New Kids on the Block & Backstreet Boys Concert

As soon as I heard that New Kids on the Block were going on tour with the Backstreet Boys I knew I was going to the concert no matter what.  Thankfully they came to the Palace of Auburn Hills in Michigan which is within a decent enough driving distance last month.  I had previously seen Backstreet Boys in concert in 2000. As for New Kids on the Block, well let’s just say I was one of the crazy teenagers back in the late 80’s – early 90’s that bought all their cassette tapes (remember cassettes?) and posters.  I even had a VCR tape of one of their concerts that I am sure I watched a few dozen times.  I was obsessed with Jordan Knight.

I was pretty pleased with the seats that we bought 6 months in advance. We were on the floor off to the right side of the stage.  I was so excited about seeing them in concert, even more than I was for 30 Seconds to Mars who we seen earlier this year.

I took a gazillion photos from the concert along with many video clips from my camera and Ken also took some video with my Flip.  At one point this security guard came out there and warned Ken about using a “webcam” and that he was going to take it away if he seen him using it again. It was ridiculous considering 70% of the people in the place where holding up their cameras and cell phones recording the concert.

Comments about the concert, while I share some photos….

– Jordan Sparks, the winner of American Idol Season 6, was the opening act. Some other girl was there before Jordan, but I don’t even remember her name and we didn’t even watch her because we got caught in traffic on the way there and I was standing in line to get a t-shirt before Jordan came out. I didn’t get any real good pictures of Jordan unfortunately. She looked and sounded amazing though!!

-The first song they played was a mashup of both the groups songs performed to the music of Viva la Vida by Coldplay…pretty cool!  (p.s. Coldplay is still by far the best concert I have ever been too!)

– Other than that opening song and the encore, the groups took turns performing their own songs. I wondered about that before the concert…if they were going to sing one another’s songs or what???

– Thank goodness for aisle seats because the two people sitting next to us were disgusting. Like stinky, greasy, possibly stoned out of their minds low life’s, easily in pushing 50 years old. We were able to stand quite a distance from them and breathe freely.  I don’t even know why they were there, they didn’t even act like they knew the music.

– Right as NKOTBSB came out my cell phone kept ringing with a call from home.  I had no idea who it was because I couldn’t hear a thing. Andrew was watching the kids for us and I just kept screaming, “I can’t hear you, if something is wrong call 911 or grandma and grandpa!”  After a couple of calls I texted Andrew and got no response.  Finally I told Ken and he walked out to the lobby to call home and find out what was going on.  Sure enough Andrew had no idea that Chase was up in our bedroom calling my cell phone.  He even left me a couple of voice mails which were whispers of something like, “Hi mom, it’s me Chase. Are you at the concert?” Ugh!

– I totally favored NKOTB for some reason when it came to taking pictures.  I am sure Jordan had something to do with that. However I can’t really say that they were any better than the BSB.  They both were really good and sounded great. NKOTB are probably better dancers/performers though.

– Donny Wahberg totally wishes he had his brothers abs. Sorry Donny, you will never be quite as hot as Mark Wahlberg. Did you all know that Mark Wahlberg was actually in New Kids on the Block when the group was first formed, but he left and Joey McIntyre took his place. I can’t imagine NKOTB without Joey’s voice. Crazy huh!?

– It would have been a great place for single guys to pick up (mostly drunk) chicks because there were many many girls there and many were totally wasted.  I would guess there were probably only 100-200 guys there total and my husband was one of them :)

– At one point they pulled some girls up on stage and gave them roses.  Later on many of the guys went into the crowd and let girls paw all over them. Of course this didn’t include Jordan Knight or Joey McIntyre.

It was a great show and I am so glad we went! There is such a difference between a concert like 30 Seconds to Mars and NKOTBSB.  These guys put on a performance, with so much to watch and entertain you while you are listening to the music. Where as Jared Leto runs around a bit and lets the crowd sing half of his songs. Not that I didn’t like it…just so much more entertaining to watch a “boy band”.

For the setlist from the concert along with someone else’s photos from a different show, check out this website.

And last, here is a newspaper article about the concert we attended, I thought it was a great review.