{"id":1115,"date":"2019-06-03T14:57:06","date_gmt":"2019-06-03T21:57:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/kksm\/?p=1115"},"modified":"2019-06-03T14:57:07","modified_gmt":"2019-06-03T21:57:07","slug":"concert-review-new-kids-on-the-block","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/kksm\/concert-review-new-kids-on-the-block\/","title":{"rendered":"Concert Review: New Kids on the Block"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"IMG_5662\"Who needs Magic Mike when you got\u00a0Jonathan, Danny, Donnie, Joey & Jordan Knight!\u00a0New Kids on The Block\u00a0were back for the 3rd<\/sup>time, (thanks to their consistent two-year pattern history within the last six years<\/em>), at\u00a0SDSU\u2019s Viejas Arena\u00a0on\u00a0Thursday, May 24, 2019. We got a chance to travel back in time by celebrating their 30th<\/sup>anniversary on the\u00a0Mixtape Tour\u00a0featuring special guest\u00a0Debbie Gibson,\u00a0Tiffany,\u00a0Salt-N-Pepa\u00a0and\u00a0Naughty By Nature.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s admit it \u2013 The 80s was the best decade for Pop Music and Movies. I can remember every girl listening to boy band music and watching 90210. I also remember every boy reading comic books in my classrooms like it was yesterday. I was doing both. Those were the good old days. These guys were such a big deal in the 90s and certainly were a headed of their times. Even waayy bigger than N*sync and the Backstreet Boys. Yup, the proof was still in the pudding.<\/p>\n

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Fast forward\u2026. Sure, thirty-years is a long time to be in a committed relationship with these wonderful men. But it was still worth every penny and moment. Let\u2019s just say we needed each other. Not to mention, meeting with other longtime and multigenerational fans at these reunion tours and meet-n-greet parties is a culture like no other. I can\u2019t imagine what the definition of childhood nostalgias is going to be to today\u2019s generation someday. But that\u2019s another debatable topic. C\u2019mon, the market is just too saturated with all these talents. And, who can keep up with life thanks to social media and smartphones? Just another reason to be an \u201880s baby\u2019 these days. More on that later.<\/p>\n

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Since 2011,\u00a0NKOTB\u00a0have been on the road and co-headlining these summer concert tours so far with the Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, Boys II Men, Paula Abdul, TLC & Nelly. I was fortunate enough to win tickets through my local radio station for the \u2018The Main Event\u2019 in 2015 and \u2018The Total Package Tour\u2019 in 2017. This time around I had the honor to be\u00a0NKOTB\u2019s Concert Photographer in San Diego.\u00a0Additionally, I also have a radio show (playing all your favorite boy band hits<\/em>) on\u00a0KKSM AM 1320. Be sure to check us out every Friday online located here.<\/a><\/p>\n

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So, exactly what happened at the\u00a0Mixtape Tour? To start, expect some changes and waiting in long lines. The setlist didn\u2019t follow any previous traditions. Meaning,\u00a0NKOTB\u00a0opened up the show first. Which means you need to be more mindful of your normal concert habits and breaks. Think NYE in Time Square! The show included 17 songs as they started with their new song \u201cThe Way<\/em>\u201c, followed by their classic hits like \u201cYou Got It (Right Stuff)<\/em>\u2019, \u2018Block Party<\/em>\u2019,\u00a0\u2018Step By Step<\/em>\u2019 and \u2018Hanging Tough<\/em>\u2019 and then closed with their new single\u00a0\u201880s Baby\u2019. See where I was going with this? In between, they brought out their guest performers to share the stage and performed their original hits as well.<\/p>\n

