Boyz Ii Men Find Crowd Eager Ii Hear

Boyz II Men Monday, Sept. 25, Spokane Arena

One would think, by the third visit in less than a year, Spokane has had its fill of Boyz II Men.

Hardly.

Screaming fans barely paused to take a breath as Boyz II Men opened their Spokane Arena concert with a Motownphilley bang.

The Philadelphia-based rhythm and blues quartet hit the audience with a barrage of ballads, bringing thousands of squealing fans to their feet with each note.

Boyz II Men were at their best when performing songs from their debut album “Cooleyhigharmony.”

Hits like “Uhh Ahh” and “Please Don’t Go” were simply breathtaking.

Michael “Bass” McCary’s oceandeep vocals milked the crowd for screams during his solo in “Uhh Ahh.” Wanya Morris was nearly exploding on stage during “Please Don’t Go,” holding notes with the grasp of Thor.

Songs from the current album, “II,” sounded decent, but they weren’t performed with the same energy. When the group sang “On Bended Knee” from the seats of their stools, it was clear they were exploiting the song’s popularity as a chance to rest.

Still, during “50 Candles,” the lighting, music and fireworks were perfectly in sync, much like Boyz II Men’s trademark “Cooleyhigharmony.”

The show hit its climax during the “Motownphilley”/”End of the Road” finale.

It’s hard to tell which chants the audience enjoyed more, “dumm dumm da da’s” or the chorus to “End of the Road.”

Either way, Boyz II Men left a huge impression those at the Arena won’t soon forget.

Montell Jordan, who opened the show, didn’t have the stage quality of Boyz II Men, but he did have charisma.

Performing his never-failing platinum hit “This Is How We Do It,” Jordan warmed the crowd with a microwave stage show.

It was quick and convenient but not quite as tasty as old-fashioned slow-cooking.

Jordan didn’t match Boyz II Men’s stage presence but, as some may remember from his Gorge appearance in August, at least this time he didn’t show up an hour late.

, DataTimes