Dec 18, 2015: Kinks’ Davies Brothers Perform Together
by Best Classic Bands Staff
Ray Davies (L) performing “You Really Got Me” with brother Dave Davies in London, December 18, 2015 (Photo via Facebook account of Jonathan Wood)
For the first time in nearly 20 years, brothers Ray Davies and Dave Davies of The Kinks performed together on December 18, 2015, on a London stage. The song? No surprise: “You Really Got Me.”
A few months’ earlier, Best Classic Bands Contributor Jim Sullivan tipped BCB readers to the possibility when he spoke to Dave backstage after a Boston concert and asked him about the possibility of a Kinks reunion.
“You know me, I’m a journalist. I gotta ask: What are the chances of a Kinks reunion?”
Dave shrugged. “Fair,” he said. Sullivan’s story continues: Dave, who lives in New Jersey plans to fly over to London around Christmas and meet with older brother Ray.
Back to the December 18, 2015 performance at Islington Assembly Hall in North London… The concert was a regularly scheduled one-off date for Dave and his band.
Dave says to the audience: “We’ve got a Christmas treat for you” and out walks Ray. Later, Ray, finishing his lead vocal, shakes his brother’s hand, and walks off stage. Brother Dave later tweeted out (@davedavieskinks): We had a great night – it was a fun show – had a blast with Ray – Dave
Watch them perform an all-time classic rock favorite
The venue’s capacity is around 800 and you wonder if everyone in attendance knew that they were witnessing history. Here’s the same performance from a different (better?) angle…
Related: Will a Kinks reunion ever happen?
3 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationThat’s a start. Next comes Mick, and Rod (or Nobby) and Ian. This was such a head-banger! Glad I lived long enough to see it ~
The world is ready for a brand new KINKS album!!
I’m happy for all those many dyed-in-the-wool Kinks fans out there, as nothing would be better than an actual Kinks reunion, though our beloved Dave is not the force that he used to be, thanks to his stroke. My only lament is, is it possible for Ray to just perform, as the rock singer who wrote and recorded so many great songs, without fucking around while playing them live, and always being so preoccupied with audience participation? Ray, why do you think the freakin audiences are there in the first place? They already love you, there’s no need to “get them going.” There may be nothing worse than going to see a band do classic songs, and they ruin the presentation of those songs with the need to make get the audience involved, to make it a “show.” When I think of bands over the years, the Kinks may be the worst offenders, followed by Tom Petty, though I hate to say it. Whereas an incredible performer like Bruce Springsteen, just lays out all those songs you know and love, in classic fashion, certainly has the fans singing along, but doesn’t make a big friggin deal about it, as if you’re getting more for your ticket dollar by singing along while the band stops and listens. In my book, that’s just pure laziness by performers.