Tickets went on sale on Monday for the 30th Anniversary Tour of New Edition @ Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.  The original 6 were back for what should be a successful tour, but now questions abound with more problems for the most recognizable member of the former "Boy Band" - Bobby Brown.

News broke that the often troubled Brown is now facing 3 misdemeanor charges over a recent DUI - failing a field sobriety test, registering a .12 blood-alcohol level (over the legal .08 limit in California), and driving with a suspended license, plus driving while using a cell phone.  These charges could land Brown in jail for up to 1 year.

Trouble is nothing new with Bobby Brown - ranging from lewd behavior on stage as a solo artist, to his battles with bipolar disease and serious drug addictions.  Brown has been in rough shape since the recent death of his ex-wife Whitney Houston.  Brown has supposedly not completely kicked his drinking habits, and now his demons have surfaced once again.

Brown seemed to be on a career comeback of sorts over the last few years before Whitney's sudden death.  His appearance on Celebrity Fit Club on VH1 helped him lose some weight and get back to the body he's more familiar with.  Brown then chose to go on CMT's series Gone Country, and he shined during the show even though he did not win.  This did give him a spinoff for CMT with Outsider's Inn, and became close with co-stars Maureen McCormick (The Brady Bunch) and Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips).

Brown found love again personally, became engaged to his girlfriend of 2 years, and had a son (Cassius in '09).  The downward fall of Brown seemed to start with the death of his parents over the last year, then came the tragedy of Whitney.

Brown's extended family of New edition have been by his side during this rough year or so.  This should be a celebration for the group who had 17 Top-10 R&B hits in their impressive career.  Their teen years saw classic 80's hits like "Candy Girl", "Cool It Now", and "Mr. Telephone Man".  The group's 2nd chapter as men saw them score the biggest hits of their career with "I'm Still In Love With You" (peaking at #3 on the Pop chart) and "Hit Me Off" in 1996 - 8 years after their last release.

Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant, with Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe have been hopeful that this tour would create another great story for this group - another successful comeback with a tour that would have them all cash in.

Kara Cermanski, Sr. Sales and Marketing Manager for The Boardwalk Hall has informed me that Bobby's potential legal worries will not affect the New Edition show.  Ticket sales have gone well, and you can  purchase tickets from $46, $65, $77, and $127 seats, at Boardwalk Hall Box Office, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by-phone (1-800-736-1420).

The show will not only feature all the New Edition hits.  Brown's library of hits (8 Billboard Top-10 hits, and 6 #1 R&B singles) would be enough for a show, but throw in Gill's 4 #1 R&B hits (featuring "Rub You The Right Way" which peaked at #3 on the Billboard chart), and Bel Biv DaVoe's 8 Top-10 R&B hits (4 that hit #1, and their pair of Top-3 Pop hits "Do Me" and "Poison") makes this a can't miss concert.

Bobby Brown has always seemed happiest on stage, and when he's been with his brothers of New Edition.  You hope this tour will bring some peace to a tortured soul.

 

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