Review of Tempts/Tops Broadway show

[smark21]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/31/arts/music/the-temptations-and-the-four-tops-hit-broadway.html?ref=arts

[milven]

Thanks for posting this. I was wondering how they did last night. The review favors the Tempts.

It is difficult to see the 4 Tops without Levi, but Theo Peoples did a good job. I wonder why his stint was so short.

[jaybs]

Seems about right from the last time I saw both groups together in the UK, it saddened me as someone brought up on Levi, such a genuine true talent, that the group was just not the same, yes I liked Theo Peoples and I know Levi did. I took a few friends first time to see both groups and they were disappointed, again as mentioned in the review rushing through classics.

[milven]

By the way, while reading this week, one of the articles said that it is the group's second time to appear on Broadway. I follow Broadway fairly closely, but don't remember the TOPS AND TEMPS appearing there.

But I did a search and found this:

The Temptations / The Four Tops

Concert - Original

Minskoff Theatre

Data not verified
First Preview:
Opening Date: March 25, 1986
Closing Date: March 30, 1986
Previews: 0
Performances: 0


It looks like it was scheduled for six days, similar to the current concert. But it also shows that there were no performances and also there is no Playbill.

Is this something that was supposed to happen, but didn't? And if so, then why did I read this week [[I forget where) that this is the group's second time on Broadway? :confused::confused:

[milven]

I found another source and it also shows that this concert in 1986 never happened..
The theatre is one of the largest Broadway Theaters. Maybe they had a ticket a problem filling the seats back then too?

I don't remember this at all. Does anyone else in the area remember hearing about this at the time?

http://ibdb.com/production.php?id=4402

[edafan]

I have to agree with the reviewer. I don't like speeded up versions of original songs. As a musician, I want the original tempo. That's why I loved the funk brothers tours from 2000 to 2012. You got the original sound. In fact even David Ruffin Eddie K and Dennis Edwards, when they were together, tried to not do their original songs but newer stuff. People wanted the great songs at the original tempos. In the late 1990's I went to an oldies show which had the Spinners, but they sang the songs at a speeded up tempo. HORRIBLE
I even stated that fact to Heikki, who is an authority on these old groups.
By the way, my late brother in law was Joe McLellan, music critic for the Washington Post.

edafan

[reese]

I found another source and it also shows that this concert in 1986 never happened..
The theatre is one of the largest Broadway Theaters. Maybe they had a ticket a problem filling the seats back then too?

I don't remember this at all. Does anyone else in the area remember hearing about this at the time?

http://ibdb.com/production.php?id=4402

A playbill for the 1986 shows can be seen here:

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/playbill-autographed-by-the-temptations-the-four

[Bokiluis]

1)Honestly, I found it fantastic that The Tops remained the same entity for decades until transitioning made that an impossibility.
2)The revolving door that became The Temptations had a more chilling effect on me once Dennis Edwards departed the first time. Never chose to follow subsequent line-ups.
3)Even more intriguing was "RTL". To some it became the 8th Deadly Sin, despite the fact that the same fan/person being quite comfortable with any number of members being billed "The Temptations" and/or "The Four Tops".
[[For my personal taste, "RTL"@The Palace in Detroit, came as I could have ever hoped or dreamt...in light of Flo's virtually not being able to attend). The fact that some configuration of these groups and other Motown acts still able to bring musical joy and memories for well over a half century to hundreds of thousands of fans annually is nothing short of a blessing.
Happy New Year!!!

[marv2]

1)Honestly, I found it fantastic that The Tops remained the same entity for decades until transitioning made that an impossibility.
2)The revolving door that became The Temptations had a more chilling effect on me once Dennis Edwards departed the first time. Never chose to follow subsequent line-ups.
3)Even more intriguing was "RTL". To some it became the 8th Deadly Sin, despite the fact that the same fan/person being quite comfortable with any number of members being billed "The Temptations" and/or "The Four Tops".
[[For my personal taste, "RTL"@The Palace in Detroit, came as I could have ever hoped or dreamt...in light of Flo's virtually not being able to attend). The fact that some configuration of these groups and other Motown acts still able to bring musical joy and memories for well over a half century to hundreds of thousands of fans annually is nothing short of a blessing.
Happy New Year!!!

RTL was a farce and was deservedly cancelled!

[honest man]

RTL was a farce and was deservedly cancelled!

what a STUPID COMMENT,

[smark21]

Well so much for starting the new year at this forum on a positive step.

