Boyz II Men Back With Proven Formula

Take note, ‘N Sync: Today the world, tomorrow--who knows?

Just two years ago, Boyz II Men were headlining arenas and amphitheaters packed with young women deliriously enraptured by the biggest-selling R&B; vocal group of the ‘90s.

Emerging from the intervening years out of the spotlight, the Boyz still generated plenty of squeals Thursday at the outset of a comeback tour, but they came from considerably fewer than 1,000 fans at the Sun Theatre in Anaheim.

“We didn’t expect this kind of turnout,” Shawn Stockman said early in the show, and it was hard to tell whether he was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm of those on hand or disappointed by the number of empty seats.

Either way, the Philadelphia foursome sang as though it had been at it every day since the band’s last album, “Evolution,” came out in 1997, all the way through a laser-precise yet skimpy set that ran just over an hour.

In four songs from the new “Nathan, Michael, Shawn, Wanya” album (slated for September release), their proven formula--passionately rendered songs of unwavering love, however romanticized and glossy--still worked when spruced up with invigorating gospel and doo-wop harmonies. These guys may be closing in on 30 now, but they know the fundamental things--in this case, heartfelt expressions of puppy love--will always apply.

Oddly, what should have been a rave-up set-closer, their career-launching 1991 hit “Motownphilly,” fell far short of bringing the house to its feet, and put an anticlimactic cap on this attempt to get back in sync with the masses.

* Boyz II Men, with DJ Quik, Pharoahe Monch and others, play today at UrbanFest L.A., USC, noon to 8 p.m. Also Sunday with a different lineup. $15 in advance, $20 day of show; two-day passes $20 in advance, $30 day of show. (213) 740-8748.