Review of Mary Wilson/4 Tops Holiday Spectacular in Chicago

[luke]

Sounds like 2 different shows-the print reviews were quite glowing overall.

[marv2]

Sounds like 2 different shows-the print reviews were quite glowing overall.

Amazing isn't it? LOL!

[jobeterob]

A Motown train wreck?

[stephanie]

Good to hear that Mary and Duke are doing well. They definitely have a chemistry together.

[stephanie]

Mary and Duke singing at the show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIsCaA4ZfkA

[marv2]

Mary and Duke singing at the show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIsCaA4ZfkA

They sound so, so good together and I am thrilled that people are loving this show. I knew Mary was going to be great in it.

[smark21]

I did find it odd that this holiday show got a two week booking. In NYC, both Darlene Love and Ronnie Spector have been performing holiday shows for decades now, but they limit it to a performance or two in the area, not a two week run at a theater. This holiday spectacular should have been booked for a weekend in Chicago with perhaps additional dates in Milwaukee and Detroit. OH well, it got good reviews, the people who attended seem to have enjoyed themselves and it has caused at least one Diana Ross fan on youtube named Wizboy to have an emotional meltdown and he's now issuing death threats against Mary Wilson and her fans on the comments page for Mary's performance of I Hear a Symphony.

[REDHOT]

Like i said,some of these fans are really sick,they can take things too far,it is what it is lol

[supremester]

I agree - it seemed crazy to book it so long and at ridiculous prices. Radio City isn't 172.00 and was sending out constant email bargains. Maybe Christmas Spectaculars aren't so big anymore.I wish I had seen it as it would be fun to Mary in her full blown splendor in a big production.

I haven't been youtubing lately so I don't know Wizboy - have a link to the threats? [[Although, of all the songs I don't want to hear Mary do, Symphony is on top of the list.)

[Roberta75]

I did find it odd that this holiday show got a two week booking. In NYC, both Darlene Love and Ronnie Spector have been performing holiday shows for decades now, but they limit it to a performance or two in the area, not a two week run at a theater. This holiday spectacular should have been booked for a weekend in Chicago with perhaps additional dates in Milwaukee and Detroit. OH well, it got good reviews, the people who attended seem to have enjoyed themselves and it has caused at least one Diana Ross fan on youtube named Wizboy to have an emotional meltdown and he's now issuing death threats against Mary Wilson and her fans on the comments page for Mary's performance of I Hear a Symphony.

That youtube is a haven for crazies and cowards. You know good and well theyd never make death threats or spew homophobic hate if they was face to face with someone. smh at how pitiful and evil some people are. May they find the good Lord someday soon and askforgiveness and lead a richer and purer life.

Roberta

[jobeterob]

So has this show stopped completely?

[supremester]

Sad, isn't it? But maybe it's a good outlet for sissies with big words to mask their cowardice through this phoney bravado rather than trying to feel big n bad by blowing away people in movie theaters etc. Sadly, they are so consumed by other's lives that they don't realize how much trouble and angst they create for their special stars. I'm sure Miss Ross would be horrified by Wizboy and we all know how low Mary thinks of these perpetrators. Maybe the new year will bring these misfits closer to heaven!

That youtube is a haven for crazies and cowards. You know good and well theyd never make death threats or spew homophobic hate if they was face to face with someone. smh at how pitiful and evil some people are. May they find the good Lord someday soon and askforgiveness and lead a richer and purer life.

Roberta

[REDHOT]

lol This is sooo Funny,these people post things,bein' nice,and nasty at the same time LMAO

[marv2]

Photos from Mary's opening number.........

[smark21]

I agree - it seemed crazy to book it so long and at ridiculous prices. Radio City isn't 172.00 and was sending out constant email bargains. Maybe Christmas Spectaculars aren't so big anymore.I wish I had seen it as it would be fun to Mary in her full blown splendor in a big production.

I haven't been youtubing lately so I don't know Wizboy - have a link to the threats? [[Although, of all the songs I don't want to hear Mary do, Symphony is on top of the list.)

Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_mtlGs8_F4

[jobeterob]

Did they get a couple hundred people out to the shows?

Are there any more scheduled?

[jobeterob]

The song Smark posted isn't bad really; she just can't reach a lot of the notes. She should turn up the background or maybe get some Andantes.

[Roberta75]

Photos from Mary's opening number.........

Those gowns are real pretty. Thanks for sharing marv2.

Roberta

[Roberta75]

Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_mtlGs8_F4

The filthy writing is real disgusting so i urge every decent person not to read these comments. They are enough to sicken any decent people.

Shame on all who wrote them.

Roberta

[smark21]

Did they get a couple hundred people out to the shows?

Are there any more scheduled?

I have no idea of what attendance is. The show will end its run Sunday, as scheduled. Frankly the producers should not have booked Mary and the 4 Tops as their headliners for the prices they were initially asking for and the run they were booked for. Holiday shows are geared toward a family audience and most people who are raising kids right now grew up with 80s, 90s and early 00's acts as their music stars. Perhaps a bill with Toni Braxton and Babyface would have done better than Mary and 4 Tops. If Mary gets any sort of Las Vegas residency gig in the near future, I suspect it will be as a lounge act at one of the casinos in the area that caters to the locals, especially the retiree population, and not a strip gig as popularity wise, Mary Wilson is not in the same league as Britney Spears.

