1997 U.S. TOUR
Dolenz, Jones, and Tork
"The Monkees did something I haven't seen a 'real' band do in a while - entertain. Dolenz proved himself an accomplished drummer, and Tork threw in a nice slide guitar solo ("Lucille") . . . but mostly this gig was about showmanship and working an audience. I left feeling sad that these guys were pretty much the last successful extension of pre-rock pop, matching great songwriters who might never be heard with performers who know how to do more than grumble into a microphone."
-Chicago Tribune review of The Monkees' concert at the
Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana on August 1, 1997
THE SET LIST
The set list for the 1997 American tour varied
from night to night, but early shows featured this basic running order: Last Train to Clarksville
Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow) The Girl I Knew Somewhere That Was Then, This Is Now For Pete's Sake Regional Girl I Wanna Be Free Oh My My Valleri I Believe You Words A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You Zilch/Randy Scouse Git It's Nice To Be With You Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again Heart and Soul Porpoise Song Listen to the Band You And I (Justus version) Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky Pleasant Valley Sunday I'll Be Back Up on My Feet Lucille (Little Richard cover/Peter solo) Purple Haze bit/Since I Fell for You (Micky solo) Girl (Davy solo) Goin' Down Higher and Higher (Jackie Wilson cover) I'm a Believer Steppin’ Stone Daydream Believer Encore: No Time |
The set list for the 1997 American tour changed halfway through the tour and continued to vary night to night. Starting in August, the setlist featured this basic running order:
Last Train to Clarksville
Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow) That Was Then, This Is Now The Girl I Knew Somewhere A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You Zilch/Randy Scouse Git Your Auntie Grizelda Shades of Gray (Davy lead vocal) Words Valleri Mary, Mary I'll Be Back Up on My Feet Girl (Davy solo) Lucille (Little Richard cover/Peter solo) Purple Haze bit/Since I Fell for You (Micky solo) Heart and Soul I Believe You I'll Love You Forever Goin' Down For Pete's Sake You and I (Justus version) Porpoise Song Listen to the Band Pleasant Valley Sunday Higher and Higher (Jackie Wilson cover) I'm a Believer Steppin' Stone Daydream Believer Encore: No Time |
Also performed at various dates were "Oh, What a Night," “Circle Sky” (original version), “Daddy’s Song,” “She’s Movin’ In With Rico,” and “Every Step of the Way." "Heart and Soul" was used as the encore at some shows late in the tour as was the combination of "No Time" and "Daydream Believer."
THE TOUR SCHEDULE
June 20: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
July 4: Sunset Station, Las Vegas, Nevada
July 5: Del Mar Fair Grandstand, Del Mar, California
July 19: Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona
July 25: Funfest, Kingsport, Tennessee
July 26: Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, Kentucky
July 27: Palace Theatre, Cleveland, Ohio
August 1: Star Plaza Theatre, Merrillville, Indiana
August 2: Rosemont Theatre, Rosemont, Illinois
August 3: Cincinnati Music Hall, Cincinnati, Ohio
August 6 : Pine Knob Music Theatre, Detroit, Michigan
August 8: Crystal Grand Music Theatre, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
August 9: State Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota
August 16: Mount Airy Lodge, Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
August 17: Mann Music Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
August 21: Hammerstein Ballroom, Manhattan Centre, New York
August 22: Thunder Ridge, Patterson, New York
August 23: The 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
August 24: North Shore Music Theatre, Beverly, Massachusetts
August 26: Westbury Music Fair, Westbury, New York
August 27: Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire
August 29: South Shore Music Circus, Cohasset, Massachusetts
August 30: Cape Cod Melody Tent, Hyannis, Massachusetts
August 31: Clovis Ballroom Expo, Clovis, California
September 6: Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
September 13: Doheny Days Festival, Dana Point, California
September 15: Western Washington Fair, Puyallup, Washington
September 18: Palace Theatre, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
September 19: Peace Centre for Performing Arts, Greenville, South Carolina
September 20: Chastain Park Amphitheatre, Atlanta, Georgia
September 22: Mid-South Fair, Main Stage, Memphis, Tennessee
September 24: Bloomsburg Fair, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
September 27: Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas
October 4: Golden Eagle Casino, Horton, Kansas (2 shows)
October 11: WBMX Mixfest, Boston, Massachusetts
