The T.A.M.I. Show (1964)

Wonderful Movie

Truly Dreadful Film

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

1964's The T.A.M.I. Show (T.A.M.I. is short for Teenage Awards Music International) was the very first live-concert movie of the rock era. And, believe me, this long-unavailable, landmark film is a real groovy treat for any ardent fan of early pop music.Featuring a bevy of over-zealous go-go dancers and hysterically screaming fans, The T.A.M.I. Show proficiently showcased the budding talent of early-1960's pop music sensations from both sides of the Atlantic.Filmed in b&w, at Santa Monica's Civic Auditorium (a 3000-seat venue), The T.A.M.I. Show's biggest highlights were The Beach Boys (performing "Surfer Girl"), The Supremes (performing "Baby Love"), and The Rolling Stones (performing "Time Is On My Side").Directed by Steve Binder - This 2-hour music extravaganza also featured the singing talents of James Brown, Marvin Gaye and Lesley Gore, to name but a few of the 14+ performers.

Two concerts were held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on October 28 and 29, 1964. It was edited into a film released on December 29, 1964. It gathered some great acts of that era, and called it Teenage Awards Music International.It starts off with a solid Chuck Berry. The Beach Boys were edited out originally, but they've since been returned. The Supremes were great. IMO the best has to be the one and only James Brown. His performance is insane. He is by far the best of the concert. Following James Brown, the Rolling Stones close out the concert. Honestly they looked glassy eyed and dazed. I would not be surprised if they were chemically enhanced. Certainly they don't make them like that anymore. The music sounds sharp even with the screaming kids in the background.

Just watched on my DVR this edited version of The T.A.M.I. Show that aired on my PBS station, WLPB, a few weeks ago. Whenever a pledge break interrupted the program, Dean Torrance of the host duo of Jan & Dean provided many anecdotes of working with James Brown, and especially The Beach Boys. Despite some numbers and musical acts missing, I highly enjoyed this concert document of the big Top 40 stars of the time which, besides the ones I've already mentioned, included Chuck Berry, who was awesome as he segued from his version of "Maybelline" to that of Gerry & the Pacemakers who then performed "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying". Also nice to see Marvin Gaye performing "Can I Get a Witness" and The Miracles doing "You Really Got a Hold on Me". How about The Supremes' number of "Baby Love" with a really large closeup of lead singer Diana Ross? (Or was it "Where Did Our Love Go?" My mind is a bit scrambled concerning that one.) Or Lesley Gore combining "It's My Party" with its sequel song "Judy's Turn to Cry"? How cool was it seeing the hosts singing their surf hit "Little Old Lady from Pasedena" before introducing The Beach Boys as they went from "Surfin' USA" to "Surfer Girl" to "I Get Around" to "Dance, Dance, Dance"? The final two acts, though, really stole the show with James Brown doing what would become his legendary jumps and having a cape put on him before shaking it off seconds later and then, having Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones closing out with many blues songs with "Time Is on My Side" really getting the audiences' attention as evidenced by the camera showing a mostly white teenage female audience really screaming their heads off as they did during most of the show! Oh, and Mick and James really were impressive with their jumping here. I think I've said enough though I'd also like to mention that Toni Basil, best known for her video of "Hey, Mickey", is the assistant choreographer here and many of the moves done by the mostly female dancers look like something she'd have done at the time. Anyway, watching this for the first time on the public station really makes me want to watch the rest of it on DVD so if I ever get my hands on that, I may add some comments. So on that note, The T.A.M.I Show definitely comes highly recommended.

I was born 7 years after the T.A.M.I. Show, and became a teenager 20 years later, but I'm a HUGE fan of music, and I always know something that is good, or in this case GREAT, when I see it. I love '60s music, and just about all of the performers here are favorites of mine. This concert is absolutely AMAZING, to say the very least. Just imagine, some of the biggest musical legends of all time- Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, James Brown, the Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, and the Beach Boys- in the same setting, performing on the same stage... The thought of it alone is mind-boggling... Had I been a teenager of the day, I would have been there screaming my head off! I wouldn't have missed this show. Everyone's performance is terrific. Jan and Dean hosted the show, and did a great job. They introduced each act, sang themselves, after Lesley Gore, and clowned around in between. They also sang the show's theme song. Chuck Berry starts it off, going on down to the Rolling Stones. I loved watching all of the singers and groups. Everyone sang their most famous hits. Lesley Gore sang "It's My Party," the Beach Boys performed "I Get Around," the Supremes did "Baby Love," and Chuck Berry told us about "Maybelline." In most copies of this show which exist, the Beach Boys are cut out, due to a legal dispute. It's unfortunate, because they sing 4 songs, and look and sound fantastic.However, it was James Brown, and his marvelous Flames, who completely stole the show. His "Please, Please, Please" alone is an unforgettable experience to watch. You want to watch it over and over again. The man is simply DYNAMIC! They came on before the Rolling Stones, who held their own very well with "Time Is On My Side" and "It's All Over Now" among others.At the end, all of the performers meet up on stage at the same time, to dance to the Stones' final song, and to dance and move with the background dancers. Btw, look for Terri Garr during the Supremes' set, wearing a shirt with a bullseye in the middle. Her dancing is quite sexy. Just seeing everyone looking so young, and being so vibrant and energetic is great. Like I said, it's definitely a piece of music history, that is a real pleasure to watch. You'll NEVER get tired of it!