Review: New Kids On The Block and Backstreet Boys at Manchester Arena

If the nineties was the decade of the boy band then the noughties must be the dawn of man band.

It seems almost every ageing pop star has dusted off the mic for a second shot at fame recently.

So when US heartthrobs New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys announced they were teaming up for a tour, girls around the world screamed.

The two bands have joined forces to form a super group with a suitably 21st century style name NKOTBSB. LOL.

As they filed out – all nine of them – onto the Manchester Arena stage we all took a step back in time. The concert kicked off with a surprising collaboration of Coldplay’s Viva La Vida before each band rolled out a series of hits including I’ll Never Break Your Heart, Quit Playing Games, and I Want it That Way from Backstreet Boys Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Nick Carter and Brian Littrell. NKOTB – made up of Joey McIntyre, Jordan and Jon Knight, Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood - also got the crowd going with The Right Stuff, Step by Step and Cover Girl. They’re far from being Kids or Boys – half of the members are knocking on 40 – but time has been good to them all. They look better now than they ever did and there wasn’t a dance step out of place. Special mention must go to Jordan’s falsetto, Joey’s knee boots, Nick’s dedication to his blonde curtains, Brian’s royal wave, and last – but by no means least – Donnie’s abs. They saved the best til last performing mega-hits Backstreet’s Back and Hang Tough in an on-stage battle complete with England hoodies. It's a mash-up of epic proportions which proves the pop bubble never bursts. For two hours we partied like it was 1999 (or 89 if you’re a NKOTB fan) and once again I - like the rest of the crowd - was a screechy girl with a crush. Some things never change.

SOURCE:
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/tv_and_showbiz/s/1492178_review-new-kids-on-the-block-and-backstreet-boys-at-manchester-arena