It's called 'The Mike & Micky Show,' but it's two Monkees with just the music

By: Steve Marinucci  AXS Contributor Jun 9, 2018

It was unseasonably cold in Saratoga, California June 6 as The Monkees' Micky Dolenz and Mike Nesmith brought “The Mike Nesmith & Micky Dolenz Show' to town at the scenic Mountain Winery. Unlike past Monkees tours with movie clips and cutting up, “The Mike & Micky Show” is no-frills Monkees spotlighting just the music. It began quietly as the guys came out on stage with no introduction and launched into “Good Clean Fun” from The Monkees Present

Although the cold weather didn't help much in making the audience comfortable, it was a relaxed evening of music as the two Monkees sang 31 songs from the group's catalog, even throwing in such gems as “Different Drum,” a Nesmith song rejected for The Monkees but which was later given to Linda Ronstadt, who was then with the Stone Poneys. She and her group hit No. 13 on the Billboard singles chart with it in 1968.

The set also included three songs from their psychedelic movie “Head”: “The Porpoise Song,” “Circle Sky” and “As We Go Along,” plus other deep cuts like “The Door Into Summer,” “St. Matthew,” “Auntie's Municipal Court” and “I'll Spend My Life With You.” The show also featured two from the group's much-acclaimed “Good Times!” album, “Birth of An Accidental Hipster” and “Me and Magdalena,” which sounded great live. The backing band is a tight group and also a family affair with Micky's sister, Coco Dolenz, singing backup vocals, and Christian Nesmith, Mike's son, playing guitar. Christian's musical partner, Circe Link, also sang backup vocals.

A live album from this tour would be a real gem and the idea is currently being floated. Cross your fingers and here's hoping it happens.

The setlist (from Micky Dolenz's representatives):

• “Good Clean Fun”
• “Last Train to Clarksville”
• “Sunny Girlfriend”
• “Mary, Mary”
• “You Told Me”
• “For Pete’s Sake”
• “The Door Into Summer”
• “(I'm Not Your) Steppin’ Stone”
• “You Just May Be The One”
• “Some Of Shelley’s Blues”
• “The Girl I Knew Somewhere”
• “Birth Of An Accidental Hipster”
• “St. Matthew”
• “The Porpoise Song”
• “Circle Sky”
• “As We Go Along”
• “Me & Magdalena”
• “Papa Gene’s Blues”
• “Randy Scouse Git”
• “Nine Times Blue”
• “I’ll Spend My Life With You”
• “Different Drum”
• “Take A Giant Step”
• “Auntie's Municipal Court”
• “Sweet Young Thing”
• “Goin’ Down”
• “Daydream Believer”
• “What Am I Doin’ Hangin’ ‘Round”
• “Pleasant Valley Sunday”
• “Listen To The Band”
• “I’m A Believer”