New Kids on the Block concert -- #5, Baby!!

Did someone say scrunchies and neon??

We've been waiting since the tour was announced and tickets went on sale last fall...for the MixTape Tour!! You can't beat five of your favorite bands/artists all performing together!

This would be Beth's and my fifth New Kids show! We did a little research: our first concert (not to mention our first concert ever!) was February 10, 1991 in Honolulu. Our parents actually dropped us off at the show and then picked us up afterward!! Then we went to concerts in 2013, 2015 and 2017...

And now we're in the Five-Timers Club!

We had a few new additions this year because Mom, Tony, Samuel and Brie wanted to see what all the hype is about. And for Sam and Brie, this would be their first big, indoor concert--right around the same age that Beth was at our first NKOTB show! So for the past few weeks, we listened to music from all the artists. We were ready...concert time!!

They even kicked off their tour in the Queen City...lucky us!!

We were in our seats on time, but the show ended up starting 45 minutes late--first night kinks??!!

When it finally started, it was...New Kids! I don't think anyone expected them to open the show!

The confetti was a huge hit!!

More NKOTB!

Hey, I know that song! And that song and that song...

Dancing in the aisles!

We had REALLY good seats. The singers all came down into the crowds...

So at some points, we were only about 10 feet away!!

Then they performed on the B stage, which was also close to us!!

Here's a clip from "Remix (I Like The)"...definitely our family's favorite New Kids song!

Tiffany's breakout album was the first cassette tape I ever owned. I received it as a gift from a friend at my 10th birthday party, and nearly leapt out of my skin. I listened to the entire album dozens of times. Without a doubt, "I Think We're Alone Now" was my favorite song that year.

So, OF COURSE, finally seeing Tiffany in concert after all these years was thrilling. She can really still sing. Like REALLY!!

She sang right by us on the B stage, too. Awesome!!

Naughty by Nature was lots of fun...took me right back to 8th grade dances at Robinson!! "You down with O.P.P..."

"Hip hop hooray...hey, ho..."

And then there was Debbie Gibson!! She sang all (or part of all) of her best hits...talk about nostalgia!

And then (spoiler alert!) Joe McIntyre joined her for a duet of "I Get Lost in Your Eyes" while she played piano. Beth said that her 80's heart rejoiced. It was fabulous.

I think we were all unanimous that Salt-N-Pepa was our second favorite band that evening. Their music is SO good and they're still amazing!

It was fun knowing the lyrics to all of their songs (and slightly more age-appropriate than when I was younger)!

Their performance reminded me how dearly I wanted to see them perform "Push It" at the Richmond Coliseum when I visited my grandparents the summer after 4th grade. Well, I finally heard it live and it was every bit as great as I thought it would be. (And Samuel and Brie were just the age I was back then, and they agreed it is great to dance to.)

Brie goes, "It's 'Whatta Man'!" 😁😁

It's "Step by Step!"

At the end, all of the bands sang "80's Baby" together...one of their newer songs that we've been listening to at home...and then it was over. Even though we danced the entire time (there wasn't a single break since the bands took turns), we would have happily danced longer. It was a wonderful show!! And Samuel and Brie totally hung in there staying up much later than usual--caffeinated drinks, cotton candy and snow cones definitely helped! (See how it's not raining out! We beat the forecast and had a beautiful evening!)

The next day, our concert got some pretty good shout-outs!

Woohoo! 

Soooo many great memories from the show! Can't wait for show #6!!!!!!!

P.S. Meanwhile, back at the ranch...Granddaddy Rob and Sebastian had their own Guys' Night Out! Sebastian took him to his favorite hamburger/hotdog/french fry restaurant and it happened to be Magic Night! Sebastian said he loved the magician!!

They also got frozen yogurt and watched cartoons together. What a special evening for them!!