2014 Monkees Tour

Back cover of 2014 tour program (Design by Adam Hall)

THE 2014 MONKEES TOUR

Dolenz, Nesmith, and Tork

"What is it about The Monkees and their music that, with the exception of a few narrow-minded Rock and Roll Hall of Fame voters, seems so timeless and appealing to the rest of the planet? How did a potentially disposable TV phenomenon from the 1960s turn into a beloved entertainment institution? The Monkees weren’t The Beatles. We get it. But The Monkees are The Monkees. Their music and their merriment and all those wonderful memories that they continue to trigger for generations of fans cannot easily be explained, nor should there ever be a need for them to be defended. Something as simple as making tens of millions of people happy for almost half a century? That’s a pretty powerful legacy and one of which The Monkees should be very proud."
- Review of The Monkees' performance at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on May 24, 2014

THE TOUR SCHEDULE

May 22: Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom,
Hampton, New Hampshire
May 23: Borgata Music Box, Atlantic City, New Jersey
May 24: New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, New Jersey
May 25: The Paramount, Huntington, New York
May 27: Sands Bethlehem Event Center,
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
May 28: The Palace Theater, Greensburg, Pennsylvania
May 30: Fox Theatre, Detroit, Michigan
May 31: Star Plaza Theater, Merrillville, Indiana
June 1: Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
June 2: Weesner Amphitheater, Minneapolis, Minnesota
June 4: Uptown Theater, Kansas City, Missouri
June 5: Fox Theatre, St. Louis, Missouri
June 6: PNC Pavillion at Riverbend Music Center,
Cincinnati, Ohio
June 7: Hard Rock Live, Cleveland, Ohio

Unused tour program cover (Design by Adam Hall)

THE SET LIST

Huntington, New York (Photo by Jonathan Weingarten)

Beginning with the performance at The Paramount in New York on May 25, "Daydream Believer" and "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?" switched spots in the setlist, with "Daydream Believer" closing the main set for the remainder 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
(I’m Not Your) Steppin' Stone
You Told Me
Sunny Girlfriend
You Just May Be the One
Mary, Mary
The Girl I Knew Somewhere
Shades of Gray
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 (Davy on film)
What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?
Daydream Believer
Encore:
Listen to the Band
Pleasant Valley Sunday

(Photos by Henry Diltz)

After a small round of concerts in late 2012 that drew critical praise, was a hit at the box office, and consoled fans still reeling from the loss of Davy Jones, The Monkees returned to the stage in the summer of 2013 largely due to popular demand, playing 24 shows across the United States. The individual Monkees expressed gratitude for their audiences during the second tour undertaken without Davy, and even broached the band's internal relations. "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 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. Peter took a moment midway through the 2013 tour to ruminate about the group’s internal relations. "We’re getting along brilliantly," Tork relayed.

When the 2013 shows came to a close on August 18 in Portland, Oregon, Micky, Michael, and Peter had completed another round of concerts that enthused the fanbase and many outside observers. "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. 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."

(Photos by Henry Diltz)

Pop Music Hall of Fame

In March 2014, Micky, Michael, and Peter gathered together for the first time since the conclusion of the 2013 tour at a Monkees convention in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Upon accepting their induction into the American Pop Music Hall of Fame at the event, The Monkees shared with attendees the news that they would visit the East Coast and the Midwestern United States in late May and June. "Why don’t we do a tour?" Dolenz told the crowd, "Why don’t we do a tour in the middle of May? Does that sound like a good idea?" The itinerary, announced shortly after the convention, included 14 cities, many of which had not been previously visited on the group's last two outings, including Atlantic City, Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Cincinnati. In a press release, Peter said he was "happily looking forward to reuniting with (his) partners." And Micky joked about life on the road. "I'm looking forward to great music, great fun, and truck stop chili dogs at 4 a.m."

Kansas City (Photo by B. Swiger)

In the weeks leading up to the tour, The Monkees discussed their approach to the shows and the expectations of their fans. "Many of the songs we’re gonna be doing will be as close to the record as we can make them," Peter said in an online interview. "'I'm a Believer,' I was noticing the other day, we really caught a wonderful quality from off the record that I hadn’t realized was there – a kind of a 'lopey' groove – we’ve been catching it. It's a nice version of that song. On the other hand, we do 'Mary, Mary,' and Mike said 'Listen, let’s pump this up a bit here' and we have Motown-style background vocals coming in there." Micky concurred with Peter on being faithful to the original arrangements of the songs. "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 also referenced his new slide guitar solo on a Nesmith-penned song that returned to the set in 2013 for the first time since early 1967. "Michael said one tune he wrote, 'The Kind of Girl I Could Love,' he was thinking Bo Diddley at the time, and then when we made the record, it didn't come out that way at all. So we've reverted a little bit - we’ve brought it back to his original construction – more of the Bo Diddley beat." Michael compared and contrasted his live shows as a member of The Monkees with his Movies of the Mind solo concerts that took place throughout 2013 and early 2014. "Two different efforts along two different creative lines is not an opportunity very many artists get," Michael told the Asbury Park Press. "I love my solo work and the band, and I love working with The Monkees in concert – which is much more of a show – again – Pop Songs Played Well. Very rewarding and indescribably fun." Peter didn't hide his enthusiasm for performing. "I like the road. I like traveling. I like hanging with the gang," he told Milwaukee.com. "These are great people to hang with, and I would do it 40 weeks a year if I could."

