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Author Topic: Mike Nesmith Solo Tour - Mini Review  (Read 2155 times)
guitarfool2002
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« on: November 11, 2013, 10:16:37 AM »

Mike Nesmith came to town last Friday night on his solo tour, and short of giving a full review I wanted to share a few thoughts and add some photos. It was a very cool show, for fans of Mike Nesmith's music he delivered a range of songs from the 60's to the present. His band was terrific: drums, bass, keyboards, and a fantastic guitarist who doubled on Fender lap steel and mandolin, along with a Fender Jaguar for the whole show. Mike stuck with a 12-string acoustic throughout.

I'd recommend any of Nez's fans see this show if it comes to your area. It just happened to be less than ten minutes away from where I live, at a really cool venue. Remember the original "Blob" movie, from 1958 with Steve McQueen? Mike played at that exact same movie theater called The Colonial where the Blob was filmed, when the patrons run screaming into the street after the blob overtakes the place. Here's a reminder, a still from the 1958 film:



It still looks the same from the street, it's been preserved and now serves as both a concert venue and a place to see really cool films, oldies and indies. They have a "Blobfest" every year to commemorate the film and the theater. Anyway...

Mike's show featured him setting the scene and telling the story behind all of the songs he performed, as if he were staging a film scene within the song. It was very revealing in some cases, especially hearing how he set the stage for "Different Drum", which he presented in a re-worked and rearranged performance. I never heard the song that way before hearing him describe the scene between the two characters having the conversation through the lyrics.

It's always revealing to hear the songwriter talk about what he or she had in mind when writing the song, and Mike emphasizes that by telling the story before every song he plays, including medleys.

The Monkees material was not emphasized, although there were plenty of deep cuts and "rarities" that were first demo'ed or recorded during his Monkees years to satisfy the hardcore fans. "Nine Times Blue", "Some Of Shelley's Blues", "Different Drum", and the encore band jam on "Listen To The Band" were some examples.

Highlights also included a medley of tunes set on the Sunset Strip from his video "Elephant Parts", which got a huge reaction and ovation from the audience and which the band just nailed right on. Mike's comment after the ovation was "the magic of Elephant Parts..."

"Joanne" is such a beautiful song, and Mike's voice hit each of the yodels spot-on. Classic.

Several of his "First National Band" familiar songs were included in a medley format, but each song got a full performance and each got the backstory behind the lyrics to set the scene. Since his original pedal steel player the late Red Rhodes was such a crucial element of Mike's 70's solo work (and beyond), Mike had a terrific guitarist playing those steel licks on a Fender non-pedal steel. I don't know how he was getting the pedal steel-like bends going on an old Fender like that, but he was phenomenal throughout the show. Perfect backing.

One of the highlights for me was a beautiful and expertly played version of the song "Yellow Butterfly" from his 90's album "Tropical Campfires...". I can't compliment that performance enough, it was just sublime, beautiful, and again expertly played, and a terrific "lost gem" from Mike's song catalog.

If you're a fan of Mike Nesmith's songwriting, you'll love this show. Again, it's not as much for Monkees fans expecting the obvious hits as it is for an overview of Mike's solo output from the 60's onward. But I'd try to see it if it comes to your area.

Here are two stage shots from Friday:





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« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2013, 01:54:01 PM »

Did he do "Thanx For the Ride" at this show? He was doing that earlier in the year, with guest appearance by Red Rhodes. I find it amazing the workload Nez is taking on this late in the game, after mostly being out of the public eye for many years.
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guitarfool2002
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« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2013, 07:20:58 PM »

Did he do "Thanx For the Ride" at this show? He was doing that earlier in the year, with guest appearance by Red Rhodes. I find it amazing the workload Nez is taking on this late in the game, after mostly being out of the public eye for many years.

I agree about Mike, he seemed younger than his years on stage Friday night, and seemed genuinely happy and appreciative of the crowd's responses to his songs. In some cases it seemed to surprise him!

I don't remember him doing "...Ride", that's not to say he didn't do it but I'm sometimes not the best at remembering full setlists at shows I see! But I don't believe he did that Friday. The encore/finale was Listen To The Band.

Red Rhodes died in 1995, the last I saw him with Mike on stage was around the time "Tropical Campfires..." was current, early 90's. That's when Mike also had the amazing Nashville guitarist John Jorgenson playing lead with his band. In fact, Nesmith released Jorgenson's guitar-trio side project The Hellecasters on his Pacific Arts label in the early 90's as well.