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Remember the\u00a0Tiffany\u00a0&\u00a0Debbie Gibson\u00a0rivalry in the mid-80s? Well, the battle continued as\u00a0Tiffany\u00a0went up first and sang her heart out with her timeless single \u201cI Think We\u2019re Alone Now<\/em>\u201d along with her other big hits. She already won me over when\u00a0she said her first words \u2018Hey San Diego!<\/em>\u2019 while I was turning around to see her perform next. What can I say, I like getting goosebumps when they call out our city names. Why is\u00a0Tiffany\u00a0still underrated is beyond me. Also, have you heard the new rendition of this song yet? Hope she continues on this Country-Pop-Rock vibe path. Maybe the \u2018Umbrella Academy\u2019 brought you here, but her songs can still give you flashbacks of the 80s where people loved dancing and performing in malls. Children behave and pump up the volume because I still love listening to all her songs every day in my car, at family gatherings and 80s theme parties. What can I say, the 80s had everything, the hair, the clothes, and the music. It was a fantastic decade to be a kid.<\/p>\n

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After that was\u00a0Debbie Gibson, who also sang her 80s pop songs \u2013 \u201cOut of Blue<\/em>,\u201d \u201cShake Your Love<\/em>,\u201d and \u201cElectric Blue<\/em>.\u201d Debbie Gibson was also another favorite teen idol of mine. By the way, if you love Hallmark Channel, then be sure to check her latest movie \u2018Summer of Love\u2019. It will bring you a whole other appreciation factor with her on to another level. It\u2019s a story about Debbie (played by\u00a0Debbie Gibson), a former teen pop star who moved back to her hometown and found a new life path by teaching music to unprivileged high school kids. The story may not be far from her real-life story. But sometimes you have to take a step back from the life you are used to and see what else you can do. It is an encouraging tale with some comical situations and a wonderful family movie about why she accepted her new life purpose.<\/p>\n

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Salt-N-Peppa\u00a0followed later with \u201cWhatta Man<\/em>,\u201d \u201cLet\u2019s Talk About Sex<\/em>,\u201d \u201cShoop\u201d and more.\u00a0Naughty By Nature\u00a0delivered with \u201cO.P.P<\/em>,\u201d \u201cFeel Me Flow<\/em>,\u201d and \u201cHip Hop Hooray<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0NKOTB\u00a0 also included \u2018Boys in The Band<\/em>\u2019 performing alongside with the SDSU\u2019s Cheerleaders on stage. Thanks again guys for performing at my alma mater. Just please don\u2019t head to Vegas anytime soon.<\/p>\n

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The only debbie-downer moment I had with the show was the set itself. So, you may want to bring your prescription glasses with you. Otherwise, it will be a little hard to spot the boys even without the nose bleeds seats. Additionally, no opportunities for the fans to dance alongside with the boys on stage this time around either (except, if you happened to be the hometown\u2019s cheerleader). I know, it was a cringey moment for me too.<\/p>\n

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New Kids On The Block,\u00a0<\/strong>the multi-platinum selling pop super-group, unveiled an epic lineup for their highly anticipated 2019 tour:\u00a0The MixTape Tour<\/strong>\u00a0with very special guests\u00a0Salt-N-Pepa,\u00a0Tiffany, Debbie Gibson and Naughty by Nature. \u00a0<\/strong>The five iconic pop and hip-hop actswill hit the road together for the first time ever on a 53-city tour across North America next summer including a stop at Viejas Arena in San Diego on Thursday, May 23, 2019.<\/p>\n

Tickets are on sale now at\u00a0Ticketmaster.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To celebrate the event,\u00a0NKOTB\u00a0surprised fans by dropping an epic, throwback track, \u201c80s Baby\u201d featuring their new touring partners,\u00a0Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty By Nature, Debbie Gibson and Tiffany. \u00a0The track takes listeners on a nostalgic yet refreshingly modern and fun ride through 80s song references and fresh verses- just a small glimpse into the party that will be\u00a0The MixTape Tour. \u00a0Check out the video below.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss your chance to see\u00a0New Kids on the Block on their Mixtape Tour\u00a0and their 80s party gang all this summer long! See the rest of the remaining tour dates below!<\/p>\n

New Kids on the Block 2019 Mixtape | Tour Dates:<\/strong><\/p>\n