A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT WITH THE MONKEES
Dolenz, Nesmith, and Tork
"A momentously festive occasion..." - Rolling Stone "The Monkees provided a powerful reminder of their success as a rare instance when varied and disparate threads of pop culture old and new came together to create something truly special." - Nashville Scene "Never have they sounded better, appeared more assured or been more enjoyable than right now." - The Baltimore Sun "Those that grew up watching The Monkees on television will remember a wacky band that had some catchy songs. But you get much more than that with The Monkees in concert. Mischief and frivolity can make you last two years on television. True musical talent lets you last another 47 years." -Examiner.com |
THE 2013 TOUR SCHEDULEJuly 15: Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, New York
July 16: Citi Performing Arts Center, Boston, Massachusetts July 17: Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, New Jersey July 19: NYCB Theatre at Westbury, Westbury, New York July 20: Mann Music Theatre, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania July 21: Warner Theatre, Washington, D.C. July 23: Memorial Auditorium, Raleigh, North Carolina July 24: Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee July 26: St. Augustine Amphitheatre, St. Augustine, Florida July 27: Mizner Park Amphitheatre, Boca Raton, Florida July 28: Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, Florida July 31: Long Center, Austin, Texas August 1: Arena Theatre, Houston, Texas August 2: Verizon Theatre, Grand Prairie, Texas August 3: Brady Theater, Tulsa, Oklahoma August 5: Paramount Theatre, Denver, Colorado August 9: Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, Arizona August 10: Green Valley Events Center, Henderson, Nevada August 11: Humphreys, San Diego, California August 13: Terrace Theatre, Long Beach, California August 14: Mountain Winery, Saratoga, California August 15: Uptown Theatre, Napa, California August 17: Benaroya Hall, Seattle, Washington August 18: Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, Oregon |
THE SET LIST
The set list for the shows from July 15 - July 27:
Last Train to Clarksville
Papa Gene’s Blues Your Auntie Grizelda The Kind of Girl I Could Love She Sweet Young Thing I’m a Believer Steppin' Stone You Told Me Sunny Girlfriend You Just May Be the One Mary, Mary The Girl I Knew Somewhere (Michael lead vocal) Early Morning Blues and Greens (Peter lead vocal) Randy Scouse Git For Pete’s Sake No Time Words Daily Nightly Tapioca Tundra Goin’ Down Porpoise Song Can You Dig It Circle Sky As We Go Along Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again Daddy's Song (Video of Davy from Head) Daydream Believer What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round? Encore: Listen to the Band Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky Pleasant Valley Sunday |
The set list for the second half of the tour:
Last Train to Clarksville
Papa Gene’s Blues Your Auntie Grizelda The Kind of Girl I Could Love She Sweet Young Thing I’m a Believer Steppin' Stone You Told Me Sunny Girlfriend You Just May Be the One Mary, Mary The Girl I Knew Somewhere (Michael lead vocal) Early Morning Blues and Greens (Peter lead vocal) Randy Scouse Git For Pete’s Sake No Time The Door Into Summer Words Tapioca Tundra Goin’ Down Porpoise Song Can You Dig It Circle Sky As We Go Along Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again Daddy's Song (Video of Davy from Head) Daydream Believer What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round? Encore: Listen to the Band Pleasant Valley Sunday |
"Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky" was dropped after the show in Raleigh, North Carolina on July 23. "Daily Nightly" was omitted from the set after the performance in Boca Raton, Florida on July 27. "The Door Into Summer" made its live concert debut in Houston, Texas on August 1.
The year 2012 was pivotal for The Monkees and its fanbase, one that began with the sad loss of one of its founders, but ultimately ending with a triumphant return to the stage by the surviving members of the group. Fresh off a successful 45th Anniversary Tour with both Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork in the spring and summer of 2011, Davy Jones passed away suddenly from a heart attack on February 29, 2012. "Thank goodness we did that [the 2011 tour]," Micky later said. "It was phenomenal, and David had so much to do with putting that together and staging it." Without Davy, however, most fans believed it was the end of The Monkees. "There is a faint chance we'll continue," Peter told Rolling Stone. "I don't know whether we could structure something without Davy. I had a couple of thoughts, but I don't know if they're workable." But on August 7, 2012, Michael Nesmith posted a message on his Facebook page that read, "We may be coming to your town." Shortly thereafter, The Monkees’ Facebook page alerted fans about a special announcement set for the following day. In a move that surprised many, a 12-city Monkees tour of the United States was announced for November and December.