It couldn't have been Red Rhodes this year, do you know who else may have been the guest?
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"All of us have the privilege of making music that helps and heals - to make music that makes people happier, stronger, and kinder. Don't forget: Music is God's voice." - Brian Wilson
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« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2013, 10:58:17 AM »

I love Mike Nesmith.. For me it was the main reason to like the Monkees..I saw Mike a few times in 70"s + 80"s..I met Mike + Red at Mcabes guitar shop show + bought And the Hits keep a comin there + had them sign it..And I repeatedly watch the live video from the 90"s with John Jorgenson. When I was growing up and playin guitar my friends all listened to HEAVY stuff I was listening to long haired country. ( Poco Burrito bros willie etc }. Im still like that today.. I still remember being obsessed with 1st 3 Nesmith Lp's + California Bloodlines John Stewart..Mike Nesmith is HIGHLY underated songwriter and to me he was one of the guys who made country  hip to a young surf hippie like me way back then..
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« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2013, 12:59:21 PM »

The "guest appearance" by Red was actually his flown in pedal steel part - done as a loving tribute.  The current guitar/mandolin/lap steel wizard on stage is Chris Scruggs.
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« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2013, 10:37:17 PM »

The "guest appearance" by Red was actually his flown in pedal steel part - done as a loving tribute.  The current guitar/mandolin/lap steel wizard on stage is Chris Scruggs.
Yes, that was an amazing moment in the show. It was just plain amazing to be in a theater full of die-hard Nez-fans that knew all these obscure (to the mainstream) songs.
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guitarfool2002
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« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2013, 08:03:50 AM »

The Red Rhodes "tribute" of flying in his parts explains it, thanks for adding that! They did nothing of the sort last Friday night, all of the steel guitar leads were played by Scruggs on his Fender (non-pedal) lap steel, and his steel work throughout was a highlight of the show.

When I see a show I don't take copious notes, mental or otherwise, about exactly what was going on at any given moment, so my memory and reporting of what took place is more "in the moment" rather than a blow-by-blow detailed account. So yes, they did a tune like Rio for example but I know they specifically did not do the Red Rhodes tribute. And I also don't follow previous setlists posted online or various reports of previous shows, so I can only comment on the one I saw. The Red Rhodes tribute was news to me, so thanks again for clearing that up! That's a pretty neat idea in general, especially since Red was such a close part of a lot of Mike's solo work and better songs since the 60's.

Overall it was interesting to see Mike's reactions to the crowd responding to songs like the "Elephant Parts" medley, songs which I'd argue only a die-hard fan would be familiar with, and I'll say again he seemed genuinely taken back if not even a bit humbled by the way the crowd took to his songs. It was really neat to be a part of.

And I can't say enough how awesome the band is. I'd highly recommend trying to see this show if it comes to your area.

Confession: I wish he had done "Tapioca Tundra", though... Smiley

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« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2013, 10:27:49 PM »

You just may be the one..! And ive allways wanted  to  own a double cutaway Gretsch white falcon .. What a beautiful guitar.!
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« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2013, 12:40:10 PM »

The only Monkees song he did at the show I saw was "Papa Gene's Blues". I would have enjoyed hearing him do a few more, but on the other hand, it's nice to see a veteran artist go out and not just play a greatest hits show. Never believed the day would come that I would get to see Nez in concert, and here him do songs like Joanne, Sllver Moon, Propinquity, Rio, Casblanca Moonlight, just amazing.
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« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2013, 12:46:21 PM »


And I can't say enough how awesome the band is. I'd highly recommend trying to see this show if it comes to your area.

Confession: I wish he had done "Tapioca Tundra", though... Smiley



How much were the tickets? 
He's here next Tuesday and tics are $50 each, which is way more than I'd want to spend. 
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guitarfool2002
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« Reply #10 on: November 15, 2013, 10:08:19 AM »


And I can't say enough how awesome the band is. I'd highly recommend trying to see this show if it comes to your area.

Confession: I wish he had done "Tapioca Tundra", though... Smiley



How much were the tickets? 
He's here next Tuesday and tics are $50 each, which is way more than I'd want to spend. 

The Colonial had balcony seats starting at 27.50, the ones on the floor like I got were between 30-40, and they were also selling what were called something like "orchestra" seats, close to the stage, for I think it was between 50 or 60. Maybe it's your local venue setting the prices, but where I was the seats were fine, and definitely not 50 dollars. Are there any seats priced less than 50, or is that the start? That does seem a bit high.

Honestly, it's not really a visual show, at least I didn't think so, and I'm thinking unless a venue has some really bad seats and bad sound, any of the seats would be fine to enjoy it, without paying extra for those front rows.

I'm glad I went, I've been a fan of Mike's for years and missed the Monkees reunion shows in Philly this summer - mostly because I really can't stand Philly with all the hassles involved in driving there to see a show...not to mention apparently the venue had little or no air conditioning on one of the hottest nights of the summer, and it wasn't comfortable according to those who were there. Seeing Mike solo at a smaller venue, less than ten minutes away was a no-brainer for me as a fan!
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"All of us have the privilege of making music that helps and heals - to make music that makes people happier, stronger, and kinder. Don't forget: Music is God's voice." - Brian Wilson
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