Monkees Concert Reviews

The first 2 rock and roll bands that I was turned on to as a kid were the Beatles and the Monkees. I was born in 1965 so I never got to see the Beatles, however I saw Paul McCartney in concert in 1990. I never saw the Monkees in concert until the June 10, 2001 concert in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was well worth the wait.

The concert started with the back-up musicians playing an instrumental medley of Monkees tunes. Then Peter, Davy, and Mickey came out doing the "famous" Monkee-walk and opened the 2-hour show with "Last Train To Clarksville." Afterwards, they did a string of their big hits. Peter, Davy, and Mickey took time to do their own thing. Davy did his Monkee ballads like "I Wanna Be Free" & "It's Nice To Be With You." Plus, Davy did his big solo hit "Girl" (that he performed on an episode of "The Brady Bunch" in 1972), "You're My Forever" which had the girls screaming & a medley of songs from the musical "Oliver" that Davy starred in in England before the Monkees. Peter did the Monkees songs that he sang lead on like "Your Auntie Grizelda" and "Long Title" (from the Monkees' 1968 movie "Head") Peter also sang the Little Richard classic "Lucille", played some Bach on the piano/Korg synthesizer and broke out his banjo to do a great Monkees' version of Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher." Mickey also sang lead on his Monkee songs like "Mary, Mary" & "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" as well as doing a short version of Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" where the back-up musicians booed and shouted "We Want Davy" (to help Mickey tell the story of how Jimi Hendrix was booed off-stage when he opened up for the Monkees in 1967.) Mickey also sang his version of Lenny Welch's "Since I Fell For You." The 3 Monkees did an acoustic set of "Papa Gene Blues" (a Michael Nesmith song that they did in his absence), "Take A Giant Step" & "You and I" (from the Monkees' 1996 CD "Justus.") The Monkees brought the packed-house to their feet with "Daydream Believer" in which the members of the rock group Natural (the opening act for the Monkees) came on stage to join the Monkees. They ended the set with "That Was Then, This Is Now", "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" & "Pleasant Valley Sunday." --- David White

It was a "Pleasant Valley Sunday" indeed on a hot 90 degree summer day in Lincoln, Nebraska. After 35 years, the Monkees still have it. A GREAT CONCERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the list of songs the Monkees did in order:

Last Train to Clarksville

Look Out, Here Comes Tomorrow

For Pete's Sake

Randy Scouse Git

Mary, Mary

Your Auntie Grizelda

It's Nice To Be With You

The Girl I Knew Somewhere

She Hangs Out

Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again

Circle Sky

I Wanna Be Free

You're My Forever

Goin' Down

Girl

Higher & Higher

Purple Haze

Since I Don't Have You

On September 23rd 2005, Davy was the headline performance for Septemberfest in Eagan Minnesota. Davy had quite a busy pr week with on air interviews and performances at local radio and tv stations, plus a meet and greet at Brits Pub in Minneapolis. The air was brisk, but with the 1000 plus crowd dancing away to Davy, everyone kept warm. Davy sang the typical Monkees fair of Daydream Believer, I'm a Believer, Look out Here Comes Tomorrow, Stepping Stone, Papa Gene's Blues, Little Bit Me.., Valerie, I Wanna Be Free, and No Time. He also sang the ragtime style song Is she, ain't she my baby, Let them be little, I'll Love You Forever, Girl, and he also sang a song from Oliver. Davy also told the usual jokes about him being considered buff in Japan, Sears Roebuck writing the songs, and how Peter and Micky are in the old folks home. The band sounded great as always. I was particularly impressed with drummer Felipe Torres. ( from what I heard at one time Mr. Torres studied under Sandy Gennaro) Davy mentioned how the Monkees will be turning 40 next year, but didn't say if there would be a reunion or not. All in all it was a great time, and I have had a Monkee/Davy fix to last me awhile:) --- Jennifer Scott

