Photos by C. Marcoux
Kinks' frontman Ray Davies has been through a lot—three divorces, drugs, nervous breakdowns, being shot in the leg—which could have led him to either withdraw from life completely or come out swinging. Watching him perform, it’s clear there’s plenty of fire in the old man yet. After opener “I Need You,” Davies spat the biting “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” with as much conviction as ever. Still in good voice and spirit, he spent the evening weaving stories throughout his songs, covering a wide swath of his career, both with The Kinks and solo. The first half of the set featured only Davies and guitarist Bill Shanley, which lent an intimacy to the performance, and included Kinks classics such as “Waterloo Sunset,” “Dedicated Follower of Fashion,” and “Sunny Afternoon.” Davies showed a knack for impersonation during “Dedicated” when he sang a verse in the style of Johnny Cash. It got a laugh, but it was spot on, and for a second, one could imagine that this Swinging London era gem could have just as easily been a tune by the Man in Black himself.
Davies was soon joined by his band, which was a mixed blessing. Though it was great to hear a more fleshed-out sound for some of the songs, the band seemed to play with the kind of sterility that comes with playing the same ten songs over and over and over again. It’s hardly a criticism, though—each musician was outstanding, and it’s unfair to expect the slightly gritty sound of the original ’60s Kinks recordings forty-some years later. In addition to Kinks favorites “Celluloid Heroes,” “Come Dancing,” and “20th Century Man,” Davies threw in some of his solo work, including “The Tourist” and “One More Time.” The biggest hits were saved for the encores, though, where the crowd heartily sang along to “All Day and All of the Night,” “Low Budget,” “You Really Got Me,” and “Lola.”
Two notable absences were a choral group (some dates on this tour featured a chorus, showcasing the work found on the just-released The Kinks Choral Collection) and any material from the revered The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society album. But Davies’ humor captivated, and the storytelling and crowd participation led to an engaging show. Far from just showing up for the cash, Ray Davies proved he is still a performer through and through.
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Ray Davies - band site / decca records / myspace
Fantastic show..But he cut out my favorite part of Come Dancing..when the kid starts rocking out on the Tennis racket.
Posted by: Darren | November 29, 2009 at 07:21 PM