Tuesday January 30, 2007
From the old school
By SHEELA CHANDRAN
Boyz II Men fans were serenaded with sweet love songs during the group’s concert in Malaysia last week.
The admiration for R&B group Boyz II Men was apparent, judging by the 3,000-strong crowd that turned up at the Arena of Stars in Genting Highlands last Friday.
Despite the heavy rain and traffic heading up to the highlands, the hall was crowded with fans – all geared up to catch the group, touted as one the most successful R&B groups of all time.
Piercing squeals filled the hall when the group introduced its new single, Muzak. The show didn’t feature a live backing band, but the Minus One treatment for the songs didn’t really matter to most of the fans. Lead tenor Wanya Morris instantly put the audience in the R&B mood with his smooth sounds and a catchy chorus. When the group belted out On Bended Knee, the crowd grew wilder and started cheering with enthusiasm.
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One sweet night: Boyz II Men giving a rousing performance at the Arena of Stars in Genting Highlands last Friday. |
Back to the concert A Song for Mama and Water Runs Dry offered more poignant moments with the group’s classic soul style. At certain moments, some people in the audience were seen singing along with their eyes closed while others hummed and waved.
Formed in 1988 as a quintet, this American R&B/soul singing group from Philadelphia attained fame as a quartet, comprising Wanya Morris, Michael McCary, Shawn Stockman, and Nathan Morris.
The members of Boyz II Men were known then for their vocal abilities, and helped continue a trend in R&B that emphasised emotive singing. Today the Morris brothers and Stockman continue to tour and record as a trio, after McCary left the group in 2003 due to ill health.
The group recorded five No.1 R&B hits between 1992 and 1997. Three of the No.1 hits, End of the Road, I’ll Make Love to You, and One Sweet Day (a duet with Mariah Carey), set and broke records on the Billboard singles charts in the 1990s. Albums under their belt include Cooleyhighharmony, II, Evolution and Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya.
Charming trio
Throughout the 90-minute concert in Genting, the group didn’t disappoint the fans. With a set built to please, the trio serenaded the crowd with other popular hits, including 4 Seasons of Loneliness and Uhh Ahh. Songs from The Remedy – Perfect Love Song, You Don’t Love Me, The Last Time and Booed Up were also featured, but unfortunately, did not receive much response, unlike their older songs. This was understandable because it was the first time most fans had heard these songs and couldn’t really relate to them.
Then the heat was turned a notch higher when the group belted I’ll Make Love to You. Wanya’s emotive singing delighted the ladies in the crowd.
The curtain closer, End of the Road, was a real charmer. But as usual, the crowd begged for more and after much clapping, the group re-appeared with an encore – Motown Philly, an up-tempo song which left fans in ecstasy.
In general, the crowd seemed pleased with the group’s performance. Sales executive Mohammad Hyden Jamal, 22, who had accompanied his girlfriend to the concert, thought the group sung extremely well.
“They’re Boyz II Men, one of the most successful bands around. One cannot afford to miss seeing them in town. Their performance was great and we had an enjoyable time.”
Housewife Carmilla Shazali, 32, agreed. She said: “It’s nice to hear their evergreen songs topped up with a superb performance. This is their first trip to Malaysia and hearing their award-winning songs brings back good memories.”
Hardcore fan Iskandar Abdullah, 31, rushed up to Genting after work for the performance with his family and friends. “There’s something special about these singers. Their lyrics are very touching, especially Song for Mama and End of the Road. They are one of the pioneering R&B groups and their performance was excellent.”
But some viewers thought otherwise of the group’s performance. Some felt they lacked appeal while others said the group didn’t have the aura they possessed during their heyday.
“The music industry has changed over the years and there are so many charismatic bands around. The audience was familiar with their older songs and couldn’t appreciate their newer songs. As for their voice, they seemed to have aged so it felt less appealing,” said project manager N. Prem Anand, 38.
E.L. Chong, 30, shared the same thought. She said: “The sound system wasn’t very good and they sounded muffled. Times have changed and I was expecting much more from the concert. They sang well, no doubt, but there wasn’t much oomphh in terms of their presentation.
Advertising exec R. Mohan said: “They didn’t have a live band. That was really disappointing. There wasn’t a backdrop, only three podiums with mineral water bottles on a table in the middle of the stage. How professional is that? Plus they didn’t sing a few songs mentioned in their posters, such as It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye and One Sweet Day, which are among their top songs.”
Despite mixed reactions, the crowd in general enjoyed the show.
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