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Previous concert (Dave Davies, Met Cafe) ... Next concert (Dave Davies, The Chance)

... 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 - Creeping Jean - Love Me Till The Sun Shines - Tired Of Waiting For You - Milk Cow Blues - Imaginations Real - Wicked Annabella - reading from Kink gag - Picture Book - Love Gets You - Strangers - Too Much on My Mind - Death of a Clown - Young and Innocent Days - Fortis Green - Living On A Thin Line - Gallon of Gas intro / You're Lookin' Fine - All Day And All Of The Night ... encore ... Funny Face {dedicated to Doug Hinman} - Lincoln County

This koncert review and others from Dave Davies' solo tours starting in 1997 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.

The New Haven show was the best of the three I've seen. Going from the dingy, tiny Met Cafe (Providence) the night before to the spacious, bright stage at Toad's Place, obviously was a relief for the band. Dave's song selection was mostly the same as the Providence show except he added a blistering rendition of "Milk Cow Blues" and "Funny Face" and dropped "Unfinished Business" and "David Watts." The crowd seemed bigger than in Providence; and the shirts, books, and CDs were selling well. There was an opening act, a four-piece called Botswana who were quite good, except the lead singer's floppy hat and sunglasses left me wondering what she was trying to hide.

After Monday night's moshpit atmosphere in the front row, we had a more well-behaved group up front, and I didn't have to dodge any flying objects. I shared the front of the stage with a number of fans I've been getting friendly with, including Lee Arthur, Julie, Monica, and a couple in their early 20s named Eric and Chris who had brought a copy of Dave's album AFL1-3603. During "Imaginations Real" they held up the album, to Dave's delight. Eric plays in a band called The Year 2000 that does '50s covers, but he won't know I'm giving him this plug because he doesn't "believe in the internet."

Dave held his guitar down in front of the audience and I got to strum it -- that's something I've wanted to do for 20 years. When "Fortis Green" began, I made sure I caught the eye of Jim, the drummer (who in Providence was surprised we knew the words to "Fortis Green") and exaggerated singing the words -- he cracked up! As for Dave, he is thoroughly enjoying playing the flirt with the women in the front row. I feel it is indelicate of me to bore you all with the details, but he sang directly to me quite often, particularly during the bridge in "Love Me Till the Sun Shines." So sweet!

There were quite a few memorable moments. During "Death of A Clown," right after "the old fortune teller lies dead on the floor," while Kristian continued playing, Andrew swished his hand up the entire keyboard. When I saw Andrew do this in Cleveland, I thought he was doing it because Kristian forgot, but I have seen Andrew do it three times now, so it must be a bit of planned stage business. Andrew searched for his harmonica at the start of "Susannah's Still Alive" and found it, just in time, in his jacket pocket. In introducing "Young and Innocent Days," Dave commented that he knew nothing about that subject. After the break, Dave dedicated the first encore song to Doug Hinman (author of books documenting the Kinks' entire recorded output and live show history), the song being "Funny Face." Dave teased the band -- "are you quite done fidgeting, gentlemen?" -- as they tuned up for a song. As they go along in this tour, both Dave and the band are improving. Dave's voice sounded the best I've heard it -- he hit the low notes on "Strangers" with ease. At the end of the show, he thanked the "multi-dimensional beings who were in the room tonight"! (This is meant as poking fun at himself ... I think.)

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.