Concert Review - the Temptations and the Four Tops: 35 Years of Motown at the MTS Centre

I was more than a little apprehensive about buying tickets to this event. I was well aware that the original lead singers from the Temptations heyday (i.e. David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Dennis Edwards...) were long gone and had little interest in seeing a "tribute" act. But I read an Internet article that claimed the Four Tops line up had stayed relatively intact, so I purchased tickets on that strength.

Two days later, I read the headline, "Four Tops Frontman Levi Stubbs Dead!" OMG!!!! The tickets were non-refundable. I wasn't a happy camper! As it turned, Stubbs had not been singing with the band for some time. Obviously, I should have done my research more carefully.

Needless to say, I had a LOT of scepticism and some resentment going into the show. I feared seeing a lot of second-rate clones doing mediocre covers of beloved songs from my childhood. I'm happy to report - this DID NOT happen.

The backup group was very tight. They weren't the Funk Brothers (Motown's killer studio house band who played on all the great Motown records) but they had a popping rhythm section and real horns (not the synthesized variety) - a good omen to start the night.

Only Abdul "Duke" Fakir remains from the original Four Tops while Otis Williams is the sole survivor from the original Temptations' heyday. But the new line-ups did a surprisingly good job of the capturing the unmistakable moves, style, presentation, sense of fun, spirit and overall sound of these legendary Motown groups!

New Four Tops recruits included Theo Peoples (recruited from the Temptations), Ronnie McNeir and Roquel Payton (son of original Four Tops member Lawrence Payton). New Temptations recruits included Barry Williamson, Terry Weeks, Ron Tyson and Joe Herndon.

Granted, the late Four Tops' Levi Stubbs and the Temptations' Eddie Kendricks, and David Ruffin had arguably the most unique and powerful voices in the entire Motown stable and few could stand in their shoes. But the Tops lead singer Theo Peoples and the Temps' Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks and newest Temps recruit Bruce Williamson, fine lead singers in their own right (especially Williamson and Peoples), did a commendable job of interpreting the spirit of their legendary predecessors' vocal performances while still asserting their own style as lead vocalists. Buoyed by the strength of these strong vocal performances and the adept tutelage of original Tops/Temptation members Abdul Fakir and Otis Williams, the revamped Four Tops and Temptations served up hit after hit including Motown anthems such as "Standing in the Shadow of Love," "I Can't Help Myself, "Reach Out (I'll Be There)," "Papa Was A Rolling Stone," "Just My Imagination" and "My Girl." The songs maintained their instant familiarity, but were infused with enough subtle stylistic changes so that - although time worn - they still sounded fresh and vital.

Both bands had the MTS Centre crowd dancing and grooving like it was 1965 - and me with them!

R L Rheubottom