Well,I live in Texas and my parents,God bless them,and my sister drove my cousin and I all the way to New Mexico on the 4th of April. It was a nineteen hour trip. we got into Albuquerque late at night. While my mother was signing us into the hotel my cousin and I were sitting in my van listening to the oldies station. And what do you think we heard? the announcer was saying 'I'll see you tomorrow at Kiva Auditorium with The Monkees!!!!" Well,after we heard that my cousin and I got all psyched. The next morning we went swimming then headed off for site seeing. Well,the whole time of course when we would see people we wouuld be,like, "We're going to see the Monkees tonight!!!!". I have a feeling people were giving us curious stairs. Well,the time finally came. We found the auditorium,and my dad let us off at the front while he went to find a parking place. We walked inside. The auditorium was huge!! We went up some exculaters and found the table that was selling Monkee stuff! My cousin and I looked at everything and discided on a little stuffed Monkee each and a picture. We were waiting patiently....well,not patiently.........then we heard music. There was a long hall close to where we were standing that was taped off. Then we discided to look and see what it led to. When we looked down the hall there were just two huge doors that were shut. Then....................someone came through them and the doors didn't shut all the way. Perfection! There was a crack. We peecked though the crack to see PETER practicing! It was spectacular! I kept on saying "There's Peter,oh my gosh I see Peter!!" And one girl looked at me and told me to shut up. I don't know what she was thinking. Well,anyway,we waited for about thirty minutes and we were second inline to get inside the small entrance. Well,the entrance was opened and we raced to our seats. My dad came with my cousin and I and my sister and mom were s'possed to go site seeing some more. When we got to our seats I saw Peter shutting the wing doors. He was about twenty feet away from me. I was soooooooo excited I almost fainted. My cousin and I were to hyper to sit still so we started heading back to the table to look at the Shoe Suede Blues CD,then all of a sudden my dad yelled out our names and pointed towards the seats in front of the stage. My sister and mother were in the fourth row SEATS! I ran back to them and said "What are y'all doing?" And Cecilia(my sister) said "I have to see Peter!" He's her favorite! Well,after that we set down and just kinda talked until the opening act started. It was Peter and Shoe Suede Blues. They were awesome! If his band comes close to me I am SO going to see them. He tried ot disguese himself but the hard core fans all knew it was him. They sang and then after they were done the guy from the oldies station came out and auctioned off a guitar signed by the Monkees. Then,the suspence was more then we could bear. We moved up to the fifth row seats because no one had clamed them,and the lights dimmed. The announcer said "Peter,Micky,and Davy. The Monkees!!!!!" Everyone stood up and started cheering. They came out doing the Monkee walk. I started clapping then held my hands to my mouth and said "Oh my gosh,oh my gosh,oh my gosh!!" I mean I was looking at the guys that had been on the 60's TV show!! it was awesome. I can't hardly remember the setup of the songs but they were all great!! When Davy sang Valleri he pointed at me and when they were about to start Take A Giant Step they said "This was the B side to Last Train To Clarkesville." and then Davy said "Not in Hawaii" and they were like "What?" then he said "They don't have trains in Hawaii". And Micky started to sing "Take the last boat to Mowee and I'll meet you at the Loou.We can have some hot dead pig....." he stopped there and Davy and Peter were saying "Gross,man. That's sick." Then Davy said "Poor babe,poor babe." I really liked that part. At the end when they sang Pleasant Valley Sunday for the encore my cousin and I went to the front of the stage,got down on our knees and rested our arms on the stage. Davy looked over at us when we kneeled down. He so sweet! Well,they finished that and started going by everyone and touching their hands. I got to touch Micky then Peter the DAVY!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH! Sorry,that was an amazing time for me. :) Then we tried to get back stage but they only let in some,like,twenty year old girls. Well,we went outside to go to our van and it was raining really hard. I felt like I had just left the Emmy awards or something. My cousin and I didn't let our hands touch anything and now when we tell our friends about the concert we touch them with our right hands and say "You've got Monkee germs! "---Promise (ShortyBlackwell4@aol.com)

