**Never Gone Tour - August 16, 2005 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center**
In my last post about my past BSB Adventures, I discussed the bleak, sad time in my life where BSB were put onto the back burner. It was the Never Gone tour that rekindled my addiction.
When Never Gone was released, I was home for the summer from Ball State University. I don't think I bought the album the day it was released, but it was shortly after that. It was also at this time that I bought The Hits: Chapter 1 album as well. It was not long after the album was released that the tour began. The only problem was that I did not have anyone to go with. I had lost touch with my Backstreet friends from high school when I went away to school and I really did not want to go with myself.
Megan and I during my wedding - June 23, 2007
Luckily, that spring I had rushed a Philanthropic Sorority, Epsilon Sigma Alpha. I discovered that there was someone who was a Backstreet fan, although Hanson is her number one favorite. Megan and I made plans to attend a show in Cincinnati together, as that was the closest show to Muncie.
At the time, I was living in Muncie and commuting to Indianapolis every day for my elementary education practicum classes. Megan lived in Anderson. The day of the show was my first day in the classroom for set up but the day after the concert was going to be my first day with a classroom full of 30 first graders in an urban school setting. Not sure what I was thinking but I was not going to miss this opportunity. I had already made the mistake of letting BSB out of my life for several years and they were not going to be back in my life.
Indianapolis to Anderson - 44 miles - 57 minutes
Anderson to Cincinnati - 142 miles - 2 hours, 38 minutes
So, I made the trip from Indy to Anderson. Megan was going to actually be doing the driving from Anderson to Cincinnati since I was going to have to be up so early the next morning for school. I was able to leave school at a time in which we would have been getting to Cincinnati right on time.
We are driving along and run into some road construction. We slow down a bit but we are still making good time. I decided to check out my cell phone and realize that the time had changed! Crap...we had forgotten that Ohio was on Eastern Time! You may be saying to yourself...isn't Indiana on Eastern Time as well? Ha! You must not know about "Time In Indiana." Until 2006, the majority of Indiana did not observe Daylight Savings Time and was on Eastern Standard Time. However, because they did not observe DST, sometimes during the year we had the same time as Central and at other times, Eastern. At the point of this concert, Cincinnati was an hour ahead of what we had planned. We were going to be late!
Megan stepped on it, traveling at very high speeds...through construction. Does anybody know what this leads to? Running off the side of the road. I thought we were going to die! So, we did slow down a little but were probably still going over the speed limit. Then, the directions had us go into Kentucky, just to come right back into Ohio. It did not make a lick of sense.
When we got there, the opening act was on. Actually it may have been the second opening act but I don't know since we were late. Anyway, the opening act that we saw was Seminole County....we hated them. Not sure what the group was thinking because their music was nothing like what we like in the Backstreet Boys music. I came there to see pop music, not punk rock.
Our seats were not the greatest but we were just happy to be there. It would have been better if one of us would have actually had a camera. That's right, I have NO photos from this concert. Later, Tammy would give me a CD of the photos she took at all of her Never Gone concerts but none of them were specifically from our show. And since I took no photos, it is a little harder for me to remember parts of it.
I think my most memorable moment was during "Siberia" when confetti came raining down and it looked like it was truly snowing. It was such a cool effect and I know I have expressed in this blog several times about how much I love "Siberia."
I knew at that moment, that if I was going to get back into the Backstreet Boys then there was one thing I was going to have to do...remember my camera at all other future events! So far, so good.
So since I don't have very specific memories from this tour, what were some of your favorite moments?
I paid off my BSB Cruise 2011 this week! Woohoo! There are still other things that need to be figured out but I have the most important part taken care of.
Originally, I had wanted to fly down to Florida on November 30th so that I would have two days in Miami. Last year, I did not get to explore Miami at all because as soon as I got into Miami, we headed straight to the venue where the Backstreet Boys were having their Acoustic Show event since it was general admission. However, I recently received a promotion at work in which I will now be the Site Coordinator of the after school program that I work for. This means I am in charge of the program at my site. While I have an assistant that could run the program while I am gone, I hate giving someone else that responsibility. Plus, she is currently pregnant and her due date is only weeks after the Cruise. There is a possibility that she could go into labor early while I am on the Cruise. So now I want to make sure that I miss as little work as possible. Plus, I don't get paid for time off and, let's face it, we all need money. Now the plan is to fly in the day before the cruise. This is mainly because it has been confirmed that the Backstreet Boys will be having some type of event the evening before the Cruise again. I hope that it is not General Admission once again so that I might be able to explore Miami a bit this time.
My plan is to fly into Ft. Lauderdale, even though the cruise leaves out of Miami. I did this same thing last year. I had several reasons for this. 1) I knew I was going to have to check luggage and Southwest does not charge for checked luggage. But, they do not fly into Miami. 2) It is cheaper in general to fly into Ft. Lauderdale. 3) The transportation costs from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami was still cheaper than what it would have cost me to check my luggage with another flight that flies into Miami. 4) Southwest's Wanna Get Away fare is just cheaper in general than other airlines. These are all the reasons I am looking at doing this once again. Last year, I had to fly by myself because I was coming from Chicago but my roommate was coming from Nashville. This year, I know two people who are also flying from Chicago so this year I will actually have some travel companions. I am checking the Southwest website every day and waiting for the flight prices to go down. The next time the prices are decreased, I will be purchasing my flight.
