Living...and Reliving A Dream

This past week me and a couple of girlfriends trekked into Washington, DC on a chilly Thursday evening to see the New Kids On The Block concert. It was a spontaneous purchase in which flashbacks of my childhood flooded my mind – dancing in front of my rabbit eared TV watching the NKOTB pay-per-view concert wearing hot pink spandex, a side pony tail with an oversized sweatshirt my Dad constantly reminded me not to put my knees in and stretch! My brother had his girlfriend over who was too old to enjoy the childhood lusting of Joey and Donnie, but oh boy, while he stole my stuffed animals to give to her as presents, my heart went thump, thump, boom – puberty was in full effect! At eleven years old I would have given anything to have attended a NKOTB concert (extra chores, no allowance, no sleepovers – you name it). But my parents like most in the late eighties, early nineties, didn’t have spare change that allowed for a $80 concert ticket multiplied by 2 for parental monitoring. So when I received the news months back that the NKOTB were reuniting my answer was a quick “Yes, of course I’ll attend”. My childhood dream was about to come true.

And as the months went by I easily forget about the NKOTB except for the occasional play of their new, not-so-popular, kind-of-hit Summertime. Oh gosh, remind me again, why did I purchase a ticket to their concert? I am grown now! I work long days and wondered if I’d gather the energy to act excited and remind myself if the allure of this spontaneous purchase would be worthwhile. Here goes nothing…

I should have had more faith in my first love boy band. Once we took our seats and the stage lit up with smoke, florescent lights, and familiar beats started to drum – a smile came across my face and I was a child again…a child who could afford the ticket on her own (upper level of course)!
The NKOTB delivered an entertaining, non-lip synching show that covered many of their earlier successful singles while mixing in a few new hopeful hits here and there. I recognized countless dance moves and adored the swinging side-to-side MC Hammer like steps that no other modern boy band would dare to add to their choreography. The slide shows that played to the side memorialized their past and the passing of celebrities and loved ones – small touches that reminded you why the NKOTB left such an impact. Tardiness, disrespect, drunken nights, and drug use were never associated with this group as is common with current pop tarts. Wholesome entertainment with lyrics about first and second loves left young girls everywhere wanting more…even fifteen years later.

Memory trunks were unpacked with denim and oversized buttons displayed throughout the crowded arena filled with mostly twenty and thirty-year-old something females still screaming, “Joey, I love you”! A karaoke scroll with sing-a-long words was not needed as we easily remembered the Hanging Tough, Step-By-Step, and I’ll Be Loving You lyrics better than we could recall the first boy we ever French kissed.

And the most poignant scene, a moment still resonating with me days later, occurred when Donnie Wahlberg took center stage. One arm extended towards the fans and the other bended inwards towards his face to wipe the swelling tears in his eyes. Arms swayed above heads side-to-side with countless screams of “New Kids, New Kids” echoing off the stadium walls. Seconds passed before he could speak in shock of the loyalty displayed and in awe of his groups revival. It was probably at this moment that he was ever so grateful for what he once had and for what he would have just a little bit longer.