St. Louis, Missouri

One notable change for the 2014 tour was the absence of Monkees archivist Andrew Sandoval as tour producer and the ascendancy of the Nesmith family in the production of The Monkees' concert show. Sandoval was integral in ushering the group back to the concert stage in 2011 after a near decade long hiatus from the road. In producing the 45th Anniversary World Tour, Sandoval oversaw a renaissance of the group's live act. After the passing of Davy Jones, he was at the helm for subsequent outings in 2012 and 2013. In a Facebook message before the start of the 2014 tour, Michael confirmed some changes to the crew. Nesmith announced that singer/songwriter Circe Link was a new addition to the band, his sons Christian and Jonathan would be handling vocal arrangements and compiling the video wall footage, respectively, and that his daughter, Jessica, was directing the show. "I leave their management to Micky and Peter," Michael wrote, "and the kids know they have to produce high quality work." Despite being absent from the 2014 tour, Sandoval assembled and produced the Super Deluxe Edition release of The Monkees (the group's 1966 debut album) from Rhino Handmade. This 3-CD box set was included as part of a premium package when pre-sale tickets for the 2014 tour were made available in March. Sandoval also assisted Michael with his Movies of the Mind live album project, working on the vinyl release and penning the liner notes.

Cleveland (Photo by S. Hansen)

When The Monkees commenced their late spring tour in Hampton, New Hampshire on May 22, the presentation mirrored that of the 2012 and 2013 concerts. After the lights dimmed, a new video was screened that highlighted the original screen tests of Micky, Davy, Michael, and Peter. The first act of the concert emphasized the early part of the group’s history 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 performed. The fourth segment of the concert was introduced by a montage of clips that spotlighted the group's 1968 feature film, Head. The six full length songs from the soundtrack followed with Davy’s song and dance performance of "Daddy’s Song" from the movie being played on the large HD screen behind the band as an homage. The main set closed with The Monkees' 1967 classic "Daydream Believer." On the last two tours, Micky would choose a concertgoer to come onstage and lead a sing-along of "Daydream Believer," but Peter explained the new approach to Davy's most famous Monkees song. "Micky and I are going to sing the first verse in unison, and Micky and Mike are going to sing the second verse in unison," Peter told Milwaukee.com. "It's our way of saying no one of us can take Davy's place on a one-to-one basis. But we still have that song to sing; what are we going to do about that? So we found this way as a way of stating it."

Opening night (Photo by Jonathan Weingarten)

The set list remained largely the same with "The Door Into Summer," added late to the set during the 2013 tour, retaining its spot in the show while Peter's rendition of "Early Morning Blues and Greens" was dropped. In its place, "Shades of Gray," with Peter on lead vocals, was performed for the first time since 2011. The band from the previous two tours returned to support The Monkees. Along with the new addition of Circe Link on backing vocals were Wayne Avers (guitar), Dave Alexander (keyboards), John Billings (bass), Rich Dart (drums), Micky’s sister Coco Dolenz (backing vocals/percussion), and Michael's son, Christian Nesmith (guitar). Aviva Maloney, who handled saxophone and other wind instrumental duties, and who was a member of The Monkees' touring band since 1996, was absent from the lineup.

Another distinct difference from the 2013 tour could be found in the video montages featured on the screen behind the band. New footage and images, including those of Jimi Hendrix, Marilyn Monroe, and Madonna, were compiled by Jonathan Nesmith, Susan Holloway, and Micky. 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 were all part of the video screened throughout the concert.

After a couple weeks of shows, The Monkees closed their spring tour on June 7 at Hard Rock Live in Cleveland, Ohio. Members of the group provided a synopsis of their current state, their audience, and their feelings toward each other. "This year just seems to be a better show all around," said Tork of the 2014 tour. "The music just seems smoother and sounds better than ever and we’re having a great time. Monkee songs resonate with an awful lot of people. Even kids as young as 6 or 7 whose grandparents gave them DVDs of the TV show go nuts at the concerts. The audiences may not be screaming anymore, but they do applaud vigorously and seem to enjoy themselves." Peter also took a moment to reflect on Nesmith's newfound full-time status with The Monkees. "Michael has been a trouper on these shows and it's been a real pleasure to work with him. His singing is still great and he's a funny man on stage. He'll take you places with his sense of humor because he can be wicked funny, so it's a gas to be with him and I'm glad we're back out on the road." Michael agreed with Peter when reflecting upon his return to The Monkees. "It's been great fun," Michael told The Times. "They are old and comfortable shoes, but because I wore them as a young man, they seem strange sometimes when I look at them. I think, 'Hmmm…where are the insoles?'"

"Whenever we get together even to this day," Micky told the Milwaukee Shepherd Express, "it just sort of reignites that same chemistry. We’re a little bit older, but it's basically the same chemistry that we had. Little things change, but not much."

The Monkees Live Almanac chronicled the 2014 Monkees Tour as it happened.
Additional photos, articles, videos, reviews, and more about the tour

PHOTO GALLERY

Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Photo by Jane Myhra)

VIDEO FOOTAGE

"Amid all the reminiscing and nostalgia emerged a deeper appreciation for The Monkees’ catalog, which is filled with tunes from great songwriters, including Nesmith; and the realization that as their time came to a close, they’d evolved into something more substantial than a novelty, more than just four guys playing prefab roles in a hit TV show."
-Review of The Monkees' performance at the Uptown Theater in Kansas City, Missouri on June 4, 2014

Inside the 2014 tour program (Design by Adam Hall)