Las Vegas Weekly

May 10, 2010 · 9:22 AM

Photos: Remixed and remastered New Kids on the Block still rulz

By Don Chareunsy

New Kids on the Block perform at The Pearl in the Palms on May 7, 2010.

Photo: Edison Graff

By Don Chareunsy, Vegas DeLuxe editor

It’s been more than two decades since the music of brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, Joe McIntyre and Danny Wood, aka NKOTB as of 1993, formerly New Kids on the Block, then back to New Kids on the Block in 2008, was in my cassette player, but the music of the Bostonians remains as catchy as ever.

NKOTB, the original boy band before Backstreet Boys, ’N Sync, 98 Degrees and Jonas Brothers, performed at The Pearl in the Palms on Friday and Saturday, and the audience, about 95 percent women ages 30 and older Saturday, conveyed with ear-piercing screams and signs that they will be loving NKOTB 4ever.

The concert -- 20 songs in 85 minutes, with a lot of crotch -grabbing and -thrusting choreography -- was remixed and remastered by an onstage DJ, so the vibe was up-tempo and the crowd on its feet. Lest one think this would be only about their hits from the 1980s and early ’90s -- with more than 80 million records sold -- one-third of the night’s set list was from 2008’s The Block.

I’m unfamiliar with the new material, save for “Single” with hometown hero Ne-Yo and “Summertime,” but keeping it dance-tastic erased the lack of lyrical recognition. Interesting note: Along with Ne-Yo, collaborators on The Block include New Edition, Akon, Pussycat Dolls and Lady Gaga(!).

Two of the best moments were self-referential breaks from the dance-remix singing and choreography, when NKOTB were joined by two guitarists and sat atop stools for ballads (Wood also strummed a guitar). After McIntyre, who has graduated from being Little Joey Joe to a man with a tan and buff physique, belted out “Please Don’t Go Girl,” he paused on his knees onstage and quipped, “After 20 years, I don’t know what I’m singing about anymore.”

And McIntyre noted a review from Friday’s show disparaging them for their all-too-short 75-minute concert, so he lengthened it with a faux Q&A, reminding fans that their favorite colors are red, black, green, gray and black. Honorable mention goes to the not-so-subtle and super dirrrty “Full Service,” which would make Christina Aguilera blush.

In one of the few reprieves from an NKOTB hit, McIntyre appeared onstage in black pants, a black vest and sans shirt to sing a solid version of Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).” Toward the end of the song, the vest came off, McIntyre’s hunky physique was on full display, and my NKOTC fanatic date squeezed my left arm for the millionth time and said, “I love Jordan, but Joey’s stock just went up!”

In fact, all five guys are in great shape and wore their black, white and gray tight T-shirts, tank tops and fashionable denim well, while Jordan Knight, McIntyre and Wahlberg remain the fan favorites.

During a DJ intermission, the crowd sang along to remixes of “Put Your Hands Up in the Air,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “Ice Ice Baby” and “Living on a Prayer.” For some unexplainable reason, aside from her being from the Boston area, TV personality Maria Menounos appeared onstage during “(You Got It) The Right Stuff” and then during the show-closing “Hanging Tough.” Menounos’ singing and dancing were … well, let’s just say that she is gorgeous.

Here’s Saturday’s set: “Lights, Camera, Action,” “One Song,” “Looking Like Danger,” “My Favorite Girl,” “(You Got It) The Right Stuff,” “Click, Click, Click,” “Dirty Dancing,” “Tonight,” “I’ll Be Loving You Forever,” “If You Go Away,” “Please Don’t Go Girl,” “Single,” “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” “Never Let You Go,” “You Got the Flavor,” “Full Service,” “Summertime,” “Close to You,” “Step By Step” and “Hanging Tough.”

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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