If the lyrics “Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky and Mike/ If I love the girl, who cares who you like” are ingrained in your brain, you’ll be thrilled to hear that New Edition, along with Keith Sweat and Guy and Tank, will perform at the Capital One Arena on March 16. The group are now 40 years into their career, and their aptly named Legacy Tour is part of a victory lap that in recent years has included a biopic on BET, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a performance at the American Music Awards, where BTS, watching from the audience, tried (and failed) to do their choreography. As kids growing up in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood, none of that seemed remotely possible. “When we were putting the group together, our imaginations wouldn’t allow us to even think that far ahead,” Ricky Bell says. “We didn’t even know how to go about getting a record deal or doing any of that.” Speaking with City Paper during a break from rehearsals in Atlanta, the group’s interview wanders into inside jokes and explanations for their current need for Bengay. Sore muscles aside, they realize one of the major reasons the group still connects with fans is not only New Edition’s musical catalog, but the fact that every single member had musical success outside of the group (Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill, and Ralph Tresvant all had successful solo careers, and Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, and Bell teamed up to create Bell Biv DeVoe), something no other group of their ilk can claim (and yes, this extended catalog will be part of their show). But after all these decades, New Edition know why they’re still around. “The fans have been essential to our success,” says Brown. “They have stuck by us through thick and thin. We really appreciate that. New Edition perform with Keith Sweat, Guy and Tank at 7 p.m. on March 16 at Capital One Arena. capitalonearena.com. $99.50–$569.50.
New Edition
