This is an article about the concert I went to on August 11th, 1995.
Blending doo wop with hip hop, the four-man harmony band Boyz II Men led a spirit rally Friday night at the Oakland Colisseum Arena.
The carefully costumed and choreographed Philadelphia quartet worked throught singalong, clap-along, sway-along balldas from their million-selling Motown albums, Cooleyhighharmony (1991) and II (1994). There were three changes of clothes, and fireworks displays, a candlelight vigil, a rainstorm, and lots of blue and pink smoke. In the process, they may have set the standard for pelvic thrusts.
The bill was supposed to feature TLC as well, but the group cancelled. Nobody seemed to upset.
In sound and spectacle, the band, which started as a street-corner a cappella act, was evocative of Earth, Wind, & Fire. The highs were as reaching as anything hit by Maurice White and his mates, though White wouldn't have gone for the preppy East Coast attire. The white tuxedo suits maybe, but never the sweater-vest golfing ensembles.
Boyz II Men claim religious inspiration, though their sexual overtones seem to belie that. Three of the singers, Shawn Stockman, Nathan Morris, and Wanya Morris have mellifluous voices and can warble like Aaron Neville. The fourth, Michael S. McCary, is described as "the foundation," with a bass to rival Barry White's. Their perfectly constructed four-part harmonies hint of gospel, and band members look healthy, clean cut and athletic.
Lead singers interchange song to song and lyric to lyric. Every slow love song seemed to end with at least one siner down on his knees pleading for love, and the audience eager to give it.
Throughout the two-hour show young women stood on their chairs on the arena floor, and even little girls seemed to know all the dance moves from the videos.
"Can anyone tell me how a perfect love went wrong," pleaded the singer before launching into the heart-breaking pop-chart-topper "On Bended Knee." The audience answered the call with screams, holding their hands over their hearts. Lovers slow-danced the best they could on the stadium seats and moved out into the aisle for full embrace. By song's end, two singers were on all fours.
During a midset instrumental, the four singers traded white pull-over vests, matching pants and red polo shirts for white suits to sing "I'll Make Love to You," another #1 single. Real rain seemed to fall on the stage during "Water Runs Dry." As if their suits got wet, they changed again to white shorts, striped polos and golf hats to close the show with the uptempo "Motownphilly" and the romancer "End of the Road," yet another former #1 single.
As a grand finale, the four singers strapped into an elevated swing that emulated a cockpit. With a bang, the swing flipped over and they were gone. Nobody demanded an encore. Perhaps fans were convinced the explosion had catapulted them out of the arena and all the way back to Philly.