3/23/2010 Ray Davies, Dodge Theatre, Phoenix, AZ


 11 years ago today...

March 23, 2010 - Phoenix, AZ 

Ray Davies performed a concert of his solo work and Kinks classics at Dodge Theatre.
Ray was the lead singer and primary songwriter for the Kinks, the British band he and his younger brother Dave founded in the 1960s. The band's first single "You Really Got Me" put them on the road to stardom in the U.K. and eventually abroad.
The Kinks broke up in 1996, but Ray continued on with a solo career that featured the MTV hit "Come Dancing." The Dodge Theatre concert was almost all Kinks songs including "All Day and All of the Night" and the show-closing "Lola."
For a long-forgotten reason, I went to this Tuesday night performance solo. While standing in the will call line to pick up tickets, another guy in line started chatting me up. He was also by himself and invited me to use one of his tickets and sit with him. Turns out he was pals with someone in the band's management and had comp seats in the second row at center stage. I graciously accepted, bought him a double Tanqueray & tonic in appreciation, and rocked out from right up front. Ray was quite a character and I liked his show.

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