This review first appeared in Kinks Preservation Society mailing list edition
Number 904, June 7, 1998.
From: Joanne Corsano
Date: Sat, 6 Jun 1998 21:14:44 EDT
Subject: Raving Dave Fans in Maynard: not much Sit 'N goin'
on
At the early show Thursday night at Maynard's Sit 'N Bull pub, Dave claimed
not to be very good at math. But he, and his band of two more Daves and a
Jim, are damn good at chemistry.
I am almost at a loss for words to describe Dave's first-ever Boston area
solo appearance. History was made Thursday night in Boston's Metrowest. The
fact is, Kinklings, it was the most enjoyable concert I've ever seen. By the
end of the two shows, I was completely exhausted, hoarse, and entirely happy
with my life. It was, honest to God, one of those transcendent musical experiences
that will live forever.
But why? The sound wasn't fantastic; the sound at Piermont, NY's Turning
Point the previous Thursday was better. The club itself wasn't the reason
(sorry, Peter, but the Bull is what it is, a low-key, fun neighborhood pub).
Dave has performed superbly throughout this tour, but he really cranked it
up a notch for this show. Was it that it was the debut of the
website that our own Chris Locke has designed for him? Maybe, partly.
But I think the main reason for his great performance was the wildly enthusiastic
outpouring of love and energy coming from what must have been the best crowd
he's played to yet.
From
the moment the first show started, most of the packed house was bouncing around
in their seats, singing along, clapping, and screaming like crazy in between
every song. "Oooh! You're too kind!" Dave shouted, and he meant it; he was
thrilled by the Boston-area contingent of KPSers and other Kinks fans.
He played a really raving "Milk Cow Blues" ... in both shows. He played
an awesome "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" ... in both shows. He played a sweet
"Love Gets You" (early show) and "Young and Innocent Days" (late show). He
played "Long Tall Shorty" (late show)! He played a big chunk of "Mindless
Child of Motherhood" (late show). He played the incredible "This Man He Weeps
Tonight" ... in both shows. He played a playful version of "Fortis Green"
... in both shows ... the audience had no choice but to obey him when he shouted
out "dance!" at the beginning of the instrumental bridge.
He didn't look at his lyric cheat-sheets once. The band was having a blast,
Jim the drummer, Big Dave on bass, Little Dave on keys and guitar. The band,
with their gleeful grins, seemed really connected to one another in that magical
way that bands are when they're playing really well. Dave made Little Dave
repeat the keyboard intro to "Death of a Clown," and Little Dave grinned playfully
while he was doing it. Little Dave's guitar playing was sweetly melodic in
Too Much On My Mind" and "Young and Innocent Days."
In the late show Dave started "I'm On An Island." My dear friend and "Finkle
Sister," Jill, had been quietly enjoying the whole show to the best of her
modest ability, (um: does anybody believe me?); an example of her demure behavior
was her delighted shriek at the start of "Hold My Hand" (it rivaled my own
"Love Gets You" shriek). Dave looked over at Jill, and somehow in that psychic
way of his perceived that here was the one person in the audience who would
put "I'm On An Island" on her list of Top Five Kinks Songs (you know, the
list with 25 songs on it); and what did he do but invite her up on stage to
sing along. In subsequent songs, other fans got the chance to sing with Dave,
including Frank L., Kate H., and Peter, who richly deserved the opportunity
for all he had done putting the show together. Isn't this one of our collective
fantasies? Having a chance to go up on stage and sing along with a Kink? Sometimes,
fantasies do come true.
Toward the end of the second show everyone had given up on the thought that
this was a sit-down gig, and I was standing (well, standing is the wrong word,
because it implies a stationary position, but in any case I was no longer
sitting), and I was positioned in such a way that my face was about six inches
from the neck of Dave's guitar. I stood there, in total, speechless awe, looking
at Dave's hands masterfully fingering the frets of his guitar, thinking that
here were the hands that played the solo on YRGM, who played in front of thousands
of screaming arena rock fans, and here they were, these marvelous musician's
hands, so close to me that if Dave turned too suddenly he could have knocked
me into the second row.
He played 18 songs in the early show, a good hour and a half. The early
show alone would have been a highly satisfactory night of music. I figured
that he'd shorten the second show because of this, so what did he do? He played
24 songs, a good two hours. It was incredible ... exhausting ... fulfilling
.... and a real lot of great music.
My sweetie, Jim, brought along a friend of his, Rob, who is a Kinks fan
but had never been to a "Kinks" concert, and well, I just got off the phone
after talking to him for about an hour. Leslie and Fritz, I can safely say
Rob has been assimilated by The RDF Kollective.
Due to technical problems, the sound check was late and there was a good
number of fans outside listening through the window, and he played "I Want
To Hold Your Hand" (it's one of theirs). Jerry, did you say something about
Dave's voice resembling Paul McCartney's?
Dave gave me the impression that he was having so much fun that he only
quit playing because it was one o'clock and it really was closing time. I
was saddened to say good-bye for now to my many friends, with whom I've spent
some very special moments in the past week of Dave shows. After a two hour
drive back to Cape Cod, I got to bed at some brutal hour that was much closer
to when I usually get up than when I usually go to sleep, resulting in a serious
lack of productivity at work the next day (not that I cared about something
like that, after seeing Dave).
I have a co-worker who is a huge fan of Elton John and another of James
Taylor. And they just don't have the opportunities I have. They don't stand
one foot away from the hands of their favourite musician; they don't watch
their dear friend go up on stage and sing with him; they don't hand him flowers
and get a sexy, sweaty kiss in return. Why me? Why am I so lucky to be one
of these chosen to be a Raving Dave Fan? Why have I been given this gift,
this unmerited gift, of Dave's music? I don't know, but all I can say is thank
God I have been. I can't imagine being without this wonderful music that has
enriched my life so much.
God Save The Kink!
-Joanne
Raving Dave Fans Unite!
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