October 21: Arizona State Fair, Phoenix, Arizona
November 8: Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, California
November 19: Harley-Davidson Cafe, Las Vegas, Nevada (Private Show)
November 28: Mount Airy Lodge, Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
November 29: The Concord, Kiamesha Lake, New York
November 30: Palace Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut
December 22: State University Pavilion, Boise, Idaho
December 31: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida (Private Show)
July 4: Sunset Station, Las Vegas, Nevada
July 5: Del Mar Fair Grandstand, Del Mar, California
July 19: Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona
July 25: Funfest, Kingsport, Tennessee
July 26: Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, Kentucky
July 27: Palace Theatre, Cleveland, Ohio
August 1: Star Plaza Theatre, Merrillville, Indiana
August 2: Rosemont Theatre, Rosemont, Illinois
August 3: Cincinnati Music Hall, Cincinnati, Ohio
August 6 : Pine Knob Music Theatre, Detroit, Michigan
August 8: Crystal Grand Music Theatre, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
August 9: State Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota
August 16: Mount Airy Lodge, Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
August 17: Mann Music Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
August 21: Hammerstein Ballroom, Manhattan Centre, New York
August 22: Thunder Ridge, Patterson, New York
August 23: The 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
August 24: North Shore Music Theatre, Beverly, Massachusetts
August 26: Westbury Music Fair, Westbury, New York
August 27: Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire
August 29: South Shore Music Circus, Cohasset, Massachusetts
August 30: Cape Cod Melody Tent, Hyannis, Massachusetts
August 31: Clovis Ballroom Expo, Clovis, California
September 6: Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
September 13: Doheny Days Festival, Dana Point, California
September 15: Western Washington Fair, Puyallup, Washington
September 18: Palace Theatre, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
September 19: Peace Centre for Performing Arts, Greenville, South Carolina
September 20: Chastain Park Amphitheatre, Atlanta, Georgia
September 22: Mid-South Fair, Main Stage, Memphis, Tennessee
September 24: Bloomsburg Fair, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
September 27: Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas
October 4: Golden Eagle Casino, Horton, Kansas (2 shows)
October 11: WBMX Mixfest, Boston, Massachusetts
October 21: Arizona State Fair, Phoenix, Arizona
November 8: Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, California
November 19: Harley-Davidson Cafe, Las Vegas, Nevada (Private Show)
November 28: Mount Airy Lodge, Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
November 29: The Concord, Kiamesha Lake, New York
November 30: Palace Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut
December 22: State University Pavilion, Boise, Idaho
December 31: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida (Private Show)
After a bustle of activity with The Monkees between 1996-1997 that included a new album (Justus), a Los Angeles club show, an original prime time television special and an arena tour of the United Kingdom, Michael Nesmith backed out of the much anticipated American portion of the Justus tour, scheduled for the summer of 1997. Nez had originally committed to a schedule of about 15 to 20 concerts across the United States, with a plan to play large arenas to accommodate demand due to the limited amount of dates. However, shortly after returning from the group's March tour of the UK it was announced that Nesmith would not be touring and instead would devote his time to writing a script for a proposed second Monkees feature film. "The movie is at the top of my list," Michael explained to Monkee Business Fanzine at the time. "If one of us doesn't stay here and do it, it won't get done, like Justus. I enjoy playing live, but time is time." Monkees fans in the United States, who had waited for a full-scale tour by all four Monkees since the band's reformation in 1986, were dispirited, and Nesmith's bandmates expressed their frustration, too. "I'm a bit disappointed," Micky Dolenz told Monkee Business Fanzine. "He really hates touring, being out there subjected to the rigors of the road . . . as you know, he never toured much by himself as a solo act." Peter Tork looked at Michael's absence on the stage as a setback for The Monkees as a group. "I was really thrilled to see what was happening to us as a band," Peter relayed to Monkee Business Fanzine. Despite a lack of Nesmith involvement, Micky, Davy, and Peter decided to move forward with the original plan of touring the United States during the summer of 1997.
