Step 298 - Block Party #160: NKOTB Fan Stories from Our Friends Christina and Jenn
Christina’s First Meet & Greet Story
Hi Brooke and Nikki,
I have been slacking on sending you more stories but life has been busy. I found some old blog posts from the NKOTB ning site message boards. Anyone remember the ning site. Here is the story about my 1st NKOTB meet and greet from the October 22, 2008 reunion show. I've also included some pictures. I promise to send my story from going to see The Wanderer too really soon.
Here's the story:
I went to the New Kids On The Block concert in Milwaukee on October 22nd. This marked the beginning of New Kids On The Block week for me. My friend Michelle and I arrived at the Bradely Center at 9AM since we both took the day off of work to "stalk" the New Kids. A girl who worked at the Bradely Center came over and asked if she could interview us and take some pictures. We said yes. She was like 23 y/o and said that she was a bit young when the New Kids first came out and so wasn't really a fan. We asked if she had seen any of the guys or knew if they were coming out but she had no clue. We caught a glimpse of Barrett, Griffin and the nanny at I think 11 something when they came out to go for a walk. Then we saw Joe a bit later and he waved at us as he went into the venue. Danny came out a bit later and waved as he walked into the venue. Then we saw Jordan come out and get into a car and he waved. This was actually kind of funny because there was a company, whose name I didn't catch, there shooting a promotional video. They had a man in an alligator suit and he was supposed to walk past us and then act like he was flashing us. We were supposed to look disgusted. Just as the guy was yelling action, Jordan Knight come out of the tour bus and walked toward the car. We all started screaming and taking pictures. The car leaves with Jordan in it and the guy with the camera goes, "Alright ladies lets try this again."
Robo came out a little before 3pm and said that he would bring Donnie out but we could not take individual pics or have autographs. Donnie came out and said that it was cold out there, which it was. One of the girls told him that she had been there since 6AM. He asked why and I said because we love you. He seemed to be trying to warm us up as he went down the line because he kept rubbing everyone's backs. He got about 1/4 of the down the line and starting taking individual pics with people even though Robo had said no. So those of us in the front of the line said that we didn't get a pic. He told us to go to the end of the line and he would take one with us. Robo yelled at us a bit because he thought that we had already gotten pics but we told him that we hadn't. So I got another Donnie hug and a new pic with him.
Then we left to freshen up for the 5*VIP meet and greet. Somehow our group of 10 got split up so I ended up in group E with only one other girl that I knew. The other girls that I was there with were in group A. Not really sure how that happened but oh well. We got our gift bags and went into the meet and greet room. Finally it was my turn to meet the guys. I had a gift for them that was a black celtics cooler bag filled with a 6 pack of Spotted Cow beer, a bottle of New Glarus Belgian Cherry ale and mini Kit Kats and Twixes. I had also bought a navy blue hoodie for Griffin and ironed on a pic of Frank Sinatra on the back. I was standing in line with my gift and the ILAA workers kept telling me that I needed to check my bag. I said this is a gift for the guys. One girl said, "All of that is for them." I said yes. They don't understand how much I love NKOTB and I really wanted to do something special for them. So I walk in the meet and greet room and Donnie immediately read my shirt and then grabbed me. My shirt said that "Donnie stole me from Joe." So Donnie grabs me and pulls me to him to hide my shirt from Joe. He keeps saying that I can't let Joe see it because it will hurt his feelings. He was turning me around away from where Joe was. Finally he told me that I had to go stand in the corner so that Joe couldn't see me. So I walked over to where Danny was and he gave me a hug and asked how I was doing. I said fine and that I had a gift for them and wanted to know who to give it to. He said Zach but then realized that he wasn't around so pointed me to another guy. I handed over the gift and then spotted Jon by himself, so I gave him a hug. He asked how I was doing and I said fine. Then Joe was free so I walked up to him and apologized for my shirt. He put his arm around me and said that he is sure that Donnie was stealing a lot of us from him. He said that he understood since the wife and baby probably ruins the fantasy. I said yes. Then he asked if he could still entertain me and I said of course. He then took a picture of my shirt. All of a sudden Robo starts counting down for the photo and I realized that I was not standing near a guy but everyone else was. Donnie must've seen how lost I was looking so he told me to get next to Joe to make up for my shirt. So I kneeled down next to Joe for the picture. After the picture I went over and said hi to Jordan who gave me a hug. Then Robo said that it was time to leave. Donnie reached out for me and gave me another hug. Then it was time to go back to the main area. It was so awesome but went so fast. I totally forgot to ask them the questions that I had planned. Donnie just totally threw me by grabbing me at the beginning and I lost all train of thought.