The hotel in Miami is already booked. I will be rooming with at least my two cruise roommates and possibly the two that are flying with me. We will be staying at the Holiday Inn Port of Miami-Downtown. This is where I stayed last year with Tammy, my roommate from last year, and my two roommates for this year, Laura and Cory. I actually met Laura and Cory last year on the Fan Club when I was looking for someone in which to share a hotel. We liked the location of the hotel last year, the price, and the quality of the hotel. I know there are also some other BSB fans that will be staying there again. I think the coolest thing about this hotel was that we saw the Carnival Destiny from our window when we awoke the morning of the cruise. Hopefully, the same will happen this year with the Carnival Imagination.
Carnival Destiny from hotel room - BSB Cruise 2010
Last Year's Cruise Roommates - Me, Cory, Tammy, and Laura
BSB Cruise 2011 Roommates - Chrissy, Cory, and Laura
Not only did I pay the cruise off this week, but the themes for the cruise were also released. I have mixed reviews about them but I am sure that once I get to shopping for them, I will be much more excited. I think the reason I have mixed feelings is because I was really wanting to dress up a little more for this year's themes. However, I don't think these themes lend to this as much as last years. Plus, I liked how the themes were more BSB related last year.
1) Sphynkter 80s Night - While, I was born in the 80s, I only spent my first 6 years in it...a bit to young to actually take part in the fashion of the time. I have done my research and have some ideas. I already have one component of the outfit, tried it on the other day, and it does fit. So that is a plus. However, there are many more components I have to buy.
2) PDA Pajama Jam - Usually, I just wear shorts and a t-shirt when I sleep. I know many girls may go the lingerie route but not me. I am going to go comfy and have some ideas. I just need to find the perfect components. I may actually relate it to one of the outfits I wore last year.
3) The Perfect Fan Prom Night - I have four options for this. I can wear one of the three dresses I have from my sorority formals or I can go buy a new dress. I am actually leaning towards one dress in particular but am wondering how I am going to transport it there and if it is actually too much. I would much rather use a dress I already have so I don't have to spent more than I have to.
So right now that is all the information I have for my BSB Cruise 2011 plans. As I continue to make my plans, I will continue to update. We are getting very close to being in double digits for our countdown and that makes me very happy!
For more specific information about BSB Cruise 2010 and 2011, check out Laura's Blog: Backstreet Boys Cruise.
Now it is time to discuss a very depressing time...a point in time in which I wish I could go back to and do completely over. A time in which I am not proud to admit as such a huge Backstreet fan.
It starts on November 21, 2000. If this date sounds familiar to you, it should. It is the date that Black and Blue was released. Millennium was an amazing album and I knew that it was going to be hard to beat it. While Black and Blue sold 1.6 million copies in its first week and allowed the Backstreet Boys to be the first group to have million-plus first-weeks sales for back-to-back albums, it didn't quite match the hype in which Millennium got. And to make matters worse, I flat out did not like the album. There were a few songs which I liked but I LOVED EVERY song on Millennium. Because I did not like the album much, I did not listen to the Backstreet Boys as much.
I was in my junior year of high school at this point and had just finished my first year on the varsity volleyball team. When they started touring in 2001, I was preparing to try out for the varsity softball team. It was also at this point that my family and other school friends told me that I should just grow up and stop being so obsessed with the Backstreet Boys. My parents did not allow me to go to the Chicago show when they came on February 12 and 13. I was not working at the time so I had no money of my own to pay for it. And since I did not particularly care for the album, I was actually okay with it. I was preparing for the next stage of my life. I would be going into my senior year and knew that I had to start thinking about college. Also, a new man came into my life that spring.
The Backstreet Boys were coming back into the area for their Black and Blue Tour on June 20, 2001. But I did not care...I was madly in love with a man named Don Duncan. While him and I did not technically start dating until July 25, 2001, I spent every moment I could with him. That man is now my husband.
By this point, I decided to heed everyone's advice and "grow up." I took all of my posters down and tossed them except for some of my very few favorites. I got rid of a bunch of other merchandise. I kept most of my books and videos. And I kept the most important things...their CDs. The thing that I regret doing the most is donating all 25+ of my BSB t-shirts to Goodwill. I only kept 1 and that was my Millennium long sleeve shirt. I still start to tear up every time that I think about that stupid decision. I loved every single one of the shirts but thought that there was no way I was going to wear them when I went away to school. That was really before the time of making quilts out of t-shirts. Every now and then I will look on eBay to see if I can find some of the old shirts that I used to have. I have found one or two but cannot justify buying them at this point when there are so many other things that are on my wish list. However, this is also a reason why I want to buy every single shirt I see of theirs on tour. While I usually don't due to money, I am slowly building back up my BSB t-shirt arsenal.
The one poster that made it through and stayed proudly hung on every single wall of every single residence I have ever lived in since getting it. Well, right now it is not hung up but that is because we are in the middle of renovations. As you can see it has been everywhere with me due to the not so mint condition of it and was a topic of conversation when my husband and I moved in together. He gave me two options....get a new one that was not so torn up or frame the one I had. You can see what I chose.
