Birmingham Mail: Review: New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys at Birmingham's LG Arena

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By Christina Savvas /Apr 28 2012
DURING a recent spring clean I came across a video tape labelled with child’s scrawl; Christina Savvas, aged nine. It was my treasured New Kids on the Block video, so you can imagine the childhood memories which came flooding back when the US band announced they were to join forces with the other huge band of the 90s - Backstreet Boys to form supergroup NKOTBSB - catchy!
As the nine members took to the stage - at Birmingham’s LG Arena - the crowd of mainly females in their 30s, took a trip down memory lane.
Surprisingly the night started with a version of Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, before each group performed a series of their own huge hits.
NKOTB – made up of Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood, Jon Knight and his brother Jordan - my childhood crush - got the crowd going with The Right Stuff, Step by Step and Cover Girl.
Backstreet’s Howie D, AJ Mclean, Nick Carter and Brian Littrell, belted out Quit Playing Games, I’ll Never Break Your Heart and I Want It That Way, to name just a few.
There were some fashion faux pas which you might expect when a group of forty-something men, attempt to rekindle their youth; one or two should have ditched the leather ensembles, and someone should have told Jon not to tuck in the bling T-shirt into his high wasted skinny jeans.
Despite the odd move of uncomfortable ‘dad dancing’ and one or two off notes, no-one in the crowd really cared. Both groups were fantastic and they had obviously been working hard to keep their bodies in shape. They were keen to show off their efforts and the ladies of Birmingham lapped it up.
The night ended in an epic Glee style mash-up. Backstreet’s Back and Hanging Tough in an on-stage battle with the guys dressed in tracksuit tops emblazoned with England and caps, Joey wearing his to the side he always did.
When I spoke to Howie D before the gig, he promised more than two hours of high energy entertainment and they delivered.
For two hours we partied like it was 1999 or 89 for the hardcore NKOTB fans and once again I was a young girl with a very big crush.
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