New Edition is launching a Vegas residency and superfan Sherri Shepherd cannot wait
Can you stand the rain? Because it’s heading to Las Vegas in February.
The R&B legends of New Edition are launching their first-ever Sin City residency, “New Edition: Live in Las Vegas,” at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas. The six-show stint kicks off Feb. 28 and runs through March 9.
“Fulfilling a career-long dream to solidify ourselves with a residency performance in the Entertainment Capital of the world, we are beyond excited to embark on this fantastical journey at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas,” the band said in a statement to The Times. “On behalf of all of us, including Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Mike, Ralph and Johnny, it is our extreme purpose to give our fans a show that they cannot witness anywhere else in the world.”
Formed in 1978 and hailed in the ’80s and ’90s as the most gifted vocal group since the Jackson 5, the Grammy-nominated sextet consists of Ralph Tresvant, Ronnie DeVoe, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Johnny Gill — all of whom are now in their 50s. Gill, who enjoyed a solo career as a teen, joined the act in 1987 after Brown left the group, but all six members united for a 1996 album and to celebrate various milestones.
Now all in their 50s, the six members of New Edition have conquered their demons, worked out their differences and come together for an arena tour.
Last year, they embarked on New Edition’s 30-city Culture tour — featuring the Gap Band’s Charlie Wilson and ’90s R&B stars Jodeci — and hit Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena in March. They also performed during ABC’s “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” earlier this year. On Friday, they paid tribute to the 1960s R&B group the Spinners and “Soul Train’s” Don Cornelius at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Brooklyn. They performed three of the Spinners’ classic songs, “I’ll Be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” and “The Rubberband Man.”
But their AEG-produced residency is expected to be an intimate affair inside the 1,480-seat Encore Theater and will celebrate the band’s 40 years in music. Their past setlists have included the group’s biggest hits, including “Candy Girl,” “Mr. Telephone Man” and “I’m Still in Love With You.” They also have showcased Brown, Tresvant and Gill’s solo work and Bell, Bivins and DeVoe’s music as the hip-hop-fueled trio Bell Biv DeVoe (“My Prerogative,” “Sensitivity,” “Rub You the Right Way” and “Poison,” respectively.)
Presale for the residency begins Wednesday and tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Pacific time.
The band made the residency announcement on “Sherri” this week after host Sherri Shepherd questioned them about the prospect last season. The idea came full circle during Monday’s episode when the members sent her a video, much to her delight.
“Let me tell you how excited I am,” Shepherd said. “I’m going to be there on the 28th. I don’t know who’s hosting the [‘Sherri’] show. I don’t know who’s sitting in this chair. I don’t care. I have already put in my time off to go to Vegas because I want to see them. And don’t be singing no new songs! I wanna hear all of the hits!”
In the video, DeVoe confirmed that the group will be performing its “classic material,” as well as hit songs they sang without New Edition.
Shepherd, who idolized the band during its peak, said the “Sherri” show didn’t have the budget to fly out the whole audience to join her (“Give me three more seasons!”). But she did give away a pair of tickets during the episode.
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