Concert #2 -- (Do NOT laugh)

So, you've read my blog posts about the fun "Girls' Weekends" we have around here now and then -- two of my girlfriends with whom I grew up (Cathy and Kellie) come from MA/RI and NJ respectively and we get our party on. We've done it several times over the past few years and it's always a ton of fun.

I'm so grateful for them and love when we get together. It's special to have friends you've known for over 20 years (in fact, this year marks 25 years for me and Cathy -- I think that deserves some kind of present).

ANYWAY.

So, during one of our weekends together, we were all hanging out at our house and catching up. During this particular conversation, I learned (or possibly re-learned, since my memory stinks) that Kellie LOVES the New Kids on the Block (hereafter referred to as NKOTB) and is a total groupie (like, TOTAL groupie).

And when I say groupie, I'm talking attending SEVERAL concerts all over the country, often getting backstage passes, getting after-show party tickets, getting pictures with the boys, going on cruises with the boys . . . no, seriously, I KID YOU NOT.

See, I have enough hometown Boston pride to say, "Go New Kids!" But the truth is, Kellie is a couple of years younger than I am. And that means that as teens, that was just enough of an age difference for her to be the right age to LOVE the NKOTB and for Cathy and I to be the right age to like the NKOTB, but mostly mock those who loved them (not that we ever did that to Kellie -- remember, we love Kellie and she is our friend).

But now that we're all in our 30s (and pushing 40), we so totally did not in any way, shape, or form make fun of Kellie for following the NKOTB all over the world like a stalker we are all totally mature enough to respect Kellie's absolute adult decision to pursue a hobby that she enjoys and were all able to talk about it as adults. (Really, we were mostly mature about it, I promise).

So, during this conversation while I was picking my jaw up off the floor, I also learned that my PA friend Kristie (who I've known for a few years and who I did not know as a teen) also loved the NKOTB. She is about Kellie's age, so that would make sense. And, for the record, we were totally mature about that, too, and did not in any way, shape, or form, laugh at her description of the NKOTB poster-plastered walls of her teenage bedroom.

Well, so Kellie bought tickets to umpteen (it's a real number - look it up) concerts and each time, she'd buy 1 or 2 extra tickets because she knew she'd always find someone to go with her (and she did -- EVERY time). She, for the Hershey concert, had bought 3 tickets. I asked who was going and she said whoever wanted to. Kristie jumped at it. I couldn't even begin to imagine myself going to a NKOTB concert at all.

Turns out she had figured that she, Cathy, and I would go to the Hershey concert together, but since Cathy was already going to the Boston concert (at Fenway Park no less!) with Kellie, she opted out of the Hershey concert. That left 1 ticket and only 1 of us not going to any of the concerts.

Kristie wanted me to go and Kellie wanted me to go. They both love the NKOTB. I relented and went, less because of the NKOTB (other than the childhood nostalgia factor), and more because I wanted to see my two NKOTB-crazed friends in this setting. I could not believe I was going to do this. Until then, I could proudly say that I had only ever gone to concerts for singers I REALLY loved (Chicago, Harry Connick, Jr., and Michael Bublé), but New Kids?!?!?

Turns out? It was A BLAST. They were touring with the Back Street Boys (BSB), so it was the NKOTBSB tour. And the opening act? Matthew Morrison of Glee fame. I was actually more excited about the opening act than the show itself, but I was super excited to have fun with my two friends, seeing them happy and having fun at a concert they were so excited about.

What I didn't know is how much fun *I* would have. And I so did!

(Oh yeah, and we had WICKED close seats -- thank goodness Kellie brought ear plugs, because we were RIGHT under the speakers and totally needed them!)

Kel, me, Kristie

Me and Kellie --
look how close we were to the front!

Matthew Morrison was fun, but confused me

- he kept saying it was so hot (it was),

but he never once took off his shirt. :P

Me and Kristie

NKOTBSB!!

The cute lead singers of each boy band
(No offense to Kellie's heart throb, Mr. Donnie Wahlberg)

The girls went crazy for Nick Carter
(And holy moly did those boys work the stage).

NKOTB in their Celtics jerseys -
The Right Stuff!

Kristie totally channeled her 13-year-old self
with squeals and screams when one of the NKOTB
(and not even her favorite one)
came out near us in the audience.

One of the many things that amazed me
was how many young teens
still dig these boy bands!
I had no idea . . .

Hangin' Tough -
these boys still have all the old moves
as well as several new ones -
they made sure the audience knew
the New Kids were, ahem, all grown up.
(And don't even get me started on the BSB).

I had a GREAT time and I'm so glad I went. Thank you, Kellie, for still loving the NKOTB and sharing them with the rest of us!!