New Kids on the Block brought - The Package

Did you hear it on Saturday, the screams coming from Nassau Coliseum,  of a few thousand women of varying ages but mostly over 30. Did you sense a collective gasp and exaltation as they were transported back to the youth they left behind in the 80's and early 90's? What these women were experiencing was "The Package".

It all started the summer of 2008 when The New Kids on The Block decided to reunite and grace us once again with their quintet. NKOTB, okay I know what you're thinking "those guys"? But yeah the other Boston boy band (we all know they were the Caucasian version of New Edition), got back together and rather than just indulge in nostalgia, they put out some new songs and videos. Most successfully "Single" originally a Ne-Yo song, repurposed for the boys and to much better effect IMO. And then they took it a step further, touring. After the first tour went well they teamed up with the Backstreet Boys and went on a mega boy band tour. NKOTBSB was a thing and it was great. And so this summer NKOTB hit the road again, this time with Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees as the warm up to the main event.

Boyz II Men opened the night artfully saying " the package is open". It was glorious, they are now just a trio but that didn't diminish their sound. Gone were the khaki and sweater vests they were when BBD introduced them to us with "Motown Philly". Dressed in all white with rose petals falling from the sky during one song, they sang the hits we all know and showed us some old school boy band moves and some I know they stole from The Temptations. And before we knew it they were gone, they gave what they knew we wanted and they vanished.

That should have been the case for 98 Degrees, unfortunately it was not.  First, let me admit, I was never a fan, and I knew maybe 2-3 songs. I know more about their lives post band, Nick from his reality show with ex-wife Jessica Simpson, Drew from "Dancing with the Stars", the other one from his Chippendale's. And as for Justin , I know nothing. Overall, their set was too long and contained too many unknown songs. The aforementioned, Justin, did not adhere to the groups dress code, they all wore tuxedo like pants and white button downs and optional black vest. Here were a burgundy shirt and suspenders! It was awful because we could see the thick triangle of sweat on his back and the suspenders didn't stay strapped. It was bad. This was the time to get drinks and use the restrooms. So many of us were out of the theater that a security officer asked if anyone was on stage. 

New Kids of the Block What can I say they were everything that my 13 year old self could have dreamed. It wasn't a sad, pathetic facsimile of what they used to be. These were grown ass men that turned their teeny-pop music into something else. With a lot of tight choreography  They did all of the hits and newer songs like "Single".  Joey McIntyre was phenomenal on "Please Don't Go" getting the spotlight and giving an emoti
onal performance. They all got their own times to shine, with the exception of Jon, but we were all just happy that he made it to the stage and was able to perform. Can we talk about Donnie Walhberg for a moment? As a pre-teen/teenager I used to trade my older sister for picture of Jordan and Joey from the pages of Teen Beat and Bop, like trading cards, never ever Donnie. And out of Walhberg's Mark was easily my favorite. But over the last few years, I have become all team Donnie.  He definitely added the most sexual element to the show and the moment when he ripped off his tank top and then minutes later poured down his chest was like WHOA and bought the screams to a crescendo.   

It was so good, we're going again on June 16th at the Barclay's Center.  Here's a taste:

(pictures courtesy of Lisa Richardson)