Now, I did not stray completely. I still listened to their music and tried to keep up with news...although not as well as I always had. It took their hiatus, return with Never Gone, and a new BSB friend to get me to realize the error of my ways. I am proud to say that I am back and in full swing, obviously. Never again will I turn my back on these very amazing men. And now, when I say Keep The Backstreet Pride Alive....I truly mean it.
**Incorporating BSB Into EVERY Aspect of My Life**
When I was in high school, I tried to associate anything and everything with the Backstreet Boys. I would use mnemonic devices related to the group to remember stuff for tests. I did a commercial in Spanish class in which I was trying to get my fellow classmates to buy Millennium. In speech class, I did several speeches on the group. However, the class that I did the most Backstreet Boys' projects was in my telecommunications class. I found my old VHS with my old TV productions on it and thought I would share some old school Backstreet projects (the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 school years). Once again, I had to video them from the TV so the quality is not great.
The first was a Biography Minute, in which I did the biography of Brian Littrell. This was done my sophomore year (1999-2000).
Biography Minute
The next project was a photo video project. The objective was to make a video using various related photos. Some people did landscapes, actors, musicians, etc. I, of course, did mine with photos of the Backstreet Boys and used the song "Larger Than Life." This was also done my sophomore year.
"Larger Than Life" Photo Video
My final project was entitled "Moments in Music," in which the class reviewed a music CD with excerpts of songs from the CD. My CD was Millennium and I actually used music videos for my songs. The first song I highlighted was "Show Me The Meaning" because of the fact that it was my favorite song on the album. The second song I highlighted was "Back To Your Heart." In the video I say that it is one of my favorite songs on the CD but I actually chose to highlight the song because the video I used had both Kevin and Nick playing instruments. I know one of the comments I always got from people was that they could not play their own instruments. I wanted to use this video to show them that this was not the case. This video was recorded my junior year (2000-2001).
Moments in Music
So, I know this was not the most exciting post ever but it was just one of the many ways that the Backstreet Boys were part of my life many many years ago.
One has probably noticed how all titles of my posts are lyrics from BSB songs. I feel as if no matter what kind of mood you are in or what is going on in your life, there is a Backstreet Boys' song to convey those feelings. There is always one line, one verse, or one entire song that explains exactly how you are feeling. For me, no song rings more true to this than "Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely." This is more the case of the music video premiering at the exact right moment in my life.
For those of you who many not remember or may not know, the video of this song was released on New Year's Eve of 1999. The video was much darker in tone than their previous videos because the video touched on the band's real life issues.....Brian's heart surgery, the loss of Kevin's father, the death of Howie's sister, and the loss of a reoccurring songwriter for the Boys, Denniz Pop.
"Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely"
Now, I did not actually get to see this video when it actually premiered because I was not at home, but I had set it to tape so that I could watch it when I got back.
During this time, I lived with my dad but my mom got visitation every other weekend, as well as various other times. It happened to be that we (my brother and I) were going to be at my mom's house for New Year's Eve 1999. That night I had wanted to go to a friend's house because his family was having a pretty big get together. My mom and I got into a slight fight before we left to go to the friend's house and I was still pretty mad at her when we got back that night and the next day. My mom and I fought often when I visited.
On New Year's Day 2000, my mom and I got into another fight. I was sick of it so I called my dad and grandpa to come pick me up. I packed my stuff and walked out once they got there. While I had made the decision to do so, I was still very upset. I felt as if my mother did not understand me (like most typical teenagers). I spent the day over at my grandpa's and was in a pretty big funk the whole day.
That night I returned to my dad's house and the first thing I did was watch that taped premier of "Show Me The Meaning." From the first words, I could not stop crying. The song was describing exactly how I felt. I was so lonely. I felt as if my mom didn't understand me and my dad and step mom had no idea the feelings I was feeling. My heart was broken by my own family and there was something missing. But life had to go on. I think the verse that always hits me the hardest is:
"There's no where to run, I have no place to go. Surrender my heart, body, and soul. How can it be your asking me to feel the things you never show?"
This is because after I left there, my mom made several attempts to get me to go back there. She asked me to grow up. However, several instances happened in which she showed a great deal of immaturity herself. So how was I supposed to do this if she couldn't? I won't go into a lot of specifics about what happened, but it would take a little over 11 years to speak to my mother again. This past March I made contact with her again and things are progressing but slowly.
A friend of mine posted the following photo yesterday on Facebook and I think that the words could not be more true and fit in better with this post.
I don't just like the Backstreet Boys because they look and sound good. Their music speaks to me, they have been through the good times and the bad times with me, and they are always there. I have met the most amazing people because of them, people who understand me much more than others because they share the same sentiments about the Backstreet Boys. And I know that most of the people who read this will totally agree with every single word of this saying.
Sometimes I have so much lined up to write about that I don't know what to write about next. Do I go back to where I left off with my past BSB adventures or do I review my NKOTBSB shows because they all just happened? I think I have decided for this post that I am going to review the NKOTBSB concerts as a whole since the tour is drawing to an end. Then, when I go back and start doing things in order, I will review what made the particular shows different from one another.
