Hey, hey, he’s a Monkee. Or, used to be.
There was a time in the previous century that Micky Dolenz was among the world’s biggest TV and rock ‘n’ roll stars as a founding member of The Monkees. Currently, the drummer, singer and comic talent is headlining “Micky Dolenz: Songs & Stories” at 8 p.m. on Valentine’s Day at The Strat Theater. Tickets will go on sale midweek at The Strat box office.
Dolenz helped blaze a trail for music videos as part of The Monkees’ self-named TV series, which aired on NBC for two seasons, from Sept. 12, 1966, to March 25, 1968. The made-for-prime-time band recorded many top-selling hits, including “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m a Believer,” and “Daydream Believer.”
The Monkees became friendly of the superstars of the days, including The Beatles, who inspired the band’s video creativity with “A Hard Day’s Night.” (And impress your friends by knowing that “Fantasy” at Luxor producer Anita Mann is the featured dancer in the video for 1967’s “Cuddly Toy.”)
The versatile Dolenz’s solo releases include “King for a Day,” “Remember,” and “Micky Dolenz: Live at the Troubadour.” The show he’s performing at The Strat debuted this year, mixing music and storytelling. A night after his show at The Strat, he’s playing Edge Pavilion in Laughlin.
Adam Steck of SPI Entertainment has produced the similarly fashioned “RockTellz & Cocktails” series at Planet Hollywood about a decade ago, presenting Meat Loaf and the Jacksons in the autobiographical experience.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.