What had started in previous discussions between Micky, Michael, and Peter about staging a memorial concert for Davy eventually morphed into a small tour. "As soon as the three of us expressed even the slightest bit of interest there was a lot of interest from others," Micky said. "The ball started rolling, and the train left the station. Rhino Records also got very excited and helped us support it." Peter spoke similarly about the situation. "This tour was under discussion before Davy passed away. It’s the 45th anniversary of Headquarters and Mike was expressing interest in touring behind that. When Davy passed away we looked at each other and took a couple of deep breaths and said this is still what we wanted to do." The 2012 tour would mark the first time that Nesmith had performed with The Monkees since a visit to the United Kingdom in 1997.
Reviews for the 2012 tour were overwhelmingly positive. The Chicago Tribune said the concert at the Chicago Theatre "was an emotionally disarming multimedia show that, for all its backward glance, felt fresh and electric." Ticket sales were swift, too. "When we called to get ticket counts on the first day sales for the November tour, we were taken aback by how quick the East Coast dates were selling out," Bruce Solar of The Agency Group told the Hollywood Reporter. "By the middle of the first day, we had promoters calling us trying to add more nights."
The 2012 tour closed with a triumphant sold-out appearance at New York City’s Beacon Theatre on December 2. With the limited amount of dates performed and an obvious demand for tickets, Monkees fans almost immediately wondered if there would be more concerts in the future. In early 2013, Nez assured the fanbase. "Yes, we will tour again I am sure," Michael told Examiner.com. "It was great fun and the show was great. Micky and Peter are good guys, talented, and fun to work with."
The three Monkees kept busy in the months following the 2012 tour. Michael, long absent from the concert stage both as a solo artist and as a member of The Monkees, expressed his great satisfaction with being back on the road. "It's hard to describe how much fun I am having performing and playing music live to an audience," he wrote on Facebook during the 2012 Monkees tour. "The Monkees concerts are so gratifying . . . there is a reciprocity in a live show that is not approachable from any other direction than live and real time." In January 2013, Nesmith announced his first formal solo tour since 1992. The month-long ‘Nez Solo’ spring 2013 tour opened in March outside of Nashville and visited 17 cities, including the metro areas of New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Introducing each song with a story related to its conception, Nez performed with a small backing band while leading the audience through a set list of songs that spanned his entire career. Peter also debuted a fresh solo show that was produced by Monkees archivist Andrew Sandoval. Dubbed 'In This Generation,' Peter performed alone while accompanying himself on guitar, banjo, and piano. Mixed in was a multimedia presentation that featured vintage films, photos, and rare songs (including "Easy Rider," which Peter submitted, unsuccessfully, to Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider to be the theme song for the movie of the same name). Peter’s band, Shoe Suede Blues, also released a new album, Step by Step. Not to be outpaced by his bandmates, Micky continued to promote his most recent solo album, the critically acclaimed Remember, while also playing a number of concert dates, including some performances with David Cassidy and Peter Noone.
The 2012 tour closed with a triumphant sold-out appearance at New York City’s Beacon Theatre on December 2. With the limited amount of dates performed and an obvious demand for tickets, Monkees fans almost immediately wondered if there would be more concerts in the future. In early 2013, Nez assured the fanbase. "Yes, we will tour again I am sure," Michael told Examiner.com. "It was great fun and the show was great. Micky and Peter are good guys, talented, and fun to work with."
