FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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THE BOYZ are all grown up

THE BOYZ are all grown up

With harmonies more powerful than ever, Boyz II Men treat Bangkok to a show in which music is all that matters

FANS OF old-school R&B and hip-hop got a dazzling dose of the stuff last week when Boyz II Men, one of America’s pioneering rap-harmony outfits, visited Bangkok for the first time in more than a decade.
The quartet is now a trio – baritone Nathan Morris, tenor Wanya Morris and falsetto Shawn Stockman – but they had all it took to shake up Bitec in Bang Na, which was comfortably packed for the occasion.
They promptly had the crowd in an upbeat mood with the dance-friendly “Believe” and “Musak”, then took it down a notch with their classic “On Bended Knees”, earning enthusiastic cheers.
Saying little between tunes apart from greeting the fans and thanking them for 25 years of unwavering support, Boyz II Men are certainly boys no longer but men in their early 40s. Ageless nonetheless, they next offered a series of hits from their early albums, including “Please Don’t Go” and “Uhh Ahh” from their 1991 debut “Cooleyhighharmony” and “4 Seasons of Loneliness” from 1997’s “Evolution”.
Perhaps some of the devoted were a tad disappointed with their plain outfits of T-shirts and jeans rather than the old matching outfits and baseball caps, yet their voices remain as angelic and impressive as ever.
A lot of acts from their era have suffered vocally, but Boyz II Men still sound tight and powerful.
Years of experience together performing musically dynamic numbers has ensured a sound that’s today even more harmonious. The vocals were truly stunning, riveting the audience’s attention to the point that even the bland stage setup and mediocre sound system could be forgiven.
After a few ballads they speeded up the pace with a tribute to the great Detroit singers of the past, asderived from their 2007 album “Motown: A Journey through Hitsville USA”. Barrett Strong’s “Money (That’s What I Want)” and the Four Tops’ “It’s the Same Old Thing” and “Reach Out and I’ll Be There” were revived endearingly in the trio’s smooth voices and suave moves.
Another cover, “Amazed”, followed, but, as Morris explained, what became a massive hit for country group Lonestar in 1999 had been offered to Boyz II Men first – they turned it down, to their immense regret later. “You might have heard the original version in the supermarket, in a dentist’s office, in an elevator or on a bus, and that’s how Lonestar did it. Tonight we will show you how we would have done it if we’d accepted the song!” What came next was the most delightful vocal performance, “Amazed” in full R&B glory.
Airy, heartfelt love songs continued with “Open Arms”, “The Color of Love” and another mega-hit, “Water Runs Dry”, but the real highlight came next – the timeless hit “I’ll Make Love to You”, during which the group handing red roses to excited fans who flocked to the front of the stage.
The excitement didn’t stop there as Boyz II Men did a great rendition of their 1992 breakthrough hit “End of the Road”, with the fans singing along at the top of their lungs.
Then they were gone – but only for a moment – returning to the stage with “Motown Philly”, also from their debut album, as the encore.
It’s not often, especially in this day and age, that the sheer power of voices and simple, decent showmanship outweigh fireworks, out-of-this-world costumes and production frills in a live show. Boyz II Men really took us back to when the music mattered.

 
 

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