They shared the stage with Paula Abdul and Boyz II Men. New Kids on the Block kicked off their set with “One More Night,” which was incorporated with a medley of Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.” “Long Island! Put your hands together like this,” they said, and they instantly got the crowd on their feet. It was followed by the smooth “My Favorite Girl,” which featured confetti drizzling in the venue.
The band members took off their black jackets for “Dirty Dancing,” which was coupled by pyrotechnics. “New York say ‘yeah,'” Donnie Wahlberg said, and all of the fans obeyed his commands as if he were an army general. “Are you ready to party with the New Kids tonight?” and the answer to his question was a resounding “yeah.”
Equally fun was the infectious “You Got It (The Right Stuff),” and they sang some newer tunes as “Remix (I Like the),” where Joey McIntyre displayed his rich, velvet voice. “Long Island, you’re doing good tonight,” Jordan reassured his fans.
During “Block Party,” the band members went into the crowd and interacted with the audience, which resonated well with all, except for the venue’s security. They encouraged everybody to sing along to “Tonight,” and the fans kept being all over the band members.
It was followed by the laid-back and mellow “Summertime,” which had a neat groove to it and a nonchalant vibe. During “This is How We Do It,” Wahlberg asked everybody to put the peace sign up. “Let’s see how beautiful New York looks,” he added, and it was quite the spectacle; however, the highlight moment from the first half of the show, which satisfied every female fan’s dream was when Wahlberg sang “Cover Girl,” on a fire-lit piano, where he subsequently displayed his ripped physique, as Jonathan, Jordan, Danny and Joey sang harmonies. In “Cover Girl,” Wahlberg emerged as a modern-day Donny Osmond, and that ought to be taken as a major compliment.
They continued to take their fans on a trip down memory lane with “Stop It Girl”, “Popsicle” and “Be My Girl,” which Wahlberg revealed was their first single ever, from 1986; moreover, they even threw some newer songs in the mix, including “Shout” and “The Whisper.”
After “I Wanna Be Loved by You,” they brought Long Island back to year 1990 with “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time),” where Jordan showed off his falsetto. The lovey dovey portion of the show continued with “Valentine Girl.”
Speaking of Jordan, it was his turn to give the ladies a little striptease with “Hard (Not Luvin’ U),” in a seductive performance. They continued with such hits as “Please Don’t Go Girl,” “Step by Step,” and their most recent ode to gratitude, “Thankful.” They closed with “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)” and “Hangin’ Tough.”
As each year passes, it is evident that the guys in New Kids on the Block look younger with age and experience, and their live performance gets better.
The Verdict
Overall, New Kids on the Block gave Long Island a night of pop music to remember. There was something in it for everybody, where all five members were unique in their own ways. Donnie Wahlberg and Jordan Knight were the heartthrob sensations, Joey McIntyre was the power-vocalist (with his dynamic range), Danny Wood showed his killer dance moves and muscles throughout the show, while Jonathan Knight was the epitome of grace. They all interacted extremely well with their fans, going into the audience multiple times, as they allowed the entire venue to relive their youth with their captivating songs and top-notch production. Well done guys. Their live concert garnered five out of five stars.
