Chicago Theatre revels in six decades of Motown memories with The Temptations, Four Tops

Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Motown is in the midst its 60th anniversary and there wasn’t a better way to celebrate than by bringing together The Temptations and The Four Tops, hands down the two most enduring male vocal groups of the famed Detroit record label’s lineage. Add in the landmark location of the Chicago Theatre, and it was indeed a historic double bill, enhanced all the more by sole surviving original members Otis Williams and Abdul “Duke” Fakir of each respective act.

Along with “Standing In The Shadows Of Love” and “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” the momentum swung back in The Four Tops’ direction and helped ensure that in conjunction with The Temptations, the Motown legacy is in the most capable hands currently possible.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Temptations surprisingly opened the evenly split Sunday, spending much of their hour on immortal memories, but also introducing new tunes from “All The Time.” Between that album and the recently debuted Broadway musical “Ain’t Too Proud” (nominated for 11 Tony Awards), the quintet noticeably had a bit of extra bounce in its tightly choreographed steps and was quite literally soaring on “Cloud Nine” in the vocal department as well.

The group could’ve easily performed all week without performing everything from its extensive catalogue, but managed cherry pick a several decade-spanning balance of essentials such as “Get Ready,” “The Way You Do The Things You Do,” “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me),” “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone,” “Treat Her Like A Lady” and a remake of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me.” Predictably but no less potently, The Temptations saved their national anthem “My Girl” for the rousing conclusion, inciting a mega sing-a-long, stream of cellphone lights and slow dances in the aisles.

Following an intermission, fellow Rock Hall inductees The Four Tops came out swinging with the Phil Collins-penned ‘80s comeback “Loco In Acapulco,” then dipped back further for nothing but nostalgia. Though its discography sure has its fair of classics (including early renditions of “Baby I Need Your Loving” and “It’s The Same Old Song),” its arguably not quite as consistently iconic as The Temptations, which made the audience’s energy appear lower during the lesser hits or covers such as Bobby Darin’s “Mack The Knife,” even prompting some to duck out early.

Those who stayed were eventually rewarded with additional soul spectaculars “Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I’ve Got)” and fellow scream-a-long “Reach Out I’ll Be There.” Along with “Standing In The Shadows Of Love” and “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” the momentum swung back in The Four Tops’ direction and helped ensure that in conjunction with The Temptations, the Motown legacy is in the most capable hands currently possible.

Click here for more photos of The Temptations and here for more photos of The Four Tops at the Chicago Theatre.

For additional information on The Temptations and The Four Tops, visit TemptationsOfficial.com and TheFourTopsOriginal.com.

For a list of upcoming Nitelite Promotions concerts, visit Nitelite.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at the Chicago Theatre include Al Green (May 7); Bandits Of The Acoustic Revolution Orchestra featuring Streetlight Manifesto (May 11); Rodrigo y Gabriela (May 24); V103 90’s Kick Back Concert Part 2 (May 25); Eddie Izzard (May 30-31); Daniel Tosh (Jun. 1); Tom Segura (Jun. 2); Pod Tours America (Jun. 6); Jonathan Van Ness (Jun. 8); David Gray (Jun. 13); “Game Grumps” Live! (Jun. 14); Eddie B (Jun. 15); Hannah Gadsby (Jun. 16); Rosanne Cash and Ry Cooder (Jun. 18) and “Pride & Joy”: The Marvin Gaye Musical (Jun. 19-Jun. 23). For additional details, visit TheChicagoTheatre.com.

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Chicago Theatre revels in six decades of Motown memories with The Temptations, Four Tops

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