Travel Blog

16 Feb

New Kids on the Block (and Boyz II Men) Coming to Vancouver

nkotb80Looks like the New Kids on the Block are still “hangin’ tough” after all these years.

The original boy band is coming to Vancouver this summer, joined by fellow ’90s idols Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees.  The so-called Package Tour rolls into Rogers Arena on July 10.  Tickets – sure to be snatched up by nostalgic 30-somethings with boy-band-crazy kids of their own – go on sale Monday, Feb. 18, starting at $25.   Details below.

Donnie, Danny, Jordan, Jonathon and Joey – who are all now in their 40s – reunited back in 2008 after a 14 year hiatus from the music biz.  The New Kids on the Block (or NKOTB, if you prefer) originally came onto the scene in the late 1980s, with bubblegum hits like Hangin’ Tough, Right Stuff and Cover Girl.  They were among the first of a new generation of slickly produced boy bands – instantly recognizable for their hummable harmonies, careful choreography and boyish good looks.

NKOTB went on to dominate the charts in the early ’90s, with hits like Step by Step and Tonight.  They spawned a media and merchandising empire – with everything from lunch boxes and t-shirts to their own pay-per-view specials and 1-900 number – and actually outgrossed Michael Jackson and Madonna in 1991.  NKOTB faded from the spotlight just as quickly and dissolved in 1994, with members pursuing diverse careers in music, movies and even real estate.

In 2008, for reasons unclear, NKOTB reunited, released a new studio album and commenced a world tour.  Now they’ve partnered up with fellow boy-band legends Boyz II Men (famous for I’ll Make Love to You, One Sweet Day and a string of a cappella-style RB hits in the ’90s) and 98 Degrees (who briefly thrilled tweens in the late ’90s) for their new tour, The Package.

The Package Tour comes to Rogers Arena in Vancouver July 10.  Tickets are available on Ticketmaster starting Monday, Feb. 18.

Anybody going?  Any favourite NKOTB memories/songs/crushes?  Let us know below.  

Article source: http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2013/02/16/new-kids-on-the-block-and-boyz-ii-men-coming-to-vancouver/