Concert Review 112 At The Theater @ MGM

Nostalgic R&B was the vibe on Sunday, February 1st, when 112 brought their Room 112 Tour to The Theater at MGM in Oxon Hill, MD. Supporting the group on the tour were R&B crooner Case and their former label mates Total. While it’s unfortunate that only Slim and Mike are part of 112 now, they are still one of my favorite groups, so I had to come out and support.

As usual, a DJ warmed the crowd up with energetic flair. Case took the stage, and a highlight of his entrance was hearing the remix of his new track “Naked” produced by good friend Denny “DJ Soulchild” Sutton. I’ve seen Case a few times, so I know what to expect from his set. He performed his usual hits” Faded Pictures”, “Happily Ever After”, and “Touch Me Tease Me”.

I commend Case for also going into the catalog and giving the audience snippets of “Lovely”, “Sex Games”, and his verse on “The Best Man I Can Be”.His only missstep was a cover of the classic “Tender Love”. Vocally, I just felt like the song didn’t work, and there are other hit songs written by Jam & Lewis that Case could have slayed, such as Alexander O’Neal’s “Sunshine”. Case closed his set with “Missing You”.

Total was up next, and while they don’t have the biggest catalog, the group gave a solid performance. Total’s set list included “No One Else”, “Do You Think About Us”, “Sittin Home”, and “Trippin”. The group also found time to pay tribute to the late great Frank White with a generous performance of “Juicy” and “Can’t U See”. Total closed their set with “Kissin’ You”.

Finally, it was time for the men of the hour. While fans clamour for 112 to reunite as a quartet, for now, Mike and Slim hold it down with two background dancers. They kicked their show off with “Only You” and took fans on a journey throughout the night, performing hits including “Come See Me”, “Love Me”, and “It’s Over Now”. On the ballad/slow jam tip, “Love You Like I Did”, “Sweet Love”, and “U Already Know” were all met with applause from the audience.

Slim & Mike also took time to serenade the audience as soloists. Slim gave an acoustic-esque version of “Cupid” while Mike took them to church with “Player”. That said, as a die-hard 112 fan, the show did come off a bit rushed, and I had a few gripes. The group is celebrating 30 Years, and while they joked they were going to throw some parties, they could have gone deeper into it.

Hits such as “Your Letter” and “What If” were notably absent. Additionally, a medley of album tracks from the Room 112 album would have been lovely. Despite the omissions, I was on my feet, bad knees and all, when they closed out with “Dance With Me” and “Peaches & Cream”.

Final Grade: B