Ray Davies @ The EnmoreTheatre, Sydney (17/3/08)

Tue 18th Mar, 2008 in Gig Reviews

Four Englishmen and one Scandinavian walk into a theatre in Enmore on St. Patrick’s Day 2008. The eldest of the Englishmen is a singer, songwriter and performer of some note. The remainder of the band is simply brought along to fill the Enmore with volume.

This is not an Irish joke, because none of the folks were Irish, but I am sure some of the people in attendance had consumed a beverage or two. Responsibly, to be sure…It was a bit hard to tell, based on the majority of people sitting throughout a middling and muddling gig of Ray Davies and Kinks numbers. Once again a dozen or so people got up out of their seats to dance, closely watched, but not impeded by the security on this evening. When will it all end and we’ll have mandatory seat belts in venues?

The legendary rock and roll status given to Ray Davies is well deserved. Simply for writing rock classics such as Stop Your Sobbing, You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset, Lola, Tired Of Waiting, and many more, his piece of the history of rock is secure. Tonight Ray came along, with the aforementioned band, and presented us with two sets of music that touched on a number of songs from his last two releases. From Other Peoples Lives he gave us _After The Fall, Tourist and a splendid Next Door Neighbour. Working Man’s Café was represented by Vietnam Cowboys, One More Time, In A Moment and the title track.

Ray was able to cajole and prod the crowd into singing and they knew the words on the older songs. Ray jokingly mentioned that he was being fined ten dollars (by whom we don’t know, but possibly the semblance of a band behind him?) for each time he mentioned the name of The Kinks. He did praise The Kinks, and at the same time tried to give kudos to the band he had with him. Somehow I felt it was false praise, as he was touring with individuals who took more away from the songs then they added.

Ray played us renditions of Dead End Street, the poppy Come Dancing (with accordion accompaniment), All Day And All Of The Night, Tired Of Waiting and 20th Century Man.

The crowd enjoyed singing to Well Respected Man and Dedicated Follower Of Fashion. The former Ray told us was the song that broke the Kinks in the US (even though the Americans had no idea what the line “he likes his fags the best” really meant). Ray then asked us if we did not think that the latter was the silliest song we had ever heard. I must say it does rate, Mr. Davies.

Ray Davies will hopefully continue his observations of the human condition and penning some wonderful pop. But even after a crowd-stirring Lola at the end of the night, I was left with a flat sensation. The sound mix, the pacing of the gig and a band where Ray had to yell at the bass player “F! F!” during the second set, left me thinking a night in the presence of Ray solo would have been a much better presentation.

Thankfully, Ray left me laughing, as Fats Domino sang Walking To New Orleans through the PA at the end of the night. This was a tip of the hat to the city where he was shot in early 2004 attempting to resist a hold-up. Laughing at your own demons is a good thing, Ray, and it is good to still have you with us.