by John Johnson, Photos by Chaz Dykes of Chaz D Photography
Micky Dolenz’s performance at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre in Clearwater was a heartfelt tribute to The Monkees’ enduring legacy. As the sole surviving member, Dolenz delivered a nostalgic set that included the majority of their hits, as well as a handful of 60’s and early 70’s classics. The evenings festivities kicked off with three songs sung by Dolenz’s sister Coco. She was accompanied by a keyboardist, drummer and one guitar player. Micky, from underneath a wide brimmed fedora introduced his youngest sibling, to the mostly senior audience, returned with a bassist and lead guitarist for song four “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone”
The show was enriched with personal anecdotes and rare footage of his late bandmates—Davy Jones, Peter Tork, and Michael Nesmith—offering fans an intimate glimpse into their shared history. In between what some would refer to as dad jokes and double entendres, he relived tales that any music lovers would be awestruck having experienced. Like the time he was invited to Abbey Road Studios to hang with the Beatles while they record, leading to the performance of “Good Morning, Good Morning”, that led into “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”. His banter between songs could also be a lesson in rock music history, when he informed the congregation that Jimi Hendrix opened for The Monkees on their first tour, which transitioned into the bands rendition of “Purple Haze”. His personal hazy recollection of the time he hung out with Stephen Stills and Stills playing him an early version of Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth”, which they also performed. Other highlights included renditions of Monkees classics like “Last Train to Clarksville”, “A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You”, “The Monkees Theme” and “For Pete’s Sake”. The latter being written by fellow bandmate Peter Tork and was used for the closing credits for a few seasons.
Many famous writers contributed tunes to the pop star TV band’s catalog, for which Dolenz paid sincere homage to before performing said ditties. Favorites include “Daydream Believer” by John Stewart, “Pleasant Valley Sunday” by Carole King, and arguably their biggest hit “I’m a Believer”, penned by Neil Diamond.
Despite being 80, Dolenz’s energy and charisma remained undiminished. He engaged the crowd with humor and sincerity, sharing stories about the band’s origins and their impact on pop culture. The historic theater in the heart of downtown Clearwater was a perfect backdrop, and the nearly sold out venue seemed to drink it all in with glee, albeit seated for the most part. Dolenz’s celebration of The Monkees was both a trip down memory lane and a testament to the timelessness of their music and the music of a nearly bygone era.
Now go out and See, Hear and Feel Live Music.
