The Monkees to Tour without Davy Jones
Though Michael Nesmith thinks that it “ seems like a good time to do” a Monkees reunion tour, coming together without Davy Jones just seems weird. I mean, Crosby, Stills, & Nash still works without Young because he was an addendum to begin with. But, imagine if the Beatles had toured without John Lennon (before George Harrison passed) or if the Bangles gave it a go without Susanna Hoffs (before Michael Steele took her leave). What would be the point really? Those various non-Brian Wilson Beach Boys bands don’t really cut it.
Alas, the Monkees are going for it in their first tour together since either 1969 or 1997, depending on how you look at it. Nesmith, along with Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork, have plotted out 12 dates and plan to include Jones via “the show’s multimedia content.” Like how Natalie Cole made that video with her pop? At least they aren’t making an attempt to actually replace him. (Think Van Halen and Journey.) Jones died of a heart attack back in February. He was 66.
Speaking of 66… the Monkees got their start on NBC in 1966 when the powers that be crafted the idea of bringing four musicians together via a television show in an attempt to capitalize on the British Invasion led by the Beatles. They were wholly fabricated for the occasion. But that didn’t stop them from making hits with tunes like “Daydream Believer” and “I’m a Believer.” A good bit of their success was attributed to the dreamy Jones being a ready-made teen idol.
November 8 marks the start of An Evening with the Monkees in Escondido, California, at the California Center for the Arts Escondido – Concert Hall. Three other consecutive California plays land the Monkees in Santa Barbara (at the Arlington Theatre on November 9), Los Angeles (at the Greek Theatre on November 10), and Cupertino (at the Flint Center for Performing Arts on November 11).
Stops in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Chicago, Illinois; and Lakewood, Ohio, serve as skip marks across the country. Basically, the 12-date tour consists of a trio of four-night blocks — West Coast, Upper Midwest, and East Coast. Enthusiasm for the run is, apparently, through the roof as the four East Coast dates sold out in one day prompting promoters to ask about adding additional nights to the calendar.
Those four performances find the Monkees in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the Keswick Theatre on November 29; New Brunswick, New Jersey, at the State Theatre on November 30; Huntington, New York, at The Paramount on December 1; and New York City at the Beacon Theatre on December 2. So there’s really no room for spillover. The other closest show to that area has Buffalo, New York, hosting the Monkees at the Buffalo Center for the Arts on November 18.
The Monkees’ set list will pull classic hits from their five (!) platinum albums, the TV show, and their cult film Head. Rare archival photos and film footage will be incorporated as a way to invoke Jones. No doubt, the show will be entertaining, but it just won’t be the same.