Boyz II Men in Boston – February 17, 2023

The best-selling R&B act of all time, Boyz II Men, returned to Boston for the first time since the pandemic, bringing Omar Wilson as their opening act. The group strategically selected the weekend after Valentine’s Day to visit, which worked out beautifully, and were enthusiastically welcomed back to Boston.

Omar Wilson

Omar Wilson is known as the “The Black Sinatra,” and he showed everyone in the building exactly why he deserves that title. He sang some of his bigger hits like “Secret Garden” and “The Groove,” that showcases his smooth voice. He was a perfect choice to get the crowd warmed up before Boyz II Men took the stage. Omar Wilson finished his set strong with a gorgeous rendition of James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s World”.

Boyz II Men

Boyz II Men wasted absolutely no time getting the crowd going. They led things off with their 1991 hit “Motownphilly,” and had every member of the packed MGM Music Hall on their feet and dancing. Next, we got to hear a lot of great commentary from one of the members, Shawn Stockman, that let the crowd know how thankful he was with the support Boston has shown them over the years. He also let everyone know that their name came from a New Edition song, and since New Edition is from Boston, they always felt like Boston was their second home – after Philidelphia, of course.

Their widely massive hit, “On Bended Knee,” was next, and the trio had everyone in the palm of their hand. Keeping the love ballads going, Boyz II Men played “Yesterday,” as well the classic “Water Runs Dry”. The song the crowd collectively was most excited about was “One Sweet Day”. This song was originally sung along with Mariah Carey, and spent an astounding 16-weeks at #1 on the Billboard charts. The audience let out a roar when they heard the beginning notes of the song, and proceeded to belt out the lyrics right along with Boyz II Men. The show finished off solidly with “End of the Road”. The energy could be felt throughout the entire show from the members of the group, as well as from the crowd, so hopefully Boston will not have to wait long for Boyz II Men to visit again.