The Dave Davies Band ~ 2000 August 10 (Thursday) ~ Sit 'n Bull Pub ~ 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, harmonica
Set List
Rats - Till the End of the Day - I Need You - Susannah's Still Alive - Creeping Jean - Gallon of Gas Intro/You're Looking Fine - Mindless Child of Motherhood - Tired of Waiting - Wicked Annabella - Unfinished Business - True Phenomenon - I Am Free - Can't Help Falling in Love With You {Patsy Cline country tune} - Picture Book - Death of a Clown - This Man He Weeps Tonight - Some Enchanted Evening {Perry Como} - Phenomenal Cat - Fortis Green - Living on a Thin Line - All Day & All Of The Night - I'm Not Like Everybody Else - Father Christmas
Concert Review
Tonight Peter Bochner, the co-owner of the Sit 'N Bull and mastermind behind Dave's appearances there, introduced the show by acknowledging the fans who had traveled exceptional distances to see Dave during this tour. Fans from Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, England, Michigan, Florida, California, and other places were acknowledged. It was a nice tribute to the effect that Dave Davies' music has had on us fans and how much a part of our lives being a fan of his has become.
Sal Baglio opened again for Dave and was just as good as the night before. He played a very funny song called "Teen Idol" in which he spoofed rock and roll stardom with lines like: "Did you have to change your name -- did it end with a vowel?" Is this a Baglio original or did he pull it out of his vast mental storehouse of rock and roll hits and obscurities?
Dave pulled an immediate surprise to start the show -- the band was clearly expecting to open with "Till the End of the Day," but instead Dave tore into the opening notes of "Rats." Jim Laspesa looked truly surprised behind his drum kit, and Kristian hurriedly turned pages in his music book to find the song. That's a great song -- what a riff!
This was a better show than the night before, up to the extremely high standards that we hold Dave to when he plays at the S'nB. He tucked "Susannah's Still Alive" back into the set, after having dropped it since the first show, with guitar tech and part-time guitarist Jonathan Lea playing the harmonica. (It was inaudible, but that's to be expected -- I always used to make David Nolte laugh by cupping my ear in his direction during the alleged harmonica parts.)
Yet another dedication: you read in the Kinks Preservation Society (internet mailing list) last week about the truly perfect five-course Indian meal that our own intrepid Jill Brand had prepared for Dave. Well, they do say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and Dave dedicated "Can't Help Falling in Love With You" (the same country tune he played at Mohegan Sun) to Jill, making eyes with her the entire time. (Jill: who's Ray again?) It was a truly great show. We got a joyful "This Man He Weeps Tonight," we got an improved, more confident "True Phenomenon," we got about a minute of "Phenomenal Cat" preceding "Fortis Green," we got "Some Enchanted Evening." Yes, you heard that right; Dave played the old lounge standard while flirting outrageously with numerous women in the audience. To tell the truth, I didn't notice if he sang it well; I was too busy rolling in the aisles holding my sides laughing.
Upon the instigation of a certain RDF who will be nameless (but she has followed Dave for a very long time and lives in NY), the regulars decided to modify our meowing routine during "Fortis Green." Normally everyone meows at the line "put the cat out" and Dave reacts in various ways ranging from managing (just barely) to ignore it, to completely breaking up and having to repeat the line two or three times.
Tonight we gave him the silent treatment. Instead of meowing everyone up front held up signs and paper plates saying MEOW. Dave cracked up, more so than usual, and addressed us as "you bastards" as he continued the song. Editor's Note: The instigator was the late, beloved Rafaela Filippi.
But an even better prank was yet to come. After "Fortis Green," Dave played "All Day & All of the Night," and then as he started "I'm Not Like Everybody Else," Jim Laspesa pulled a platinum blonde wig out of a concealed place by his drums and played the song wearing it. He was stunning, darling! Jim the Drummer truly is NOT like everybody else and this night he proved it!
All in all this was probably the most fun show of the tour, or maybe it was tied with the final Sit 'N Bull show that was to come two days later.
God Save The Sit 'N Bull Pub.
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