THE SUPREMES January 17th 1976 Live at Beverly Hills Supper Club, Kentucky

[blackguy69]

one of the last shows with Cindy

[daviddh]

Good talent but, I think the show needs retooling.
Not sure who was the mgmt or conductor but the Broadway standards gotta go.

[blackguy69]

Set List:1. Overture/Introduction2. We've Only Just Begun/Tonight3. The Way We Were/Maybe This Time4. Floy Joy5. Stoned Love6. Dialogue/Talking7. The Supremes' 60's Medley8. My World Is Empty [[Without You)9. Cherry Pie10. Tossing & Turning/Band Intros11. A Song For You/How Lucky Can You Get - Mary Wilson [[solo)12. He's My Man13. I Hear A Symphony - Overture/closing

[blackguy69]

Set List:1. Overture/Introduction2. We've Only Just Begun/Tonight3. The Way We Were/Maybe This Time4. Floy Joy5. Stoned Love6. Dialogue/Talking7. The Supremes' 60's Medley8. My World Is Empty [[Without You)9. Cherry Pie10. Tossing & Turning/Band Intros11. A Song For You/How Lucky Can You Get - Mary Wilson [[solo)12. He's My Man13. I Hear A Symphony - Overture/closing.

[blackguy69]

Set List:1. Overture/Introduction2. We've Only Just Begun/Tonight3. The Way We Were/Maybe This Time4. Floy Joy5. Stoned Love6. Dialogue/Talking7. The Supremes' 60's Medley8. My World Is Empty [[Without You)9. Cherry Pie10. Tossing & Turning/Band Intros11. A Song For You/How Lucky Can You Get - Mary Wilson [[solo)12. He's My Man13. I Hear A Symphony - Overture/closing.

[blackguy69]

Truth be told only 2 songs were actual broadway songs unless you’re counting the 2 Streisand songs.

[marybrewster]

One thing I noticed with this list [and likely others in the 70's, but perhaps never paid that much attention] is the amount of "slow" songs, or ballads in the set. You've got a decent opening with "We've Only Just Begun", and you should be getting the crowd on their feet and into "party" mode.....but then you follow it up with "The Way We Were"? What a dud.

[lakeside]

Beverly Hills Supper Club fire - Wikipedia

When I read about the Beverly Hills Supper Club, I got the chills and had a flashback.
My parents and I were almost at that show. I was living in Columbus, Ohio then and a lot of people from Columbus would go down for shows. My mom was a fan of John Davidson and I thought it'd be a treat to take my parents to see him [[no treat for me, LOL!) I was on the phone to get tickets when my mom said....no, I think it'd be too much for the limited time they would be there [[they were visiting). I was disappointed and almost tried talking her into it. The next morning, we woke up to the news. There was silence in the room. Actually, I don't think we ever talked about it. It's one of those 'what if's' in life. Glad The Supremes were not there that night. Could have been another one of those 'what ifs'.

[sup_fan]

while of course i love getting these rare tapes, it puzzling as to how and why they organized the show like they did.

basically all tracks from Sup 75 were gone except HMM and of course HE hadn't been recorded all yet so there was nothing new to promote. but they could have done Where Do I Go From Here and other tunes

they had just spend a lot of money for Holder to update the show with the Dream sequence. and yet it's cut too. But of course those mushy MOR tunes like The Way We Were, We've Only Just Begun and Maybe This Time are here and accounted for

[reese]

while of course i love getting these rare tapes, it puzzling as to how and why they organized the show like they did.

basically all tracks from Sup 75 were gone except HMM and of course HE hadn't been recorded all yet so there was nothing new to promote. but they could have done Where Do I Go From Here and other tunes

they had just spend a lot of money for Holder to update the show with the Dream sequence. and yet it's cut too. But of course those mushy MOR tunes like The Way We Were, We've Only Just Begun and Maybe This Time are here and accounted for

I haven't listened to this performance. But noting the venue, the setlist doesn't seem all that surprising. I'm sure there were always die-hards in the audience. But I suspect many could have been casual fans who went out to hear the Supremes' greatest hits. Pulling out WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE and other tracks from the recent [unsuccessful] album probably would have brought the show to a dead halt.