[honest man]

well so much for starting the new year at this forum on a positive step.exactly what i thought the usual suspect at it already.

[milven]

Well so much for starting the new year at this forum on a positive step.

And below is the first negative comment of the year which also turns this thread into a defend Diana thread. Shame on us - me included - for falling into the trap.



RTL was a farce and was deservedly cancelled!

But , I'll get back to topic.

Reese, thanks for providing the Playbill e-bay link . I still wonder if the show was ever presented.

[marv2]

what a STUPID COMMENT,

Well, you responded so evidently you completely understood what I said........

[marv2]

And below is the first negative comment of the year which also turns this thread into a defend Diana thread. Shame on us - me included - for falling into the trap.



But , I'll get back to topic.

Reese, thanks for providing the Playbill e-bay link . I still wonder if the show was ever presented.

It's not negative. It's true. RTL was a poor concept and should have never went out in front of the public. The public and the fans had the last word. It was soundly rejected and subsequently cancelled!

[supremester]

I agree: it's cool that there are versions of the groups out there for those that want them. I had a jumping off point with The Tempts, Tops and Supremes, but I'll go see The FLOS. Dennis' group and some individuals. RTL for me was strange because of no Flo and really I had no desire to see Mary & Miss Ross together as I didn't think the vibe was clean, so I was OK with the lineup, but Mary sure wasn't LOL. The irony is that the last night of RTL made 30% more than Mary did that entire year. Everyone has their principles, Mary & Miss Ross had their reunion and all is well. Miss Ross works, Martha works, Mary does her various gigs and is quite the survivor: her reg show she is headlining in Vegas this month at The Suncoast, Up Close, Lena Horne and the six song set she does on tour with Bill Wyman. Brenda & the Velvelettes still work - it's just great that people can see who they want or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

I think the marketing strategy for the Tempts/Tops show is the way of the future: charge high prices and even if it's sold at 50-75% off, you can still make a profit.
https://d12edgf4lwbh8j.cloudfront.net/event/poster/TheTemptations.jpg
Discount up to 20%
The Temptations and The Four Tops On Broadway Tickets For the first time ever, for seven nights only, the Temptations and the Four Tops join together live on Broadway at the legendary Palace Theatre.




Discount Offers on The Temptations and The Four Tops On Broadway Tickets Tickets just $42 - $70
Valid for performances through December 29 through January 4, 2015






1)Honestly, I found it fantastic that The Tops remained the same entity for decades until transitioning made that an impossibility.
2)The revolving door that became The Temptations had a more chilling effect on me once Dennis Edwards departed the first time. Never chose to follow subsequent line-ups.
3)Even more intriguing was "RTL". To some it became the 8th Deadly Sin, despite the fact that the same fan/person being quite comfortable with any number of members being billed "The Temptations" and/or "The Four Tops".
[[For my personal taste, "RTL"@The Palace in Detroit, came as I could have ever hoped or dreamt...in light of Flo's virtually not being able to attend). The fact that some configuration of these groups and other Motown acts still able to bring musical joy and memories for well over a half century to hundreds of thousands of fans annually is nothing short of a blessing.
Happy New Year!!!

[marv2]

I agree: it's cool that there are versions of the groups out there for those that want them. I had a jumping off point with The Tempts, Tops and Supremes, but I'll go see The FLOS. Dennis' group and some individuals. RTL for me was strange because of no Flo and really I had no desire to see Mary & Miss Ross together as I didn't think the vibe was clean, so I was OK with the lineup, but Mary sure wasn't LOL. The irony is that the last night of RTL made 30% more than Mary did that entire year. Everyone has their principles, Mary & Miss Ross had their reunion and all is well. Miss Ross works, Martha works, Mary does her various gigs and is quite the survivor: her reg show she is headlining in Vegas this month at The Suncoast, Up Close, Lena Horne and the six song set she does on tour with Bill Wyman. Brenda & the Velvelettes still work - it's just great that people can see who they want or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

I think the marketing strategy for the Tempts/Tops show is the way of the future: charge high prices and even if it's sold at 50-75% off, you can still make a profit.
https://d12edgf4lwbh8j.cloudfront.net/event/poster/TheTemptations.jpg
Discount up to 20%
The Temptations and The Four Tops On Broadway Tickets For the first time ever, for seven nights only, the Temptations and the Four Tops join together live on Broadway at the legendary Palace Theatre.




