Ray Davies works out the Kinks and then some
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There's something about the first weekend of November in Pittsburgh.
Last year, two of the world's greatest singer-songwriters, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, both paid us a visit.
Last night, The Boss was doing a second night at Soldiers & Sailors Hall while another singer-songwriter who's pretty darn high on that list, Ray Davies of the Kinks, was across the river in Munhall at the Carnegie Library of Homestead.
The Kinks catalog was recently celebrated on a tribute album, "See My Friends," by the diverse likes of Mr. Springsteen, Metallica, Mumford & Sons and obscure LA power-pop band The 88. Those were the friends he brought along on Thursday, and for Kinks connoisseurs, well, they sure beat Metallica.
The 88, who almost stole the show on "See My Friends" for pure Kink-iness, were just right for both the subtleties and hard rock of the British legends. They also brought out the best set list we've ever seen him do here.
Acoustic w/ Bill Shanley
I Need You
Autumn Almanac
Sunny Afternoon
Dead End Street
Waterloo Sunset
Dedicated Follower of Fashion
See My Friends
Apeman
A Long Way From Home
With The 88:
David Watts
Where Have All the Good Times Gone?
After the Fall
Nothing in the World Can Stop Me Worryin' About That Girl
Till the End of the Day
Full Moon
Misfits
20th Century Man
Celluloid Heroes
You Really Got Me
Encore:
Lola
All Day and All of the Night
The 88 doubled as an opening act, launching a set of tuneful pop that fell between '60s British Invasion and the rockier side of New Wave. Keith Slettedahl has an elastic blue-eyed soul range and a dramatic and lyrical flair that won over a crowd that probably didn't know one of their songs.
Mr. Davies came out acoustically with just his ace guitarist Bill Shanley, doing a high energy version of "I Need You," a comical romp through "Autumn Almanac" and a jolly good sing-along on "Sunny Afternoon." He stopped to greet the crowd and ponder, "Where are all the books?"
First Published November 5, 2011 12:00 am
