It was a no-brainer for New Edition to put together a tour with longtime friends and fellow hitmakers Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton.
Figuring the show out, however, was another matter.
“There’s so many songs, so many hits. It could go on for five or six hours,” explains Ricky Bell, who co-founded New Edition in 1998 in Boston and also started Bell Biv DeVoe with group mates Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe. “It was quite challenging, but it’s a process.”
The New Edition Way Tour is an in-the-round affair that weaves the three acts together throughout the night rather than presenting one at a time. “We always want to bring our fans just a new experience, something we haven’t done yet,” says Bell, 58. “You have three basically headline acts … so we said, ‘Let’s bring it together as one act.’ You never know what song, what artist is coming next. We worked really hard on the sequence of the show.”
They collaborate with each other throughout the night, as well, and also begin the show together singing “We Going Out Tonight,” a brand new song by Bell that’s been recorded and will be released later this year as the first fresh New Edition single in 22 years (not counting the other group members backing Johnny Gill on 2016’s “This One’s For Me and You”).
New Edition is, of course, loaded up with hits — group chart-toppers such as “Candy Girl,” “Cool It Now,” “Mr. Telephone Man,” “Can’t Stand the Rain” as well as solo favorites — and Bell hopes fans enjoy the trip down memory lane as much as he and his mates do.
“It’s kinda like we’re taking you on a journey,” he says, “through your life, ’cause you’re gonna hear some songs and ‘Omigod, I forgot about this one. Where was I when I heard that?’ It takes you back to high school, middle school, everywhere in your life. That’s what we try to do.
“And now, especially with social media, our songs are being introduced to a whole new generation. We do meet-and-greets every night, and we have parents, even grandparents, bringing their kids, and the kids are just as excited as they are. There’s no way we could’ve known it would have this impact 40 years later.”
New Edition, Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20 at Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.
Other music events of note this weekend (all subject to change) include …
FRIDAY, FEB. 20
• Blue Man Group brings its blend of musical and visual performance art to the Fox Theatre for four shows through Sunday, Feb. 22. 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.
• The Rush Tribute Project gets us ready for Rush’s reunion concerts this summer with a performance at the Fillmore Detroit, 2115 Woodward Ave. Doors at 6:30 p.m. 313-961-5451 or thefillmoredetroit.com.
• The Anzu Quartet plays contemporary classics for Friday Night Live! at 7 p.m. at the Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-833-9700 or dia.org.
• Singer-songwriters Alice Peacock and Jessica Willis Fisher team up at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.
• It’s an indie rock weekend at the Pike Room in Pontiac’s Crofoot Complex, with Camping In Alaska pitching its tent first and then Bombs in the Garden dropping in on Saturday, Feb. 21. Doors at 7 p.m. both nights. 1 S. Saginaw St. 248-858-9333 or thecrofoot.com.
• Your Stepdad rocks at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. Lackvill and Ankith Woods are also on the bill. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.
• Trombonist Vincent Chandler is in residence at Cliff Bell’s all weekend, leading his Experience band at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20-21 and his Jazz Warriors Big Band at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22. 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.
• Mark Hershberger and the Detroit Jazz Project play through Saturday, Feb. 21 at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, 97 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe. 313-882-5399 or dirtydogjazz.com.
• Michigan’s Super Future DJs at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.
• Julia Rose, The BMcC3 and Nick Piunti put on a local singer-songwriter night at 8 p.m. at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.
• Shannon Lee and Hannah Haris, plus Alberto “Bear” Whitmer, get their Irish on at 7:30 p.m. at the Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia. 734-436-6302 or trinityhousetheatre.org.
• Hollywood Nights — The Bob Seger Experience tips its hat to the metro area favorite at 7:30 p.m. at the Macomb Center, 44575 Garfield Road, Clinton Township. 586-286-2222 or macombcenter.com.
• Sunset Blvd pays tribute to the 80s at the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-544-1991 or themagicbag.com.
• The Roxy hosts the AC/DC tribute Thunderstruck at 8 p.m., with the Bob Seger salute Katmandu playing at the same time on Saturday, Feb. 21. 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.
• The Token Lounge’s tribute-filled weekend includes Used Cars (the Cars) and Hynde Sight (Pretenders), followed on Saturday, Feb. 21 by the Alice Cooperaping and The Nightmare, both at 8 p.m. 28949 Joy Road, Westland. 734-513-5030 or tokenlounge.com.
• District 142 welcomes the Van Halen tribute Jump, followed by The Four Horsemen (Metallica) on Saturday, Feb. 21, at District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte. Doors at 7 p.m. both nights. district142live.com.
• South Carolina alt-rocker troupe Needtobreathe brings its Barely Elegant Acoustic Tour to the Michigan Theater at 7:30 p.m. 603 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor. 734-668-8397 or marquee-arts.org.