The three Monkees kept busy in the months following the 2012 tour. Michael, long absent from the concert stage both as a solo artist and as a member of The Monkees, expressed his great satisfaction with being back on the road. "It's hard to describe how much fun I am having performing and playing music live to an audience," he wrote on Facebook during the 2012 Monkees tour. "The Monkees concerts are so gratifying . . . there is a reciprocity in a live show that is not approachable from any other direction than live and real time." In January 2013, Nesmith announced his first formal solo tour since 1992. The month-long ‘Nez Solo’ spring 2013 tour opened in March outside of Nashville and visited 17 cities, including the metro areas of New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Introducing each song with a story related to its conception, Nez performed with a small backing band while leading the audience through a set list of songs that spanned his entire career. Peter also debuted a fresh solo show that was produced by Monkees archivist Andrew Sandoval. Dubbed 'In This Generation,' Peter performed alone while accompanying himself on guitar, banjo, and piano. Mixed in was a multimedia presentation that featured vintage films, photos, and rare songs (including "Easy Rider," which Peter submitted, unsuccessfully, to Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider to be the theme song for the movie of the same name). Peter’s band, Shoe Suede Blues, also released a new album, Step by Step. Not to be outpaced by his bandmates, Micky continued to promote his most recent solo album, the critically acclaimed Remember, while also playing a number of concert dates, including some performances with David Cassidy and Peter Noone.
By late March 2013, rumors began to swirl that The Monkees would be returning to the stage for a summer tour of the United States. Rolling Stone broke the news on April 29 when it was announced that The Monkees would embark on a 24-date American tour that was being dubbed "A Midsummer’s Night With The Monkees." The tour was scheduled to visit major cities like Seattle, Philadelphia, San Diego, Washington, D.C., Houston, Nashville, and Boston in July and August. "The reaction to the last tour was euphoric," Micky told Rolling Stone. "It was pretty apparent there was a demand for another one." A press release touted the group was returning "by popular demand" and that all new venues and markets made up the tour itinerary. An eclectic selection of songs would comprise the setlist, including "classic hits, deep cuts from their first five platinum albums and fan favorites from the soundtrack to their cult film classic Head and their Emmy-award winning television series." Micky showed his enthusiasm for the tour by discussing how much fun it was having Michael back in the fold. "We always kept his songs in the set list," Dolenz told Rolling Stone. "But when he sings the leads it brings a whole different feel and dynamic to the band . . . the two of us had such a nice blend on those early records. It was two-part harmonies like the Everly Brothers." When asked why Nesmith was back center stage with the group, Micky said the positive response to the late 2012 concerts made it an easy decision to keep playing. "That went a long way towards convincing him that people do want to see him again and hear his songs. It's almost like, 'How can you not do it?'" Michael also chimed in on the ever present discussion about his return to The Monkees, telling the Boston Globe that "the best reason I can give is because it is so much fun – and maturing may have something to do with it."
Promotion for the tour began almost immediately after the dates were confirmed. The official Monkees website was revamped, and a recently launched Monkees app for iPhone and Android featured news and other information. Rhino Records, in conjunction with Artist Arena, sponsored ticket pre-sales, including VIP packages, for every show on the schedule. Rhino also announced a deluxe edition of the 1969 album The Monkees Present, the next in an acclaimed series of Monkees reissues from Rhino Handmade. (VIP packages offered during ticket pre-sales included choice seats at each venue along with a copy of the new deluxe box set.) Micky seemed to raise the stakes for the summer tour when he spoke about a potential expansion of it to markets outside of the United States. "I can be frank and tell you we are thinking about taking it everywhere," he told Rolling Stone. "There's always been interest in Japan, Eurasia and Australia and New Zealand. There's a huge fan base in South America and Brazil in specific, which we've never really tapped into. There's also talk about Europe and the UK." Furthermore, Micky expressed interest in a new Monkees album, an idea Michael later said he wasn't necessarily opposed to for the time being. "I'd love to make a new one," Micky told Rolling Stone. "We haven't had any discussions about that beyond, 'Wouldn't it be cool to have a new one?' We're just taking this whole thing one step at a time." When asked about the possibility of new Monkees music, Michael was upbeat. "I'm always open. I would not say 'no' without giving it a good look."
