(Part Two of) Come and Watch Us
Sing and Play
The Monkees at the
Fabulous Fox Theater, June 5th, 2014
The concert started with the
screen tests aired as bits during their TV show (there were no
never-seen-before bits on the screen), followed by the theme song and opening
video of their show. I’m kind of glad they didn’t perform it.
1. Last Train to Clarksville
2. Papa Gene’s Blues (from The Monkees - first album)
3. Your Auntie Grizelda (from More of the Monkees)
4. The Kind of Girl I Could
Love (from More of the Monkees)
5. She (from More of the Monkees)
6. Sweet Young Thing (from The Monkees - first album). This was the
first of many times Pete played banjo. Ironically, days before I was listening
to George Harrison’s Wonderwall Music
on which Peter played the banjo. Legend says his track was not included on the
album - but it was in the movie - but I hear banjo...)
7. I’m a Bleeder – er –
Believer (from More of the Monkees)
8. (I’m Not Your) Stepping
Stone (from More of the Monkees)
Here was the first
“break” featuring many video clips of the show – including Mike’s rapid-paced
singing of his own “Different Drum”.
A wonderful part of the
show was dividing the sets into their respective albums. The next set featured
(mostly) songs from their most popular album Headquarters, unless otherwise noted:
9. You Told Me
10. Sunny Girl Friend
11. You Just May Be the One
12. Mary Mary (from More of the Monkees) (with this song
Mickey took over the drums - I watched and he did very well - and the other
drummer did percussion)
13. Girl That I Knew Somewhere (B-side
of A Little Bit You, a Little Bit Me)
14. Shades of Grey (this song
had a particularly great video montage – although it did distract from the band
– it was here Mickey’s teasing Pete’s hair during the chorus). This was the
first Davey song, although he co-sung it with Peter.
15. Randy Scouse Git (this was
preceded by the clip from the British TV show Til Death Do Us Part that inspired the title. The show was
Americanized by Norman Lear and renamed All
in the Family. So during a trivia night if you ever want to link the
Monkees with Archer Bunker ... here is it!
16. For Pete’s Sake
17. No Time
Video clips during this
set break were clips of the show in Spanish.
18. The Door Into Summer (from Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd
... pant pant, hereinafter “Pisces”)
19. Words ((from Pisces)
20. Tapioca Tundra (from The Birds, the Bees and the Monkees)
21. Going Down (B side of
Daydream Believer)
The video screen showed
clips of their movie “Head” ... oh dear god in heaven are they going to do
songs from “HEAD”!!??
The movie was awful, but
the soundtrack was the best thing they ever did. It should air with Sgt. Pepper as examples of sixties
pop/rock. I’m not kidding.
This was the best part of
the show.
22. Porpoise Song. Oh my god,
they did the Porpoise Song. If anyone recorded this that loud voice in the
audience singing along was me.
23. Can You Dig it
They showed the video of
Nilsson’s Daddy’s Song with Davy singing. The CD has a bonus track of Mike
singing it. I liked that version better. So much so that I forgot that the
“official” singer was Davy!
24. CIRCLE SKY!!! (caps
intentional - by now my sister and nephew asked me to sit down and stop
embarrassing them. I never. NEVER. thought I would hear this song live. I hoped
that someday I might see a solo set by Mike Nesmith, but this was a thrill.)
25. As We Go Along (and by now
the people sitting next to me were reacting and ushers had to be called. This
is one of my favorite “deep tracks” by the Monkees. Hardly anyone knows about
this beautiful Toni Stern/Carol King tune)
26. Long Title: Do We Have To Do
This All Over Again
After this wonderful set
more videos aired as we headed for the big finish...
27. What Am I Doing Hanging
Round? (from Pisces. THIS is my
favorite Monkees song. I was sooo glad they did it. Plus they did it at a
slower tempo than the original. Overall the “new” live arrangements were
superb, sometimes better than the originals)
28. Daydream Believer (from The Birds, the Bees and the Monkees).
This was sweet. Each of the surviving members took a verse, with Mike Nesmith
taking the last. His velvety voice fit perfectly.
Encore:
29. Listen to the Band (from The Monkees Present) (this was accompanied
by a video of the song that I never knew existed)
The band members were introduced.
30. Pleasant Valley Sunday (from
Pisces). You knew this song was
coming. It was one of their biggest hits and one of my favorites. Damn fun to
play on the guitar, too.
I asked my sister how the
show compared to the others. I expected the ones with Davy to be more Vegas-y.
Lots more showmanship, horns, dancing, etc. I pointed out Mickey’s dancing
during “Going Down” as an example of “Vegas-y”.
No, she said, those
featured rock bands and were done in similar styles as this. The first tour
with Mike Nesmith featured some of his solo songs. Ooo, I would have liked to
hear some Nesmith tunes - Joann, for example.
She said there was more
banter between the band members in their 2012 tour. There was some here, but
not as much. I don’t mind that - I go to a show to watch them play. They can
banter on Letterman...
The audience went bananas
throughout. And there was quite an age mix - older men and women and small
kids. Nothing like the Wiggles show, mind you, but there were kids under ten
there. They used to introduce “...Believer” with “we used to do this before
Shrek did...”
We need to start a
petition to either make them put out a live album or a studio album of these
arrangements pronto. Who’s with me?
Gentlemen, you were never
jokes; you were never Beatle rip-offs. Bravo for Peter’s jibe about “we were
accused of not being the Beatles, along with three million other bands...”
Thank you for nearly
fifty years of wonderful music. And thank you for performing it for one night!
I am so glad I went -
what a wonderful show. If you can, go see them. As Davy Jones’ death proved, we
might not have many more chances to see them. In other words - you’d better get
ready; they may be coming to your town.
Here’s another great
review of the show: http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/lifestyle-news/1414036/The-Monkees-turn-back-the-clock-in-fun-energetic-show
Copyright 2014 Michael Curry
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