Brothers Andrew and Mike Tierney, Toby Allen and Phil Burton are at the top of their soul game as they approach the 1,000-show milestone in Las Vegas—and the one-year mark with their residency at The Venetian.
When you watch the sharp-dressed quartet put its spin on Motown classics at the Sands Showroom, you’d never think that these guys, the Australian vocal group Human Nature, were once a boy band. But this is the sound that inspired them in the first place. In their earlier days, the group was known as The 4 Trax, and their sound paid homage to Motown-era bands like The Four Tops. Fast-forward to today, and this Vegas residency is something of a full circle for the group.
Among the familiar songs you’ll hear from Human Nature are on-point renditions of “ABC” and “I’ll Be There” by The Jackson 5, “People Get Ready” by The Impressions and “Baby I Need Your Loving” by The Four Tops, all performed with a similar energy and style of dancing from many 1960s soul artists. A medley of early Motown hits like “Money (That’s What I Want)” by Barrett Strong and “Shop Around” by The Miracles prove that the group knows its stuff.
The group always sounds superb, with Andrew’s voice on the high end, Mike and Phil in the middle and Toby on the lows, trading lead vocals depending on which voice best fits the track. The urge to sway and clap along is irresistible, and chances are, you’ll find yourself singing and dancing in the aisles with the band and the rest of the audience. You’ll even learn all of Diana Ross’ moves that go along with the 1965 Supremes classic “Stop! In the Name of Love,” as the group kindly instructs the audience. The charismatic quartet’s harmonies are so infectious, and the backing of the seven-piece band Funk Foundation so tight, that it’s hard not to picture this fun scene happening night after night.
The group, which has been performing together since the guys’ high school days in the late 1980s, takes the time to share a few personal moments in between songs. They have some fun with the audience, joking around and sharing anecdotes from their career. And ladies, you just might be the “My Girl” in question when the Temptations’ iconic song comes up, so it’s best to brush up on your dance moves.
With a set list and charisma like this, it’s no surprise that Motown legend Smokey Robinson put his seal of approval on the show, which is officially dubbed Smokey Robinson Presents Human Nature: The Motown Show. Robinson, in video form, introduces the band before the show and later on in the set recounts the first time the group met with him. The show later mixes archival footage of a performance of “The Tracks of My Tears” by Robinson, blended with Human Nature’s own live performance—a highlight for the show, but by no means the only one.
As Andrew says in the show, singing—and truly connecting with—this brand of music has long been their “human nature.” By the end of the show, it’ll be yours as well.
The Venetian, 7 p.m. Mon.-Fri., starting at $59.95 plus tax and fee. 702.414.9000