[supremester]

UGH That can't be for real. He's jut like Marv only in The Bizarro World. I was told by one of The Rossers that the ugly Mary fans had been warned they had until Jan 1 to cease or they were gonna get it back ten times..... I forgot about it until now and I don't recall this screen name before. I'll see if I know who it is. I'm embarrassed if I do. It's been a while since I read these people and I kind of, in my dementia, thought it was over. GEEEESH

Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_mtlGs8_F4

[smark21]

The fact that there are "fans" who engage in such youtube flame wars is just sad and pathetic. Wizkid should be locked up in a padded cell.

[jobeterob]

I haven't looked at what these people are currently writing but it seems to me I saw one of Marv's Youtube handles at the top of the list when I watched I Hear A Symphony. But it was a nice comment.

It's not worth bothering with Youtube comments but isn't Youtube committed to some kind of clean up?

Smarks comments about make sense; Mary's presentation was ill thought out and she seems to know that and isn't very happy with what they got her involved in. She should find a spot in Las Vegas, even if it is a smaller spot and be comfortable there ~ that would be a great retirement income, in a fixed spot and avoid a lot of travelling.

[supremester]

Marv doesn't rant ugly, hateful, homophobic remarks on Mary clips unless someone says something negative about Mary.

We discussed the massive undertaking of this show [[expense, # of shows) it's no blight on Mary - just poor or over zealous dreams by the producers. I think Supremes & Four Tops or, better, Supremes & Temptations could do a small room like The Flamingo where Gladys was [[and Donny & Marie are currently) and run infefinitely - but at better prices [[45-75) Mary will never get the name but if she hooked up with 2 other Supremes, a case could be made. If I were MCA, I'd want SML or SMS or JML or JMS or JSL working steadily in Vegas and, with Dennis' group, selling CD's right there. They could move a thousand CDs a week and fill a small room like The Flamingo easily.

[jobeterob]

Yes, they could.

Do they really want to work 5 days a week? Or not that often?

[supremester]

I think each group could do 40 minutes - including TCB opener and I'm Gonna Make You Love Me at the end or middle......5-6 days a week no problem. They could even spell Donny & Marie for 2-4 weeks at a time. They'd do 6 nights in a row and be dark Tuesdays probably. I think it would sell well. It would be great for Mary - she could keep her house and have steady work with no travel. Part of the issue in Chicago is that Mary isn't that well known and only by the aging, creaking children of the 60's. Duke Fakir has not even a tenth of Mary's name recognition, so John Q Public has no reason to go.

I can't understand why MCA won't let The Flos use the name - it's a Supremes act.

[Roberta75]

Come on all you midwest Motown fans lets give Miss Mary Wilson and Mr Duke Fakir sold out shows this weekend. Half price tickets for real good seats availlable so pass this link on to your familes and friends. These Motown legends deserves to go out on a high note so email this link to all your Chicago family and friend.

http://www.goldstar.com/events/chica...-the-four-tops

Roberta

[jobeterob]

After the crowds they've got thus far, these are not going to be sellouts, regardless of choirs and all and special guests.

I assume all Christmas music is now dropped out of any show because people generally want to move on to the new year, new things.

Mary Wilson looked pretty tired or worn down in some of those last pictures Marv posted.

[Roberta75]

After the crowds they've got thus far, these are not going to be sellouts, regardless of choirs and all and special guests.

I assume all Christmas music is now dropped out of any show because people generally want to move on to the new year, new things.

Mary Wilson looked pretty tired or worn down in some of those last pictures Marv posted.

I thought Mary looked real well and real pretty in the photos marv2 post and her gowns were spectacullar. The Christmas season last until Epiphany which is on January 6th so I hope Mary kep the Christmas songs in the show until closing night.

Roberta

[smark21]

Good point Roberta about Epiphany which is what the 12 days of Christmas is about, from a secular point of view. Also, Baby It's Cold Outside it's not really a Christmas song, it's more of a winter song. Ironically though, the song was first performed by Ricardo Montalban and Esther Williams [[or her vocal double) in the Williams swimming musical Fiesta.

[stephanie]

For 69 or 70 this woman [[Mary) looks great! She sounds pretty good doing Symphony I dont like to hear her doing Love Child...

[marv2]

Mary looks absolutely gorgeous as usual.......

[marv2]

One final, parting shot of Queen Mary and her Court courtesy of Anthony Bruno!

[stephanie]

Great pic.

[LuvHangOva]

First of all I have to say that I am not a fan of Mary Wilson. I. dom't feel the need to defend or expound upon that ..... but .....I AM a fan of all things glamourous so I gotta say this is the most INCREDIBLE picture of Miss Wilson that I've seen in the FIFTY YEARS that I have known who she is!!! Rita Hayworth, Marlene Dietrich...say hello to Miss Mary Wilson!!!