We waited

When we were teenagers we waited for New Kids to announce they were coming close to our homes so we could beg our parents for tickets.

We then waited for the show, counting the days, the hours and the minutes until they came to our town or close enough to it that we could drive our ask our parents to drive.

In 1994 we were all heartbroken when NKOTB split up and Donnie, Danny, Jonathan, Jordan and Joe went their separate ways. Would they ever get back together? We waited.

Donnie’s acting career, Joe’s Broadway appearances, Danny and Jordan’s solo album, Jon and his renovating business… kids, wives, other lives... we waited.

Before we knew it a decade slipped by… the years were adding up but we still waited.

Whispers of a reunion started floating around in November of 2007.  By January of 2008 many of the die hard fans from had heard something about a reunion. Nothing official, but we watched the video on NKOTB.com over and over again.  Picking out who’s voice what who’s and trying to translate the words of the song that was being sang.  What did it mean?  Were they REALLY going to come back to us?  We waited.

Slowly the NKOTB.com revealed alittle more.  A message forum opened up and New Kids fans started to meet each other in a different way.  We started friendships, started texting, started chatting, started BBMing, started wondering out loud, “Will there be a full tour? Will there be an album? Are all 5 members doing this?”  We waited.

April 4, 2008 New Kids fans had been lined up for hours.  It was raining but no one seemed to car.  With ponchos and umbrellas the Block Nation greeted New Kids on the Block with much enthusiasm.  The look on Donnie, Danny, Jordan, Jon and Joe’s faces will never be forgotten.  Donnie looked on the verge of tears from the reception.  They did quick interview announcing a tour of select cities, new music and a sampling of their first single, “Summertime”.  An announcement was also made that they would be playing at the Summer Concert series on the Today Show on May 16.  This would be the first time New Kids on the Block had performed together in 15 years.  With excitement and anticipation we waited.

The tour dates that were announced sold out quickly.  Many fans clamored for the coveted 5* VIP tickets.  For many fans this would be the first time ever meeting the band. This reunion almost felt like a dream come true.  Was this really happening?  With a bank accounts alittle emptier and our hearts full with appreciation, we waited.

Rumors swirls but no one really knew what was true.  We talked more on the message forum.  Our lives were consumed by questions about what was to come with NKOTB.  Was this permanent? Was this a one time thing?  The BH CIA started its work and we waited.

May 16, 2008 the line up for the Today Show performance started days before.  By the time the guys arrived in New York City the night before the line had snaked around 4 city blocks.  The officials at the Today Show said there were 20,000 fans on the plaza, dwarfing any other concert crowd they had seen.  The rain started before the New Kids went on.  It poured, they slide but they sang.  They sang together and danced like they were in their 20s again.  You could almost hear the tears of joy from BHs around the US and around the world.  THEY WERE BACK.  While the show was still on the air more concerts dates were being released on NKOTB.com.  When all was said and done the tour stretched from one US/Canadian coast to the other… with dates everywhere in between.  It would start in Toronto in September and end in LA in November.  The wait was going to be long.

The summer rolled on and the New Kids on the Block made appearance and performed at many events, KissFest in NY, Kiss Party outside Boston, MMVA’s in Toronto, MOA performance in Minnesota, HMVs in London, and even a making of a music video in Germany.  This time we watched, chatted, viewed photos… and waited.

Blockheads were in a full frenzy by the time The Block was released on September 2, 2008.  Another concert was booked at the Today Show but was delayed for two days.  After a morning off the New Kids did interviews, an autograph signing and went to a release party.  Finally the second Today Show performance happened.  The crowd wasn’t as big as the first time but the energy was still there.  Now we were waiting and had something to look back on and remember.

After rehearsals were done the first show in Toronto had arrived.  Many of us were sitting by our computers waiting for news of the show and it’s success.  Finally word came… it was unbelievable and that was only the beginning.  Days or a couple of months felt like a million years to wait.

Finally we all saw it…

THE WAIT WAS WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!



My thoughts on NKOTBSB

I heard the news that NKs and BSB might be hooking up back in the Spring of last year.  Since I don’t live under a rock I did know who BSBs where but I honestly could not tell you what the members names were or what they looked like.  All OTHER boybands were all the same to me… NOT the NKs.  Fast forward to NYC in June of 2010… NKs stated singing a song I recognized and could sing along and I knew wasn’t theirs.  The curtain went up and there were 4 guys… RCMH erupted.  I turned to my friends, “What one of Justin?”… no. “Where is the guy from my Big Fat Greek Wedding?” wrong boyband… ummm… okay… whatever. I went with it. 

So the announcement of a joint tour was made and I grumbled, complained and might have posted here a few times.  If you know my at all I am not one to hide what I really feel. Regardless of my feeling I tucked my prejudice inside myself and gave the BSBs a chance. “I am only going to do 2 shows” I told my friends, “I am not into this whole boyband mash together thing.  I wanna see New Kids ALONE.”

I was lucky enough to be able to cruise with the New Kids this year.  Donnie gifted us all with 2 tickets to the Chicago concert.  One of my tickets went to my friend Troy who is a huge NKs fan and I took the other ticket.  We drove out to Chicago with my friend Melissa and her son.  We had a blast.  The music was great and the bands both did a great job sharing the stage…. However it was still NOT just NKs. 

The next day I went to the concert in Grand Rapids.  After the concert my friends and I stood outside waiting for the groups to come out.  We knew sometimes fans were lucky enough to be able to get a quick hug or a photo before they loaded the buses and left for the next venue.  My indifference with the BSB was able to change.  While Brian signed something for my friend Dawn I chatted with him about how they might have converted me (joking of course) he laughed and said, “We don’t want to steal you from the New Kids, we can share.” He also gave me a hug.  I was like “What just happened?”  My birthday was a few days later and with alittle help from my friend Brian actually sent me a “Happy birthday” tweet on my birthday.  Indifference was changing.

Since I am from New England the New Kids playing at Fenway park was something I could not pass up seeing.  I drive the 14 hours from Michigan to attend the show.  My friends went to their 4* meeting place and I walked around the park.  After I passed the giant mob of ppl by the buses I saw a black fan.  To my surprise I noticed Brian standing there.  I waved, he smiled and waved back.  I said, “Hey Brian thank you for the birthday tweet.” He shrugged and I said, “I am Dogwalker.” He nodded, “Yes yes, Dogwalker!!!” He was wisked away… and gone.

The only way to describe Fenway is EPIC.  As I walked into the stadium and onto the field tears were rolling down my cheeks.  I have been a Red Sox fan since the day I was born… I remember watching games at Fenway Park with my Pepere (grandfather).  Being there… seeing the Green Monster with my favorite band playing next to it was a dream come true.  However it was marred by the having to SHARE it with the BSBs.  However, I was plently surprised how respectful the BSBs were to the NKs hometown epic appearance.  They made sure it was special for New Kids on the Block and their fans.  It was our moment… and we just happened to be able to share it with 4 other classy guys and their fans.  It was 25 years in the making and WELL worth it.  I am so proud of Donnie, Danny, Jordan, Joey and Jonathan.  You guys rocked the place.  For the Backstreet Boys… thank you for turning this NKs fan into a BSBs fan. ;)   I guess the moral of the story is… don’t discount anything.  Some decisions you might not agree with but they often work out for the best.  If you never give something a chance you might NEVER discover something new.