New Edition, with Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton, bring hits to Atlanta show

Renowned R&B boy band New Edition was recently nominated, along with 16 other groups and musicians, for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

At their show Sunday night at State Farm Arena, the first of two Atlanta stops along the New Edition Way Tour, the pioneering sextet built a cogent case for why they should be the next inductees.

With help from direct successors Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton, New Edition delivered a stellar R&B showcase with piercing vocals, crowd appreciation and nonstop nostalgia.

New Edition perform at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Sunday, March 29, 2026. (Ben Gray for the AJC)

“Tonight is a celebration of excellence,” founding member and Atlanta resident Ronnie DeVoe said at the top of the show.

The concert began at 7:40 p.m. with New Edition surprisingly performing an unreleased song, “We Going Out Tonight.” The dreamy, up-tempo track was a fitting opener — four decades in, the band still manages to find fresh ways to appeal to their audience.

Ditching the standard opening act structure, the New Edition Way Tour is streamlined, with each act performing right after the next, and sometimes together. Boyz II Men played “Motownphilly,” their debut single, and New Edition later joined them onstage for the song, an obvious nod to the groups’ tight connection (New Edition’s Michael Bivins discovered Boyz II Men).

Toni Braxton, wearing a shimmering nude dress, was next to perform, singing and dancing along to her hit “He Wasn’t Man Enough.”

Toni Braxton performs Sunday at State Farm Arena. (Ben Gray for the AJC)

For three hours, the veteran acts wooed the crowd with hits that prevailed even without special stage design or effects. And the audience laughed, sang, danced and cried along every step of the way.

Braxton, who performed the fewest songs, told the audience she was initially nervous to tour because of her health issues. The R&B star has battled lupus for nearly 20 years.

“I wanna thank you all for my job,” the former Atlanta resident and LaFace signee told the crowd Sunday.

She later thanked her family, including her late sister Traci Braxton, to whom she dedicated “Breathe Again” while fighting back tears. It was a sacred moment in which Braxton’s riveting alto remained triumphant.

Braxton’s final appearance arrived roughly an hour before the show ended. Wearing a white dress with angel wings, she belted her biggest hit to date, “Unbreak My Heart,” with fans swaying along.

Boyz II Men had the strongest vocals of the night, though their set started out with sound issues, specifically an overly loud backing track to “4 Seasons of Loneliness.”

But the sound improved with the Grammy-winning ballad “I’ll Make Love to You.” Wearing red suit jackets and handing roses to audience members, the trio sounded every bit like the vocal technicians they were in the 1990s, with Wanya Morris’ runs stealing the show.

Boyz II Men perform Sunday. (Ben Gray for the AJC)

The middle of the concert highlighted the solo iterations of New Edition members, including songs from Bobby Brown (another former Atlantan), Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill. Gill, with churchy vocals that can move any room, had the most potent set, even bringing Keith Sweat on stage to perform their hit “My Body” before breaking out into the vocal onslaught of “My, My, My.”

Gill’s vocals shined brighter with his runs on “Can You Stand the Rain.” The best New Edition moment of the night was during a medley of the band’s 1980s beginnings: “Mr. Telephone Man,” “Candy Girl” and “Cool It Now.” With all six members on stage, the group didn’t appear to lose a beat.

Boyz II Men concluded their night with their record-breaking hits “One Sweet Day” and “End of the Road.” Many in the audience cried along to the former, proving the song’s palpable impact more than three decades later. With the latter, each member showcased their giant vocal prowess while encouraging the crowd to sing along.

Former Atlanta resident Bobby Brown (right) takes the stage with New Edition. (Ben Gray for the AJC)

Around 10 p.m., New Edition appeared onstage one last time. Brown performed his solo jams “Every Little Step” and “My Prerogative,” yielding a hearty applause from the audience while performing his signature dance moves. It was a balm to see the R&B pioneer in good physical shape after suffering from multiple heart attacks.