Wednesday, July 17, 2013

The Package Tour: New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, 98 Degrees @ Staples Center

Getty via The Hollywood Reporter

The Package Tour felt like a tour of boy bands for the generations, older than tween generations anyways...  Last week I got to live out a childhood dream and saw New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men in concert!  

Since The Hollywood Reporter already put out a good, thorough review of the concert (even with set lists!), I'll just list some of my reactions to the bands. 

Boyz II Men
  1. They still look good for their age
  2. Loved the old dance moves, especially during Motownphilly (doing high five kicks, group dancing, and singing back-to-back), which brought back memories of when I first started loving them in elementary school
  3. Their short half-hour set could have easily been extended by an hour with the incredible amount of hits they've had in their musical career
  4. Wish I could have heard more songs.  This definitely makes me want to see them the next time they're headlining
  5. Sad to think that kids in high school now probably have no idea who Boyz II Men are

98 Degrees
  1. They aren't aging too well (except for Drew Lachey), but they're in great shape (except for Justin Jeffre.  After all these years, still don't care, huh?) 
  2. Jeff Timmons looks like a young, really hot dad
  3. Their dance choreography is, and always was, terrible.  Did they come up with these moves on their own?  
  4. What's up with Nick covering up the 98 Degrees tattoo?  I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of.  It was a very successful time in their lives.  Glad Jeff still wears it proudly 
  5. Being the buff men that they are, they made it less weird for grown women to be in love with a boy band
  6. Best part of their set was when they serenaded women pulled from the audience and were practically grinding up against them.  There were tears, shock, awe, and jealousy (okay, jealousy was just from me)

New Kids on the Block
  1. Since I usually attend smaller shows, the New Kids on the Block concert at the Staples Center was quite the spectacle with flames, raining fire, neon lights, and a revolving stage
  2. Their set made me remember how much I used to love them as a kid.  I had their posters on my wall, I was infatuated with Joey McIntyre, and watched their Pay-Per-View concert over and over again.  During Please Don't Go Girl, I could practically picture how Joey sang it in the PPV concert, I watched it so many times.  Yep, I was obsessed 
  3. Even though Jordan Knight and Donnie Wahlberg have aged a bit, they are in amazing shape and might even look better than their younger selves (Donnie does for sure anyways)
  4. Joey still looks really cute and so does his adorable son (wow, Joey sure does make attractive babies), who was brought on stage to sing a song with him and walk through the crowd
  5. I know Donnie was the "bad boy", but I didn't realize how much of a hype man he was.  He got the crowd going, made out with a couple women in the audience, and wasn't shy about his six-pack.  I love that he's now a dramatic actor, but doesn't take himself seriously on stage
  6. The Donnie and Jordan cameras were hilarious.  At one point, the Donnie Cam zoomed in on Joey's crotch
  7. Due to their fans having grown up, the concert was definitely more sexed up.  Hence, Jordan's sensual, shirtless Prince cover, Donnie's constant ab-flashing, and a whole lot of crotch-thrusting all around
  8. Can't believe they've been around for 25 years!
Loved that Paul Scheer was at the same concert.  Some of his best tweets:





More:
Concert review - LA Times
Photos - LA Weekly

Side Note: I was surprised Jack in the Box didn't try to sponsor the concert and do a tie-in with the Meaty Cheesy Boys.  Missed opportunity.  
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