Discount Offers on The Temptations and The Four Tops On Broadway Tickets Tickets just $42 - $70
Valid for performances through December 29 through January 4, 2015

Are the FLO's still performing?

[jobeterob]

There are regular Facebook postings for the FLOS in concert.

I wouldn't mind seeing any of these people even if they are now in small venues that still don't sell out.

Some of them are reduced to tribute shows. Some of the originals singers sound worse than the tribute shows.

The prices are often pretty decent.

Haven't the FLOS just redone Up the Ladder to the Roof to raise money for Cindy Birdsong?

I think some of that has been removed from SD by request.

[marv2]

There are regular Facebook postings for the FLOS in concert.

I wouldn't mind seeing any of these people even if they are now in small venues that still don't sell out.

Some of them are reduced to tribute shows. Some of the originals singers sound worse than the tribute shows.

The prices are often pretty decent.

Haven't the FLOS just redone Up the Ladder to the Roof to raise money for Cindy Birdsong?

I think some of that has been removed from SD by request.

The Flo's do concerts in the United States?

[supremester]

The FLOS work in The US and abroad. They've recently been to Europe and Austrailia. They do some gigs here - mostly private. They have other projects they work on as well so only accept lucrative gigs at this point. They have fab new gowns and fab new luggage!

[vgalindo]

That was a stupid comment. RTL was a magnificent show. Top quality with the original lead singer who sang lead on all the hits!!

[smark21]

Any mention of Return to Love always brings up negativity, anger and contention here. And the one who initially raised the subject here knew what impact it would have as he's noted for being passive aggressive in his posts. And many of the usual suspects jumped in to fight on this topic again. It's like waving red in front of a bull.

Getting back to the topic at hand, did anyone attend the Tempts/Tops show at The Palace? I believe it ends its run this weekend.

[juicefree20]

Earlier today I spoke with Billy Bannister [[Road Manager) of The Temptations & Ronnie McNeir of The Four Tops & today [[Sunday) was the last day.

They wanted to hold them over but The Temptations had prior engagements, so it wasn't possible.

[jobeterob]

Why would they be asked to hold over if they had to offer discounts and if they did not sell well??

What's the logic?

[skooldem1]

Maybe it was to recoup?

[smark21]

Ever hear of a concept called "saving face"?

[nysister]

Earlier today I spoke with Billy Bannister [[Road Manager) of The Temptations & Ronnie McNeir of The Four Tops & today [[Sunday) was the last day.

They wanted to hold them over but The Temptations had prior engagements, so it wasn't possible.

Thank you Juice! I'm so glad they wanted to hold them over. It not a surprise that tickets were discounted as the average ticket on Broadway is $105.00, and regular theatre goers seek various avenues for discount tickets. The only show on Broadway you will never find a discount for is The Lion King.

[supremester]

I just spoke with Eric. The FLOs and their new gowns [[I'll post a pic when I find it) have been quite busy with corporate gigs, have a bunch of dates in Jan/Feb then are off to Belgium, Switzerland and some other countries. They will be doing Europe this summer with Dennis.
Are the FLO's still performing?

[juicefree20]

JobeteRob,

That is a question that I can't answer. However, is the venue discounting tickets or are ticket brokers discounting them?

If the brokers are, the venue doesn't care because they've already made their money. If the brokers pull the usual nonsense that they do here in N.Y.C. by inflating ticket prices, then they may have to adjust THEIR prices so that they don't take a bath for having been overly greedy.

All that I know is that they were asked to be held over & I spoke with Ronnie McNeir & Billy Bannister separately & they both told me that their run couldn't be extended because The Temptations had prior commitments.

The only difference between what they both had to say is that Billy told me where they were appearing next & that promoter isn't very interested in The Temptations blowing off his show so that they can do extended shows on Broadway.

That's the best answer that I have regarding this situation.

[juicefree20]

You're welcome NYSister.

On the way to the Memorial for Blue Lovett, I spoke with a friend who said that he wanted to go to the show, but was quoted a price of $200 for Orchestra seats. At that price, I can see why discounts may have been offered.

Seriously, after spending money on Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year, $200 seats may be a bit much for the average music lover. When you consider how brokers snatch up nearly half of the tickets before the general public gets to buy them [[every try to get good seats to a sports event in N.Y.C. or even Jersey!!!), getting good seats at a fair price can be difficult here in N.Y.C.

[milven]

There are no shows scheduled for THE PALACE til March, so extending the show is probably better than leaving it empty.

