Who needs extra production when a group has all the vocal fireworks?
The understated stage setup was both appreciated and savoured as US R&B group Boyz II Men made their Abu Dhabi debut on Saturday, performing as part of the Saadiyat Nights series.
Backed by a dimly lit four-piece band and unfussy background visuals, the trio’s near 90-minute display of vocal dexterity and flawless harmonies felt almost revolutionary in a current music landscape seemingly dominated by electronically processed vocals.
It was also a reminder why the Philadelphia group – whose surviving members are Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris (not related) and Shawn Stockman – were one of the biggest vocal groups of their time, with a slew of big-selling hits. I mention “vocal groups” because, as their episode in Behind the Music revealed, Boyz II Men’s remarkable rise was halted by shifting musical trends. The industry pivoted from similar R&B-rooted African American acts to heavily promoting pop boybands such as the Backstreet Boys and Nsync; a shift the group suggested was driven, in part, by systemic racism within the music business.
While internal struggles and shifting industry trends left the group in the wilderness for more than a decade starting in the late 1990s, their re-emergence was driven by a renewed desire to celebrate their hard-won legacy. Contemporary pop artists such as Bruno Mars and Justin Timberlake, who have drawn vocal inspiration from their era, have also helped shine a light on their enduring influence. As a result, Boyz II Men have found themselves packing concert venues from the US to Australia.
Hence, their Abu Dhabi concert was as much a well-earned lap of honour as it was a showcase of a band revitalised. The ethereal Believe Us demonstrated the wondrous power of a perfectly executed three-point harmony. The same can be said for Water Runs Dry, where Nathan's rich baritone was expertly layered with the fluid harmonies of Wanya and Shawn.
Such control and precision extend to their more dramatic moments, with modern R&B rarely offering a vocalist as commanding as Wanya, his booming tenor literally brought the crowd to their feet during storming performances of On Bended Knee and I'll Make Love to You. While Shawn’s icy falsetto resonated in It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday – an elegiac ode to the departed.
Crowd pleasers as ever, they sparked a mass karaoke sing-along in the heart-warming One Sweet Day, complete with lyrics displayed on the screen – mirroring the reaction their collaborator Mariah Carey received only a year earlier when performing the song during her solo concert on the same stage.
Finishing their set where it all began, with a heartfelt and suitably poignant rendition of End of the Road alongside their debut single Motownphilly, Boyz II Men left the stage with a lasting reminder of a legacy that may have felt underappreciated at times but remains undeniably timeless.
What’s still to come at Saadiyat Nights in 2025
February 1: Omar Khairat
The Egyptian singer will perform a collection of his enchanting and original symphonies. Tickets start at Dh250.
February 15: Christina Aguilera
The American singer is returning to the UAE capital for the first time in 17 years. Tickets are sold out.
February 21: Gwen Stefani
The American singer will perform solo hits like What You Waiting For and Hollaback Girl, alongside No Doubt classics such as Don't Speak. Tickets start at Dh295.
