The Midtown Men Photo courtesy The Midtown Men / Arizona Musicfest

The Midtown Men started when four original cast members from Jersey Boys, Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard, and J. Robert Spencer, formed a group to perform hits they sang in that show as well as other classic pop tunes from the 1960s. They've been performing together in concerts across the country for close to 15 years now, even after a lawsuit with the Jersey Boys producers in 2010 resulted in them changing their group's name to have less association with the famous pop group they played in that musical, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. For the Scottsdale concert, Rory Max Kaplan, who made his Broadway debut in Jersey Boys in 2014, took Hoff's place. The Scottsdale concert was the first of several holiday shows the group is performing this month.

The show opened with two Four Seasons songs, "Let's Hang On!," and "Sherry," followed by bouncy versions of two well-known '60s songs, "Good Lovin'" and "Happy Together," which got the concert started in an upbeat fashion and displayed the vibrant harmonies of the quartet. As the evening progressed, the group effortlessly transitioned from pop hits to Christmas favorites, bringing warmth and holiday cheer to the festive set list. A pairing of songs made popular by Bing Crosby and Andy Williams, "Happy Holiday" and "The Holiday Season," received a bright delivery, followed by another Cosby classic, "White Christmas," that gave Longoria the chance to show off his bright falsetto voice and that began a section where each of the quartet got the chance to solo on other holiday hits.

These included Kaplan singing a beautiful version of a song Frank Sinatra made famous, "The Christmas Waltz," Reichard delivering the fun "Mele Kalikimaka," and Spencer leading an audience sing along on "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" Two original holiday songs, "Merry Me This Christmas," which Longoria wrote, and Spencer's "Waiting on Christmas" offered a fresh take and some variety from the classic holiday selections in the concert. Other holiday songs included "Little Saint Nick" that the Beach Boys made famous, the sweet "A Holly Jolly Christmas" that Burl Ives recorded, a fun take by Kaplan on "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch," and "All Alone on Christmas" that Steven Van Zandt wrote. Reichard's driving delivery of "Winter Wonderland" was impressive as was Longoria's take on the Mariah Carey classic, "All I Want for Christmas Is You."

The quartet also transported the audience to the golden era of rock and roll, soul, and Motown, including a driving cover of The Beatles' "Got to Get You into My Life," a beautiful take on "Downtown" that Petula Clark made famous, a fantastic cover of The Zombies' "Time of the Season," "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone" that Paul Revere and the Raiders recorded, and a soaring take on "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" that showed off the group's impressive harmonies. A medley of Four Seasons hits included "Working My Way Back to You," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Big Man in Town," "Rag Doll," and "Walk Like a Man." The concert ended with two other Four Seasons songs, "Oh What a Night" and, for an encore, the fitting "Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby Goodbye)."

Throughout, the group's playful banter and personal anecdotes about their Broadway careers and holiday memories added charm and intimacy, a nice personal touch for the evening. There was also plenty of synchronized choreography, similar to what the four men performed as the Four Seasons in Jersey Boys. However, while the voices of all four men were bright and solid, some of Longoria's Valli-inspired falsetto notes were on the raspy side.

The seven-piece band provided fantastic accompaniment throughout, as well as a rousing TV theme song medley at the short interlude when the quartet took a break to change their outfits, and the arrangements by Jesse Vargas provided rich harmonies as well as a fresh twist to these timeless tunes.

The Midtown Men delivered a memorable evening that celebrated both the timeless appeal of 1960s music, the group's affection for the Four Seasons, and the joy of the holiday season. Their talent, chemistry, and love for performing shone through, making the concert a delightful experience for fans of all ages and a perfect way to kick off the holidays.

The Midtown Men - Holiday Hits was performed at the Arizona Musicfest on December 5, 2024. For information on Arizona Musicfest concerts, please visit www.azmusicfest.org. For more information on the Midtown Men's upcoming concerts, visit http://themidtownmen.com.