So, as much as I have wanted to in the past, I had never actually been to more than one show during one tour before. School, work, or money always kept me from doing it. Or there was the one year that I was supposed to go to more than one Unbreakable show and the second show was cancelled. Anyway, for this tour I was able to go to more than one show....6 to be exact.
When I first heard rumors of this tour, I was not sure how I felt about it. Okay, I take that back....I was not happy to hear that they might be doing it. Now, I was a New Kids on the Block fan when I was younger. I had the videos and the sheets and the curtains and the lunch box and so on and so forth. I never got to see them in concert because I was like 7. The thing that made me the most hesitant was all the stuff I was reading online from the fans. BSB fans and NKOTB fans weren't really getting along. Each wanted to only see their group. Many speculated on which group would "open" for the other. Fans claimed that they would walk out when the other group was performing. There was just a lot of drama between the two fans groups and I hate drama. I had to agree that any time taken away from my Boys being on stage was not good. But then, I also knew that it would be a way to relive my childhood since I never got to see NKOTB perform. So, I decided to give it a chance. And I have to say that every moment of those 6 concerts was absolutely amazing. I wouldn't take back any of it for anything.
My shows attended were:
May 26, 2011 - Van Andel Arena - Grand Rapids, MI (w/Susan)
June 17, 2011 - United Center - Chicago, IL (w/ Susan, Megan, Liz, Stephanie, Emily, Amanda, Samantha)
June 18, 2011 - United Center - Chicago, IL (by myself)
June 21, 2011 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN (w/ Tammy)
July 20, 2011 - KFC Yum! Center - Louisville, KY (w/ Tammy)
July 26, 2011 - Conseco Fieldhouse - Indianapolis, IN (w/ Susan)
So this is going to be a general review of the songs that were sung, what was done, some history on the songs, etc. More specific reviews will come later.
First, the stage shape for this tour was unique. It was dubbed as "The Penis Stage" because of the huge catwalk that let to a circular platform at the end. The concept of the stage was to give great views for more fans...as there were now going to be much more front row seats. The New Kids on the Block spent the largest amount of time on the main part of the stage, while BSB spent the majority of their time at the "head."
So, for some of my shows the opening acts were Ashlyne Huff and Jordin Sparks. The other shows had Midnight Red and Matthew Morrison. I think that Jordin Sparks was my favorite. I thought Ashlyne Huff was awful. She was a dancer wanting to be a singer. And as much as I love Matthew Morrison, I just did not like his set list. Midnight Red was pretty good but I only saw them once. It might be worth listening to some of their stuff.
The opening introduction to the show was amazing. It featured each of the New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys in no particular order. I also loved the photos from rehearsals and performances like the American Music Awards. It built up the anticipation for the beginning of the show and the audience got to scream for their favorites. However, it did not matter how many times I saw the show, I still jumped when the curtain dropped due to the loud bang that came along with it.
NKOTBSB Concert Introduction
June 17, 2011 - United Center - Chicago, IL
Whoever planned the set list for this tour was smart. There had been arguments among fans on who would be the "opening act." Not only did the group perform a mash up of "Single" (NKOTB) and "The One" (BSB) for their first song, but the opening notes actually belonged to Coldplay's "Viva La Vida." Therefore, neither group could be considered the opening. However, towards the end of the song, I believe the NKOTB are definitely more prominent with "Single" than BSB is with "The One." "Single" was the second single (August 12, 2008) off of The Block, the first and only album produced so far since 2008 when the NKOTB reunited. It is actually a duet with Ne-Yo, who produced a solo version of the song for one of his own albums. "The One" was the fourth single (May 16, 2000) from BSB's biggest album, Millennium. This song was actually chosen as the fourth single when the group held a fan poll and most fans voted for it after Nick Carter himself called in and voted for it.
"Single"/"The One"
June 21, 2011 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
The first solo group to perform is The New Kids On The Block with their single "Summertime." This was their first single (May 13, 2008) off of the reunion album, The Block. It was also their first new single to be released since 1994.
"Summertime"
July 1, 2011 - Staples Center - Los Angeles, CA
Courtesy of Anne Marie
BSB then returned to the stage. At first, it sounds as if the song they will be singing is "Everybody," due to the opening notes in this particular case sounding similar. However, BSB comes out with "The Call," the second single (February 6, 2001) from Black and Blue. It was actually during the making of the music video for this song that AJ tried cocaine for the first time, as admitted on the Oprah Winfrey Show by AJ himself. One of my favorite NKOTB songs from their "new" album is "Dirty Dancing," which was next in line. Some people may think this song is cheesy but I just like the song overall. It is fun to listen to and dance to. This song was never actually released in the United States, but was the second single (December 19, 2008) to be released from The Block in Germany.
