Photos by: Aaron J. Thornton
This past Friday, more than 20,000 fans packed Little Caesars Arena for a night that felt less like a concert and more like an R&B summit. It was a celebration of timeless hits, with New Edition, Boyz II Men, and Toni Braxton sharing one historic stage and Detroit bore witness to a R&B coronation of music as part of The New Edition Way Tour, from three acts whose influence shaped decades of sound and style.
On a stage that was setup so that fans could be seated completely around it, providing a 360 degree view, Ricky Bell, Ronnie DeVoe, Michael Bivins, Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant, and Bobby Brown rose in a single line from below. The six members of New Edition drew roars and screams from the crowd and started into song. Moments later, the trio of Boyz II Men were elevated from beneath the stage. They opened with “Water Runs Dry” on a center part of the stage that was more like a bridge connecting the main stage where New Edition was, to an area that extended into the crowd. It was in this last section that the songstress Toni Braxton emerged, also rising from below, setting the tone in stunning fashion. She was draped in a red and black sequined leotard adorned with feathers, delivering a sultry performance of “Get So High,” flanked by four background vocalists in black sequin dresses, each gracefully wielding large feather fans that added Old Hollywood glamour to the stage. She followed with the song “How Many Ways,” dazzling the arena with a seamless blend of elegance and sensuality.
As the other artists left, Johnny Gill stepped into the spotlight performing “Fairweather Friend,” dressed sharply in a tailored blue suit paired with bold black and white shoes. Six dancers in white shorts, tops, and boots brought crisp choreography and high energy behind him, matching the intensity of his powerful vocals.
Then came Bobby Brown, another member of the New Edition team who also had a successful solo career. He wasted no time igniting the crowd with “Don’t Be Cruel.” “Detroit, you know the words! Sing!” he commanded, and the audience obliged, rising to its feet in a deafening singalong. With the trio that made up the group Bell Biv DeVoe backing him, Brown broke into an impromptu dance break that had the arena chanting, “Go Bobby! Go Bobby!” as he soaked in the love.
Bell Biv DeVoe kept the momentum going with crowd favorites “Do Me!” and “When Can I See You Smile Again,” their chemistry and swagger reminding fans why their hits still dominate decades later.
New Edition’s Ralph Tresvant then joined forces with Boyz II Men for “Do What I Gotta Do.” Dressed in sleek black sequin suits, Tresvant topped off his look with a black hat, the ensemble shimmering under the lights.
Braxton returned to the stage for a performance of “Just Be a Man About It,” rising from the extended stage in a flowing gold gown with a long, elegant train that she whipped on the stage with theatrical flair. She was dancing with a chair serving as her prop while four dancers in all black executed sharp choreography around her, with chairs of their own, creating a striking visual.
Pausing to address the crowd, Braxton gazed out at the sea of faces. “Over 20,000 fans. Look at all the beautiful people in Detroit,” she said. “Thank you all for my job, for putting me on this stage. I love you so much for that. Thank you for loving me.” She mentioned her battle with lupus and revealed that doctors once told her she would never perform again. “But the man upstairs had a whole other plan for me,” she proudly stated, drawing applause.
The seven time Grammy award winner delivered a few a cappella verses of “Love Should’ve Brought You Home” before dedicating “Breathe Again” to the late Whitney Houston. “It was her (Houston’s) favorite song,” Braxton shared, her voice tender and reverent.
Boyz II Men returned with “I’ll Make Love to You”. Wearing black tuxedo pants, white shirts, and red sequin blazers, each member ascended from different sections below the stage with roses in hand, which they gifted to lucky women in the front rows. “Detroit, thank you,” they said, drawing warm cheers.
Following an intermission where a DJ kept the energy alive with hits from every era, Bobby Brown reemerged to open the second half of the show in a bold pink suit, white shoes, and a white top hat to perform another one of his hit songs, “Roni.”
Ralph Tresvant followed, coming back onto the stage singing “Sensitivity.” Dressed in all black with a hat to match, accompanied by six dancers in fur coats and short blonde wigs.
Johnny Gill then stormed the stage in black leather performing the song he produced as part of the group LSG, “Body,” before transitioning into his signature hit “My, My, My.” Mid-song, Gill stepped offstage and walked through the pit, serenading fans against the barricade and handing out roses before returning to center stage to finish strong.
Braxton appeared once more in a black leotard with tuxedo tails and a top hat. In the midst of her set, the tempo slowed and a violinist dressed in white emerged and played on the closest stage as clouds and unicorns filled the video screen, a dreamy prelude to “Un-Break My Heart,” which Braxton then performed above the back part of the stage in a white flowing dress and angel wings, elevated on a platform.
The sound of raindrops, thunder, and chirping birds hinted at what came next. The opening notes of “Can You Stand the Rain” brought five members of New Edition, all in white with white top hats, back to the stage to a standing ovation. The cheers were among the loudest of the night as they lingered afterward, soaking in the love.
Michael Bivins then took a moment to formally introduced Boyz II Men, with Shawn Stockman reflecting on their Motown Records deal and thanking Bivins for his role in their journey. “We spent a lot of time in Detroit. Hope we did you guys proud,” Stockman said, and noting the historic nature of the tour, he added, “This is something special: three acts, never been done in entertainment history, over 160 million records sold between the three.” Boyz II Men then took a moment to pose for a photo with New Edition and thanked the band members behind the artists before launching into “Water Runs Dry,” followed by “On Bended Knee,” which ended with Stockman kneeling at the front of the stage, pausing dramatically before the final note.
New Edition returned in coordinated white outfits with long black sequin coats, revisiting classics like “Mr. Telephone Man” and “Candy Girl,” transporting the crowd back to the ‘80s and ‘90s. Then the group performed “Cool It Now,” like it was 1984 all over again.
Boyz II Men came back out and offered a heartfelt tribute before performing “One Sweet Day,” honoring those lost. During this, Stockman wore a shirt bearing the face of Detroit’s own Aaliyah in remembrance. They closed their set with the enduring anthem “End of the Road, one of their most recognized songs.”
Johnny Gill returned to stage to perform “Rub You the Right Way,” joined by his New Edition bandmates, Bell Biv DeVoe, Ralph Tresvant, and Bobby Brown, all dressed in white pants and black blazers. Brown then stepped forward for “Every Little Step” and “My Prerogative,” keeping the crowd on its feet, dancing and singing.
Finally, Bell Biv DeVoe launched into “Poison,” bringing New Edition and Boyz II Men together onstage for a joyous, high energy finale. As the last notes rang out, it was clear the night wasn’t just a concert, it was a living tribute to decades of R&B excellence.
The New Edition Way tour stop in Detroit was one of 30 cities, which commenced less than a month earlier in Oakland, CA and is slated to conclude in early April in Houston, TX. The tour is another presented by the Black Promoters Collective, a group of six of the top concert promoters and production companies bringing culturally relevant live entertainment experiences around the nation.