It was the best! I have never heard such great music live before! They made the cutest jokes too! I was so excited when they came out! I was shaking and taking pictures of whatever I saw! After the concert people were waiting for autographs but about half just figured that they weren't going to come out... in the end there were about 20 or 30 of us left, including me! We all wanted to go backstage but they said you couldn't go unless you had a pass! I was so Pi*sed but waited anyway! One of the security guards was getting pretty mad and he goes "Okay! I'll give out a backstage pass! Everybody guess a number 1 through..." Everyone started screaming out numbers and he yelled, "Shut up! Just hold on! 1 through 50!" Everyone started screaming numbers again. I said numbers like 3 and 28 and stuff and then I finally screamed, "13!" I don't know why! I mean, that's the least most likely number that a person could pick and it is "so-called" unlucky. I just figured since no one had said it and my friend said it was Peter's favorite number and I had a bad day at school that day... Anyways, he goes, "You got it!" and I screamed and crawled under the little police thingy. And then I jumped on the guard and gave him a hug and screamed, "Thank you! I love you so much! You're my best friend now!" and he goes, "Okay girl! Okay! Now go!" and he gave me a backstage pass sticker. I ran back and waited in a line to go see the guys! We walked through all these psychedelic lighted hallways and finally stopped in a hallway where the guys signed autographs. Unfortunately, Davy left right after the concert due to bronchitis (I'm not sure how to spell it). I felt so bad and sad for him! I got a picture with Micky and his autograph. He was drinking beer and his breath kinda smelled but I was too excited to care! Then I got Peters autograph but there was no more film left in my camera! I already have a picture with him but I was real mad with myself afterward for not getting another with him! Unfortunately, after I got my pictures developed, my picture with Micky did not come out:-( Oh well... that means I better meet Micky again! =-D Anyways... It was so much fun! Ahhh!!!!!! hehe=-) I might have lost my voice for a whole week but it was definitely worth it! THANK YOU MONKEES FOR THE BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE!---Katie (monkee333@hotmail.com)

It was my birthday/Fathers day gift from my sons! What a gift! My oldest son, who is 25 told me after the show that he wasn't one bit excited about it, but after the show, he said it was better than the Dave Matthews band show he had been to a couple of months earlier. The show was packed and it was a great theater. All the songs were perfect, and when Davy did the "Girl" bit, he came right down into the crowd. The ladies lined up and he hugged every one of them. One lady ran up and just touched him on the back and ran back down the aisle, much to her surprise, Davy ran back with her, right behind her, and tapped her on the shoulder! when she turned around, I thought she was going to faint!!!! Anyway, when Micky sang Porpise Song, there were these lights all over the place, on the ceiling and all. Then when they broke into Listen to the Band, the place went wild...This was the third time I have seen them this year, and each time has just gotten better...They just get better with each passing year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!---Scott (Monkeescott@msn.com)

Just returned from the Cleveland, OH concert held at the Odeon Concert Club on Saturday, June 22, 2002. All I can say is--GREAT CONCERT!! The LIVE performance is much better than the CD recorded live in Toronto in January 2002. The CD is almost verbatim to the performances as far as the show content goes. A few of the song arrangements were different than the original recordings. I prefer the original recordings myself. This was the first time I had been able to see Davy and Micky in concert (been a fan since they were originally on TV--telling my age now!). It was a 6 hour drive one way for me from Rochester, IN. The guys put on a stellar performance for 1 1/2 hours. Davy danced practically the whole time!! Where does that man get his energy?? The only drawbacks were the facts that the "club" was really WAY too small, hard to find (even our hotel clerk didn't have the right directions), and evidently the air wasn't turned on high enough cause it was hotter than blazes in there. I also was disappointed that Davy and Micky weren't available to sign autographs after the concert. Would I go to see them in concert again??? You bet, but hopefully in an auditorium and closer to home.

--- Sharon (mjsmith@rtcol.com)

On Saturday June 1, 2002, my husband Bob and I attended the Stars of the Monkees Concert at Meadowbrook Music festival. Barry Williams performed first and he sang and played a guitar. He put on his Johnny Rocket jacket and showed everyone he could still fit in to the jacket. Bob thoroughly enjoyed Barry Williams. When Barry was done performing, he was at a booth to sign his book he was promoting about his time with the Brady Bunch TV series. There was a brief intermission and then the Stars of the Monkees performed. The band sounded good and the Stars sounded good too. However, I feel Micky as well as David was a bit tired out because Meadowbrook was the last of a 3 day booking (in various cities) before a few days of rest as well as travel to another booking. I would be tired out too. The stage background was not decorated with the trademark Monkee guitar. It was not decorated at all. The band was set up on the stage with David on the left, a guitarist in the middle but behind the 2 stars by a few feet, and Micky on the right side. Each star had a solo performance singing various songs. David saw a 4 year old girl in the audience, asked her to come on stage and spoke with her, then gave the baby girl a kiss. Micky had a towel which he had used and threw it off stage making a comment about how much it would bring on E-Bay. The security was heavy and walking about was very restricted. I had a difficult time taking pictures because I could not get close enough as you can see from the pictures. And I did have decent seats. Overall, I would give the concert 3 of 5 Stars. The reason why I would give the Stars of the Monkees this rating is: I went to the Monkee concert at Freedom Hill last year and it was far superior than this one. There were several reasons why it was better; 1) I believe the group had time to rest; 2) Peter was there. To me, Peter was sorely missed. There is chemistry between David and Micky, but when Peter was there the chemistry was extremely evident. I hope they all will tour together again and put aside personalities. I hope I can attend another concert in the future with THE MONKEES. --- Lynne Macdonald (lynnemacdonald@msn.com)