[sup_fan]

I haven't listened to this performance. But noting the venue, the setlist doesn't seem all that surprising. I'm sure there were always die-hards in the audience. But I suspect many could have been casual fans who went out to hear the Supremes' greatest hits. Pulling out WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE and other tracks from the recent [unsuccessful] album probably would have brought the show to a dead halt.

yeah but they didn't even really do their old hits. there was no 70s medley, only the 1 60s one. i agree that the tunes from Sup 75 that were added to the show weren't spectacular but why put Tossing and Cherry Pie in when those had been done all the way back in 73. and these big blocks of mary ballads also drags the show down too.

interestingly though, someone shared a little while ago a clip of MSS at the Royal Hawaiian for Susaye's debut. they did Tossin and i was like "Really?!?!?!" but at least there was some precedent for using it again.

and maybe it was just a way to change things up. They'd been using This Is Why as the big exciting closer and band introduction. maybe every few months they swaps the tunes in and out.

they had added Body Heat in the fall with the Holder show. i thought that was a good tune. should have been in the act longer

[reese]

yeah but they didn't even really do their old hits. there was no 70s medley, only the 1 60s one. i agree that the tunes from Sup 75 that were added to the show weren't spectacular but why put Tossing and Cherry Pie in when those had been done all the way back in 73. and these big blocks of mary ballads also drags the show down too.

interestingly though, someone shared a little while ago a clip of MSS at the Royal Hawaiian for Susaye's debut. they did Tossin and i was like "Really?!?!?!" but at least there was some precedent for using it again.

and maybe it was just a way to change things up. They'd been using This Is Why as the big exciting closer and band introduction. maybe every few months they swaps the tunes in and out.

they had added Body Heat in the fall with the Holder show. i thought that was a good tune. should have been in the act longer

They did pull out two of their 70s hits, STONED LOVE and FLOY JOY, although the latter seems to be just a snippet. Perhaps they should have added UP THE LADDER TO THE ROOF as well.

Re CHERRY PIE and TOSSING AND TURNING, we all know they kept routines for years. I'm surprised they didn't do SOMEWHERE [[LOL). But TOSSING was also probably well-known to audience because of recent TV oldies ads. I know I heard it a lot during that time. Plus it was also an arrangement they already had.

[Spreadinglove21]

At least it shows that the Magic Genie wasn't performed at all their gigs. But given that it wasn't performed that night, then why was it performed after Susaye joined the group, what with the genie asking Cindy who she wanted to be?

[Boogiedown]

This is a down in the ditches, rather informal type gathering, with ample banter and crowd participation ......perfectly suited for a 'Beverly Hills' crowd ..... Kentucky style ! Supper club perfection. Makes me want a double scotch and a cigarette.

I love it!

[sup_fan]

They did pull out two of their 70s hits, STONED LOVE and FLOY JOY, although the latter seems to be just a snippet. Perhaps they should have added UP THE LADDER TO THE ROOF as well.

Re CHERRY PIE and TOSSING AND TURNING, we all know they kept routines for years. I'm surprised they didn't do SOMEWHERE [[LOL). But TOSSING was also probably well-known to audience because of recent TV oldies ads. I know I heard it a lot during that time. Plus it was also an arrangement they already had.

good point. American Graffiti came out in 73 and Happy Days launched in 74. so i guess there was a bit of a 50s wave of nostalgia going on. so maybe it's not as out of place as we might guess.

i was surprised to hear Floy Joy although they only do verse 1 and some of 2. about what they would have done in the 70s medley they did in japan.

[RanRan79]

You know who else had these kinds of setlists at the time? The Three Degrees.

When you think on the 70s, there really aren't more than a handful of female groups to speak of in the same breath as the Supremes. From what I can tell, groups like the Pointers, Emotions, Labelle, they had more hip, exciting shows. Even with the Pointers original "gimmicky" throwback style, they spun it in a hip, exciting way. I'm a huge Love Unlimited fan, but I haven't seen much live stuff from them, other than a handful of performances, usually as an opening act to Barry White. I don't know if they ever toured alone and what a whole Love Unlimited show was made of.

But the Supremes and the 3D both often had showtunes and throwback covers in their act. I do think the 3D did better incorporating their singles than the 70s Supremes did. I've often wondered if the reason the 3D weren't much bigger stars in the US is because they not only followed the Supremes' route of a Vegasy type act, but they also were extremely glamorous in a sort of old fashion way, much like the Supremes, as opposed to Labelle or the Emotions.

