Dave Davies, the former lead guitarist for the legendary rock group The Kinks, came to Englewood, New Jersey, to perform at the Bergen Performing Arts Center (Bergen PAC) this past Friday. It was the final show of his tour for the autumn of 2014, which was as close as you could get to seeing the Kinks on what would have been their 50th anniversary this year.
Of course, the band did not get together for a reunion this year, although both Dave and Ray Davies seem to be optimistic about the possibilities of a reunion next year.
Let's see.
In the meantime, however, Davies put on a really awesome show on Friday! He played many of the major hits of the Kinks, although certainly not all of them. Notable absences were Lola and Summer Afternoon, Destroyer, and Come Dancing, to name just a few off the top of my head. I would not have minded hearing either one, although there really are no complaints from that show.
It started off a bit rocky that evening. I was desperately trying to get one of my articles published on Guardian Liberty Voice - the one about Facebook, which should be published before this blog entry is published. Specifically, I was having difficulty with getting a picture that I could use for the article, for various reasons. There are certain criteria that we have to abide by, and it was proving very time consuming to find one that met all of those criteria. Also, the computer at the apartment runs slow, and downloading that picture was proving particularly annoying and frustrating.
Finally, I managed it, and then headed out to meet my brother, who would be going with me for the concert. We met up, and headed to Englewood, a town that we have a bit of history with. Our Aunt Ethel used to live there, and we came to Englewood a few times to visit here when we were both kids.
One of my friends used to live in Englewood, and that brought me there during the nineties. Also, I went there a few years back to take my mom to see Steve Martin and his banjo band, which was a very good show.
Now, here we were again, for another show. We had seen Ray Davies a few years back as well, at the Wellmont in Montclair. But these tickets were incredible! I was ale to snag a couple of second row in the middle, which was amazing, and made this show especially memorable!
Davies had good energy for this show, and he seems like a genuinely decent guy. He seemed in good spirits, and very appreciative for the opportunity just to play and make music. There was a good sense with the crowd, and it made for a surprisingly energetic show, given the relative median age of the audience.
He played quite a few Kinks songs, but it was a decent mix of old and new material. Some from the days of The Kinks, as well as from his solo career. To think of how influential this guy was in music, and to get the opportunity to see him, and to be so close, it was just amazing!
The show ended, and my brother pointed out that they played I'm Not Like Everybody Else twice, which was a little strange. It certainly is not because he had few songs to choose from,m but I was not complaining. He put on a great show.
I got a signed CD which was being sold for $25. A bit pricey for a regular CD, but for a signed one? I thought that was pretty cool, actually.
Afterwards, my brother wanted to eat, so we walked around downtown Englewood on a freezing night. The only food place open was Wendy's, so we resigned ourselves to that. I was not hungry, having filled up on Thanksgiving leftover, but I got some cheese fries as a bit of a snack, as well as a drink that I actually just finished while writing this. I mentioned to him how, if memory served me correctly, we had eaten here when younger, as well.
We then went to Starbuck's for a hot drink, which was very pleasant. Here, too, I had a bit of personal history, as a bunch of my friends from the old Bergen days used to work here. It was a pleasant enough way to end the evening, and we both went home happy from a solid concert and evening overall.
Ripping Up Time
I'm Not Like Everybody Else (The Kinks song)
I Need You (The Kinks song)
She's Got Everything (The Kinks song) Creeping Jean
Tired of Waiting for You (The Kinks song) Susannah's Still Alive
See My Friends (The Kinks song)
Strangers (The Kinks song)
Flowers in the Rain
Too Much on My Mind (The Kinks song) (partial verse)
Young and Innocent Days (The Kinks song)
Front Room
King of Karaoke Death of a Clown
Dead End Street (The Kinks song)
Living on a Thin Line (The Kinks song)
Where Have All the Good Times Gone (The Kinks song)
All Day and All of the Night (The Kinks song)
Encore:
I'm Not Like Everybody Else (The Kinks song)
You Really Got Me (The Kinks song)
(Taken from http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/dave-davies/2014/bergen-performing-arts-center-englewood-nj-7bcdf294.html)
The Kinks Former Lead Guitarist Dave Davies Rocks Bergen County
http://guardianlv.com/2014/11/the-kinks-former-lead-guitarist-dave-davies-rocks-bergen-county/
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