New Edition Revives Magic, Triumphs with Boyz II Men’s Support

The Philadelphia stop of the New Edition Way Tour packed the Liacouras Center on Sunday. New Edition shared the bill with Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton.

Boyz II Men’s hometown moment

Boyz II Men energized the crowd with hometown shoutouts. Shawn Stockman and Nathan Morris pointed to Southwest neighborhoods while Wanya Morris saluted the North.

The group opened with “Motown Philly” and donned sparkling joggers. They performed “Please Don’t Go,” “Ooh, Aah,” “Four Seasons of Loneliness,” and “I’ll Make Love To You.”

During “I’ll Make Love To You,” they handed out roses to fans. The audience responded with nostalgic tears and applause.

Midset, Michael McCary returned from a platform beneath the stage. McCary wore a burgundy leather shirt and used his trademark cane.

McCary left the group in 2003 after a multiple sclerosis diagnosis. His reappearance signaled a reconciliation with his bandmates.

Origins and connections

Boyz II Men began as Unique Attractions. They met Michael Bivins backstage at the Heartbreak concert in 1989.

Bivins helped them adopt the Boyz II Men name. The group and New Edition have maintained a long friendship.

The collaborative single and Toni Braxton’s set

The evening opened with “We Out Tonight,” a new single written by Ricky Bell. It featured Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton.

Toni Braxton performed hits including “He Wasn’t Man Enough” and “Just Be a Man About It.” She dedicated “Un-Break My Heart” to her late sister Traci Braxton.

Braxton wore several sparkling bodysuits, ending in an all-white robe with wings. Her set reinforced 1990s R&B nostalgia.

New Edition’s unity and Bobby Brown

New Edition members Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant, Ronnie DeVoe, and Johnny Gill supported Bobby Brown throughout the show. The evening emphasized group cohesion over solo spotlights.

Bobby Brown, now 57, moved deliberately across the stage. Hits included “Don’t Be Cruel,” “My Prerogative,” and “Every Little Step.”

Brown left New Edition in 1985. The band released Home Again in 1996, and reunited at the BET Awards in 2007.

Solo moments and group highlights

• Ralph Tresvant performed “Do What I Gotta Do” with Boyz II Men and sung “Sensitivity.”
• Johnny Gill delivered “My, My, My” and “Fairweather Friend.”
• Bell Biv DeVoe performed “When Will I See You Smile Again?” and “Poison.”
• New Edition delivered “If It Isn’t Love,” “You’re Not My Kind of Girl,” and “Can You Stand the Rain.”
• A medley included “Candy Girl,” “Cool It Now,” and “Mr. Telephone Man.”

When “Poison” played, all members joined the signature high-kick step. The crowd responded with sustained cheering.

By the night’s end, New Edition revives magic for fans of multiple generations. The reunion truly triumphs with Boyz II Men’s support.

The tour nods to the band’s roots, referencing a Boston street renamed for them from their Orchard Gardens neighborhood. New Edition formed there in 1978.

Fans and critics left satisfied. New Edition may be headed toward a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nod in the class of 2026.

Coverage by Filmogaz.com.