[blackguy69]

I agree with how this show was seen. You even hear Mary say we’re not doing our planned show and kinda do an impromptu show.

This is a down in the ditches, rather informal type gathering, with ample banter and crowd participation ......perfectly suited for a 'Beverly Hills' crowd ..... Kentucky style ! Supper club perfection. Makes me want a double scotch and a cigarette.

I love it!

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

good point. American Graffiti came out in 73 and Happy Days launched in 74. so i guess there was a bit of a 50s wave of nostalgia going on. so maybe it's not as out of place as we might guess.

i was surprised to hear Floy Joy although they only do verse 1 and some of 2. about what they would have done in the 70s medley they did in japan.

Don't forget that '50s-based TV show Sha-Na-Na. I never really got into the show but it was a nice time-filler. I have a vague recollection that the '50s were big in the '70s. As you already said, "American Graffiti" and "Happy Days" were huge. I recently read up on Sha-Na-Na the TV show as well as the group and I guess there WAS a healty bit of nostalgia going on for the Fifties. Those guys were out on tours, playing to large crowds hungry for a taste of their younger days. Plus, I remember a lot of albums being hawked on television filled with '50s hits. So the Supremes must have been tapping into that.

[sup_fan]

if nothing else, the Dream sequence did [[finally) change up the format of the girls' show. most of the 70s shows were relatively cookie cutter formats of what they mostly did in the 60s. sure specific songs were changed out but the general structure didn't.

the group had the collaborations with Smokey, JW and Stevie. those are 3 major producers with big and broad public appear and recognition. they could have done something during 72 and 73 to try and modernize the show, change things up, incorporate not just the new songs but some new approaches

Diana at least had LSTB to give her a whole new approach. but she didn't just rest on that. her Evening With... shows in the later 70s were a new concept. there was the "working girls" section highlight not just Billie but others, her children and motherhood had a section, the big Motown section.

and during the DRATS years at the end, I'll say that the Sunshine segment of the whole was radically different. going out into the audience and all. wonder when they introduced that? guessing later half of 69

[bradsupremes]

This is really where a good manager could have brought in the right people to create a solid live show. No disrespect to the talented Geoffrey Holder, but his talents were equipped for the theatre, not a soul act who were attempting a comeback on the charts. The nightclub material worked in 1967, but for 1976 it was outdated and irrelevant. The ladies certainly didn't lose their talent or their ability to put on a good show, but they needed a new direction.

Since they didn't have a current hit, one would think they would have created a show around all their hits with an occasional solo, a few songs from their latest album, and current cover or two thrown into the mix. All of the 70s hits should have been done in full along with a few of their 60s hits in full.

[Spreadinglove21]

I agree with how this show was seen. You even hear Mary say we’re not doing our planned show and kinda do an impromptu show.

Unless that's just an update from their 60s show patter where Diana Ross said they don't know what kind of show they 're going to do each night because their conductor drinks.

[Boogiedown]

This is really where a good manager could have brought in the right people to create a solid live show. No disrespect to the talented Geoffrey Holder, but his talents were equipped for the theatre, not a soul act who were attempting a comeback on the charts. The nightclub material worked in 1967, but for 1976 it was outdated and irrelevant. The ladies certainly didn't lose their talent or their ability to put on a good show, but they needed a new direction.

Since they didn't have a current hit, one would think they would have created a show around all their hits with an occasional solo, a few songs from their latest album, and current cover or two thrown into the mix. All of the 70s hits should have been done in full along with a few of their 60s hits in full.

But how do you reconcile the New Supremes doing Old Supremes material. No one's going to buy it.

It's 1976, a new direction means one thing : disco. And that's where they were headed in their recordings. Doing the disco circuit, squeezed onto small club stages for a quick two or three songs to prerecorded tracks, because that's all that the night's dancers would sit still for, might have worked for Grace Jones or Claudja Barry. But I think it would have been a very sad exit for the great Supremes. Mary sounds here like she's very comfortable in this supper club setting, like she's at home with the concept. This likely set her up nicely to go solo and to deal one-on-one with audiences

[blackguy69]

But they weren’t doing the “impromptu “ line that Diana did back then

Unless that's just an update from their 60s show patter where Diana Ross said they don't know what kind of show they 're going to do each night because their conductor drinks.