"The Call" and "Dirty Dancing"
June 17, 2011 - United Center - Chicago, IL
The next part of the show differed slightly from the beginning of the tour to the end. "Bye Bye Love" was the 5th song of the tour until the June 18, 2011 show in Chicago, when they replaced it with "Get Down." Therefore, I got to see "Bye Bye Love" on the 17th and then "Get Down" the next day on the 18th. "Bye Bye Love" is a song from BSBs seventh studio album This Is Us. While it was never released as a single, it was the only song during the tour from an album in which the Boys had recorded as a foursome (there is an exception to this which will be discussed later). Therefore, when it was taken out and replaced by "Get Down" there were no longer any songs from the post-Kevin leaving era. During this song in concert, the Backstreet Boys do a dance with canes. This is ironic since they are always joking about how they will still be performing when they are old with walkers. "Get Down" was the third single (April 30, 1996) from their international self-titled debut album. It was also later included on their US debut album, Backstreet Boys. The song was never released as a single in the United States. I don't think it was ever explained why the group made this change. Some believe it was to get a more familiar song in the spot. However, those fair weather BSB fans and NKOTB fans would be just as unfamiliar with "Get Down" since it was never released as a US single. The Backstreet Boys perform their old school "Get Down" dance to this song during the show. I personally was happy with the change as I prefer "Get Down" over "Bye Bye Love." Others were not so happy with the switch as they believe "Bye Bye Love" would allow new fans to get to know some of their newer material.
"Bye Bye Love"
June 2, 2011 - Mohegan Sun - Uncasville, CT
Courtesy of ameeliu15 (You Tube)
"Get Down"
June 21, 2011 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
If you notice, each group has taken turns throughout the show. I think this was a great idea to ensure one did not get more time than the other. This will change later in the show when each group stays out for a number of songs at a time, but time on stage is still split evenly. NKOTB returned to the stage to sing one of their biggest hits, "You Got It (The Right Stuff)." This song was their second single (November 7, 1988) from their second album, Hangin' Tough. Most people refer to the song as just "The Right Stuff" but the actual title of the song probably came around due to singer Vanessa Williams having a different song by the name of "The Right Stuff." My favorite part of this concert performance has got to be the pelvic thrusts towards the end of the song. It was just flat out sexy. Actually, the New Kids did a lot of pelvic thrusting throughout the entire show...much more than the Backstreet Boys. I am not sure if this was to woo the younger BSB crowd, but I was not complaining.
"You Got It (The Right Stuff)"
July 26, 2011 - Conseco Fieldhouse - Indianapolis, IN
The Backstreet Boys then joined the stage for a dance break with all NKOTBSB members. The group then joined together to do their "All you people can't you see, can't you see, NKOTBSB" before the Backstreet Boys took over to do "Larger Than Life." This song was the second single (September 3, 1999) off of Millennium. It was actually slated to be the first single to continue the tradition of releasing up tempo dance numbers as first singles off of albums. However, once the completed "I Want It That Way" was heard, these plans changed. Also, the video for this song holds the Guinness World Record for the 8th most expensive music video with an estimated production cost of $2,100,000. The video reportedly went over budget, which is why Howie's vignette is not as elaborate as the rest. My favorite part of this particular song during these performances was the guitar solo. At this point, the Backstreet Boys rise up in the air and rock out with the guitarist.
"Larger Than Life"
June 12, 2011 - IZOD Center - East Rutherford, NJ
Courtsey of Anne Marie
The New Kids on the Block then came out and slowed the show down a bit with a group of songs that included "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" and "Valentine Girl." While "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" is included on the self-titled debut album New Kids on the Block, it was not actually released as a single (April 1, 1986) until the success of their second album Hangin' Tough in an attempt to bring the first album to the attention of their growing fan base because of the success of their second album. This song is also actually a cover of the Delfonic's 1970 version. "Valentine Girl" was on the B Side of "Step by Step" and later put on their Greatest Hits album. The song was originally issued as an airplay only track but was eventually released as an international single in the June of 1990.
"Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time" and "Valentine Girl"
June 2, 2011 - Mohegan Sun - Uncasville, CT
Courtesy of ameeliu15 (You Tube)
Included in this part of the concert was also "If You Go Away." This song was released as a single on February 2, 1992. It was included on their Greatest Hits album H.I.T.S. and later on their 1994 album Face The Music. NKOTB actually performed this song on the Arsenio Hall Show when facing allegations of lip-synching. It was also the groups last hit until "Summertime" was released in 2008. This section (the last three songs) of the concert was actually my least favorite segment of the concert. These are not my favorite songs and are usually skipped when I am listening to them. I also did not care for that many slow songs in a row.
"If You Go Away"
June 2, 2011 - Mohegan Sun - Uncasville, CT
Courtesy of ameeliu15 (You Tube)
My favorite old school New Kids on the Block song was next. I absolutely love Joey when he sings "Please Don't Go Girl." That includes when he sang it when he was younger and now. Joey was always one of my favorite New Kids as a child....at least when Donnie wasn't my favorite. I don't think I will ever get tired of hearing this song. And Joey put his heart and soul into it every single performance that I went to. This song was the first song released (April 16, 1988) from their second album, Hangin' Tough. It led to the first commercial exposure of the group. If you were not a NKOTB fan, you may recognize the song from a cover that Aaron Carter did in 1997.
