Antiquiet
  • AQ Podcast
  • Interviews
  • AQ Sessions
  • Reviews
  • Miscellaneous
Shows

Live Shots: New Kids on the Block Unwrap “The Package” Tour in Oklahoma City

By Steven Anthony @steven_anthony · On June 30, 2013
98 DegreesBoyz II MenNew Kids On The Block

Nearly three decades after releasing their first single, the New Kids on the Block are still running full steam ahead. Delivering their “Package” tour featuring both 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men, NKOTB stopped at the Chesapeake Arena in Oklahoma City on Saturday night for a two hour show drenched in nostalgia and synchronized dance moves — precisely what the audience wanted.

newkidsontheblock-okc-14

Short opening sets by a vocally-flawless Boyz II Men and the crowd-pleasing 98 Degrees kicked off the Package tour, helping to flesh out the boyband-athon vibe of the evening. Boyz II Men were particularly strong, featuring great performances of On Bended Knee, I’ll Make Love to You and a rousing take on Motownphilly that had everyone in the crowd dancing. 98 Degrees’ performance had a few new tracks as well as old standards Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche) and their original debut single Invisible Man.

boyziimen-okc-3

After those boy band appetizers, it was time for the main course. Opening with a video montage encouraging the crowd to drop their drama at the door, to live like there’s no tomorrow and to “own tonight,” NKOTB finally appeared on stage while some of the loudest screaming I’ve ever heard at a show threatened to deafen those in the audience without earplugs.

Sure, NKOTB has a new record (10) out, but this show wasn’t structured around that album. A few new tracks — We Own Tonight, lead single Remix (I Like The), Survive You and The Whisper — all made appearances and were received warmly enough by the audience. But these now late 30s/early 40s women who came to the show in droves were there for the hits, and the former teenage idols know that.

newkidsontheblock-okc-19

Whether replicating their dance steps from the 80s-tastic You Got It (The Right Stuff) or performing a medley of slightly truncated versions of Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind), Valentine Girl and If You Go Away while spinning around on a rising platform in the middle of the arena, these guys know the definition of fan service.

The band added something a little different for this tour in the form of a lengthy acoustic segment. This portion of the show combined stripped down versions of more of their hits (Single, Baby I Believe in You and 2008’s great Click Click Click) with some of their favorite pop songs from the last few decades, including George Michael’s Faith and Prince’s Kiss. On Faith, Joey McIntyre took over on lead vocals while Kiss found Jordan Knight giving his best Prince impersonation raised high above the audience on a pedestal. Knight’s Kiss ended with the singer’s shirt pulled over his shoulders, garnering a roar of approval from fans who have watched him grow up.

newkidsontheblock-okc-12

The fan service didn’t end there, of course, as a performance of Cover Girl would find the group’s “bad boy” Donnie Wahlberg ripping his shirt off and throwing it to some woman on the floor of the arena. During Tonight, all five members of the group wandered out to separate tiny platforms set up around the arena to perform, far closer than many of the woman in attendance ever dreamed of being to their former (and maybe current) crushes.

Vocally, the guys largely sounded fine although at points some of the falsetto work sounded a bit off. Jordan seemed to have trouble with the falsetto in I’ll Be Loving You (Forever) but nailed the Princely notes in Kiss, so who knows what the issue was. Regardless, they sounded about as good as you’d expect a boy band to sound decades after their debut.

newkidsontheblock-okc-20

The stage show added a lot of spice to the set, filled with moving parts, fire and confetti. A flower-shaped stage in the middle of the arena was home base for the guys, featuring a large rising (and rotating) circle platform with five smaller rising platforms for each individual guy. A walkway connected this stage to the end stage which housed the NKOTB’s band. The in-the-round performance style really suits a pop show like this and gave everyone in the arena a great vantage point.

Nearly two hours after the start of their set, Donnie Wahlberg took a few minutes to praise the people of Oklahoma for standing strong during the recent tornado outbreak that happened in the state. Unlike most times when an artist name drops the city they are playing in, it actually felt authentic and inspired a few minutes of applause from both the band and the crowd. Then, donning Boston Strong jerseys, the guys dedicated the set-closing performance of “Hangin’ Tough” to both Oklahoma and Boston. As thousands upon thousands of arms waved through the air, mostly like they didn’t even care, it became clear that even decades after their debut, NKOTB can probably continue on filling arenas for however long they want.