My feeling is that the show did well but with discounts, but probably not as well as some expected

[smark21]

Here's a thread on discounts being offered for the show. Apparently one could go up to the box office window of the Palace and say I want a discount and you could get it, if you asked for it. Doesn't sound like a discount offered by a third party seller trying to unload tix.

http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?13322-HUGE-Discounts-on-Tempts-n-Tops-on-Broadway

[juicefree20]

And the thread that you're referring to transpired at least 3 days before the show opened, which suggests that the advance sales weren't brisk, perhaps a bit overpriced & that might be the reason for the discounts.

Now if you can provide us with some numbers as regards the attendance & actual dollars earned, that would give a more complete picture than speculation which occurred 3 days before they show opened.

[juicefree20]

And the thread that you're referring to transpired at least 3 days before the show opened, which suggests that the advance sales weren't brisk, perhaps a bit overpriced & that might be the reason for the discounts.

Now if you can provide us with some numbers as regards the attendance & actual dollars earned, that would give a more complete picture than speculation which occurred 3 days before the show opened.

[milven]

The show grossed $ 800,000 out of a potential $ 1,300,000, which was 63% of potential gross.

The average ticket price was $ 93 [[ I think that includes discounted tickets)
Top ticket price was $ 240

They sold 8800 seats out of 12000 for the week

75 % of the seats were sold for the run.

The figures are pretty good and comparable to some other shows on Broadway. The Tops did much better with this New Year's teaming with the Tempts than they did last year with their New Years Show.

And I have to admit that they did much better than I expected.

But I can't wait for THE PALACE THEATRE to go back to legit in March , when they will present a revival of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

[jobeterob]

I think that is pretty good for two acts from the 60's. And I firmly believe those acts can vastly outsell Martha Reeves and Mary Wilson. They can still sing very strongly and sound more like the 60's acts they are replicating. Reeves and Wilson have nostalgic appeal because they were once part of something so popular; but neither of them sound like the acts they came from; Wilson does a better job of replicating the Supremes sound with her backups than Reeves does. But they still do a wonderful job and are wonderful women to be admired for being such troopers and continuing with their craft.

Tempts and Tops did well.

[RobertZ]

It was nice to read mainly positive reviews in the New York area press, with some downright raves for the Temps and their current lead singer [[sorry - forgot his name). I wonder: did ticket sales pick up after reviews came out? I've had no interest in the show due to paucity of original members, but now I would consider seeing the show somewhere to hear the Temps -

[supremester]

I'm glad people enjoy their show so much, I can't. To me, it's like having Julie Andrews from a Supremes Tribute Act - yeah, she sings very well, but.................it's not my cup 'o joe.

The gross for the week was quite acceptable for all concerned - they banked on TKS and the like doing the heavy lifting and it worked perfectly. I'd love to know the split - I hope the groups got a percentage - SOMEONE made bank on this with almost no nut.

[milven]

It was nice to read mainly positive reviews in the New York area press, with some downright raves for the Temps and their current lead singer [[sorry - forgot his name). I wonder: did ticket sales pick up after reviews came out? I've had no interest in the show due to paucity of original members, but now I would consider seeing the show somewhere to hear the Temps -

I guess they are taking it on the road. They will be in Englewood, NJ in March [[that's just over the GW Bridge).

It is a nice sized theatre and they have a lot of concerts there by "seasoned" performers like Manhattans, Whispers, Diana, Gladys, Tom Jones & Mary Wilson [[but her show was cancelled)

http://www.bergenpac.org/events/detail/the-temptations-and-the-four-tops-1

[jobeterob]

Now, was this final concert you mention "Tom Jones & Mary Wilson" and it was cancelled? Or was it the final mention "Mary Wilson" and it was cancelled?

Guessing it wasn't another get together for old times sake.

[RobertZ]

Now, was this final concert you mention "Tom Jones & Mary Wilson" and it was cancelled? Or was it the final mention "Mary Wilson" and it was cancelled?

Guessing it wasn't another get together for old times sake.
............

[milven]

Now, was this final concert you mention "Tom Jones & Mary Wilson" and it was cancelled? Or was it the final mention "Mary Wilson" and it was cancelled?

Guessing it wasn't another get together for old times sake.

Hmmm! A missing coma. No. Mary was to perform one show there in November but because of poor sales , it was cancelled. Probably a good thing since she was appearing somewhere in Europe at the time and would have to fly in to do one show then fly back out.

A Tom Jones and Mary Wilson concert ! Sounds interesting :)