Remarkable "T.A.M.I." concert resurfaces after decades

The much-acclaimed but long-suppressed “T.A.M.I. Show” rock-and-soul concert has finally been released in DVD, much to the joy of hardcore music aficionados.

The black-and-white movie, in fact, was never released on videotape, making its release (from Shout! Factory for a mere $11.99 at Amazon) all the more exciting.

“T.A.M.I.,” short for the oddly named “Teenage Awards Music International,” was a 1964 concert at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium that was remarkable for its time, blending white and black rock, pop and soul acts onstage in a revue recorded for showings in theaters around the country a mere two weeks later.

The show – which cost $450,000 to produce -- features more than 45 songs in rapid fire order, featuring, in order, hosts Jan & Dean, Chuck Berry, Gerry and the Pacemakers, 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 Flames and The Rolling Stones.

And they’re all at the top of their games. The show wasn’t intended to be an infomercial for diversity and civil rights but it certainly works on that level. 

"T.A.M.I. Show" features nearly 50 songs from a diverse group of performersHighlights include:

• A fun intro featuring many of the acts, and Jan & Dean skateboarding using what seems like tiny boards.
• Chuck Berry appearing to be enjoying himself (unlike later years) and adopting some killer guitar stances that I’ve never seen replicated. It should be said, however, that Berry reportedly at the last minute refused to take the stage unless he was paid several thousand dollars. That kind of behavior became commonplace with his shows in later years.
• Berry starting his song “Maybellene,” then handing the song off to an over-the-top goofy Gerry and the Pacemakers. The insane Chuck Berry would never have allowed that.
• Very enthusiastic male and female dancers (including a few go-go slots), some of whom were scantily clad for the times. Actress Teri Garr was among the dancers and Toni Basil (who had a solo hit in 1982 with the dance song “Mickey”) was an assistant choreographer.
• An audience of teens screaming throughout. As best I can tell, the screaming wasn’t piped in, as was sometimes the case for other TV shows.
• A goofy Billy J. Kramer repeatedly waving to fans during several of his songs.
• Lightweight drum kits that shifted place during songs, requiring drummers to pull them back into place. These days, kits are pretty much locked down.
• James Brown’s drummer losing a stick at the end of “Prisoner of Love.”
• The famed Wrecking Crew group of LA studio musicians served as the backing band. Members included drummer Hal Blaine, guitarist Glen Campbell, pianist Leon Redbone and arranger/conductor Jack Nitzsche, fresh from an apprenticeship with Phil Spector.
• Restored footage of The Beach Boys performing four songs. The Beach Boys sued to have their performances removed from theater copies of the film, so their segment hasn’t been seen for years (their performance is perfectly fine, by the way).
• Lesley Gore looks like a statue, performing hit songs with almost no real emotion. It’s almost painful to hear Gore sing -- with a smile -- “Maybe I Know,” whose lyrics include these lines:

Maybe I know that he’s been a cheatin’

Maybe I know he’s been untrue

But what can I do?

and

Deep down inside he loves me

Though he may run around

• Early punk from The Barbarians
• James Brown delivering a primer on stage dancing. You can see where Michael Jackson got his moves. James also performed his famous “dying performer” act on “Please, Please, Please,” leaving his pants dusty at the knees.
• Headliners The Rolling Stones – who did not want to follow Brown, for good reason -- were super tight, banging out four R&B songs plus “Time is On My Side.”

The DVD extras include commentary from director Steve Binder and music historian Don Waller, as well as original radio and TV promos (one with commentary from director John Landis, who attended the concert as a young student).

I first saw "T.A.M.I." in a music-appreciation class at Fresno State. Even then, I knew I was watching something magical, and the movie drew me into the worlds of soul and R&B, as well as deeper into roots rock and Southern soul. Watching the show for the first time in 30 years is equally magical, and I hope others can discover what should be considered a great piece of American pop culture history.