The Four Tops and the Temptations are bringing their iconic Motown sound to Manchester next week.
The Motown legends will perform at the Manchester Arena on Tuesday November 20, as part of their eight-date tour ‘Together Again…One More Time’.
The tour is potentially one of the last opportunities to see the groups – with their sharp suits and even sharper dance moves – performing in the UK.
Both groups made their names in the 60s, being signed to the legendary Motown label, and frequently performing together. Only one man has the honour of having performed in both groups -Theo Peoples, who was in the Temptations from 1992-1998 and the Four Tops between 1998-2011.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees the Four Tops have had 27 UK Top 40 Chart hits in their 54-year history, making them Motown’s most successful artist in the UK.
They had a number one smash hit in the UK with Reach Out (I’ll Be There), which topped the charts for three weeks in 1964. Their other hits included Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch), Bernadette and Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got).
Duke Fakir is the only surviving original member and is accompanied by Ronnie McNeir, Harold ‘Spike’ Bonhart and Lawrence Payton Jr (who is the son of founding member Lawrence Payton) on this tour.
The Temptations have an equally impressive track record – with three Grammys and 37 Billboard Top 40 hits under their belt. They come in at number 68 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time list.
Their singles include My Girl, Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone and Ain’t Too Proud To Beg. They also collaborated on an album with Diana Ross & The Supremes, combining Motown’s two best selling groups.
#OTD in 1964, we met up with @smokeyrobinson in Hitsville Studio A to record the vocals for a new song you might have heard before: “My Girl”! pic.twitter.com/PN0bkXT1dN
— The Temptations (@thetemptations) November 10, 2018
The line up once again only features one original member – Otis Williams, who has never left since their formation in 1961. He is joined by Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks, Larry Braggs and Willie Greene Jr.
Otis Williams said of the tour: “These songs are the soundtrack to our lives – we love performing them as much as ever, especially to the UK audiences.”
Duke Fakir shared his sentiment, adding: “We love coming to the UK – this is our favourite tour and we just love the people here…they treat us like royalty!
“They love the music which makes it wonderful to perform on stage every night.”
The groups will be supported by Tavares. The band of brothers have achieved four UK top 10s, with songs such as Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel and their version of the Bee Gees’ More Than A Woman.
It Only Takes A Minute didn’t break the charts in the UK but was picked up by a then-unknown boy band called Take That, giving them their first top 10 hit in 1992.
The dance moves might not be as smooth as in the past, with many of the band members pushing into their 70s, but a night to remember is ensured with this terrific trio of classic groups, whose timeless hits will appeal to all ages.
We can only hope for performances as strong as theirs in this clip from a Motown TV special in 1983…
Tickets are available from www.ticketline.co.uk, 24-hour ticket line 0844 888 9991 or from the venue direct.
