Posted on Tuesday March 1, 2011
The Monkees unveil North American dates to an anxiously waiting world.
Celebrating the group’s 45th anniversary, The Monkees begin their North American romp June 3 at Atlanta’s Chastain Park and wrap it in Los Angeles at the Greek Theatre July 16. Stops along the way include Jacksonville, Fla., at the Florida Theatre June 6; Uncasville, Conn., at the Mohegan Sun Casino June 10; Niagara Falls, Ont., at the Fallsview Casino Resort June 11-2; New York City at the Beacon Theatre June 16; Detroit at the Fox Theatre June 23; Minneapolis at the Zoo Amphitheatre July 1-2; Denver at the Paramount Theatre July 5; Bakersfield, Calif., at the Fox Theatre July 13 and Cabazon, Calif., at the Morongo Casino July 15.
Other towns include Clearwater, Fla. (June 4), Westbury, N.Y. (June 17), Pittsburgh (June 22), Indianapolis (June 26), Tacoma (July 8), Portland, Ore. (July 9) and Santa Ynez (July 14).
The tour features three of the four members who starred in the 1960s TV show on NBC, with Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones and Peter Tork bringing Monkee madness to longtime fans as well as a new generation. As with past Monkees tours, Michael Nesmith is not onboard.
But the tour promises plenty of laughs along with those classic hits from yesteryear. During the band’s peak period as a hit TV show and a top pop act, the boys had their pick of songs written by some of the best songwriters around, including Neil Diamond who penned “I’m A Believer” and the songwriting team of Gerry Goffin and Carole King, responsible for “Pleasant Valley Sunday.”
“We need to share this music once again as people want to hear music from times that made them happy,” Jones said in a statement announcing the North American leg. “The records are being played all the time. And, the fans are still there…So, we’re going to do it.
Ticket sales begin March 4. Check out the tour’s Facebook page for more information.
–Jay Smith