Human Nature has never fully shaken the poptastic sheen of its boy band origins, never mind their first hit You Got It Goin On was released 20 years ago. Since that time they’ve sold 2.5 million albums, supported Michael Jackson and Celine Dion on their tours, reached the Aussie top 20 with almost every release, and taken up residence on the Vegas Strip.

It’s a good thing they traded their ill-fitting garish 90s outfits for the tailored dinner suits and ruffled shirts of Motown groups because, as they made the final stop on their Jukebox tour, Human Nature proved they are seasoned performers who are own this style of show.

The Arena wasn’t at capacity but the open areas were filled with a predominantly older crowd. As the foursome group from Sydney twisted and watusi’d through a demanding two hour set there was an acknowledgement their fan base had shifted, with many jokes in the vein of ‘lock up your mothers’. It happens when your focus becomes less Telling Everybody and more Runaround Sue.

With a stage setup that included their US band and a large screen, Toby Allen, Phil Burton, and brothers Andrew and Mike Tierney came out of the gate with Reach Out I’ll Be There and proceeded to blaze through so many hits that, at a certain point, it became dizzying. Be My Baby, You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling and Wonderful World played high on the feeling of nostalgia, with the audience revelling in the mention of old Perth haunts like the Kingsley’s Galaxy Drive-In. 

And of course you have to appreciate the dance moves for these shows. To see Human Nature adorned in glorious metallic dinner jackets, double-stepping through non-stop choreography, all the while smiling through rehearsed banter and ever-increasing shiny faces – it was an admirable feat in and of itself. Experience they’ve locked down, no doubt, from having to perform five nights a week in Las Vegas. In fact the whole show walked that fine Vegas line: loud, brash and entertaining but sometimes unintentionally veering off into the realms of cabaret theatre, with the inclusion of two Dancing With The Stars performers.

The group experimented with a ‘Juke Joint’ featuring on point do-wop renditions of Shout and Why Do Fools Fall In Love. More contemporary approaches highlighted the influence of RnB and soul on current trends, including a Stand By Me / Stay (Sam Smith) mashup that was great. However, the My Girl / Can’t Stop The Feeling (Justin Timberlake) mashup was a little clunky. They succeeded most when they playing it straight with the likes of Uptown Funk and You Shook Me All Night Long. Human Nature’s greatest strength aside from their evident tight bond are their superb vocal harmonies. The foursome shone most when they went mostly a capella, with a swoon-worthy Earth Angel, a breezy Don’t Worry Baby later apexing with the group singing near perfectly alongside a video of Smokey Robinson for Ooo Baby Baby. 

With typical Aussie tongue-in-cheek humour the group acknowledged their boy band roots with a medley of not only their hits, including Wishes, but other boy band classics including Backstreet Boys and New Kids On The Block. It worked in a ‘don’t take it too seriously’ kind of way but it did show how boy bands can define the music landscape, further cemented when they followed on with an homage to The Beatles, The Beach Boys and The Jacksons. 

The finale included a furious run through of Good Love, La Bamba, Unchained Melody and September, which finally got the entire Arena on their feet unabashedly having fun. From small beginnings to now booking arenas, Human Nature proved hard work, endearing personalities and the ability to sing any genre will keep audiences coming back.

*4 Stars*