-   -

... by Joanne Corsano ... joanne@picturelake.com

Band Personnel: Dave Davies, lead vocals, lead guitar - Jim Laspesa, drums and backing vocals - David Jenkins, bass and backing vocals - Kristian Hoffman, keyboards - Andrew Sandoval, second guitar, harmonica

I Need You - Beautiful Delilah - She's Got Everything - Look Through Any Doorway - Susannah's Still Alive - Creepin' Jean - Love Me Till The Sun Shines - Tired Of Waiting For You - Imaginations Real - Wicked Annabella - Picture Book - Strangers - Too Much on My Mind - Death of a Clown - Get Back In Line - Love Gets You - Fortis Green - Living On A Thin Line - Gallon of Gas (instrumental) / You're Lookin' Fine - All Day and All Of the Night ... encore ... Unfinished Business - Lincoln County - You Really Got Me

This was my first Dave Davies solo show and, although I had seen Ray Davies solo a few times during the previous two years, and had attended a number of shows by various performers over the years, it makes sense for me to start this website with this show. With this gig I took to keeping set lists and taking photos when venues allowed. As a subscriber to the Kinks internet mailing list I had the chance to write reviews and personal commentary about the shows. These reviews are the basis for the Dave Davies pages on this website. They were originally published in the Kinks Preservation Society internet mailing list digest. This digest is archived at Dave Emlen's Unofficial Kinks Web Site, under the link labeled Kinks Fans ... KPS Mailing List. I have made some edits for context.

Dave Davies of The Kinks, with four other musicians, put on a show that I can only describe as one of the best concerts I have ever seen. If you are within reasonable distance of Dave's tour, don't hesitate to go see him. Relaxed, witty, at ease with the audience, a downright great showman, and a superb guitarist whose skills have not been exaggerated, this Davies really can rock. Don't miss him.

At 7:00 when we were let in, the stage was already set up for Dave -- no opening act, yippee!! At about 8:00 the warm-up tape played "Misty Water," "Unfinished Business," a snip from the Village of the Damned soundtrack, and then the theme from Mars Attacks. At 8:15 four guys descended a staircase from stage left, the lights went down, and a fifth guy all dressed in black came bounding down the stairs. Up to the microphone stepped Dave and he tore right in to his opening song, "I Need You." The happy expression on his face said it all. That mischievous grin didn't leave his face for two hours, except for a few guitar solos when he stepped back from the mike, closed his eyes, and made that familiar guitar player's face.

Dave played 23 songs, each time playing the whole song (no snippets or half-songs). The set list had evolved a bit from the set lists during the short "rehearsal tour" that Dave did back in the spring. The number of Dave compositions, as opposed to Kinks songs written by brother Ray Davies, has increased. Throughout the show he was relaxed, confident, unpretentious, happy, sometimes goofy, and totally sincere. By the way, Dave looked great. He's probably put on a few pounds since he was really skinny back in the arena rock days of the 1980s, but he still looks fit and trim, and his hair is really long, well past his shoulders.

Dave told the audience that, as this was the first show in a while, it was really a rehearsal, and that he was experimenting on us. He said: "It's great to be back on stage, with no one to my right glaring at me" (a humorous reference to Ray Davies). In introducing one of the songs, he said: "This is a small tribute to my brother" and made that gesture with his thumb and forefinger that means very small. Then he ripped into a real surprise, "Tired of Waiting." A brilliantly inspired song choice! A hit for those in the audience who wanted to hear the hits, a chance for Dave to try his hand at a song usually not sung by him, and an explanation, without saying a word, of what this tour is about. He's tired of waiting, so tired of waiting for Ray to phone him up and say "let's do a Kinks tour." I'm pleased to report that the band sounded really good, not at all like a first-rehearsal show, despite some technical difficulties (vocal levels needing adjustment during the show). Andrew on rhythm guitar and harmonica, Kristian on keyboards, Jim on drums, the other Dave on bass.

There's plenty of humour in the show. He told the audience he was going to read his entire book Kink (his recently released autobiography) and that no one could leave the room until he was done. He fetched the book and made a show of turning to page one. Then he laughed and said "I forgot my reading glasses, let's skip it." This was a gentle spoof of his brother Ray's solo shows which have featured lengthy segments of Ray reading from own book.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable show from start to finish, but the #1 highlight for me was an unexpected song. Dave started strumming on his guitar and I tried to place what song this was. Then when he started the vocal, the song was "Love Gets You," a song I really love but never expected to hear, and Leslie (my concert going partner tonight) tells me that I let out a screech so loud that it startled her. In starting "Death of a Clown," the keyboard player Kristian played the familiar tinny intro, but then Dave stopped the song and said, "That sounded so good! It's so nice to hear that played right. Kristian, play that again. Spotlight on Kristian" (the light technician complied) "am I putting pressure on you?" During DOAC Dave pointed the mike at the audience for us to do the la-la-la's. A memorable line: "Were the Davies brothers a little unusual?" And he said DAVIS. He mentioned his new CD, Unfinished Business, and apologized that he didn't have it there for sale, but stated that it would be arriving later in the tour. It may be that one of the reasons he seemed so relaxed is that this CD really IS done, printed, and ready to sell, and that this must be a giant relief to him after months of delays.

There was another unexpected treat performed as one of a triple encore, sandwiched between the lovely new song "Unfinished Business" and the final tune which was, umm, what's the name of that song that was a big hit in 1964. He put on a cowboy hat, but for some reason Kristian, the keyboard guy, started to play the wrong intro, and the song came to a halt. Dave good-naturedly put his hands on his hips, then pointed at his hat. "Silly hat -- what song are we doing when I wear the silly hat?" [He actually said a bad word but I have translated it to "silly."] They started again, and the song was "Lincoln County." It was so much fun to hear it, and Dave looked the part with his all black clothes and his white cowboy hat.

Now we come to an audience participation bit. Throughout the show my two friends (Fritz and Leslie) and I, in the front row right in front of Dave, had a blast, singing and bopping around and generally encouraging his energy with our own. The whole front row were treated to a whole lot of eye contact, smiles, and winks from the performer. We had brought a bunch of flowers and during "Lincoln County" we handed them up to him. He took them and said "oh - flowers!" sounding surprised and pleased, like a little kid with an unexpected present. He immediately incorporated the flowers into his stage act, doing a little dance with them while Kristian played a fairly long keyboard solo. When the "dance of the flowers" was over, Dave took a funny little ballerina-esque bow, and went on with the song.

After the show we only had to wait about 10 minutes for Dave to reappear. He stayed up on stage and greeted many fans who had memorabilia for him to sign. I asked him to autograph a Kinks bumper sticker and we had a brief conversation. I thanked him for doing "Love Gets You." When I told him I had come from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to see the show, he seemed completely startled, said "really?" and his eyebrows shot up to about his hairline. It was kind of funny to get such a reaction from him. I hope he was flattered -- that was my intention, after all!

I had built this show up in my imagination for a long time, and, well, it exceeded my expectations. His command of the music, his rapport with the audience, his innocent enjoyment of what he was doing, and his inspired song selection, all made for a fantastic night of rock and roll. All I can say is, Dave, why didn't you think of this years ago? You really had fun up there being the front guy.

God Save The Kink!

Here is a page with a handy list of links to all pages on this website with content relating to Dave Davies and other members of The Kinks.