"Please Don't Go Girl"
June 21, 2011 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
It was then finally time for the Backstreet Boys to grace us with their presence once again. They could not have done it in any better fashion than by signing my all time favorite Backstreet Boys song, "Show Me the Meaning." This song is so meaningful to me and I will never get tired of it. It was the third single (December 21, 1999) from Millennium and the music video for it could not have premiered at a more perfect time in my life. But that is actually going to be my next post so I won't spoil anything here. The Backstreet Boys jump right from "Show Me the Meaning" to "10,000 Promises," a song that Nick Carter begged the Boys to put into the set list. The song is off of Backstreet's Back and was never released as a single, nor was put onto their US self-titled album. However, it is a beautiful song and I have never personally heard it live in concert.
"Show Me The Meaning" and "10,000 Promises"
June 21, 2011 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
The Backstreet Boys continue with their ballad section of the concert. At this point, the Backstreet Boys pick members of the audience and bring them onto the stage to serenade them with "I'll Never Break Your Heart." During the May 26th Grand Rapids show, the group just chose one girl for all of them to sing to at the head of the stage. By the time the June 17th show in Chicago rolled around, they had moved to each of the Boys choosing his own girl to serenade along the shaft of the stage. I am not sure at what point they changed this up but I think it gave more opportunities for more fans to get onstage. "I'll Never Break Your Heart" was the second single (December 13, 1995) from their international self-titled album and the fourth single (July 14, 1998) from the US self-titled album.
"I'll Never Break Your Heart"
June 18, 2011 - United Center - Chicago, IL
Courtesy of alibutterfly82 (You Tube)
Okay, so this next part is kind of tricky. Remember how I said that "Bye Bye Love" was the only song during the show from an album in which the Boys recorded as a foursome? That is not necessarily true. During my Grand Rapids concert on May 26th, "Inconsolable" was part of the set list. However, it did not stay in the set list for long. By the 4th show of the tour on May 29th in Baltimore, it was removed from the set list. I don't think most people even realized it was in the set list since it was only in the first three shows. I am not really sure why it was taken out. However, I do know that it gave BSB one more song during the concert than NKOTB. This may have something to do with it. "Inconsolable" was the first single (August 27, 2007) from Unbreakable and, therefore, the first single released without Kevin Richardson. So, during the first three shows, BSB actually did a medley with "Inconsolable," "Drowning," and "Incomplete." Here is a video of that particular medley. When they take "Inconsolable" out, more things will change as well.
"Inconsolable/Drowning/Incomplete" Medley
May 25, 2011 - Allstate Arena - Chicago, IL
Courtesy of loaragao1 (You Tube)
If you notice during the medley, only the chorus of "Drowning" is sung. However, when "Inconsolable" is removed from the set list, "Drowning" is restored to a much longer length. It still remains shortened from its original length. This song is the only single to be released (October 16, 2001) from The Hits: Chapter One since this was a greatest hits album and all other songs had been previously released. It was actually recorded for Black and Blue but there was no room on the album for this track. This was also the last released single before a brief three year hiatus for the group. For some reason this song always reminds me of the store Dollar General because that is where I worked when the song was first released and it was played on the radio all the time. I am just now learning to disassociate this song with the feelings I have of working there.
"Drowning"
June 13, 2011 - IZOD Center - East Rutherford, NJ
Courtesy of Anne Marie
When "Inconsolable" was removed, "Drowning" and "Incomplete" became more separate, rather than a medley as they had been. "Incomplete" was the first single (April 1, 2005) from the comeback album Never Gone. After three years apart from the Backstreet Boys, I think all fans hold a special place in their heart for this song. I know for me, I was incomplete without the Backstreet Boys in my life and I am sure there were many more who feel the same way.
"Incomplete"
July 1, 2011 - Staples Center - Los Angeles, CA
Courtesy of Anne Marie
The time finally comes for the Backstreet Boys to take a break and for the New Kids on the Block to reappear. For this next song, NKOTB take it way back with "Step By Step" and do the wonderful dance moves associated with it. Another thing I like about this song, as well as other songs throughout the entire show, is that they sample music from other artists and incorporate it well into the show. And I love Jordan's dance solo. That boy still knows how to move, even at 41 years of age. However, I am disappointed that they let the fans sing the "Step 1...we can have lots of fun" segment because this may have been the only time we would have ever heard Jonathan on his own. At no point during the entire show does he sing any bit of a song as a solo. "Step By Step" was the biggest selling single (May 10, 1990) for the New Kids and was one of the biggest selling singles in 1990 as a whole. It was the first single from their Step By Step album. The song was initially not intended to be recorded by the New Kids, but for another group of Maurice Starr's (the writer of the song). However, after the NKOTB heard the song, they insisted to make it a record of their own.
"Step By Step"
July 26, 2011 - Conseco Fieldhouse - Indianapolis, IN
While the next song, "Cover Girl," was not one of my favorites before the tour began, it quickly became one. Mostly because it was amazing to watch in concert due to one thing...Donnie Wahlberg. This man epitomizes sexiness from the very beginning with his hip thrusting to the end when he rips his shirt off. "Cover Girl" was the fifth single (September 22, 1989) from Hangin' Tough. I know many friends who became Donnie fans because of this one song....or at least they became fans of his body. When people ask me what my favorite part of the show was, it has to be the moment that he rips his shirt off. So enough talking about it....let's have a look...
