New Kids On The Block in Providence
November 14, 2008 by Kristen Pierson
Filed under Concert Reviews
New Kids On The Block
with Natasha Bedingfield and Lady Gaga
November 6, 2008
Dunkin Donuts Center
Providence, RI
It’s been fifteen years since the New Kids on the Block last played in Providence, Rhode Island. The fans may be a little bit older, but they’re also a lot louder than they used to be. The house was packed with ravenous screaming fans.
Natasha Bedingfield
Lady Gaga started the night off. The sound and lighting were great from the opening note. She worked the stage well add easy kept everyone’s attention with her great vocal performance and her alluring stage presence. I had never seen her perform before, and was instantly hooked. Her music is infectious and really makes you want to move.
Natasha Bedingfield had a lot of energy on stage. She seemed very comfortable onstage and interacted quite a bit with the crowd and her band. She effortlessly belted out all her familiar tunes. I seemed like her set ended too quickly, because the entire crowd was completely enthralled and wanted to hear more.
But the real fun was just getting started. As the new kids rose up from below the stage, the crowd erupted in screams and cheers. The decibels reached a level I have never heard before (and I’ve been to many, many concerts). Many in the crowd were adorned with giant NKOTB pins, NKOTB pink jackets, NKOTB T-Shirts, etc.. The crowd was a diverse mix. Many of the women who were fans back in the ’80′s are now bringing their daughters to see the show.
New Kids on the Block
Since the boys were close to home, they made many references to the home teams; Patriots and Celtics, which got the crowd going even more. They also did a tribute to those who were lost, flashing images on the screen of lost family members and entertainers like Aaliyah, Curt Cobain, Frank Sinatra, Lisa Lopez, and others. While they performed the song “Grown Man” from their new album The Block, they also had the Pussycat Dolls up on the screen. It added a lot or flair to an already spectacular show.
During their set they also switched to playing in the back of the arena. Once the crowd realized what was going on, the entire sea of people rushed toward the other end like a tsunami. They performed many of their trademark dance moves throughout the night, but with some new twists and turns added. I especially liked watching Danny start to break-dance at one point. It was clear that NKOTB did a lot of work to get ready for this tour. Their performance was well polished and the crowd loved it.
