Micky Dolenz Made a Surprising Gesture That Brought the Entire Audience to Tears
On November 14, 2021, fans of The Monkees gathered at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles for what they knew would be a special evening — the final stop on The Monkees Farewell Tour, featuring Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz. What no one could have known that night was that it would also be Nesmith’s final performance, just weeks before his passing.
The evening was already charged with emotion. Nesmith, visibly frail but filled with heart, performed with grace, humor, and his unmistakable cool presence. Micky Dolenz, the last surviving member of the iconic quartet, led the show with energy and warmth, providing the connective thread between past and present for a generation of fans.
But in the final moments of the show — just as the band finished their emotional rendition of “I’m a Believer” and the crowd roared in gratitude — Micky Dolenz turned toward Michael and did something no one expected.
Instead of closing the show with a simple thank you, Dolenz walked to center stage, took Nesmith’s hand, and raised it toward the audience in a silent, powerful gesture of honor. The two men stood there, hand in hand, eyes glistening. Dolenz then stepped aside and bowed deeply to Michael, in front of thousands of fans who immediately rose to their feet.
The standing ovation lasted several minutes. But it wasn’t just applause — it was a collective moment of realization: that they were witnessing the end of a remarkable chapter in music history.
“You could feel it in the air,” said one fan who attended the show. “It wasn’t rehearsed. It wasn’t flashy. It was just love. It was Micky saying, ‘This man changed the world, and I wouldn’t be here without him.’”
Nesmith, touched by the gesture, placed his hand over his heart and nodded. It was one of his last public expressions on stage. Just 26 days later, on December 10, 2021, Michael Nesmith passed away peacefully at home, leaving behind a legacy that stretched far beyond his Monkees fame — as a songwriter, innovator, and pioneer of the music video format.
Micky Dolenz later reflected on the night in an interview:
“I knew it might be the last time we’d be up there together,” he said. “So I just wanted to give him the moment he deserved. Mike wasn’t one for big shows of emotion, but I think he knew. I think we both did.”
In that silent bow, in that hand raised high, Micky Dolenz said goodbye in a way only a bandmate, a brother, and a lifelong friend could.
And for those in the audience, it wasn’t just a concert — it was a farewell, a tribute, and a final bow for a legend who helped shape the soundtrack of an era.