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The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

    Boyz harmonize at Columbia

    Despite two rescheduled concert dates, love was not lost for fans of the popular rhythm and blues group Boyz II Men last Sunday night at the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts. The audience cheered, applauded and sang along as the energetic dance number “Motownphilly” started the concert off to a high start.

    Celebrating 20 years of music, the group’s performance consisted of songs from when they first formed, along with a set the trio called “Boyz II Men Classics.” This was comprised of singles that the singers have become widely known for, such as “Water Runs Dry,” “On Bended Knee” and “4 Seasons of Loneliness.”

    A highlight of the concert included songs from the Boyz II Men CD, entitled “Motown, A Journey Through Hitsville USA.”

    A cover album, “Hitsville” features songs from the ’60s era of Motown, including “Money (That’s What I Want)” by Barrett Strong and “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” by The Four Tops. The group sang an abbreviated mixture of songs from the album in tribute to the artists that opened the road, which led Boyz II Men to their own success.

    Throughout the performance, the trio commented on the importance of their fans, encouraging various forms of audience participation, such as handing out six dozen long-stemmed red roses during “I’ll Make Love to You.”

    “I’m absolutely speechless,” said Miracle Turner, an audience member who received a rose. “It was such a great experience here, and I’m just glad I came to be a part of this great event.”

    Additional moments with the audience included group member Shawn Stockman singing to an audience member’s mother on a cell phone during “A Song for Mama” and the audience singing “Happy Birthday” to Stockman while a cake with lighted candles was rolled out on stage.

    “I can’t believe I got to see one of my favorite singers on their birthday,” said Candace Hunt from Madisonville, La., “It’s such a treat for me. I just love their romantic sexuality onstage.”

    One song stood out among the cover songs, as it was originally offered to Boyz II Men, according to Stockman. The single “Amazed” by Lonestar was turned down by the performers in its original form because they felt their music was at a different point, though they went on to perform a cover.

    “Next time you hear that song, just know it’s not us,” said Stockman. “Just know we blew it.”

    The performance was originally scheduled for May 2010, but was postponed due to the group’s European tour. Originally, the concert was moved to Sept. 24, but unforeseen circumstances caused the concert to be moved once more. However, officials from Columbia Theatre were pleased with the outcome of the event.

    “It feels so good, we can’t tell you how good it feels,” said Christie Gardiner, logistics coordinator for Columbia Theatre. “And the fans seem really really happy, which is all we wanted in the first place. And you could tell by their cheers and their singing and their participation. I’m happy with the way it turned out.”

    As the concert drew to an end, the group sang their a cappella version of “End of the Road,” with the audience singing the chorus more than three times as it drew to an end.

    “It was just so thrilling to see that everyone had such a screaming, wonderful time,” said Kenneth Boulton, director of Columbia Theatre. “This concert was very much worth the wait. We were so happy that they were here and they were pleased to be here and that our patrons had an exciting night.”

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