Speculation abounded regarding Michael's departure, ranging from tensions within the band to the fact that The Monkees had received less than favorable reviews during their tour of the United Kingdom. "The UK shows were fun enough," Nesmith told Record Collector magazine in August 1997. "It's always fun to play at an arena level. And Monkees fans being what they are, they had a good time. So there wasn't anything unpleasant about that side of it. But on a global level, it's understood that the UK press is the worst in the world. So I knew I was walking into the absolutely worst possible place I could go. Even so, I had forgotten how mean-spirited the press could be. I knew that it was substandard and unintelligent and tied to what advertisers want, but I didn't realize it was mean-spirited. And that was devastating, to see that operating as the voice of the public. It put me right off. I walked right into that and thought, 'My God, this is a terrible thing to be involved in.'" In interviews conducted after the UK tour, Davy Jones didn't hide his disdain for Michael's sudden absence, claiming the rest of the band had been left with no explanation. He often gave the impression that he was disgruntled with Nesmith, though Jones later said a lot of his quotes about him were taken out of context. "When The Monkees toured England in 1989, we got massive rave reviews for the three of us," Davy told Monkee Business Fanzine. "When we did it this time, the press just slammed us, because of his attitude, Mike Nesmith's attitude, when we did TV shows. 'Hey Hey We're The Grumpies,' one headline read." Years later in 2013, Michael spoke philosophically about the band's dissolution in the early months of 1997. "It was just a divergence of paths more than anything else," he told Rolling Stone. "Micky, Peter, and Davy just had their sails blowing in different ways than me."
Despite a missing Nesmith, a publicly disgruntled Jones, and a lack of arena dates, the 1997 summer tour started off with several positives for Micky, Davy, and Peter. The Monkees television series had returned to the airwaves, airing on VH-1 and during Nickelodeon's Nick at Nite programming. Rhino Records released the Justus home video featuring six new music videos and footage from the Billboard Live concert, and sponsored TV commercials promoting the Justus album. Early stops on the tour saw The Monkees playing to sold-out venues, including several large festival crowds. Furthermore, the trio created a fresh stage show that included a revamped setlist and which saw each member heavily involved instrumentally on stage. In comments before the start of the tour, Peter spoke about the musical direction this time around, saying "You'll see more of the three of us making music ourselves, with the band auxiliary to us, while last summer we were auxiliary to the band."
In doing their best to stick to the Justus-themed formula presented by the quartet on the UK tour, Micky was behind the drum kit for a large portion of the show. "I couldn't have done this tour again not drumming," Micky enthused to Monkee Business Fanzine, adding, "I could never go back to being only a frontman again." (Support drummer Sandy Gennaro would play a percussion set-up while Micky was behind the drum kit.) Micky also retained his role as a guitarist in the show that had started on the 1996 tour. "The songs I play guitar on, I wanted to do a real part, something important," he told Monkee Business Fanzine. "So you'll notice I start songs like 'A Little Bit Me,' 'Girl I Knew Somewhere,' and 'I'll Be Back Up On My Feet' on guitar." As always, musically Peter split his time between lead guitar, keyboards, and banjo while also playing bass on a few songs. Davy, who played a lot of rhythm guitar during the UK shows, continued with those duties as well as adding his traditional percussion parts. Jones also pitched in on keyboards during "Steppin' Stone." Peter was ecstatic about Davy playing guitar on tour, telling Monkee Business Fanzine that "Davy's such a musician and still doesn't quite know it." The trio was experimental with the set list, retrieving the Justus songs and “Porpoise Song” from the UK set while adding “Words” and “Oh My My,” two songs which had never previously been performed in a live setting. The backing band included Jerry Renino (bass), Wayne Avers (guitar), Aviva Maloney (saxophones/flute/keyboards), Sandy Gennaro (percussion and sometimes drums), and Kincaid Miller (keyboards).
Along with the bump in promotion provided by the return of their television series on cable, several other high profile appearances helped bring attention to the tour. After The Monkees' performance at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California on June 20, 1997, Davy attended a U2 concert held the next day at the Los Angeles Coliseum. He appeared onstage during a performance of "Daydream Believer" by U2 guitarist The Edge (seen below in a YouTube video) and took over on lead vocals, much to the delight of the surprised crowd. Later in August, The Monkees and their band appeared on The Today Show during their 'Summer Concert Series' to promote the tour and Justus. At that particular time, The Monkees attracted the largest crowd to date for the show's summer concerts outside in Rockefeller Plaza in New York City.
