The Sixth Member of NKOTB

The vibe was electric and the excitement palpable.  As I drove into the parking lot of the Gwinnett Center I could feel the buzz of the crowd all around me.  Exiting the car, I was instantly amid a sea of people flaunting the oversized buttons and original band t-shirts that we had all grown up with.  New Kids on the Block earrings and shoelaces, homemade band jackets, and any other keepsake you can think of, they were all out on display for the first time in years – and what a colorful display it was.

To say that I was excited to see the group would be a huge understatement.  I, like the thousands of others at the sold-out concert, had waited for this moment for years, and as I sit here trying to describe it to you, I know that my words will never do the experience justice.   Inside the arena, we all anxiously awaited the start of the performance.  Before the boys would come out, there were two opening acts.  I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to see one of my other favorites, Natasha Bedingfield.  Her set was amazing and I was almost equally excited to see her perform as I was to see NKOTB.  Lady Gaga rounded out the opening acts with a unique set, and then we were ready for the main event.

The concert started with a bang, as a video of new and old footage flashed up on the big screens around the arena.  Then finally, the boys started to come out as they sang their new hit song, “Single.”  They followed this up with four of the songs from the early days of the group, including “My Favorite Girl,” and “Right Stuff.”  The crowd went absolutely wild! Next they mixed it up with a few more songs from their new album, including one that features Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger.  Nicole did not appear live but images of her were on the screens for us to see.  My personal favorite, “Dirty Dancing,” followed after the boys switched to the stage at the opposite end of the arena.  The crowd swarmed around them as they made their way up onto the stage and our view from the club level made the room look like a giant mosh pit.  The group did not disappoint, as they kept the crowd moving throughout the entire show.

A few of the boys performed their solo hits, with Joey singing “Stay the Same” from his 1999 album and Jordan singing “Give it to You” from his solo effort.  We were also treated to Danny doing a bit of break dancing along the way.  Other highlights included “Tonight” and the recent hit “Summertime.”  All in all the show was amazing.  The boys serenaded the crowd for almost two hours and the concert was well worth waiting for.

One of the most notable moments in the show came when the show was nearing its end.  After singing “Click Click Click,” the boys exited the stage.  After a few minutes of thinking they were not going to come back, the entire crowd began to sing a line from the hit “Hangin’ Tough” completely in unison.  It was incredible to see so many devoted fans singing their hearts out for a group that hadn’t graced the stage in 15 years.  The boys came back out and performed “Step by Step” followed by “Hangin’ Tough,” which closed out the show.  It didn’t matter how late it was, we could have happily stayed there all night.        

As the concert was coming to a close, before the last few songs, Donnie had taken the stage and said to the crowd that no one thought the fans would come to see them after so many years.  But we came.  We came in droves.  After all, we were all in this together, witnessing history and living out our childhood dreams 15 years later.   As I looked out across the arena, I saw mothers, grandmothers, and children all coming together to relive the good old days.  It is as if we have formed a whole new generation of fans.  As Donnie said, the fans truly are the sixth member of the group.  We are what makes the operation go along smoothly.  Here’s hoping the boys, and the fans, stay around for many years to come.