I never considered myself a very sentimental person. Ah, scratch that. I AM a sentimental person, wether I try to make you believe otherwise or not.
Perfect situation to sentimentalize: imagine a concert hall with thousands of screaming girls/women, the light goes off, and somewhere in the dense fog you can see a hydraulic stage lifting five, barely noticable figures, onto the main stage.
The noise is deafening by now. Finally, the fog lifts, the music gets louder and there they are, long-awaited and eagerly anticipated: NKOTB.
17 years, 5 months and 1 day after my first concert at the Sportsarena in Cologne in Germany, they’re reunited and rocking again! :)
Those first few minutes were totally overwhelming and I literally had tears in my eyes. For a second, I really felt like I was 15 again… only, wait a minute. The boys are men now and looked – surprisingly – even better than back in the days. I would call that “positive aging”!
If my Dad knew that I went to a NKOTB concert again (oh wait, he knows. I told him on the phone)…. he wouldn’t believe it. When in 1991, shortly after the first concert, I bought tickets for a second concert 6 months later, he seriously enunciated that I couldn’t seriously believe that I would still be a “fan” in 6 months.
Well, I have news for you, Dad: I STILL am a fan. 17 years later. Call me loyal (or just simply crazy :)).
Truth is, it was one of the best nights ever!
I just wish I hadn’t forgotten had dared to bring my camera (since it said on the tickets “absolutely no recording/picture taking”), but of course EVERYBODY brought their cameras (I am such a chicken). At least I did take some pictures with my not-so-shabby-cell phone camera :)
Anways, to make a long story short: they played for 2,5 hours, performed an amazing mix of new songs and old NKOTB songs, new choreographies and old NKOTB choreographies that every true blockhead clearly recognized (!) and were simply in such a great mood that it was contagious!
Even J absolutely loved the show.
In the middle of the evening, everything and everybody calmed down for a bit when they showed a slideshow in memory of people that meant so much to the individual members of the group throughout their careers. Especially the photo of Danny and his mom completely moved me. Dan’s mom died in 1999 of breast cancer and once I got so lucky to meet her in Boston in 1993. She was such a lovely person. Dan and his Mom were really close and he set up a website for her (rememberbetty.org) to raise money for breast cancer research. I thought that was so touching!
I really, really didn’t want to go home after the show. I wanted that nostalgic feeling to last forever!
If they’re still going to perform anywhere near you, GO! Get tickets and have a fantastic night. It’s worth it.
Maribeth
November 3, 2008 at 11:42 amYes. I think back and I have loved the Beatles for what seems all my life. Certainly I remember seeing them on the Ed Sullivan Show when I was 6 years old. When John and George died it was like losing a member of my family. I still love Paul and Ringo.
For me, the Beatles will always be the ultimate in music! So I do understand how you feel. Isn’t music wonderful that it can touch our souls?
kim
November 4, 2008 at 2:11 amawww, i’m glad you had such a good time. big hug, suesse and hey, maybe you will get to go again some time! :)
Caity
November 4, 2008 at 9:58 amI went out here in the end of September and the show was absolutely amazing!! Definitely got goosebumps… :)
Manja
November 4, 2008 at 1:08 pmI love love love New Kids. It was the first album I ever bought (on tape) and I still have got it. Nearly every year I get a somewhat nostalgic phase and put them in my car, and it works magic, bringing me back to some really old memories when I was 13/14, first time in love, intensive friendships and great places. I used to dance on my own in our living room to Step by Step (pretending I was a dancer) and I remember writing the words of “Please don’t go girl” and “I remember” just like I did understand them, not knowing any english and not having Internet or lyrics from “Bravo”. (good old GDR…)
I never made it to a concert but I hope this time I will get the chance. Thanks for this blog ;)
katelin
November 4, 2008 at 5:24 pmi am so incredibly jealous you got to see them in concert. i know i’m going to regret not being able to go and i’m holding out for a miracle of some sort. but man do i love them.
Susanne
November 4, 2008 at 6:17 pmSee, that’s a nice Nablomo Story! Thanks, sweetie.
ute
November 5, 2008 at 10:15 amawww so cute!!! glad you got to go! i cant believe j went with you! justin would have told me off. haha. i went and saw BSB the other night and i am telling you, wow, i mean i was always more an nsync fan and i would totally die if they get back together, but gosh I felt so old. haha. i cant believe it! and you have to always bring your camera hun, didnt i teach you anything? haha. love ya!
Cathy
November 5, 2008 at 8:55 pmI don’t know what to say… except more photos please lol I am sureI will get a more second by second description in your letter lmao….I am soo glad you went and not suprised J liked it lol Don’t forget hun, if it wasnt for those 5 men, we would never have met,… and that thought isnt even worth THINKING about… love ya and miss ya heaps xoxoxo
Aimee Greeblemonkey
November 12, 2008 at 11:38 amha ha, awesome! You know, I was just a tinge too old for NKOTB. But I will tell you, me and my co-workers at the record store had scads of fun singing their songs off-key. On purpose. To annoy the customers. ;) Like I said, to everything there is a time and a purpose! Glad you had fun.