The sudden passing of Davy Jones in early 2012 caused a tremendous amount of emotion in the Monkees fan community. A constant presence in The Monkees who never missed a concert tour, his absence was, for some, a gap for which there was no compensation. As a result, some fans expressed reservations about The Monkees without Davy. Various postings on Facebook and other online communities often relayed that it's not the same without him. In the wake of Davy’s death, the 2012 Monkees tour featured multiple tributes to Jones. For the 2013 tour, Micky discussed the delicate balancing act of memorializing their fallen bandmate while also moving forward. "This time we probably won't lean so heavily on the David situation," Micky told Rolling Stone. "I think we have to move on. Everybody has to move on. He'll always be remembered and acknowledged, but possibly not as much as on that particular tour. We will, of course, still perform 'Daydream Believer.'" Peter also discussed the nature of the situation in an interview with the Asbury Park Press. "Davy was a fabulous entertainer, and maybe secretly the most musical of the four of us, I really actually think so," Peter said. "And he was probably the smartest, although that too was very, very subtle . . . he kept that kind of under wraps. And there’s ways in which we miss him. When he ran the show, he set up the program. He said 'This song goes here, that song goes there,' and we would just kick back and let him do it because he was very good at it. And since he’s gone, Micky and I and Mike all have to craft this together. We set it up on the chalk board and we throw up the songs and we say, 'Could this go here?' It’s very arduous without Davy. So there’s a technical side of things where we miss him." But Peter was also adamant about the group moving on while still taking the time to remember Davy. "He brought an awful lot to the table, to the stage, and we miss all of that," Peter said. "Last year, we made it a point to memorialize him a lot. We’ll be doing a little less of that this year. Not much, but somewhat. But we’ll still have a tribute to him and remember him. But it’s different. Now we’re working with Mike. What does this mean? And we have to carry on, so we do our best."
In early June, Micky tweeted that rehearsals were beginning with Michael and Peter. Tour producer Andrew Sandoval told the Boston Globe that a great deal of time and attention goes into preparing Monkees songs for a live setting. "We actually sit and listen to the records together before we go into rehearsals," Sandoval said. "What do the fans really want? Do they want us to show how great we’ve become or how we can pull off a cool solo in the song that wasn’t there? No, they want us to honor the songs as we did them then." Micky concurred with Sandoval, sharing his own experience of seeing the reunited Everly Brothers in the 1980s before the huge Monkees revival in 1986. "I remember thinking, 'God, I hope they do all those hits. 'Cathy’s Clown' and 'Wake Up Little Susie,'" Micky said. "And I got there and I was blown away. They played everything as I remembered it and I was singing and standing up there and crying and I remember thinking, if I ever get asked to get back and sing some of those Monkees tunes, I’m going to sing them like I remember." Peter expressed great pride in The Monkees’ canon. "What always surprises me when I look at it is the range of The Monkees' songbook," he told News & Observer. "Great, great pop songwriters have contributed to this songbook. It’s not The Beatles, it’s not The Rolling Stones, it’s not as consistent, it’s much more bubblegum and it’s much more targeted. Still, it’s one of the great songbooks of all time."
In the weeks leading up to the start of the tour, The Monkees' official Facebook page posted pictures of the trio rehearsing while dropping subtle hints about some surprises in the setlist. The Monkees themselves were publicly upbeat before the summer jaunt. "People who ever followed The Monkees, ever spent any time with The Monkees in any circumstances whatsoever, will find this a great show," Peter told the Asbury Park Press. Fans were also told to expect a few changes from the 2012 tour set list and presentation. "We're taking out a few things and putting in a few things, but the set list will be awfully close," Michael told Rolling Stone. "We're gonna tweak the video a bit. We found some funnier footage, and we're probably gonna take out one or two pieces of the Head thing so it's not quite so long." The group also took time to compliment one another in the press before opening night. "Michael’s songs are a great delight. We do a lot of them now that Michael’s in the band again," Peter told the Asbury Park Press. "And Micky’s one of the great pop singers of all time. I once told him I thought he was in the top 20. He said '20?' I said 'Well, OK, 15.' He said '15?' I said, 'Well, top 10, but that’s my final offer.' So we’ve got that to go with. And I think I add a little something to this operation," Peter noted. "I don’t exactly know what it is, but I’m sure it’s something." Michael also conveyed his excitement on Facebook. "We are working really hard to put together the best show ever," he wrote. "New video looks great, couple of new songs, the music sounds great . . . hope you can get out to see it." Speaking about the concerts in late 2012, Micky told USA Today that "it was so great playing with Mike again."
