Let Me Tell You About My Favorite Band

Well, here comes a personal post, but I feel like I can be more of myself when I write more personal stories.

Plus, I could talk about these guys all day.

So, let me tell you about my favorite band.

My favorite band is actually a boy band, and it may be one some of you haven’t heard about in a while. That band is New Kids On The Block. I’ve been a fan of this group since 1989, when I was just four years old, thanks to my older sister. They were my first favorite musicians and celebrities in general. I had the merchandise. My parents rented the VHS tapes of their concerts for me. And yes, I watched the cartoon. I even took one of their pictures in the operating room (when I had eye surgery) at seven years old.

The group broke up in 1994, and I eventually got into other things (i.e., pro wrestling). They reunited back in 2008, but I had been so invested in other things, I didn’t get back into the loop of all things NKOTB right away. It’s a good thing they’re going strong because I was finally able to see them live in 2016.

Well, I guess you never forget your first love. ;)

2016 is when the spark re-lit; I was taken back to the times of being a super fan. I walked out of the Hersheypark Stadium KNOWING that I NEEDED to see them again.

And I did. Four more times… and I’m nowhere near done. The last show I attended was over the summer, and it was my first time with floor seats. It’s something I hope every fan can experience once because it was nothing short of amazing.

The guys always put on a great show. They have so much energy and such a positive vibe. If you don’t believe me, do a YouTube search for NKOTB’s Mixtape Tour 2022. While I’ve always enjoyed them, I feel their second run is better than their first run.

Also, they’re so interactive. They always come through the crowd at least twice during their shows. They host a cruise that’s pretty much a four-day party (I’ve never been, but I have friends who have been on it).

The group has even hosted a “virtual cruise,” released a song (“House Party,” with the proceeds going to “No Kid Hungry”), and aired occasional live streams (each from their own location) just to help fans get through the pandemic.

Additionally, Donnie Wahlberg absolutely loves interacting with fans on his official Twitter and Instagram accounts (which are @DonnieWahlberg). You can tell they appreciate their fans just as much as their fans appreciate them.

In case you’re wondering, the group has released a lot of new songs since their 2008 reunion, so I would recommend checking those out. My favorite is “Block Party.” And yes, they also perform some of their older hits at concerts.

My life as a fan came full circle in 2016. I grew up a huge NKOTB fan, got into other interests over the years, but went right back to where I started. I always say that they’ve added confetti to my life that I didn’t know was missing (and if you know, then you know).

I’ll wrap this up because I’m sure I just talked your ear off about NKOTB. But hey, they say to write about what you love! If you did read it, then thank you so much. If you didn’t or only skimmed it, that’s okay too. Either way, I hope you have something that makes you as happy as my favorite band makes me. :)

Disclaimer: I published the original version of this story on another platform (with the opening slightly changed because I had finished watching one of their concerts at the time of the original post). You can find the link to the original version here: https://medium.com/@tammys_85/let-me-tell-you-about-my-favorite-band-94c2f15ed579