I was driving home to North Carolina from a shooping trip to VA ,when what sweet voice falls on my ear none other than Davy Jones on the radio promoting the horse races in New Kent the next week end and then I heard him say the best thing he could ever say ( well almost) was that he and Micky were going to put on a show after the race. Well I'll tell you I screamed so loud I almost burst my boyfriends ear drum. I said I have to go and he said no problem we can go. Well I got home and excitedly called my 2 sisters and told them one couldn't go and the other said no way in hell she was gonna miss it. It was hard to wait for a whole week but somehow I managed.The anticipation was killing us. I bet on 2 horses won one and lost one but it was fun.Then the moment we were waiting for. We got situated as close as we could and Davy and Micky(my favorite Monkee) came out on stage,(ittle did I know when I use to rush home from school to watch these guys on tv and the theme song said we may be comming to your town It would actually come to pass.) It was a dream come true.We had the best time I will never forget it.I always have and always will LOVE those guys. I got to do in one evening two things I have always wanted to do,go to a horse race andwin on a horse and ( the best thing) To see THE MONKEES.. My life is now complete. --- Darlene Scott (flame19652001@yahoo.com)

Micky Dolenz, his sister Coco and their band gave an awesome performance last night at Westbury Music Fair, Long Island, NY. It was truly one of the best Monkeees shows I've seen in the last 18 years. Micky was charged with energy and delivered the greatest hits as well as two Davy songs, "A Little Bit Me..." and "Daydream Believer". Vance Brescia joined him onstage to sing his composition "That Was Then, This Is Now". Other highlights included Coco's rendition of Nesmith's "Different Drum". Micky was hilarious commenting that Nez was a real jerk for not giving that song to the Monkees. He told all the familiar Monkees concert jokes as well as lowering his mike to midget height everytime he sang a Davy song. The band which included Wayne Avers, Jerry Renino and Dave Alexander was great, Micky played rythm guitar thru out, no drums. Micky and Coco harmonized wonderfully on "Bye, Bye Blackbird" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy". Headliner Peter Noone was also terrific, he claimed Davy Jones wears "rubber trousers" (leather pants) because he "wets himself". He was crazier than Micky. Great show all around! --- Pat Zappi

Davy Jones and his band performed Saturday 4/2 at the College of Staten Island, Staten Island, New York. The venue was a campus theatre which seemed to hold about 800 people and had excellent acoustics. The theatre was about 3/4 filled and the New York area crowd was extremely enthusiastic. Davy responded with one of his best performances in recent years. He seemed to enjoy playing a theatre instead of a casino or fairground, and was in fine voice throughout the evening. Davyshowed amazing energy for someone who has been performing for over 40 years and danced wildly during the "Oliver" medley and "She Hangs Out". He sang his

best-ever rendition of "It's Nice To Be With You", complete with occasional New York accent. Davy made some short poignant comments about the life and death of Pope John Paul and then dedicated a beautiful performance of "I Wanna Be Free" to the deceased religious leader. The unique setting gave alot of additional time for stand-up style comedy, and Davy delivered 5-10 minute jokes/bits between every song. He claimed that Micky, Mike and Peter are in the actors home in LA sharing a room with only one chair. "Nesmith's got the chair", Davy said, and Micky and Peter are "kneeling on the floor waiting for their instructions". This was very funny considering Davy and Mike's desire to control the project whenever the Monkees work together. Sarcasm quickly turned to good nature as Davy mentioned Micky's NYC radio show to wild applause and performed a sprightly rendition of Nez's "Papa Gene's Blues". He also plugged Shoe Suede Blues in a nod to Peter Tork and said Peter was in a group called "One Man Band", but quit because of "creative differences". It was a terrific night and you could tell by the many smiles that once again people did not know that a member of the Monkees would put on such a fantastic show. Hopefully Davy will continue to play theatres of this kind so new and old fans can really listen to and appreciate his performance. --- Pat Zappi