In 2008, popular ’80s boy band New Kids on The Block reunited for a new album and a nostalgia tour. Seven years later and the vocal group is still going strong.
Having grown up with their fans, the “boys,” now men with their own families, know what their fans want. Both long-time followers and the new generation are amped to shell out money for an event rather than a one-act concert. This was a formula the guys figured out when they toured with the Backstreet Boys in 2011. And for their new tour, aptly titled The Main Event, Joey, Jordan, Danny, Donnie and Jonathan will join the surviving members of TLC and rapper Nelly for a night of ’80s and ’90s throwbacks. You can catch them on Long Island at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday or for a pair of shows at Madison Square Garden on Sunday and Monday.
amNewYork spoke with NKOTB member Danny Wood ahead of the New York dates.
When you first reunited was the chemistry different between the five of you?
I think it was a bit awkward because [when] we first got back in the studio, some of us hadn’t talked in a very long time. When we started dance rehearsal, getting ready for TV appearances and the tour, then I think things started to click. Seeing the guys with their kids and stuff you definitely have a different kind of respect for them. I think that definitely helped.
How do you build on a set that’s loaded with nostalgia?
We started off by writing songs down on a white board and started figuring out what we want to do. We mix the old with the new, but you have to do all the hits. Then we get to throw in a little surprise here and there so that they get something different from the last tour.
Can fans expect mash-ups between New Kids, TLC and Nelly?
It’s three separate sets. We definitely talked about it, but it’s very difficult once everyone is rehearsing at different areas. It’s hard to get something like that done. The thing with the Backstreet Boys was a unique situation. We built a brand with them. I’m very proud that we did that. It was a huge worldwide tour, so hopefully we can come back to that.
What do you make of boy bands like One Direction that don’t dance during their shows?
That’s their thing. We come from a different generation. We grew up watching The Jackson 5, New Edition and James Brown. We’re always going to take the approach of how can we top the last tour? How can we entertain the crowd even on another level? And do something different. We think on this tour we’ve done that.
If you go: New Kids On The Block are at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday at 7 p.m., Uniondale, 516-794-9300, $15-$120
They’re at Madison Square Garden on Sunday and Monday at 7 p.m., 4 Penn Plaza, 212-465-6073, $39.50-$99.50
