The Dave Davies Band ~ 2000 August 12 (Saturday) ~ Sit 'n Bull ~ Maynard, MA
Band Personnel: Dave Davies, lead vocals, lead guitar; Jim Laspesa, drums and backing vocals; David Jenkins, bass and backing vocals; Kristian Hoffman, keyboards; Jonathan Lea, guitar
Set List
Till the End of the Day - I Need You - Creeping Jean - Gallon of Gas Intro/You're Looking Fine - Mindless Child of Motherhood - Tired of Waiting - See My Friends - Wicked Annabella - Unfinished Business - True Phenomenon - Can't Help Falling in Love With You {Patsy Cline} - Strangers - Hold My Hand - Picture Book - Death of a Clown - Young & Innocent Days - Fortis Green - Living on a Thin Line - All Day & All Of The Night - Funny Face - I'm Not Like Everybody Else - Father Christmas - You Really Got Me
Concert Review
The last show of the tour was one of the best. Dave feels at home at the Sit 'N Bull, like he's with family and he can let his hair down a bit.
Peter Bochner opened the show by acknowledging several fans who had been to every Dave show that he's had at the S'nB. How many shows is that now, Peter? Ten or so? Every one has been great, and by the way, Peter and his partner Ted have gotten better and better at handling the logistics of putting on a Dave show. The seating arrangement at this three shows was the best yet.
There was no opening band, which, after the assault of the three openers of the night before, was a welcome relief for the Traveling RDFs.
Again, Dave dedicated "Can't Help Falling in Love With You" to Jill Brand who had prepared another perfect Indian feast for His Daveness.
Dave hadn't played "Strangers" on this tour yet, and not only did he sing it beautifully, but he dedicated it to Leslie and Fritz in honor of their upcoming marriage.
Dave also played "Hold My Hand" for the first time this tour, a real treat.
"Young and Innocent Days" sounds better all the time. There are some songs that The Ravens do better than the original Kinks version, and this is one. Dave's voice and Jim Laspesa's voice are a beautiful blend and they sound so sweet together on this song.
There was another "Fortis Green" joke. Instead of meowing, we all barked and howled. Meanwhile Olga had put earplugs up her nose and Dave said to her: umm, well, I like to keep my posts clean so I can't repeat it. Let it suffice to say that, between the barking and Olga's walrus imitation, the entire band were all laughing too hard to perform for a couple of seconds.
Leslie and I have a tradition at Dave shows where we give him a bouquet of flowers at the end of the show. Tonight I pulled my bouquet apart and parceled the flowers out to the members of the band instead. I thought the baffled, then immediately flattered look on Jonathan Lea's face was very sweet. (Gee, guys, it's just a thank you for a job well done.)
Those of you who know me know I've had some personal difficulties in the past year, and I badly needed this tour. There were songs that very literally brought tears to my eyes as the emotion of my personal situation resonated with the music. I don't think I made it through "Young and Innocent Days" once without crying, never mind "Strangers." Great music reaches into our hearts and illuminates truths about ourselves in different and creative ways, and the songs of Dave Davies, Ray Davies, and The Kinks, as interpreted by Dave Davies and his band, do that for me more than any other music I have ever encountered. I am very grateful for the demise of The Kinks, because it has allowed Dave to come into his own as a solo performer and singer.
This tour was full of fun moments, both musically and personally, but the one that stands out in my mind was driving along Rte. 95 somewhere just over the Connecticut line with my three Concert Going Partners (Leslie, Fritz, and David) on our way to the Mohegan Sun show, when the driver of another car pulled up next to us and started to gesture at us frantically. I slowed down, David rolled down the passenger window, and the other driver asked: "Where do I get one of those bumper stickers?" "From me," said David, and we pulled off at the next exit and met the guy at a gas station, and gave him the RDF Recruitment Drill. We gave him a "The Kinks" bumper sticker, a "Dave Davies" window decal, a kopy of the Official Dave Davies Fan Club newsletter, and the schedule for the rest of the tour. The driver said that he'd just been listening to a Kinks tape that had "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" on it, and when he saw a car driving along with a bumper sticker with that song title on it (Frank Lima's famous bumper sticker), he just knew it was more than just koincidence. It was kismet.
A big warm hug to all my Kinky friends whose company made this tour so special for me: Olga, Leslie, Fritz, David, Julie and Jill (my co-Finkle Sisters), Jerry, Kate, Annie, Michelle, Janet, Kathy, Rafaela, Peter (from Bayshore), and the incomparable Freaky Frank. And all the rest of you, too! Let's do it again soon!
God Save The Kinks!
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