HAPPY
TOGETHER REVIEW:
Hey Kent,
So I attended the second tour stop of the 2025 Happy
Together Tour here in Clearwater, Florida, May 30th, at the sold-out
Ruth Eckerd Hall. 2,130 almost all older people packed the place. It was
basically the same show I saw last year and sent in a report to your site.
However, there was one big difference! Mark Volman was not in attendance!
[Rich’s last review (for those you want to reminisce!) can be found at the link below -kk]
https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2024/06/the-happy-together-tour-2024.html
Just before the Turtles were to be introduced as the final
act of the night, I noticed Godfrey Towsend (the guitarist and musical director
of the Happy Together band) had moved his microphone up to the front of the
stage and was stationed behind it. Then the voice of Shadoe Stevens could be
heard doing the introduction of the band. Halfway through I saw Ron Dante
stealthy walk out under the cover of darkness. The intro was done, the lights
came up and Dante walked to the front of the stage next to Townsend and the
band broke into the classic "She'd Rather Be With Me," with both
Dante and Townsend leading the way on the vocals. “Hmmm,” I thought, “Where is
Mark Volman?”
Without pause, they went into "You Baby,"
followed by "It Ain't Me Babe" and then Townsend introduced Ron Dante
as the voice of the Archies and so, of course, "Sugar Sugar" was
performed next. Dante then spoke a few words to the crowd about how great it
was to be back on the tour, but NO MENTION was made of the missing Mark Volman.
"Elenore" was played next followed by the great "Happy
Together." And now, just like in all the other shows, it was time to bring
all the bands back on stage one at time to perform a snippet of their greatest
hit followed by a huge sing-a-long of the reason we are all there, "Happy
Together!" A group bow and that was the show. Not once did Ron Dante or
Godfrey Townsend (or anybody else for that matter) make any reference to the
missing Mark Volman.
I just thought that ignoring Volman's contributions to the
Happy Together Tour all these years was not cool.
Anyway, the rest of the show was great if not predictable
if you've seen it before. Most of the same bands singing the same four or five
songs that they always sing. The Cowsills were entertaining, Paul pointing to
Bob and saying, "There's my brother Bob.
He is 77 years old, I am brother
Paul and I am 75 years old and (pointing to Susan), there's my sister Susan and she is ... beautiful!"
The Vogues were in great voice. Gary Puckett (who lives in Clearwater)
brought his family on stage during his performance and then sang "Young
Girl" with his four (I am assuming) granddaughters around him. Hmmm!
Little Anthony sounded outstanding as did Jay Reincke of Jay and the
Americans. (incredible voice) And then came
the Turtles, led by the youthful and always entertaining Ron Dante. And that's the
show!
Don't know if Mark Volman missing was just for that show or
is he off the tour. Maybe you can find out!
Rich Turner,
Largo, FL
As we all know by now, Mark Volman has been ill for
several years … but the fact the he was no longer able to perform and would
not be participating in this year’s tour should NOT have been kept a secret … this means that there are now NO members of The Turtles performing under the banner that bears
their name … and essentially makes up the whole crux of this tour (and has for
many decades)
These shows play to sell out crowds year after year, the
bulk of whom qualify as “repeat customers” … after standing by these acts and
continuing to shell out money for what is essentially the same show you’ve
already seen time and time again, I think it is extremely disrespectful to the
fans not to share this information with them ... and, quite honestly, BEFORE any tickets are sold.
And it is even MORE disrespectful to Mark and to Howard Kaylan, who dropped out YEARS ago,
only to be replaced by Ron Dante.
I’m
all for keeping the music alive, but some sort of statement REALLY needs to be
made in this regard. Otherwise, it all comes across as somewhat deceptive. We care a great deal about these artists ... and to slight them in any way by even insinuating that ANYBODY can just step in and replace anyone of them again plays back to an utter lack of respect. (From what I
understand, Jay and the Americans were not fully represented either … see some of the notes below. And are ANY of The Vogues original members at this point??? Just exactly WHO are we seeing these days when we go to a Happy Together Concert?)
Isn’t this exactly what the Truth
In Music Act was supposed to put an end to?
Or, at the very least, let ticket buyers know IN ADVANCE that the show you’re
paying to see does NOT include any of these original members? This means that TWO key acts on the bill, both NAME headliners, are performing without a single original member, putting them in direct violation of The Truth In Music Act. C’mon, guys, you know better than that ... don’t you at least owe the fans AND the artists more respect than that? Shame on Paradise Artists for
skirting this issue. Please don't turn this into a "Buyer Beware!" situation ... this series has enjoyed a several decades-long run. Fans should know what they are shelling out their money for BEFORE they buy tickets to see this show. At the very least, acknowledge from the stage how much joy
these artists have brought us over the years and explain the situation that has forced them to perform this way for the purposes of this tour ... don't ignore this fact by not mentioning them at all.
I’m also hearing that Little Anthony once again steals the
show … which he’s done each year that he’s been part of the line-up … quite an
amazing tip of the hat to the oldest member of the troupe. (kk)
I just saw video and photos from Ruth Eckerd Hall in
Florida of The Happy Together Tour. There were no shots or videos of Mark
Volman and the video of Jay and the Americans showed a man I have never seen
before and no Sandy or Marty. Godfrey Townsend is taking up the slack it seems.
Anonymous
(We did some inquiring around after receiving this email, anonymous by request, which led to my responses
shown above.)
It sounds like Mark is not
touring, although I hear he was on the bus ... he said he just had to be there, even if he couldn't perform. Darren Dowler of Jay and the Americans says he is looking forward to
welcoming both Sandy and Marty back onstage once they are able to return. I will be going to both shows as I wanted to
see how it changed over the summer. Well, it has already changed it seems. I know the show will be good ... I just don't know who I will be seeing!
Shelley
From another reader …
Always a fun night when the
'Happy Together' tour comes to town. The Cowsills, with Susan Cowsill, The
Vogues, and Gary Puckett in the first half, then Little Anthony, Jay and The
Americans and The Turtles covered dozens of hits from the 60's.
The Cowsills still have the fun and
energy in every song … some great tunes.
Little Anthony stole the show
with his voice, still crystal clear at 84! And some unforgettable songs. His
trumpet player added the perfect muted tone for the beginning of 'Think I'm
Going Out Of My Head' and had the whole place dancing along with Shimmy Shimmy Ko
Ko Bop -- and he was funny, too. "People
ask me: ‘Where are the Imperials?’ -- I don't know, and I don't care.”
Gary Puckett brought his local
grandchildren up on stage for 'Young Girl' {Puckett lives near Clearwater} --
the Vogues and Jay and the Americans both filled the hall with harmony, and The
Turtles [now Ron Dante of the Archies and Godfrey Townsend] closed the night with the theme song and more.
I ran into the trumpet player,
who had a fresh CD, Susan Cowsill riding her bike around the parking lot, and
great to see my pal Godfrey again, last time in Liverpool!!!
Rick Glover
The fact of the matter is that most people don’t know the difference of who may or may not be original members anymore ... or they simply don’t care ...
The line-ups have changed so many times over the years and the majority of the audience coming out to see these shows are not as in tune with the music scene as we are ...
They just love the music and want to hear it performed properly.
That’s kind of what I’ve always said, knowing that SO many groups don’t have original members anymore ...
Pay
respect to the legacy and perform this music to the best of your abilities - honor it and do it justice - and most of these artists do exactly that.
I’m afraid that’s all we’ve got left moving forward.
(and then you’ve got 84 year old Little Anthony stealing the show!!!) kk