When the tour officially kicked off on July 15 at the historic Capitol Theatre outside of New York City, the presentation mirrored that of the 2012 concerts, with different segments highlighting a particular era in the career of The Monkees. "The show has some structure to it," Micky explained to IndyWeek.com. "There are four acts, the first one being early Monkees stuff. The second section focuses on the album Headquarters that we recorded all by ourselves when we finally had the palace revolt and got the power and the right to basically control what we were doing. And then the third section is all songs from the movie Head. And the last section would be the later big-band stuff with horns." The set list was basically the same as it was for the 2012 tour, except "The Kind of Girl I Could Love" (making its return to the setlist for the first time since the inaugural Monkees tour in 1966-1967), "No Time," and "Words" had been added. All of the songs from the Head soundtrack were performed but in a different order this time around. Later in the tour, a fan favorite from the Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. album made its live concert debut as "The Door Into Summer" replaced another Pisces cut, "Daily Nightly," in the set.
A distinct difference from the 2012 tour could be found in the video montages featured on the large HD screen behind the band. Created by Rachel Lichtman, the footage (from the group's television series, their 1968 movie Head, the 1969 TV special 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee, 1960s concerts, as well as album covers, picture sleeves, magazines, and candid shots) was originally recut and created specifically for the 2012 tour. However, new footage and material was produced and added for the summer concerts. A video pre-show was also screened, encompassing some elements of the intermission show from the UK and early US 2011 tour dates, as well as the 2012 tour. In addition, every evening featured pre- and post-show music programmed by Andrew Sandoval.
A distinct difference from the 2012 tour could be found in the video montages featured on the large HD screen behind the band. Created by Rachel Lichtman, the footage (from the group's television series, their 1968 movie Head, the 1969 TV special 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee, 1960s concerts, as well as album covers, picture sleeves, magazines, and candid shots) was originally recut and created specifically for the 2012 tour. However, new footage and material was produced and added for the summer concerts. A video pre-show was also screened, encompassing some elements of the intermission show from the UK and early US 2011 tour dates, as well as the 2012 tour. In addition, every evening featured pre- and post-show music programmed by Andrew Sandoval.
The opening segment of the 2013 summer concert highlighted the early part of the group’s career and featured tracks made famous during the first season of their NBC television series. A video interlude preceded the second segment of the show which drew heavily from the Headquarters album. After another video interlude, several tracks from the band’s mid-period were played. The fourth segment of the concert was introduced by a montage of clips (created by Lichtman) that spotlighted the group's 1968 feature film, Head. The six full length songs from the soundtrack followed. Davy’s song and dance performance of "Daddy’s Song" from the movie was played on the screen, which then led right into "Daydream Believer." As he had done during the 2012 concerts, Micky told the audience that during rehearsals they were trying to figure out who would sing lead on Davy’s signature Monkees hit. He spoke of a suggestion that Mike had offered in which he believed that none of the members of the group could sing the song. "It doesn’t belong to us anymore. It belongs to you," Micky would say. As a result, a concertgoer was chosen each night to come onstage and lead a sing-along of "Daydream Believer" as footage of Davy dancing from the song’s original music video played in slow motion on the screen behind the band. The show closed with "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?" and the encore included "Listen to the Band" (which allowed Micky to introduce each member of the backing band), followed by "Pleasant Valley Sunday."
The backing band from the 2012 tour returned, many of them veterans from previous Monkees tours. The troupe included Wayne Avers (guitar), Dave Alexander (keyboards), John Billings (bass), Rich Dart (drums), Micky’s sister Coco Dolenz (backing vocals/percussion), Aviva Maloney (reeds/wind/keyboards), and Michael's son, Christian Nesmith (guitar). The live medley of Monkees songs used to begin the 2012 shows was not played by the backing band at the start of the 2013 summer concerts. Instead, after the lights dimmed to signal the start of the show, a new video was screened that featured various appearances, clips from the television series, and more. Included in the new intro video was a scene from a 2012 episode of the TV show Breaking Bad that featured "Goin' Down." Another scene from Mad Men that used "Porpoise Song" was also shown. At the video’s conclusion, Micky, Michael, and Peter emerged onto the stage.