Setlists:
Boyz II Men:
On Bended Knee, Water Runs Try, I’ll Make Love to You, It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye, End of the Road, Motownphilly

98 Degrees:
Heat It Up, Girls Night Out, Invisible Man, The Hardest Thing, Microphone, My Everything, I Do (Cherish You), Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche), Because of You

New Kids on the Block:
We Own Tonight, Block Party, Summertime, You Got It (The Right Stuff), The Whisper / Shout, Survive You, Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind) / Valentine Girl / If You Go Away, Please Don’t Go Girl, Remix (I Like The), Single, Baby I Believe In You, I’ll Be There, Stay the Same, Tender Love, Click Click Click, Faith / Kiss, Dirty Dancing, Step by Step, Cover Girl, Games, Tonight, I’ll Be Loving You (Forever), Hangin’ Tough

Check out a few selected shots followed by our full gallery:

98 Degrees:
98degrees-okc-1

98degrees-okc-4

NKOTB:
newkidsontheblock-okc-26

newkidsontheblock-okc-13

newkidsontheblock-okc-5











98 DegreesBoyz II MenNew Kids On The Block
Share Tweet

Steven Anthony

You Might Also Like

  • Shows

    Tiffany Young Brings ‘Magnetic Moon’ Tour to Dallas

  • Shows

    Ohana Review: With Vedder & Friends, a Beachside Festival Done Right

  • Shows

    Marina Conquers Love + Fear in Dallas

Oh, We Social

Follow @antiquiet

Antiquiet Podcast

  • Antiquiet’s Album of 2020

    December 8, 2020
  • AQP55: Fiona Apple, Together At Home, Corona Bug Chasers

    April 20, 2020
  • AQ Podcast #53: Pearl Jam Fan Life Pt. 2 (2003-2020)

    March 13, 2020
  • Antiquiet Sticker

    AQ Podcast #52: When Heroes Become Assholes

    February 10, 2020
  • Review: Desert Sessions vol. 11 & 12 (Antiquiet Podcast #50)

    October 24, 2019
  • Interview: Dennis Lyxzén of Refused talks ‘War Music’ (Antiquiet Podcast #49)

    October 18, 2019
  • AQ Podcast #47: Pearl Jam Fan Life Pt. 1 (1991-2003)

    August 23, 2019
  • AQ Podcast #46: Matt Vaughan of Easy Street Records

    April 13, 2019
  • AQ Podcast #45: Reignwolf Dissects ‘Hear Me Out’

    March 6, 2019
  • AQ Podcast #43: John Garcia

    January 15, 2019

Fresh Posts

  • Antiquiet’s Album of 2020

    December 8, 2020
  • Yosemite Sunrise by Johnny Firecloud

    Karen O & Willie Nelson ‘Under Pressure’ Cover Penetrates Election Tension

    October 28, 2020
  • Jack White Breaks The ‘Rona Coma on SNL

    October 11, 2020
  • Video: Alain Johannes Brings Campfire Colors to ‘Hallowed Bones’

    July 8, 2020
  • Reignwolf Makes Quarantine Lemonade With ‘Cabin Fever’

    May 1, 2020
  • AQP55: Fiona Apple, Together At Home, Corona Bug Chasers

    April 20, 2020

Antiquiet Sessions

  • Dead Heavens Bring Antiquiet Sessions Back to Swing House

    March 8, 2016
  • Wade Into the Jellyfish Pool for Omniflux’ Antiquiet Session

    January 21, 2016
  • All Hands On Deck for Doomtree’s AQ Session

    January 12, 2016
  • Death Valley Girls Turn a Rainy SXSW Day Into a Garage Punk Kegger

    November 27, 2015
  • Heads Roll for Antiquiet Session #25 with Local H

    November 11, 2015
  • B. Dolan & Company Storm SXSW for a Session & Pizza

    October 13, 2015

Russia-Approved Social Media

All Sections

  • AQ Sessions
    • Download Sessions
  • Premieres
  • Studio Reports
  • Tour Dates
  • Festivals
  • Free Shit
  • Reviews
    • Shows
    • Retro
  • Interviews
  • AQ University
  • Miscellaneous
    • The Truth
    • Blogs
    • Movies
    • Funny
    • STFU
    • Lists
    • Mixtapes

Brought To You By

  • AQ Sessions
    • Download Sessions
  • Premieres
  • Studio Reports
  • Tour Dates
  • Festivals
  • Free Shit
  • Reviews
    • Shows
    • Retro
  • Interviews
  • AQ University
  • Miscellaneous
    • The Truth
    • Blogs
    • Movies
    • Funny
    • STFU
    • Lists
    • Mixtapes

© 2007-2016 Antiquiet, Inc.