1996 ’30th ANNIVERSARY’ NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

1996 ’30th ANNIVERSARY’ NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

Dolenz, Jones and Tork

(June – December 1996)

For updated information on this article, see the web site: monkeesconcerts.com

“Backed by a tight, talented quintet, these pop classics came off without a hitch. The guys also added theatrical touches to the performance…
It was a refreshing, nostalgic blast of good clean family fun for the angst-ridden ’90s.”
–Hollywood Reporter review of the Monkees’ concert at the Universal Amphitheatre in
Los Angeles, California, 6/20/96

• Last Train To Clarksville
• That Was Then, This Is Now
• Valleri
• For Pete’s Sake
• She
• It’s Nice To Be With You
• Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again
• The Girl I Knew Somewhere
• Your Auntie Grizelda
• Hard To Believe
• Purple Haze bit  (Micky)
• Since I Fell For You  (Micky solo)
• Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)
• D.W. Washburn
• Circle Sky
• I Wanna Be Free
• Randy Scouse Git
• Pleasant Valley Sunday
• Bach’s Two-Part Invention in F Major  (Peter’s keyboard solo)
• A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You
• Heart And Soul
• What Am I Doing Hangin’ ‘Round?
• Mary, Mary
• Sea Change  (Peter solo)
• She Hangs Out
• Goin’ Down
• Girl  (Davy solo)
• No Time
• Papa Gene’s Blues
• (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone
• Daydream Believer
• Encore:
• Listen To The Band
• I’m A Believer
• Also performed at various shows were “Every Step Of The Way,” “It’s Not Too Late,” “Shades Of Gray,” “I’ll Love You Forever,” “Daddy’s Song,” “Peter Percival Patterson’s Pet Pig Porky,” Peter’s solo songs “Good Looker” and “Higher And Higher” and Davy’s solo songs “It’s Now” and “Rainy Jane.”

 

The Monkees returned to celebrate their 30^th anniversary in the summer of 1996 with the ‘Here We Come World Tour.’  Though not as wildly successful as the 20^th anniversary, Micky, Davy and Peter provided very strong performances to well attended venues.  Davy’s solo song “It’s Now” was added to the set, as was Peter’s “Good Looker,” “Higher and Higher” and “Sea Change,” all solo Tork releases.  Davy also sang “Girl,” the song made famous by his 1971 appearance on “The Brady Bunch” television show.  Unlike previous tours (except for Australia 1987 and Together Again 1994/1995), Davy participated in the performance of “That Was Then, This Is Now,” and would continue to do so during all future tours.  The Monkees and their band performed on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” in June 1996 to promote the start of the tour.  A new Greatest Hits album had also been released.

Michael Nesmith had originally planned to take part in the 30th anniversary tour, but when his company became involved in a lawsuit with television channel PBS, he was forced to cancel.  He opted instead to stay at home and begin work on a proposed second Monkees feature film, which never got off the ground.  However, during breaks on tour, Dolenz, Jones and Tork joined Nesmith in the recording studio to record a brand new album.  The full quartet officially celebrated their 30th anniversary on September 12, 1996 in Santa Monica, California with a private party for family, friends and former co-workers from the television series.

On tour in 1996, Micky played rhythm guitar for almost the entire show while Davy would play the tambourine, the maracas and occasionally an electric-acoustic guitar.  Peter switched back and forth between electric/bass/lead guitar, keyboards and banjo.  The backing band included Jerry Renino (bass), Wayne Avers (guitar), Aviva Maloney (saxophones/flute/keyboards), VJ Riccitelli (drums) and Jimmy Riccitelli (keyboards). Sandy Gennaro replaced VJ Riccitelli on drums towards the later part of the tour.