As the 1997 tour made its way across the United States, Michael's absence continued to be a subject of discussion. Micky said that Nesmith "was very unhappy on the UK tour. He was honest and candid about it. He got terrible press for being grumpy and for not cooperating with the press. I felt bad for him and tried to make it fun for him," Dolenz told Monkee Business Fanzine. "Mike enjoyed the time onstage playing the music, but not the other stuff that goes with it." The Monkees' manager, Ward Sylvester, reported that Michael's lack of participation in the U.S. tour was effectively a strategic move to begin work on a brand new Monkees feature film. "Nesmith is central to the development of The Monkees' movie; the producers have asked him to write the first draft," Sylvester told British fanzine Band 6. "He prefers to devote himself to that effort this summer while the others tour, much as he spent last summer working on the album [Justus] while the others toured." Sylvester also suggested that Nez had grown weary of life on the road after the British dates. "Nesmith has always found live appearances taxing and not very artistically satisfying. There is no conflict or breakup; his absence from the tour is intended to further their careers as Monkees and they expect to make music together for another 30 years."
Surprisingly, the fresh approach to the '97 summer shows without Michael Nesmith was seemingly removed by the time the tour hit the East Coast in August. The show had been altered and rarities like "Oh My My" were cut and the Justus songs were played only sporadically. Micky explained the situation, citing crowds at the earlier concerts had been unfamiliar with that material. But after the tour, Davy expressed frustration about some of the song selections. "The amount of times I told Peter, 'Let's do some new stuff, let's do some of your new material,' but they were reluctant to go into that particular dimension. I was begging Micky all of last year to do 'It's My Life' (from Justus) instead of 'Since I Fell For You.'"
Attendance was also examined as the tour visited markets previously played in 1996. Results were mixed and it was clear that some markets had been oversaturated. Fans and observers openly began to wonder if Michael's absence had affected turnout. On the other hand, The Monkees continued to draw well in large cities, and the presence of The Monkees television show on cable might have boosted ticket sales in some areas. At Pine Knob Music Theatre in Detroit, the trio played to a crowd of almost 13,000 fans, which was a couple thousand higher than their appearance there in 1996. Philadelphia also increased its numbers over 1996 and the West Coast dates were strong at the box office as well. After the September shows, scattered concerts were played throughout October, November, and December.
Attendance was also examined as the tour visited markets previously played in 1996. Results were mixed and it was clear that some markets had been oversaturated. Fans and observers openly began to wonder if Michael's absence had affected turnout. On the other hand, The Monkees continued to draw well in large cities, and the presence of The Monkees television show on cable might have boosted ticket sales in some areas. At Pine Knob Music Theatre in Detroit, the trio played to a crowd of almost 13,000 fans, which was a couple thousand higher than their appearance there in 1996. Philadelphia also increased its numbers over 1996 and the West Coast dates were strong at the box office as well. After the September shows, scattered concerts were played throughout October, November, and December.
The 30th Anniversary reunion that had started in 1996 was officially over when a proposed tour of Australia, New Zealand, and Japan in early 1998 was canceled. Micky was upfront when he told Monkee Business Fanzine about the change in plans. "The truth is that David just decided that he didn't want to tour anymore," Dolenz said. Davy was also candid about his feelings towards the U.S. tour without Michael and the band's status in general. Speaking with Monkee Business Fanzine in 1998, Jones admitted that he didn't want to play in America in 1997 as a trio, saying it would just be a repackaged version of the '96 oldies tour and not an 'event.' "The Monkees are over for now," Davy told Billboard in early 1998. "It will never be just the three of us. It will be the four of us or nothing."
