The Monkees will tour without Davy Jones, who passed away this year.
NEW YORK — The Monkees will perform their first live shows since star Davy Jones died in February.
Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork announced Wednesday that the group will launch a 12-date U.S. tour in November. It's the band's first tour since 1997.
Jones died of a heart attack on Feb. 29 at age 66.
The group starred in its own NBC television show in 1966 as a made-for-TV band seeking to capitalize on Beatlemania sweeping the world. Jones rocketed to the top of the music charts with The Monkees, captivating audiences with hits including "Daydream Believer" and "I'm a Believer."
The tour kicks off Nov. 8 in Escondido, Calif. It wraps on Dec. 2 in New York. It will highlight Jones "in the show's multimedia content."
An Evening With The Monkees - Fall Tour Announced
Twelve Exclusive Dates Announced For U.S
Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork return to the concert stage this November for a historic, twelve-date tour of the United States. These performances will mark their first concerts together since 1997. The jaunt kicks off at Escondido’s California Center for the Arts on November 8 and wraps at New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre on December 2.
The trio’s shows are set to feature a selection of their classic hits (such as “Last Train To Clarksville,” “I’m A Believer” and “Pleasant Valley Sunday”), deep cuts from their first five platinum albums (including some performed for the first time since the 1960’s) and fan favorites from the soundtrack to their cult film classic Head and their Emmy®-award winning television series. The show will encompass a full multimedia evening of music, rare films, and one-of-a-kind photographs.
Since the dates fall forty-five years on from their epic struggle to become legitimate music makers, the concerts will be highlighted by a set performed by just Nesmith, Dolenz and Tork. In 1967, the year the Monkees outsold the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, they issued two #1 albums (Headquarters and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd) which primarily featured the Monkees as a self-contained, musical unit. Each evening’s trio set will showcase numbers from these albums and present the Monkees’ electric garage band sound that they developed on their mid-1960’s tours. To open and close the show, the Monkees will be augmented by a stellar crew of players to play the hand-picked setlist each evening.
These dates comprise the first U.S. Monkees tour to feature Michael Nesmith since 1969. He has reunited with the group over the years; his last stateside concert with the band was a rare private show in support of 1997’s Justus album. These dates also follow the unexpected passing of their musical comrade Davy Jones in February. Plans call for Jones to be saluted in the show’s multimedia content.
Although Davy’s absence will undoubtedly be felt by the Monkees and their fans, these concerts will be an opportunity to share their memories amidst the music and the movies that brought them together. Moreover, the band look forward to performing for their many new fans who have discovered their music through repeats of their TV show on Antenna television, classic rock radio, or via social media. One thing is for certain, these concerts will be a once-in-a-lifetime series of shows that are not to be missed.
The Monkees 2012 Tour Dates
November
8 - California Center for the Arts, Escondido, CA
9 - The Arlington Theatre, Santa Barbara, CA
10 - Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
11 - Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Cupertino, CA
15 - State Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
16 - The Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL
17 - Lakewood Civic Auditorium, Cleveland, OH
18 - The Center For The Arts, Buffalo, NY
29 - Keswick Theatre, Philadelphia, PA
30 - State Theatre Regional Arts Center, New Brunswick, NJ
December
1 - The Paramount, Huntington, NY
2 - The Beacon Theatre, New York, NY