Ever wondered what a Monkees concert is like, but never been to one? Read on for my own personal tales. Anyone who has their own tale they'd like to include, please email me at _mars_@geocities.com with it. Make sure it is not too long, that way I can include as many tales on this page as possible.

The very first concert I ever went to was a Monkees concert on August 1st, 1997 in Merriville, Indiana (I was 18 at the time). This was a very magical experience, as well as emotional. And it would not have happened if it wasn't for my best friend, and fellow Monkee fanatic, Miki. Miki lives in Michigan, I live in British Columbia, Canada. Kinda far away. But because she lives near where many of the concerts were happening this summer (the east), I was able to stay with her and go to two shows.

Miki came to BC in late July and stayed with me and my mother for a while. Miki's parents and sister were making a trip, driving, out to BC, and because of this I was able to join them on their trip back to Michigan. Miki and I bought tickets to the Merriville, IN and the Pine Knob, MI shows.

The Merriville concert was a very magical one for me, both because it was my first, and because of the situation it was in. Miki and I bought the package deal: concert tickets, dinner, hotel room for one night, breakfast and some other coupons for use at the hotel. When Miki and I arrived, the Radisson Hotel's lobby was filled with people, some milling about, some reuniting with friends, some just enjoying the aptmosphere. If you looked closely, you could see that nearly everyone around you was a Monkee fan. There was a sort of "air" in the place... and air of expectancy, I think. Everyone was excited about what was going to happen that night.

We got our room key and tickets, then set out to explore the hotel. When you first walk into the Radisson, you see on your left a beautiful indoor waterfall, falling into an indoor pool. All around are tropical settings and tropical birds hang from the ceiling. The Khaki Lounge is just to the right of the pool (to the left if you are down on the deck). This lounge looks like a shack from a tropical beach resort. There is also an outdoor pool at the Radisson, a gift shop and two different kinds of restaurants (a very expensive one and a cafeteria-like one).

Before long Miki and I were joined by another Monkee fan, a friend of Miki's, and her mother. We had dinner together before the show (at the expensive restaurant because it was included with our package). From our room's window, we could see the Monkees' tour bus. It's a beautiful teal green bus with the red Monkees logo painted on the front.

When it was time to go to the concert, the halls were buzzing with excited fans going back and forth from rooms as they got ready. The auditorium is connected to the hotel, and all we had to do was go down a certain hallway to get to the show. Everywhere you looked there were people wearing Monkee shirts, buttons or dressed up in 60's fashions. The main hall before the doors to the seats was filled with people, trying to buy souveniors from two different booths. When you enter the auditorium, you can immediately see the huge white flags with the Monkees logo on them. The instruments are already set up on the stage, and various "roadies" are usually busy making sure everything is in it's place.

Our seats weren't the best, but they weren't that bad either. It seemed like forever before the concert began. They had some local magician as an opening act, and his act seemed to take forever to get over with. Finally the backing band took their places, the lights dimmed and the opening music (the theme song) faded in. Micky, Peter and Davy ran onto stage, picked up their instruments and broke into the first song. Seeing them on stage like this, live, was an incredible experience for me. When they came onto stage, I cried. As I watched them, I was over and over again amazed because I was actually there. They were actually there. Before May of this year, I did not think that I'd ever see them in person. Then it happened. First with Peter, then with Micky, Peter and Davy together.

The show itself was fantastic. The guys kept fooling around onstage and making jokes. They did a combined version of "Listen to the Band" and "The Porpoise Song" which was simply amazing. Micky sang "Goin' Down" and even let someone in the first row sing part of it in the microphone. I later met this guy at the Khaki Lounge, his online name is Mickster.

During Davy's solo song, "Girl", many girls would go to the stage with flowers and other gifts and give them to him. It was amazing the crowds of people that would flock to the stage. And Davy tried his best to accept every offering. Micky and Peter also received flowers, but not nearly as many as Davy did. I'll tell you that when Davy receives flowers he hands them out to people after the show.

Peter's main solo number was "I Believe You". He did a captivating interpretive dance while he sang it, and was so involved in the steps, he couldn't personally accept the flowers being brought to him. At the beginning of the show he did get a flower and he promptly bit the head off of it and spit the petals on the floor. I'd bet the stage hands loved that trick! Peter's solo number was "Lucille" and he did a great job with it.

Micky played drums for a lot of the show, but also had his time on the guitar, and just singing. He performed "Since I Fell For You" as his solo number. He had a great time pounding away on the kettle drum for "Randy Scouse Git". He was really enjoying himself playing drums again.

After the show, Miki and I hung around in the auditorium as long as we could. We met up with other Monkee fans Miki had met over the years. When we left the show, we wandered around the main floor of the lobby, hopping for Monkee sightings (they were also staying at the Radisson). We once heard rumor that Davy was in the adult bar, but missed him. Peter apparently stayed in his room, but we did meet up with Micky at the Khaki Lounge (more on that in the "Meeting Monkees" section).

The concert was absolutely fantastic, and if you've never been to a Monkees concert I truly hope you get the chance in the near future. I would never have gotten to go to one if I hadn't of gone to Michigan.

Any questions about this concert or the Pine Knob show? Email me! And if you have your own experiences you'd like to share, send them to me! _mars_@geocities.com