• Detroit jazz drummer Nate Winn and his band play at 7 and 9 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.
• Virtual: “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert” comes to IMAX, featuring unseen footage from early ‘70s concert documentaries that director Baz Luhrmann discovered while making his 2022 biopic “Elvis.” epicmovie.film for theaters and other information.
• Virtual: The final show of Chase Atlantic’s last European tour, in London’s O2 Arena, is documented for “Los in Heaven,” currently showing in movie theaters worldwide. chaseatlanticfilm.com for tickets and locations.
• Virtual: The Fabulous Thunderbirds play live at 7:30 p.m. from Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club in New Hampshire, via veeps.com.
• Virtual: Billy Strings streams live from Nashville at 8:30 p.m., with shows through Sunday, Feb. 22, via nugs.net.
SATURDAY, FEB. 21
• Motown favorites the Four Tops come home for an 8 p.m. concert at Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile Road, Warren. 586-268-3200 or andiamoshowroom.com.
• Wooli (aka DJ/producer Adam Puleo) mans the decks at the Masonic Temple Theatre, 500 Temple St., Detroit. Doors at 7:30 p.m. Effin, Hurtbox and Flozone are also on the bill. 313-548-1320 or themasonic.com.
• Gogol Bordello brings its Eastern European-flavored alt-rock to the Majestic Theatre, 4140 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. Puzzled Panther and Boris and the Joy open. 313-833-9700 or majesticdetroit.com.
• Multi-hyphenate Mike Viola, who’s worked with Panic! at the Disco, Andrew Bird, Jenny Lewis, Fall Out Boy and others and fronts the Candy Butchers, plays his own show at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.
• Michigan favorite Jackamo takes a headline turn at Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-8961 or saintandrewsdetroit.com.
• Detroit’s Ethan Marc Band rocks at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. Loud Fox Cult, the Starling and Moravian are also on the bill. 313-833-9700 or themajesticdetroit.com.
• Detroit electronic legend Carl Craig plays All Black Vinyl at 9 p.m. at Spot Lite, 2905 Beaufait St., Detroit. paxahau.com.
• Pennsylvania’s Apes of the State joins Lansing’s Rent Strike at 8 p.m. at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.
• Signer-songwriter Kitty Donohoe takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. at the Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia. 734-436-6302 or trinityhousetheatre.org.
• Hardcore Punkmania!!! features a dozen Michigan bands starting at 5 p.m. at the Diesel Concert Lounge, 33151 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield Township. 586-933-3503 or dieselconcerts.com.
• Britain’s Finest — The Beatles Experience gives the Fab Four its due at the Emerald Theatre, 31 N. Walnut St., Mount Clemens. Doors at 7 p.m. 586-630-0120 or theemeraldtheatre.com.
• The Michigan Theater hosts Latine Culture Show 2026 at 7:30 p.m. 603 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor. 734-668-8397 or marquee-arts.org.
• The Sean Dobbins All Star Quintet shines at 7 and 9 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.
• Virtual: Shadowgrass performs at 12:30 a.m. from Nashville, streaming via nugs.net.
• Virtual: The Yonder Mountain String Band performs at 8 p.m. from Ardmore, Pennsylvania, streaming via nugs.net.
SUNDAY, FEB. 22
• Atlanta’s the Funeral Portrait makes a procession into Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-8961 or saintandrewsdetroit.com.
• Gospel singer Blessing Offor brings his Sunday-appropriate repertoire to El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.
• Saxophonist Charles Prophet Jr. and his band perform a sensory-friendly concert at 2 p.m. in the Cube at the Fisher Music Center, at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-576-5111 or dso.org.
• The Planet D Nonet plays one of its regular dates at the Cadieux Cafe at 2 p.m. 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.
• The Dearborn Youth Symphony showcases at 4:30 p.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave., Dearborn. 313-943-2354 or dearborntheater.com.
• The Magic of Motown tribute show hits the stage at 5 p.m. at Orsa Music Hall, 350 Madison St., Detroit. 313-887-8500 or musichall.org.
• Dave Hause & the Mermaid and Rodeo Boys tandem at 8 p.m. at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.
• The New Dodge Lounge hosts a Breaking Sound showcase featuring a lineup of emerging artists at 7 p.m. 8850 Jos Campau, Hamtramck. 313-638-1508 or thenewdodgelounge.com.
• After two nights and a matinee of storytelling, Ypsilanti’s Matt Jones & the Reconstruction celebrates the release of a new album, “The Good Life,” at 7:30 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1800 or theark.org.
• Pianist Jordan Anderson and his Trio play at 6 and 7:30 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.
• Virtual: Sunny Jain streams live at 7:30 p.m. from Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club in New Hampshire, via veeps.com.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.theoaklandpress.com ’
