Review by Dave Gardiner & Stan Johnson
Photos by Stan Johnson
Dedicated Kinks fans came out to see Dave Davies play an excellent set at one of our favorite venues. The Kinks guitarist did not disappoint with the hits while supporting his 2015 release Rippin’ Up Time.
The second song, “All Day And All Of The Night,” which the guitarist described as one of his all-time favorite Kinks songs, was followed by “Tired Of Waiting,” giving fans what they wanted to hear.
Davies was warm and friendly, making the small venue seem smaller. He talked about how he and his brother Ray would write songs in the parlor of the family home, which inspired the song “Front Room,” from Rippin’ Up Time.
He spoke well of his brother throughout the evening, at one point looking out into the audience asking if Ray were there tonight. “He keeps threatening to show up at one of my shows,” Davies mused.
His choices for Kinks songs were rockers that his brother might not play at his own show, including “See My Friends” and “Dead End Street.” Davies said his favorite Kinks album is Arthur, and he played an acoustic “Young And Innocent Days,” followed by a terrific audience sing-a-long of 1967’s “Death Of A Clown” from Something Else. He even brought a young woman up the stage to help sing this one.
Just getting familiar with Rippin’ Up Time before the show, we enjoyed the title track and “Front Room,” as did the rest of the audience, judging by the response.
Davies and his band played a strong finish with “Where Have All The Good Times Gone” and “I’m Not Like Everybody Else.”
The encore was, naturally, “You Really Got Me,” featuring Davies’ signature guitar licks. Without a doubt, this song shows how his guitar was as much a key element to the sound of the Kinks as Keith Richards was (and still is) to the Rolling Stones.
This smaller of two theaters at the egg-shaped venue was an excellent setting for an intimate show. Seeing Dave Davies here was like spending time with an old friend in a pub rather than a big concert hall.
