sounds with impossible renditions of Heroes And Villains and Good Vibrations.

Each song is brilliantly simple yet constructed with layers of sound from both instruments and vocals to convey a simple message which is pregnant with meaning: God Only Knows was almost unbearably moving.

The programme compares hearing Pet Sounds live with catching George Gershwin playing Rhapsody In Blue and, at the end, Sahanjara underlined the point with a few bars of that great Gershwin tune.

There is a naivety and innocence to Wilson's songs and a simple truth at their heart. For his second encore, Wilson performed another great tear-jerker, Love And Mercy, outlining his desire for peace in an age of continuing violence.

More than ever, Wilson's brilliance is that he captures happiness in music, which is like trying to catch a ray of sunshine.

Reader RJ Nabbs, of Valley Road, Portslade, writes: I had waited ALL my life to see and hear Brian Wilson sing live.

On Wednesday evening, we were treated to the most awe-inspiring, heart-tugging emotional performance I have seen by anyone!

In all my 47 years, seeing groups like Queen, Pink Floyd etc, I'd never have expected to be totally blown away by this fragile, childlike maestro.

It's all been said or written before about Brian's terrible times, and it is truly amazing he can perform on a stage in any way at all.

From my own personal perspective, I was just happy to hear the songs, which Brian wrote from his heart being replicated with all the brilliance and emotion you could hope for.

Pet Sounds is the soundtrack of our lives (well us 40-somethings anyway).

I've owned it on vinyl and later on CD and would take it with me as the only choice for my "Desert Island Disc".

Not everyone might be aware that the beautiful sounds heard on this gem of an album were made by someone deaf in one ear. To create such an aural landscape and only be hearing it in mono is truly amazing.

A few reviews have made mention of Brian's stilted performance on stage. Don't forget, the guy is lucky to be alive today. And we were more than lucky to get the once in a lifetime opportunity to witness a really loving, warm, sweet concert.

Thank you Brian for making my dreams come true....

Mike Wilson, of Little Comptons, Horsham, writes:

For those critics who panned his performance at the Queen's Jubilee concert in London, the secret to appreciating Brian Wilson is to look beyond the sometimes fragile voice.

Accept that he may not always reach those high notes like he used to, accept that he is no longer 23 but approaching 60, and accept that it is his MUSIC that matters, not the appearance or the sometimes odd mannerisms that you see on stage.

The damage is clear to see, but through the darkness of those drug filled, tragic years shines a light, and that light is Brian Wilson's music.

This man has experienced a domineering father, a work rate that produced an unbelievable number of classic Beach Boys albums in the early part of his career and resulted in burn-out and breakdown. He has gone through the worst kind of drug and alcohol abuse, struggled with obesity, depression and mental health problems and seen his two younger brothers die tragically young.

To have survived all that must leave mental scars, some of which may never heal, but he has come through it all and the light that is his music shines as bright as ever. You just have to know how to look for it. When you find it you appreciate it in all its glory and begin to understand this man's musical genius.

Breathtaking in all their glory, his songs are the songs of a generation that began in the Sixties but are continuing some four decades later. His music is as valid and relevant today as it has ever been.

There is more to Brian Wilson than just watching a former Beach Boy sing old surfing songs. Seeing him in concert is a unique experience filled with emotion and love.

With vocal harmonies that were created in heaven and songs that are so well written you know that you are in for an unforgettable experience, from the opening notes of the familiar Sail On Sailor to the final song of the evening, the poignant Love and Mercy.

The talent this man has is immense. The beautifully structured songs and finely-layered vocal harmonies just defy belief. In the first set we had familiar songs such as Do It Again, the charming Friends and a brilliant rendition of an extended Heroes & Villains, alongside such beauties as The Warmth of the Sun and Don't Worry Baby.

It was nice to hear the almost forgotten The Night Was So Young from the Beach Boys Love You album and the close harmonies on the excellent Good Timing.

A rousing Dance Dance Dance, California Girls, Darlin' and Marcella were amongst other songs that were rapturously received. Brian actually looked as if he was really enjoying it too (this is not always apparent to the unskilled observer) and the crowd were certainly having a great time.

Their love for Brian Wilson and his music was obvious from the start and they gave Brian such a warm welcome that he must have felt immediately at ease.

Thirty-five years is a long wait, but every fan in that audience will tell you that it was worth the wait. Every song met with instant recognition and standing ovations both before and after each tune.

With songs from the lost masterpiece Smile making a welcome re-appearance this was indeed going to be a special night. The high notes on Surf's Up were always going to be difficult but the a cappella Our Prayer was simply stunning in its beauty. The vocal harmonies on that song alone were worth the ticket price.

A nice tribute to brother Dennis came in the simply lovely Forever and from Brian's earlier solo albums we heard a well performed Your Imagination and Melt Away.

The first set was enough to keep anyone satisfied but when the second set commenced we were elevated to another level of musical experience that will never be equalled.

The masterpiece that is Pet Sounds was played in its entirety. This opened the second set and it just blew me, and everyone else, away. The backing band of musicians that Brian has brought together (The Wondermints, Jeff Foskett, et al) are note-perfect throughout this magnificent piece of musical art. It was indeed a magical experience to share.

The evening finished up with everyone rocking in the aisles as we went back to the Sixties with some Beach Boy classics like Barbara Anne, Surfin' USA, I Get Around, Fun Fun Fun and Help Me Rhonda. The final encore included the wonderful Surfer Girl and ended with Love and Mercy.

This was certainly a night to remember and I doubt that anyone who went to the Brighton Centre to see Brian Wilson perform his music went away disappointed.

As a truly remarkable evening came to an end I was left in awe of the talent and musicianship of Brian Wilson and his band.

The songs and those vocal harmonies are what shine through though. What a catalogue of music to leave the world, absolutely wonderful.

It was without doubt the second best concert that I have ever been to, the best being last January at the Royal Festival Hall where I saw Brian Wilson live for the first time. It's sometimes hard to be objective when I am such a lover of the man and his music but believe me, this was an extraordinarily special event and I am proud to say I saw it not once, but twice in a year. And my summer dream came true.