"Cover Girl"
June 21, 2011 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
The NKOTB then go into a medley of "My Favorite Girl," "Games," and "Click, Click, Click." "My Favorite Girl" was the sixth and final single (January 27, 1990) from Hangin' Tough. It was released as a radio-only promotional single and was never commercially available to consumers. "Games" was their first single (January 17, 1991) from No More Games/The Remix Album. It was a departure from their previous clean cut sound. It was also during this time that the group shortened their name to NKOTB, feeling that the New Kids on the Block sounded too childish for the group. "Click, Click, Click" is off of the The Block album but was never released as a single. For some reason, I really like the way that Joey does his dance for this particular song.
"My Favorite Girl/Games/Click, Click, Click" Medley
July 26, 2011 - Conseco Fieldhouse - Indianapolis, IN
Now it was time for the part that all fans looked forward to...when the NKOTB went into the audience during "Tonight." First, they strutted their stuff on the catwalk. For each city that I went to, it was a different song that they walked to. My favorite had to have been in Louisville...
NKOTB Work the Runway
July 20, 2011 - KFC Yum! Center - Louisville, KY
"Tonight" is an autobiographical song that discusses the relationship between the New Kids on the Block and their fans and references many of their first hits in the song. It was the second single (July 26, 1990) from Step By Step. During this particular tour, the New Kids go out into the audience and sing from there. At many points during this part of the concert on tour, there was a New Kid not more than 20 feet from me. At the June 18th Chicago show, I was able to touch Jonathan. During the July 26th Indianapolis show, Jonathan shook my hand. I was also extremely close to Danny at one point. I have attempted to edit the video from all of the shows (minus Grand Rapids since there is no footage from that) and put them together to form one video montage. It's not perfect but I think it portrays the song well.
"Tonight" Montage
As if we didn't get enough when the New Kids came into the audience, it was now the Backstreet Boys turn. Except instead of going from the stage to the audience, they came from the concourse to the stage. By the second show I knew that they would be doing this for "Shape of My Heart" so I would turn around right after the New Kids left the stage. Other fans would look at me like I was weird and I would tell them that they should probably do the same. Actually, I had an idea this was going to happen for Grand Rapids as well because one of the security guards told the girl next to me that she should do that (I think they knew each other). I don't like to read spoilers before I go to a show so I would have known this if I would have done so. For this song, it was actually debated on whether or not one should go up onto the concourse to get photos with whichever guys happen to be there waiting. This would mean that you would have to miss "Tonight" because you would have to try to go up there before the New Kids came into the audience, or else you were not going anywhere. I never tried this as I was never in an ideal location to just leave. Plus, I was always really close to a New Kid when they did "Tonight" and did not want to miss that. I did have a friend who went onto the concourse and got a photo with AJ. I heard that towards the end of the tour that security got a little tighter even though there were not many girls up there. It seemed that the only time there were tons of girls was when they did a show twice at one arena. The girls who were there the first night knew that BSB would be coming from the concourse and tried to take advantage of that knowledge. "Shape of My Heart" was the first single (October 3, 2000) from Black and Blue and was their third single to reach number one worldwide. The video for the song also broke the Backstreet Boys' own record for the longest running number one song on MTV's Total Request Live, the record previously being held by "Larger Than Life."
"Shape of My Heart"
July 29, 2011 - Boardwalk Hall - Atlantic City, NJ
Courtesy of Anne Marie
"As Long As You Love Me" was next for this grouping of BSB songs during the concert. This song was the second single (October 21, 1997) from the US debut album Backstreet Boys and the second single (September 1997) from Backstreet's Back. Due to illness and the deadline of the song, AJ Mclean's vocals do not appear in the recorded version of this song. He was taught the background vocal by Brian during the video shoot. This song has extreme importance in Brian's life because on June 14, 1997, Brian met Leighanne Wallace during rehearsals of the video for this song. Brian later married Leighanne on September 2, 2000.
"As Long As You Love Me"
June 12, 2011 - IZOD Center - East Rutherford, NJ
"All I Have To Give" and "If You Stay" were next in line. The Backstreet Boys performed all of "All I Have to Give" at the head of the stage. This song was the sixth and final single from Backstreet's Back and the seventh and final single (January 13, 1998) from their US debut album, Backstreet Boys. "If You Stay" was recorded for the Booty Call soundtrack (February 25, 1997). It was never commercially released as a single and never put on a Backstreet Boys album. They first publicly performed this song during their Black and Blue tour.
"All I Have to Give/If You Stay"
July 20, 2011 - KFC Yum! Center
The last song of this BSB grouping was "Quit Playing Games" with a twist. Nick starts out by singing "Raspberry Beret" by Prince and then they go into the song. Once again, they incorporated other music into their show by doing this. This song was the fourth single (October 14, 1996) from their international album Backstreet Boys but the first single (Summer 1997) from their US album Backstreet Boys. This song was not the labels first choice as the first single from the US debut album. The label wanted "If You Want It To Be Good Girl" but the Boys argued that it was one of their worst songs. Other serious contenders for the first single were "Anywhere for You" and "All I Have to Give." Even though MTV did not really support the single, the song still succeeded.
"Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)"
July 1, 2011 - Staples Center - Los Angeles, CA
Courtesy of Anne Marie
It was now Jordan's time to have his solo appearance, since Joey and Donnie had already had theirs. Fog rolls across the stage and it is now the New Kids turn to be dressed all in white. Jordan sings his heart out for "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)" in his classic falsetto voice. This song is the third single (April 10, 1989) from Hangin' Tough and rose on the charts just as "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" was descending. I think people either love or hate this song. I know Jordan fans who don't like it because of the falsetto singing throughout the entire song. However, whether you like it or hate it, everyone has to admit that he sings his little butt off during it.
"I'll Be Loving You (Forever)"
June 21, 2011 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
I don't think any song is bigger during this tour than the Backstreet Boys "I Want It That Way." This song was released as their first single (April 12, 1999) from Millennium and was the group's biggest hit. The song is highly critically acclaimed and has won and been nominated for many awards. There is much debate about the song's meaning but the Backstreet Boys themselves have claimed that the song just does not make sense and they do not know what it means. Even though the song just doesn't make sense, it was voted #3 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90's, #10 in the MTV/Rolling Stone list of the 100 Greatest Pop Songs of All Time, #16 on Blender Magazine's 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born, #61 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the Past 25 Years, and #1 on MTV's Top 99 of '99. The video was ranked #3 on the top 10 list of the most iconic videos of all time on the TRL finale. Unfortunately, I believe this song gave the Backstreet Boys its greatest chance at winning a Grammy since it was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Duo or Group Performance in 2000. They lost all three categories to Santanna's "Smooth."
"I Want It That Way"
June 21, 2011 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
The Backstreet Boys bring the New Kids on the Block back out and they do introductions (AJ and Donnie, Nick and the Knight Brothers, Brian and Joey, and Howie and Danny). The introductions varied each time I saw them but they were along the same lines each time. Donnie and AJ talked about being the bad boys. Nick talked about how talent rushed through the blood of the Knight brothers. Jordan talked about Nick's looks. Brian talked about always wanting to be like Joey. Joey talked about how hard Brian works and is a great family man. Brian and Joey would also talk about their bromance. Some people even like to call them Broey. Howie always played on Danny's last name and Danny always made Howie dance.
Band Introductions
June 17, 2011 - United Center - Chicago, IL
It was finally time for the two groups to perform together again....this time with NKOTBSB's original "Don't Turn Out The Lights." This song was released (April 5, 2011) from the compilation album NKOTBSB, which includes the top hits from each group, two compilation songs, and a NKOTBSB mash up. The sample of the song was first played by Brian and AJ on the BSB Cruise 2010 (twice) and the song was leaked on the internet four days before it premiered on On Air With Ryan Seacrest. No video accompanies it and it will probably be the only single to be released from this compilation album.
"Don't Turn Out The Lights"
June 21, 2011 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
The stage goes dark and everyone disappears from the stage. This means that the show is drawing to an end, but not before the encore. "NKOTBSB" is shouted throughout the arena and the lighting goes red. AJ reappears to the stage and "Everybody" is the next song slated for the set list. "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" was the first single (July 14, 1997) from the Backstreet's Back album and the third single (February 1998) from the USdebut album, Backstreet Boys. Jive President thought it would be strange to have a song entitled "Backstreet's Back" on the bands first US album, but the Boys suggested it could mean that they were back home, after becoming popular in other parts of the world first.
"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)
June 21, 2011 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
The Backstreet Boys leave the stage, which once again goes dark. Clouds of fog formed by dry ice are shot from the stage. Green lights appear and an Irish type song is played. Donnie finally appears in his Boston Celtics jersey. For the most part, the New Kids wear their Celtics jerseys for the closing number (except on June 17 - Boston Bruins and July 20 - Indiana Pacers). "Hangin' Tough" is the last full song of the concert. This song was the fourth single (July 3, 1989) off of the album of the same name. The songwriter wrote this song in reference to the tough times that the group had getting off the ground. At the tail end of the concert, the Backstreet Boys return to the stage in their Orlando Magic jerseys (they wore these for the most part except at my May 26 - no jerseys, July 20 - Brian in a University of Kentucky jersey, and July 26 - Indiana Pacers). Both groups then sing parts from "We Will Rock You." Finally, they battle with a Mash Up of "Hangin' Tough" and "Everybody." The concert ends with a rain shower of confetti and a bow from the nine guys....
"Hangin' Tough"
June 21, 2011 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
Overall, this was an amazing show...one of the best I have ever been too. I cannot wait for BSB to tour as a single group again and I will probably attend a NKOTB show as well.
Special thanks to Anne Marie for some of the videos. You can see her You Tube channel here.
When we got there, the opening act was on. Actually it may have been the second opening act but I don't know since we were late. Anyway, the opening act that we saw was Seminole County....we hated them. Not sure what the group was thinking because their music was nothing like what we like in the Backstreet Boys music. I came there to see pop music, not punk rock. 
Our seats were not the greatest but we were just happy to be there. It would have been better if one of us would have actually had a camera. That's right, I have NO photos from this concert. Later, Tammy would give me a CD of the photos she took at all of her Never Gone concerts but none of them were specifically from our show. And since I took no photos, it is a little harder for me to remember parts of it.