[Spreadinglove21]

But they weren’t doing the “impromptu “ line that Diana did back then

Which is why I said "Update", not the exact same line. But still they were following the concept of the 60s nightclub show with the line, no matter how it's worded, that somehow the show was "spontaneous".

[Spreadinglove21]

Despite the uneven set list and the Vegas type arrangements, the best thing about this show are the group vocals as unlike some of the MSS performances I've heard, the singing isn't over the top with screaming and wailing and relentless displays of power and a seeming competition of who should be singing lead. The vocals are strong, but it's not hitting this listener over the head with relentless singing.

[sup_fan]

This is really where a good manager could have brought in the right people to create a solid live show. No disrespect to the talented Geoffrey Holder, but his talents were equipped for the theatre, not a soul act who were attempting a comeback on the charts. The nightclub material worked in 1967, but for 1976 it was outdated and irrelevant. The ladies certainly didn't lose their talent or their ability to put on a good show, but they needed a new direction.

Since they didn't have a current hit, one would think they would have created a show around all their hits with an occasional solo, a few songs from their latest album, and current cover or two thrown into the mix. All of the 70s hits should have been done in full along with a few of their 60s hits in full.

agreed! while it was less than before, there was still a nightclub circuit. back in the Jean era, they should have updated and refreshed the act. perhaps that would have kept some of the Vegas business. after early 72, their agreement with the Frontier was done and while the girls certainly played vegas in subsequent years, it wasn't a regular appearance and wasn't a residency at 1 particular hotel.

and of course they didn't version of the live act to accommodate different audiences and venues. more casual events with general public would warrant more of just the hits. Like their appearance on Operation Push with MJL. they needed to just sing their big songs and cut the other crap

[blackguy69]

Not quite . I would believe that if they actually did the same show.

Which is why I said "Update", not the exact same line. But still they were following the concept of the 60s nightclub show with the line, no matter how it's worded, that somehow the show was "spontaneous".

[jim aka jtigre99]

This grouping performed in my city the month before but I wasn't able to go. I would have loved seeing Mary, Scherrie & Cindy perform. They truly were talented. Motown needed to step up and should have guided them like they did in the 60's. There was so much untapped talent and potential there. Mary had a great voice and stage presence and Scherrie was a dynamo performer, Cindy's talent was also starting to shine brightly in this line up. The 70's were a time where entertainment was changing but much of the old fashioned shows still ruled.

[Spreadinglove21]

At what point did Diana Ross and Mary Wilson [[once she was a solo act) each ditch the Vegas style orchestras for bands for their live shows?

[sup_fan]

At what point did Diana Ross and Mary Wilson [[once she was a solo act) each ditch the Vegas style orchestras for bands for their live shows?

it seems in 1980 or so that diana really altered her shows. there's the footage of her at the Forum in LA that was used in her tv special. basically there's a band and backing singers off stage and she performed in the round. no dancers or rollerskaters, no big backdrops or scenery, no mines, clowns, acrobats, cannons, etc lol. it also seems that there was much less additional material. She did have We are a family from Dreamgirls in the show. and Home from The Wiz, Maniac and Dirty Diana were in the act for a bit. of course she's most always kept some sort of LSTB segment in the act. but by and large, the songs that she was performing in the show from

mary seems to have kept her basic show well into the 80s. her debut at NYNY was essentially the same show as the farewell with MSS in 77. I know she kept singing The Way We Were and How Lucky Can You Get into the early 80s.

[Spreadinglove21]

it seems in 1980 or so that diana really altered her shows. there's the footage of her at the Forum in LA that was used in her tv special. basically there's a band and backing singers off stage and she performed in the round. no dancers or rollerskaters, no big backdrops or scenery, no mines, clowns, acrobats, cannons, etc lol. it also seems that there was much less additional material. She did have We are a family from Dreamgirls in the show. and Home from The Wiz, Maniac and Dirty Diana were in the act for a bit. of course she's most always kept some sort of LSTB segment in the act. but by and large, the songs that she was performing in the show from

mary seems to have kept her basic show well into the 80s. her debut at NYNY was essentially the same show as the farewell with MSS in 77. I know she kept singing The Way We Were and How Lucky Can You Get into the early 80s.

Be curious to know when Mary ditched the Vegas style orchestra for her live shows given that she was playing smaller venues and couldn't command a high ticket price like Ross could. Having to pay that many musicians, even if most may have been local pick up musicians for the local gig, would have been difficult for her show to be profitable.