The three Monkees mixed it up instrumentally during the 2013 summer tour. Michael played a 12-string Gretsch guitar (custom made by Gretsch for Nesmith and modeled after Mike’s 1960s version of the same guitar) for the entire show except when he moved to a six-string Fender Stratocaster for "Pleasant Valley Sunday." Micky drummed for a large portion of the Headquarters set and some of the Head set (using a Gretsch New Classics kit), played the cowbell on "Tapioca Tundra," and a cajon drum beat box on "Sweet Young Thing." Micky also played rhythm guitar on various songs throughout the show. Peter used a 5-string bass on "You Just May Be the One" and "Sunny Girlfriend" and added some slide guitar work to "The Kind of Girl I Could Love." He played keyboards for the usual tracks like "The Girl I Knew Somewhere," "Daydream Believer," and "Randy Scouse Git" (Nez moved to keyboards during "For Pete’s Sake," however) and was on electric guitar for the rest of the show. Peter also played the banjo on "Sweet Young Thing," "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?" and “You Told Me.” As he did on the 2012 tour, Michael handled lead vocal duties on his own song, "The Girl I Knew Somewhere," which was originally sung by Micky on record and live in concert in the past. Peter was the lead vocalist on one of Davy's Headquarters tracks, "Early Morning Blues and Greens," a song Peter is known to be fond of and that has been a part of his solo show.
By all accounts, the individual Monkees expressed gratitude for their audiences as the tour crossed the United States and even commented about the current state of affairs within the group. "The shows have been remarkably stimulating and happy-fying," Michael told The Austin Chronicle. "And yes, the validation for it has been almost overwhelming. We all come offstage after a show riding on the high that the audience is on. For me, the greatest show of the evening is the show I see from the stage: watching the audience connect, which I think is the way a great live show should be. So it’s most satisfying for all concerned." Micky echoed Michael’s sentiments about the fans and their expectations of seeing The Monkees live in concert. "When we get back together in these incarnations, I don’t think of these as a reunion. I think of them as a revival," he told IndyWeek.com. "I understood from the get-go that when the fans come to see a Monkees show or a Micky Dolenz solo show, they want to hear those songs as they remember them. You owe it to them." Peter took a moment midway through the tour to ruminate about the group’s internal relations and Michael’s recommitment to The Monkees. "He’s always been the question mark," Tork told The Hollywood Reporter. "Mike has, and had, other ambitions. He’s giving what he’s got to this. He’s here and he’s committed and you can see it. He’s not holding anything back on this tour, nor the last one. He has other things he wants to do. But he’s not going, I can’t stand this, I’ve got other things to do. Michael isn’t doing that. The result is I sense a lot of commitment from him on this. We’re getting along brilliantly."
When the tour closed on August 18 in Portland, Oregon, Micky, Michael, and Peter had completed another tour that was met with rave reviews, and for some, helped soften the blow of Davy’s passing. "Musically, historically and emotionally, the night was a triumph, a cause for joy and celebration, and a whole lot of fun, to boot," wrote the Asbury Park Press. Contrary to proposals discussed by Micky when the tour was announced, concerts outside of the United States were ultimately never scheduled. "There are no plans right now for anything else," Dolenz told The Huffington Post in late August, before adding, "but I've learned never to say never." When being interviewed by the Boston Globe, Nez waxed philosophically about The Monkees, its fanbase and playing for their audience in 2013. "Part of the fun of growing up is not having to act any certain way - and Monkees fans always traveled their own path," Michael said. "They stayed fans while their contemporaries ridiculed them and they are still fans. So to play live for the codger boppers while the new fans discover the music and silliness and share it is a lot of genuine fun - and that’s hard to come by."
The Monkees Live Almanac chronicled the 2013 Monkees Tour as it happened.
Additional photos, articles, videos, reviews, and more about the tour
Additional photos, articles, videos, reviews, and more about the tour
"Musically, historically and emotionally, the night was a triumph, a cause for joy and celebration, and a whole lot of fun, to boot."
