The Temptations/Four Tops touring package is the kind of show ( January 28, 2025, Saenger) that always goes on, even if the group members don’t. I first saw this double bill two decades ago, and when it came to the Saenger on Tuesday, only two of the people onstage (out of nine total group members, plus the backup orchestra) were the same. During that time all four original Tops have died, as have the three singers—David Ruffin, Eddie Kendrick and Dennis Edwards—most strongly associated with the Temps. Yet there’s something about these groups—the importance of the name, the legendary Motown professionalism, and the magic of both their catalogues—that made it more a legit show than just a tribute.
The original Temptations. Photo courtesy of Motown Museum
The Temptations still have their one surviving original member—Otis Williams, who’s still spry at 83—plus a frontman, Ron Tyson, who joined in the ’80s and sang on a few minor hits. And their 90-minute set actually included a new song from their 60th anniversary album, “Is It Gonna Be Yes Or No,” a typically smooth bedroom ballad from the pen of Smokey Robinson (who at 84 is apparently more into sex than ever; his own recent album was called Gasms). They also included the ballad “Stay,” which was an R&B hit in 1998—maybe not a song that holds up with the ’60s classics, but evidence that their career didn’t end after that decade.
Those ’60s classics still covered most of the set though, and the current Temps lineup had all the vocal tradeoffs down pat—and nearly as important since it’s Motown, could also dance up a storm. They honored the soulful ballads (“I Wish It Could Rain”), the ’60s dance numbers (“Get Ready”) and best of all, the psychedelic soul era that yielded “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.” And if you needed proof that the songs remain relevant, 1969’s “Ball of Confusion”—which calls out racism, drug addiction and a White House that didn’t care—was more than enough.
The show also had a particularly nice New Orleans moment. It’s long been customary for the Temps to bring three women from the audience onstage during “My Girl,” giving each one the chance to impress by singing a verse. The trio on Tuesday was especially impressive, and for good reason: After they’d done their stuff, they were revealed to be the three current members (including founder Barbara Hawkins) of the Dixie Cups.
The original Four Tops. Photo courtesy of Motown Museum.
The Four Tops had a tougher problem in terms of replacements, since their original frontman Levi Stubbs, who sang lead on every hit, was arguably Motown’s greatest male voice. Perhaps wisely, the current lineup (including Lawrence Payton Jr., the son of an original) featured group interplay instead of putting a single voice forward. So, instead of one great voice you got four perfectly fine ones, and that along with the timeless nature of “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” and “Can’t Help Myself” made for a solid hour (The Tops also had a psych/funk period, represented this week by “Keeper of the Castle” and “Are You Man Enough”). So, Tuesday’s show wasn’t just about the power of Motown’s catalogue, but its impeccable way of presenting those songs. As one of the Temps noted during the band intros, “Where else are you going to get this much entertainment?”
