The award-winning ’90s vocal group mixed hits with popular covers during their Meijer Gardens debut on Sunday. The review and images at Local Spins, plus a gallery from Il Divo’s amphitheater show.
Vocal Passion: Boyz II Men on stage at the Meijer Gardens amphitheater. (Photo/Jamie Geysbeek)
SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS OF BOYZ II MEN AND IL DIVO AT MEIJER GARDENS
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Boyz II Men emerging on the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park stage in matching white ensembles with a set list full of ’90s R&B classics might appear at first to be a nostalgia-fueled gimmick.
But clearly, both the band and the audience hold the same passion and excitement for these songs as they did when they were released — something quickly revealed on Sunday night.
So while the set may have delivered plenty of throwback tracks that brought back fond memories for some audience members — along with some dance moves that really oozed that ’90s vibe — the real stars of the show were the vocal talents of Boyz II Men members Nathan Morris, Wanyá Morris and Shawn Stockman.
Smooth vocal runs, sustained high notes and those perfectly balanced, signature Boyz II Men harmonies reigned throughout the evening.
Despite the number of ballads included in the set list, the majority of fans stood for the entire show, dancing, singing along and cheering loudly after every song (or sometimes after every line for especially beloved songs).
The band barely had to convince the audience to participate in call-and-response moments or specific dance moves because they were already so hyped and full of excitement.
Crowd-Involving: Many fans danced the night away. (Photo/Jamie Geysbeek)
A sea of hands went up all over the crowd from those seeing Boyz II Men for the first time, earning a playful response from the multi-award-winning group with more than 25 million albums sold in the United States: “Where the hell have you been? We’ve been around for like three decades.”
At mid-set, group members picked up guitars and presented a rock-flavored medley of covers. The medley began with a soulful rendition of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” went on to feature tracks by Lenny Kravitz and Bruno Mars before finishing out with The Beatles’ “Come Together.”
(One attendee was overheard saying that he didn’t really know any Boyz II Men songs. “I knew all the rock songs though,” he stated proudly, proving that the covers earned their place on the set list for good reason: to provide something for everyone.)
Soulful Grand Rapids opening act Avalon Cutts-Jones also performed a cover-heavy set spanning multiple genres to kick off the show. Her impressive vocal range and heartfelt dedications earned multiple standing ovations from the sold-out crowd.
The back half of Boyz II Men’s set was jam-packed with hits. From their chart-topping 1995 Mariah Carey collab, “One Sweet Day,” to fan-favorite “End of the Road,” the string of hit singles was interrupted only by the band’s request for the crowd to sing “Happy Birthday” to Wanyá Morris whose birthday was the next day.
Boyz II Men closed out their set by throwing roses out into the crowd during “I’ll Make Love To You” and starting a full-on dance party to their 1991 hit, “Motownphilly” — an homage to their hometown of Philadelphia, Pa.
While on the subject of bracing vocal harmonies, Meijer Gardens also hosted a tour stop by classical crossover vocal phenoms Il Divo last week. Browse photos from that concert below.
NEXT UP AT MEIJER GARDENS: Black Violin performs with the Grand Rapids Symphony at 7:30 p.m. Thursday (Aug. 1). Tickets, $70, available online here. Read about Black Violin in this Local Spins interview.
PHOTO GALLERY: Boyz II Men, Avalon Cutts-Jones at Meijer Gardens
Photos by Jamie Geysbeek
PHOTO GALLERY: Il Divo at Meijer Gardens
Photos by Paul Jendrasiak
