Davies delves into a vintage songbook with fresh spirit

MUSIC REVIEW

November 25, 2011|By Sarah Rodman, Globe Staff

Ray Davies offered a diverse set list Wednesday, including Kinks hits. (Jim Dyson/Getty Images/File )

RAY DAVIES WITH THE DESSOFF CHAMBER CHOIR At: The Wilbur Theatre, Wednesday night

Onstage at the Wilbur Theatre Wednesday night, Ray Davies recalled a special Thanksgiving in Boston and proceeded to sing the dreamily wistful song it inspired, “Thanksgiving Day.’’ The tune speaks in part to the warmth that can derive from family gatherings.

No doubt the former Kinks leader and the sold-out crowd could relate as the nearly two-hour performance at times felt like a reunion of old friends.

That extended to a diverse set list crammed with classics from the Kinks catalog as well as deeper cuts. All were given a heroes’ welcome and most prompted enthusiastic singalongs encouraged by Davies himself. He bantered with audience members, read a passage from his memoir “X-Ray,’’ told stories about the songs, cracked a few jokes about the Kinks and brother Dave, and was in great voice, imbuing his vintage repertoire with fresh emotion.

The first set began with Davies and guitarist Bill Shanley working through several songs as a duo, including “I’m Not Like Everybody Else,’’ “Sunny Afternoon,’’ and “Waterloo Sunset.’’ The rest of his first-rate band emerged toward the end for a clutch of tunes, including a rollicking “20th Century Man’’ and “All Day and All of the Night.’’

The Dessoff Chamber Choir joined the group for the second set, performing selections from Davies’s 2009 “The Kinks Choral Collection’’ release, including a suite of songs from “The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society.’’ Although sometimes drowned out by the band or the highly vocal audience, the choir mostly enriched, deepening everything from the jaunty “Picture Book’’ to the swinging “Do You Remember Walter?’’ Curiously, Davies reprised two songs from the first set - “Victoria’’ and “Waterloo Sunset’’ - with the choir, which, given the depth of his catalog, was a disappointment.

At 67, Davies is beyond spry and he let loose happy feet throughout the night, literally kicking out the jams on tunes like the enduring rock classic “You Really Got Me’’ and a jubilant encore of “Low Budget.’’

Sarah Rodman can be reached at srodman@globe.com.