Older kids on the block still got it

By Tenley Woodman

The NKOTBSB tour is proof that teen idols may age, but good pop songs never do.

And that two boy bands — actually, make that man bands — are better than one.

A capacity crowd soaked up the combined charms of Boston’s own New Kids on the Block and the Florida-formed Backstreet Boys at the TD Garden last night.

The two-hour show was packed with hits, from the ballads — New Kids’ “Please Don’t Go Girl” and Backstreet’s “I’ll Never Break Your Heart” — to the dance-worthy — “Step by Step” and “Larger Than Life.”


These two groups, whose successes bookended the 1990s, are a bit of an odd match.

The New Kids are older (Jonathan Knight and Danny Wood are 42, Jordan Knight and Donnie Wahlberg are 41, and Joey McIntyre is 38) and rougher around the edges; the Backstreet Boys are younger (Howie Dorough is 37, Brian Litrell is 36, A.J. McLean is 33, and Nick Carter is the baby at 31) and polished.

But it works.

Their mash-up numbers, with all nine on stage together, give this greatest-hits tour new blood. Their single “Don’t Turn the Lights Out” helps bridge the gap between teen idol and crooner.

And yes, Jordan Knight and Joey McIntyre can still hit the high notes.

Also playing to the teen pop appeal was show opener Jordin Sparks. The “American Idol” winner sang her hit “Battlefield” and her new track “I am Woman,” giving the hormonally charged evening a bit of girl power.

Of course, it’s not just the guys who have gotten older, the fans have, too. But the female-dominated audience shed any trappings of adulthood at the first chime of their favorite song or smile from their favorite guy.

Wahlberg took time midway through the show to acknowledge the home audience. The crowd screamed and clapped for nearly two minutes as the New Kids basked in the love.

And to think this is just the warm up. NKOTBSB plays Fenway Park June 11.

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