COLUMN: Michael Paskevich

     Believe it or not, there are performers who read negative reviews without trashing their dressing rooms, axing their publicists or claiming the critic is just a mean-spirited sod with a hidden agenda.
      Some actually absorb the negatives, assess them and, in the case of the Drifters/Coasters/Platters package at the Sahara (through Sunday), actually take action to correct the cited flaws.
      The trio of doo-wop pioneers -- all inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- dropped into the resort last April as part of a bloated, overwritten and irritating production revue called "Love Potion No. 10, The Gypsy's Revenge."
      Ambitious yet far too clever for its own good, the messy theatrical setting left the quartets lingering in the wings as overwrought actors tried, and failed miserably, to sell audiences on a tissue-thin plot centered around The Coasters classic version of "Love Potion No. 9."
      Frustrated audiences hardly contained their disappointment, some heckling "Get on with it!" in the hope they might hear some harmonies instead of excessive chatter attempting to pass as wit. Cheesy special effects further wrecked a misguided production that will go down as one of the Strip's more embarrassing stabs at newfangled entertainment.
      Taking note of the negative review -- "I had a bad feeling this wasn't going to work," said one performer -- the groups came to realize that less is more and that audiences want to hear hits, not silly bits.
      So, producer Barry Singer, creator of the dreadful concept, was given the boot and the singing principals regrouped for a straight-ahead show in which the acts sets are now separated only by drum rolls.
      What a relief and, not surprisingly, the simple format has been drawing enthusiastic crowds willing to sing along and revel in the memories evoked by songs that set the standard in the 1950s and early '60s.
      The Coasters, among the first inductees into the hall of fame, warmed up the crowd a few nights back with a rousing rundown of the quartet's quirky novelty songs (written by Lieber & Stoller) such as "Charlie Brown," "Poison Ivy" and, of course, "Love Potion No. 9."
      Original member and lead baritone Billy Guy, 70, remains a dapper figure, pacing the younger members with smooth synchronized moves that further bolstered a winning 30-minute set. Another highlight was a semicontemporary medley that reaffirmed the loss of singing giants Sam Cooke and Otis Redding.
      The mostly older audience vigorously sang along and surprised each act by hitting the notes with choirlike precision.
      Musical director Ron Hasley's stellar quartet added colorful and punchy support throughout and has solved the quirks of a weak sound system that came across like an old transistor radio a few months back. The much-improved sound (and better lighting come to think of it) helped bring the tunes to life, never overpowering the delicate lead vocals and lush "shoo-bop shoo-bob" harmonies.
      The Platters, whose past members include Vegas lounge legend Sonny Turner and others who have passed away, are minus any originals from the group formed in 1953 by manager Buck Ram.
      Yet no one seemed to mind as the quartet led by Curtis Bridgeport turned in eerily similar covers of the plaintive "Only You (And You Alone)," "The Great Pretender" and a cascading "Twilight Time."
      Soprano Christy Brooks, the only female in the show, hit a stately stride on Carole King's "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" and The Platters basked in well-deserved applause.
      The Drifters followed immediately with another nostalgic journey that recapped a career that produced such unforgettable songs as "On Broadway," "Under the Boardwalk" and the liberating "Up on the Roof."
      While there's no way to replace the immortal voice of one-time Drifter Ben E. King, original Rick Shepherd and relative newcomer Caesar Valentino captured the essence of "Stand by Me" and urban grandeur of "Spanish Harlem."
      Latin rhythms and the bubbling bass lines of vocalist B.J. Mitchell added more luster to a set marred only by the group's long-running tendency toward idle patter.
      A minor quibble at best, and I'll leave it to fans to decide which group showed off the coolest dance moves and sharpest matching outfits.
      All three groups join for a show-closing romp on "Shout" and this commendable two-hour show, long by Vegas standards, slid by effortlessly. Great songs and solid performances have a way of doing that, and this generous and winning show is sure to please anyone who remembers timeless tunes and artists who believe in teamwork.
      The $29.95 ticket is an added incentive -- shows are at 8:30 tonight through Sunday at the Sahara, 2535 Las Vegas Blvd. South -- and proves that true talents need nothing more than working microphones, and time and space to show they've still got the goods.
      Rating: HHH
     
      Michael Paskevich's entertainment column appears Fridays and Sundays.