The purpose of concert toms in pop/rock is to provide an intimate sound with attack. No sweet tones and decay here, that's for double-headed toms.
Different heads will yield different results, and it's strictly a matter of preference. It's best to start with batters that you already like on your regular toms, and the open bottom on the concert toms will give you a drier, louder version of what you already like.
For wood drums:
If mic'd, for punch, try a 2-ply head. For more attack & 'stick' try a single ply clear head (if you're not a hard hitter.) Either way, I suggest damping each tom for the classic sound of the '70s, the era in which concert toms rose and fell in popularity.
If you're not mic'd, I'd go with a single-ply head, no damping. To someone sitting several feet from the kit, the toms will sound sufficiently dry, but if they're damped, they'll sound way too dead.
For stainless:
Since those are really bangy shells to begin with, I'd opt for a mellower head. Evans Hydraulics tame those nicely, whereas a 1-ply clear head would be too bangy.
For fiberglass (a la Stingray and older Pearl toms):
Those are more like boat fiberglass... a 2-ply will work well on those.
For acrylic and fiberglass (a la Impact & Tempus):
They're more resonant and closer to wood (see above.)
Good luck!
Bermuda
Intimate? OK? ..
Your knowledge astounds me, Bermuda! My reply was going to be, "Well, the black dot heads were really designed for these type of drums, so you may want to start there."
By intimate, I mean right up front and very present. Putting the mics right up into the bottom of the drum was a favorite technique in the studio at the height of their popularity... no room sound or 'air' allowed.
Ironically, it's the black/silver dot heads that accentuated the attack even more on single-headed drums. Where a ring or moongel at the edge of a head reduces the highs, a patch in the middle reduces the fundamental note and heightens the attack. The dot heads inherently seemed louder, and on concert toms, could get pretty bang-y at times. They're probably the last heads I'd choose for a drum that tends to have that effect even when using plain heads. But that's the sound commonly associated with concert toms back in the day.
Head technology has changed a lot in 35+ years, and concert toms can now sound pretty cool with modern heads.
Bermuda
I remember seeing all of the catalogs (I still have a few) with the concert toms in them. The black dots were always on those in the Tama and Yamaha catalogs.
And that classic set-up is responsible for the typical concert tom sound that most drummers still cringe at! It's Evans's and Remo's improved heads - and the introduction of Aquarian 20 years ago - that make concert toms (and stainless and acrylic drums) viable today, sounding better than they ever could in their orginal heyday.
I'm looking forward to a set of concert toms soon!
Bermuda
Now I'm using Evan hydraulics (black) and it seems there just ain't no comparison. The heads almost never need tuning and they produce a nice attack yet sound full, deep and thumpy.
It's worth noting that the new Hydraulics have more life than the old ones we grew up with in the '70s, they're nowhere near as dead as they used to be. I'm not sure if it's less oil or maybe thinner plies, but it's been a change for the better.
Bermuda