BOSTON (WHDH) - Boston’s own Bell Biv Devoe arrived at the Hatch Shell for a soundcheck before the Boston Pops Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular.
But its not the guys first time at Boston’s iconic outdoor performance stage. Back in 1983, when they were apart of the singing sensation “New Edition,” they also sang here.
“One of the locations for our first video ‘Candy Girl’ was a the Hatch Shell, and to be able to return 40 years later with the Boston Symphony Orchestra…” said Ronnie DeVoe, of Bell Biv DeVoe. ” The magnitude, the excitement.”
Raised in Boston, with family still in the area, the singers have attended the Fourth of July concert in the past as spectators.
“For the last two-three years, we’d go and sit on the grass right there on Storrow and we just watch everything happen over the Charles River,” said Mike Bivins, of Bell Biv DeVoe.
Come Friday, they will be among the ones entertaining the crowd.
“We represent Boston everywhere we go,” said Ricky Bell, of Bell Biv DeVoe. “You always see us with the ‘B’ hats on whether its the Patriots, Celtics, Red Sox whatever but going back home to perform in fronton your family, your siblings and the people you grow up with, just your own city welcoming you, it just adds an extra layer of excitement.”
Some of their loved ones will be here for the big performance.
“Just one of my sisters,” said Bell. “The rest, I think its many people and they don’t want to get caught up in the crowd, so they’ll just have to catch it on your station.”
The R&B group has rocked out alongside the Pops before, back in 2023 during the Winter Classic.
“The ambiance made us feel bigger than life, you know we really felt like we arrived that day, that’s what made it special,” said Bivins.
Come July Fourth, they promise to deliver, giving their hometown just what they want.
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