Summer Concert Series: The T.A.M.I. Show (1964)

First off the question all of you are asking, T.A.M.I. stands for "Teen Age Music International" or "Teenage Awards Music International." Now on to the movie.

This is one of the finest concert films ever made. The musicians featured here are some of the finest rock and roll, pop and R&B artists of the era. The line up includes Jan and Dean, Chuck Berry, Gerry and the Peacemakers, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, Lesley Gore, The Beach Boys, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, The Supremes, The Barbarians, James Brown and the Famous Flames and The Rolling Stones. The famous Wrecking Crew (Hal Blaine, Jimmy Bond, Tommy Tedesco, Glen Campbell, Lyle Ritz, Leon Russell, Plas Johnson) is the house band. All of these performers are at the top of their game. Probably the most talked about part of this film is James Brown's performance. This is appropriate as his pure energy and stage presence is incredible. He gives one everything they could want from a concert experience and it is impossible not to get caught up in the energy of it all. Keith Richards would later state that following James Brown was the worst mistake they ever made. It is worth saying that despite this famous statement, The Rolling Stones are fantastic here, giving us pure blues influenced rock nd roll at its best. Speaking of pure rock and roll energy and showmanship, Chuck Berry is just as much fun as anyone could hope from one of the founders of rock and roll. The Beach Boys have never sounded as great as they do here and it is proof that they were much more than the simple gimmick band they could have been. Their melodies and harmonies are simply beautiful and the songs were never as simple as they sounded at first listen. They are beautifully and perfectly put together in a way only true masters could do. Leslie Gore is someone who I have honestly not given much thought to before watching this movie, but after seeing her performance here, I fully understand and appreciate her appeal. She is a great vocalist and a fine stage presence. 

The music doesn't date at all but other parts of this movie do. The presence of Go-Go dancers in almost every performance kind of just looks silly today. The stage antics of Jan and Dean are to be honest kind of annoying. However compared to just how great the music these are minor complaints.

The director is Steve Binder, who rock and roll fans may know for directing Elvis' 1968 Comeback Special and this movie is every bit as great. He also directed The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978), but let us not hold that against him as this movie is fantastic.

-Michael J. Ruhland