 Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, and Vance Brescia in August 1987 Former Mosquitos frontman Vance Brescia, who wrote The Monkees' 1986 Top 20 comeback hit "That Was Then, This Is Now," joined Micky and Peter onstage in the performance of the song during all three of the shows last week in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. Micky shared vocal duties with Vance, who still records and performs. On his website, Vance talks about how The Monkees got a hold of his song in the '80s: "Micky Dolenz asked me about this recently - how it was that my song ended up getting to them. I told him that it was just luck. He said, 'You know, luck is where preparation and opportunity meet.' "It is true. It wasn't as if I just woke up one day and wrote a song. I had been on the road since I was sixteen, seventeen working hard, playing five or six nights a week when nobody else was playing originals. It was all cover bands where I was - and basically starving. So we did put in our time sleeping seven guys in one hotel room. Any of you young bands would know the drill about that. So finally it paid off. I had a group back then called The Mosquitos and Arista Records was semi-interested in us and then I guess ultimately they passed, but they liked one of the songs on my EP called 'That Was Then, This Is Now.' In fact it was Clive Davis who heard it, and they picked it to be the Monkees comeback single." Here's footage of Vance's guest appearance at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, New Jersey on August 27:  L to R: Mosquitos members Tony Millions, Steve Prisco and Mitch Towse, Micky Dolenz, Vance Brescia, Peter Tork, Mosquitos manager Scott Savitt, and Judy Tint at Pier 84 in New York City, July 22, 1986 (Photo courtesy of VanceBrescia.com) The picture below of Peter Tork, Coco Dolenz, and Micky Dolenz, taken at the Troubadour in Hollywood in September 1970, has been a part of the multimedia show during Micky and Peter's concerts this year. Micky shared the name of this impromptu group as DDT - Dolenz, Dolenz & Tork.  Here's footage of this unique trio many years later at last Thursday's show at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, New Jersey, courtesy of Cindy Ferrier. Micky, his sister Coco, and Peter perform Micky's composition "Midnight Train," which originally appeared on The Monkees' 1970 album Changes, a version that also featured Coco on backing vocals. Thanks to Rosemary for the alert!
 (From my collection)  (From the April 1968 issue of Tiger Beat)  (Photo courtesy of Broadway World) Micky and Peter wrapped up this weekend's shows with a performance at NYCB Theatre at Westbury in Westbury, New York. The set was nearly identical to the previous two shows in Morristown, New Jersey and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, except "I'll Spend My Life With You" was missing from the acoustic set, and "Tear the Top Right Off My Head" returned after being replaced Friday night with Peter's Bach piano piece. Thanks to Andrew Sandoval for the details! Last Train to Clarksville Your Auntie Grizelda A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You (Micky lead vocal) She Mary, Mary The Girl I Knew Somewhere I'll Be Back Up On My Feet For Pete's Sake Randy Scouse Git Words No Time Acoustic Set: Tear The Top Right Off My Head / Take a Giant Step / Sometime in the Morning / Midnight Train / Papa Gene's Blues Porpoise Song Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again Goin' Down D.W. Washburn Sugar Sugar (Micky's solo spot) Alvin / Saved by the Blues (Peter's solo spot) Daydream Believer Listen to the Band That Was Then, This Is Now Steppin' Stone Encore: Pleasant Valley Sunday I'm a Believer  (Photos courtesy Monkees Tour Facebook page)  Micky, Peter, and the band will now travel to England for two shows, including a headlining appearance at the Moseley Folk Festival in Birmingham.
After this weekend's concerts, Micky & Peter will travel across the pond to England for The Monkees' first live appearances there since the 45th Anniversary World Tour in 2011. The duo is scheduled to be guests on BBC Radio 2 to promote the shows. Johnnie Walker Meets Rod Stewart (Monday, 8pm, Radio 2) really ought to touch on the fact that Johnnie was already famous when Rod was still the support act, while Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork of The Monkees are Simon Mayo’s guests (Tuesday, 5pm, Radio 2) as they begin a UK tour, a barely believable 50 years since they were first put together in a TV producer’s Petri dish. Mayo needs no interviewing help from me or anyone else, but I do hope he asks them whether they realise that they are now the most influential pop group of all time. Source: The Guardian
Last evening Micky, Peter, and the band performed at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The set list for the show was the same as the previous night's in Morristown, New Jersey, except Peter substituted "Tear the Top Right Off My Head" for his Bach piano piece. Thanks to Andrew Sandoval for the update!  (Photo courtesy of AJ Bruce)  (Photo courtesy of Andrew Sandoval) Sandy was the drummer in The Monkees' backing band for several tours throughout the years, playing with the group in 1987, 1997, and 2001 through 2002.  (From the 1987 summer tour program) Micky, Peter, and the band performed tonight (Thursday, August 27) in Morristown, New Jersey at the Mayo Performing Arts Center. Thanks to Andrew Sandoval for passing along the night's set list to the Live Almanac.   ACT ONE: Last Train to Clarksville Your Auntie Grizelda A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You She Mary, Mary The Girl I Knew Somewhere I'll Be Back Up On My Feet For Pete's Sake Randy Scouse Git Words No Time ACT TWO: Tear The Top Right Off My Head Take a Giant Step Sometime in the Morning Midnight Train Papa Gene's Blues I'll Spend My Life With You Porpoise Song Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again Goin' Down D.W. Washburn Sugar Sugar (Micky solo) Alvin/Saved by the Blues (Peter solo) Daydream Believer Listen to the Band That Was Then, This Is Now Steppin' Stone ENCORE: Pleasant Valley Sunday I'm a Believer "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You," which returned to the set earlier this month, remained in the show, and "Porpoise Song" has also resurfaced.
The big news of the night, however, is that Micky's "Midnight Train" (from the 1970 album Changes) was played for the first time ever at a Monkees concert, appearing during the acoustic set. Coco joined her brother and added a harmony vocal (as she did on the original recording). Peter's official Facebook page posted footage of the performance. Andrew Sandoval posted footage on Twitter and Facebook of Micky, Peter, and the band rehearsing Micky's "Midnight Train" along with a promise of some surprises for tonight's show. You can also check out the Live Almanac's Twitter account for footage of "Midnight Train" being rehearsed. |
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