-Asbury Park Press review of The Monkees' performance at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey
-Asbury Park Press review of The Monkees' performance at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey
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THE PRESS RELEASE
Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, And Peter Tork Join Forces For Nationwide Jaunt
24 Exclusive Dates Announced For U.S.; Presales Start May 1
Following their sold out 2012 fall tour, Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork return to the concert stage this summer for a reprise. Because of the overwhelming demand from fans unable to see the limited run the trio undertook last November, The Monkees are bowing to popular demand, bringing their show to all new venues and markets this summer. Dubbed “A Midsummer’s Night With The Monkees,” the jaunt kicks off at Port Chester, New York’s Capitol Theatre on July 15 and wraps at Portland, Oregon’s Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on August 18.
Presale and VIP ticket packages for all shows will go on sale exclusively right here at www.monkees.com on May 1 at 10AM local time. VIP ticket packages will also include a copy of the upcoming deluxe edition of THE MONKEES PRESENT, the next in the acclaimed series of Monkees reissues from Rhino Handmade. General on sales for all dates begin May 3. THE MONKEES PRESENT will also be sold separately.
Last year’s tour elicited raves from both fans and critics alike. “…Nothing could have prepared the uninitiated for the powerful concert the Monkees delivered…,” wrote Chrissie Dickinson in the Chicago Tribune, “It wasn't just a recap of the band's greatest hits. It was an emotionally disarming multimedia show that, for all its backward glance, felt fresh and electric.”
The trio’s setlist will feature a selection of their classic hits (such as “Last Train To Clarksville,” “I’m A Believer,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday” and “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone”), deep cuts from their first five platinum albums (including some performed for the first time since the 1960’s) and fan favorites from the soundtrack to their cult film classic Head and their Emmy®-award winning television series. Plus, a few surprises!
The show will encompass a full multimedia evening of music, rare films and one-of-a-kind photographs culled from the archives. Backed by the same stellar crew of musicians from their 2012 run, Nesmith, Dolenz and Tork will also perform an unaccompanied set as a trio. This foray into tracks from their 1967 homespun #1 long player, HEADQUARTERS, is sure to be among the highlights of the upcoming dates.
In many cases, this tour will mark the first concerts from THE MONKEES to some areas of the United States in decades. Antenna TV, who air The Monkees series will (in conjunction with The Monkees and Rhino) run a national contest to send lucky winners to one of the shows on the tour.
24 Exclusive Dates Announced For U.S.; Presales Start May 1
Following their sold out 2012 fall tour, Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork return to the concert stage this summer for a reprise. Because of the overwhelming demand from fans unable to see the limited run the trio undertook last November, The Monkees are bowing to popular demand, bringing their show to all new venues and markets this summer. Dubbed “A Midsummer’s Night With The Monkees,” the jaunt kicks off at Port Chester, New York’s Capitol Theatre on July 15 and wraps at Portland, Oregon’s Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on August 18.
Presale and VIP ticket packages for all shows will go on sale exclusively right here at www.monkees.com on May 1 at 10AM local time. VIP ticket packages will also include a copy of the upcoming deluxe edition of THE MONKEES PRESENT, the next in the acclaimed series of Monkees reissues from Rhino Handmade. General on sales for all dates begin May 3. THE MONKEES PRESENT will also be sold separately.
Last year’s tour elicited raves from both fans and critics alike. “…Nothing could have prepared the uninitiated for the powerful concert the Monkees delivered…,” wrote Chrissie Dickinson in the Chicago Tribune, “It wasn't just a recap of the band's greatest hits. It was an emotionally disarming multimedia show that, for all its backward glance, felt fresh and electric.”
The trio’s setlist will feature a selection of their classic hits (such as “Last Train To Clarksville,” “I’m A Believer,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday” and “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone”), deep cuts from their first five platinum albums (including some performed for the first time since the 1960’s) and fan favorites from the soundtrack to their cult film classic Head and their Emmy®-award winning television series. Plus, a few surprises!
The show will encompass a full multimedia evening of music, rare films and one-of-a-kind photographs culled from the archives. Backed by the same stellar crew of musicians from their 2012 run, Nesmith, Dolenz and Tork will also perform an unaccompanied set as a trio. This foray into tracks from their 1967 homespun #1 long player, HEADQUARTERS, is sure to be among the highlights of the upcoming dates.
In many cases, this tour will mark the first concerts from THE MONKEES to some areas of the United States in decades. Antenna TV, who air The Monkees series will (in conjunction with The Monkees and Rhino) run a national contest to send lucky winners to one of the shows on the tour.