This is the story of the Ravens, who become The Kinks. It begins in London where they first gain a following. They set up their first record deal with four managers taking 10% each. Soon afterwards, they embark on their first tour of the US. The Teamsters and other unions immediately demand they pay their dues. At first they comply, but eventually they refuse. This results in them being banned from playing in America. 

The choreography by Adam Cooper is excellent. The dancers bring the stage and the whole theatre to life.  

The sound of the full concert scenes is much too loud for a musical. They hand out earplugs before the show, which work great for the loud parts, but make it too quiet for all the other scenes. Decreasing the volume of the concerts would be the best solution, but as it is, something easily removable such as noise-cancelling headphones is the best option. 

The music is the highlight of the show. They split their most popular song (over 380 million streams on Spotify), “You Really Got Me”, into two parts of the show. 

The final concert scene has “Lola”, which they releasd in 1970. “Well, I’m not the world’s most masculine man / But I know what I am and I’m glad I’m a man /  And so is Lola!” This is such a fantastic song that Weird Al Yankovich released a fantastic parody, “Yoda”, in 2009. 

Overall, it’s a very fun experience that showcases the music of The Kinks. 

Cost of a ticket: $97

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Discounted +

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Discounted > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for Sunny Afternoon through April 27th. 

Quinn Delaney