New Edition, is one of those rare groups I feel like I grew up with. As a kid I remember listening to them on the radio, watching videos on MTV, and remember things like them covering “Earth Angel” for The Karate Kid Part II, and through the years as their sound changed, they were still good. When they went off and did their solo projects, I loved all of them. I bought Bobby’s cassettes, and Ralph and Johnny’s too, and of course, Bel Biv DeVoe got major play at school dances and in my walkman at the time. Sunday night Sifu and I went to check out the show. They still sounded really good! I had the biggest smile on my face when they stepped out on stage. I was excited to be there…

At first, I got scared, because there were only five mic stands and five members on the stage… Bobby Brown was missing! But they psyched-out the crowd (and later teased us about it), and Bobby came out with a hat on and the crowd went crazy. They put on an awesome show. From start to end, there was non-stop choreography, singing, and some funny riffing between mainly Bobby and Ralph, Johnny Gill, and sometimes just Bobby. It was a fun time. I laughed a lot. They announced that Bobby was getting married the very next day. He pulled his fiancee and two kids on stage at a point.

Along with a lot of New Edition hits, they performed some of everyone’s solo stuff.. Johnny’s “My My My,” and a new track off his recent album, Bobby did “Roni” and “My Perogative,” Ralph did “Sensitivity” and was lead on most of the NE tracks… The show closed with a medley of BBD’s “Do Me” into “Poison.” They were on stage for almost two hours, but it felt like it went by so quick.

Macy Gray also happened to be in the audience, and at one point they pulled her on stage, but she didn’t perform. I heard her mic might not have been working? But she was there to watch the show, and it was a damn good show. Johnny and Bobby have recent solo releases out already, and Ralph has one coming soon. They also mentioned BBD and then New Edition coming out with something new!!

Sifu “Jive” Walker, who is a diehard fan and knew every song, kept a setlist and made a spotify playlist of all the tracks in the order played (some were medley’s).

I had a great time. That was probably one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Really glad I got a chance to see them perform. Mahalo to them for coming out to Hawaii and putting on such an entertaining show!