The Monkees - September 8, 2002

In Micky & Davy's fourth visit to Connecticut in about a year and a half, they really rocked Norwalk's Oyster Festival! Just as when I saw them at Disneyland a couple weeks ago, they were in high spirits and their chemistry on stage was unmatchable, while the backup band looked like they couldn't have been having any more fun. The Oyster Festival's seating area was completely full and people even had to stand on the outside of the stage area to watch. Recently, the guys seem to be drawing major crowds. About 20 minutes after the scheduled starting time for the concert, they started the show off with the band's brand new introduction bit. Dave Alexander (keyboards/vocals) came out and introduced himself, then went back to his keyboards and started to play as Sandy Gennaro introduced himself and started playing the drums. They kept going until everyone was onstage playing their part to the tune before they all stopped and burst into their infamous medley of Monkees hits as Dave Alexander introduced "The Stars of The Monkees... Micky Dolenz & Davy Jones!" Micky & Davy ran onstage waving to the large crowd and joined in the middle to shake hands and start "Last Train To Clarksville." As "Last Train" closed, Micky screamed out "And the hits just keep right on comin'!" "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" followed as did "The Girl I Knew Somewhere," but not before they went through some of the many songwriters The Monkees had. Some examples Davy mentioned were, "Neil Sedaka, Boyce & Hart, Lord & Taylor -" then Micky cut him off. "Lord & Taylor?!? That's a department store!" he said. Next, Micky came to center stage with his kettle drum and talked about the party The Beatles threw for them and said that he didn't remember the party, but was told that he had a great time. He said after the party "I wrote this song, and I do remember that... I hope." Davy looked at him and said, "Yeah! I hope so to!" That song was "Randy Scouse Git." Like usual, after the song he went absolutely nuts, (more dramatically than ever before) banging the drum as they were taking it away and screaming, "The colors! The colors!" Then Davy said, "Do know who I am? Your old pal Davy!" A confused Micky screamed "Davy Jones? Davy Jones! Oh my God, it's Davy Jones! Somebody take a picture!" as he grabs Davy and hugs him while Davy tries to break lose. Then Micky continues, "Davy Jones! You used to watch me on television and have my picture on your wall and... Oh, nevermind. It's Davy Jones!" Soon after, Davy guided Micky to the drum set. Micky raised his arms and the crowd responded with loud cheers and sang along to "Mary, Mary." "Nice To Be With You," "Goin' Down," "(Look Out) Here Comes Tomorrow," and "She Hangs Out," which is usually in the second half of the show, kept them rolling. Davy's famous song "Girl" was next and he said, "Most people think I married Marsha Brady! Moved to Connecticut and had six kids!" "Valleri," "That Was Then, This Is Now," & the best performance I've ever seen of Micky's solo song "Since I Fell For You," followed, as did "Circle Sky," "The Porpoise Song," "Listen to the Band," "No Time," & "Daydream Believer." After "DDB," they went offstage and the people sitting in the back rushed to the stage for the encore. But, before Micky & Davy could finish the finale of their hits "Pleasant Valley Sunday," "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," & "I'm A Believer," everyone was pushed back by security. From start to finish, the show was about an hour and ten minutes. After almost 36 years they still know how to entertain a crowd with a show that was nothing less than what anyone should expect from the Monkees...good clean fun.