Last week I attended a concert that I have been waiting over twenty years for. Yes, my friends, I’m talking about The Package Tour featuring New Kids on the Block, 98 Degrees, and Boyz II Men.
Let’s go back to the beginning… In the early 90’s, I lived in a small suburb of Boston. New Kids on the Block hailed from Boston and my best friend, Jenna and I were obsessed with NKOTB. We knew all of the words to all of their songs and had our first childhood crushes on Joey McIntyre.
Jordan Knight performing in Atlanta, Ga. Image Credit: Kathleen Horgan
In 1991, Jenna’s mother somehow magically secured tickets to the NKOTB show in Boston and extended an invitation my way. At 5 years old, my parents didn’t think I was old enough to attend a concert without them, so I ended up missing the concert… Thankfully, over twenty years later I finally saw New Kids on the Block live! And it was certainly worth the wait!
For 3.5 hours, I was transported back to my childhood as the boy bands sang their biggest hits from the 80’s and 90’s. The Package Tour opened with Boyz II Men who eased us into the show with many of their memorable ballads including “I’ll Make Love To You” and “End of the Road.” I was happy to hear that their vocals haven’t deteriorated with time—their harmonies were spot on. Boyz II Men closed their set with “Motownphilly” which brought the crowd to their feet doing the East Coast Swing. 98 Degrees performed next with leading man Nick Lachey eliciting screams from women young and old. I’ve never been a 98 Degrees fan, but I was surprised by how many songs I was familiar with and they put on an enjoyable set.
New Kids on the Block in Atlanta, Ga. Image credit: Kathleen Horgan.
After patiently waiting through 98 Degrees’ set, New Kids on the Block finally took the stage. They danced their way through some of their biggest hits; “Hangin’ Tough”, “Step By Step”, “You Got It (The Right Stuff)”, “Tonight” and belted their biggest ballads; “Please Don’t Go Girl” and “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever).” For men in their mid-40’s, the members of NKOTB seem to have boundless energy and stamina and appear to be in peak physical condition—and they know it, too. Donnie Wahlberg proudly ripped his shirt mid-performance to reveal his impressive upper body, while Jordan Knight gyrated and stripped during one of his solos.
With the amount of pelvic thrusting, it was probably wise of my parents to not allow their 5-year-old to attend a NKOTB show back in the 90’s. However, this 26-year-old had the time of her life at The Package Tour!
The Package Tour continues through August 4 and tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
The Hudsucker 
I too have waited since I was 11 to see these beautiful men, and the did not disappoint! My crush was on Donnie and I must say the crush has continued over these twenty some years (I love Blue Bloods!) I saw them at the beginning of this month in Michigan, they are returning at the end of July to a different venue and yes I have got my tickets for that show also and I can not wait!! I must say they still got it! LOVE NKOTB!!!
I’m the same way Mandy! I tell people all the time Donnie was my husband in another life but he apparently missed the memo this time around!!
I went as well to the Washington, DC one. I can promise you that when I saw them at age 12 they did not dance like that!!! LOL….they were definitely not boys anymore. It was a fun concert, the dancing was surprising to say the least but it was great to go back in time!
I always say that is why we are lucky to be Blockheads. Not may people have a time machine at their finger tips. We get a shot at a night of teen/childhood every year or so. What a gift.