When The Monkees reunited as a quartet in 1995, the band along with their management set goals that included a new album, a TV special, and concert tours. All of these projects had been realized, and the final part of the band’s original plan was to make another motion picture. At one point a deal was extremely close to being signed. Sometime in 1997 Michael Nesmith and legendary Hollywood television executive Brandon Tartikoff received a commitment from two producers to develop a screenplay, which resulted in The Monkees being offered exclusive contracts in the summer of 1998. Micky, Peter, and Michael were ready to commit, but Davy refused to sign. Harold Bronson, co-founder of The Monkees' record label Rhino Records, discussed these events in his 2013 book, The Rhino Records Story: Revenge of the Music Nerds. "Negotiations were proceeding, with each member of the Monkees to be paid $250,000 to act, which meant a million dollars for the group of four. All of a sudden, Davy decided he wanted a million dollars, just for himself. It was an unreasonable demand, especially because it was difficult to determine if The Monkees could attract enough ticket buyers to justify the budget of such a film. Davy couldn't be dissuaded. The project fell apart, and his action attracted the others' disdain." As a result of the breakdown in negotiations, the four Monkees returned to their individual careers.
At the Los Angeles Monkees convention in September 1997, Davy ruminated about his bandmates with the audience. "Despite all these sort of ups and downs, Micky, Mike, Peter and myself desperately support each other and we care a lot about each other. If our paths do not cross over the next couple of years and we don't work together and we don't have that opportunity to make a movie or we don't tour . . . individually, we'll be out there, so your support is always something we rely on and count on."
When The Monkees reunited as a quartet in 1995, the band along with their management set goals that included a new album, a TV special, and concert tours. All of these projects had been realized, and the final part of the band’s original plan was to make another motion picture. At one point a deal was extremely close to being signed. Sometime in 1997 Michael Nesmith and legendary Hollywood television executive Brandon Tartikoff received a commitment from two producers to develop a screenplay, which resulted in The Monkees being offered exclusive contracts in the summer of 1998. Micky, Peter, and Michael were ready to commit, but Davy refused to sign. Harold Bronson, co-founder of The Monkees' record label Rhino Records, discussed these events in his 2013 book, The Rhino Records Story: Revenge of the Music Nerds. "Negotiations were proceeding, with each member of the Monkees to be paid $250,000 to act, which meant a million dollars for the group of four. All of a sudden, Davy decided he wanted a million dollars, just for himself. It was an unreasonable demand, especially because it was difficult to determine if The Monkees could attract enough ticket buyers to justify the budget of such a film. Davy couldn't be dissuaded. The project fell apart, and his action attracted the others' disdain." As a result of the breakdown in negotiations, the four Monkees returned to their individual careers.
At the Los Angeles Monkees convention in September 1997, Davy ruminated about his bandmates with the audience. "Despite all these sort of ups and downs, Micky, Mike, Peter and myself desperately support each other and we care a lot about each other. If our paths do not cross over the next couple of years and we don't work together and we don't have that opportunity to make a movie or we don't tour . . . individually, we'll be out there, so your support is always something we rely on and count on."
"What they gave fans was a marathon - 28 songs, including an encore - in a set that ran the gamut from bluesy rock to Vegas style schmaltz. Between those bookends, fans got what they came for, wacky fun and the upbeat 1960s vintage pop that still sounds sweet after three decades. Watching The Monkees really play and even switch instruments provided much of the evening's quirky charm. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was Dolenz, who has grown into a solid rock drummer."
-Chicago Tribune review of The Monkees' concert at the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana on August 1, 1997
THE TOUR PROGRAM
VIDEO & AUDIO
(Above) The complete concert at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California on November 8, 1997
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(Above) Live on The Today Show
(Above) The Today Show
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(Above) Davy makes an appearance with U2
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(Above) "Heart and Soul" live
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(Above) "I'll Be Back Up on My Feet" live
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(Above) Portions of the October 11, 1997 concert at WBMX Mixfest in Boston, Massachusetts
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(Above) Portions of the August 9, 1997 concert at State Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota
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PHOTO GALLERY
This audience recording is from a Monkees concert in Cleveland, Ohio at The Palace Theater on July 27, 1997. The last original Monkees single, "Oh My My," was performed with Micky on drums and vocals and Peter playing the lead guitar lick. The performance is notable as the song is rarely performed by the group, and Peter wasn't a member of The Monkees at the time the single was released in 1970.