My seats for the show were front row center so I was very excited about that. I got to talk to their bassist (Ethan Farmer) a bit in the meet and greet area before the show. He is very nice and we talked about Chicago which is where he is from and where I grew up. He started telling me a story about how they got to go to Prince's studio the day before in Minneapolis and I think that he said they got to jam with Prince. He didn't get to finish the story because some girl came over and interrupted to ask him for his New Kids Jacket. He said that he couldn't give it to her because then he wouldn't have a jacket to keep him warm. After that he had to leave.
On to the arena for the show. My seat was awesome, right in front of the stage at the part where the guys would walk forward to the edge of the stage. The show was great. I was sorry that the Bradley Center wasn't more packed but it is a larger venue that the Allstate Arena. I loved the show and got video of the Twisted performance which just gets better every time. Donnie pointed and smiled at me several times during the show and so did Danny. I tried to go back to the B stage but security wouldn't let me. After the show, Michelle and I went outside to wait for the guys. Danny came out after a little bit and I got a hug and picture with him. Then we got to see their buses pull away. Joe was on Danny and Donnie's bus because his bus had left earlier to take Barrett and Griffin to Chicago. Joe had a beer in his hand which I later found out was the beer that I gave them. We went to get our car and followed the bus to the Hyatt. It was parked over there but we had missed Joe and Donnie peaking off of the bus to sign some autographs. They signed a few more cds while on the bus and their assistant handed them back to fans. Then the bus left for Chicago. I went home because I had to work the next day. It was an awesome experience and I will never forget it. Can't wait to see my picture with them from ILAA, hope I don't look stupid in it.
Love you ladies!!! Byyyyeeee!!!
Christina
Jenn’s Joe Mac Redemption
Heeeeey Ladies!
So I just recently started listening to the podcast and introduced myself on your Facebook page with my awkward Joe story about blurting "I can't believe you're you!" at a meet and greet. Hahaha! So I wanted to share the redemption story, too.
8 years ago TODAY, my bestie/cousin and our other NKOTB bestie boarded pur first NKOTB cruise, Manhattan to Bermuda!
We had no idea what to expect- to be honest, I'm pretty sure I thought it was just going to be a regular cruise with some New Kids shows, and I was happy with that.
What we got, as all NKOTB cruisers know, was SO MUCH MORE.
After boarding the ship and making our way to our cabin, we sat down on the beds- and an insane excitement washed over my whole body, I remember saying "Girls. We are on a ship. With the New Kids." And we all squee'd.
We proceeded to hang up our door decor (pic included), and headed up to the Lido deck for the Sail Away party. That was the start of the true magic. Seeing the New Kids, like we knew we were there for them and that they'd be there- but having actual confirmation was just overwhelming. We just kept goofy grinning at each other, in total euphoric joy while the guys got us ready for the time of our lives.
After the Sail Away party, we went back to our cabin to get ready for Masquerade Night. When we got up to the Lido for the party, the atmosphere was already lit af. Music bumpin, everyone drinking and dancing, having a great time- and soon after, the New Kids arrived- all decked out in Masquerade attire! It was so surreal, right from the start, you could feel energy of band and fan flowing through everyone, a very unifying "we are one" vibe.
Before long, Joe popped up on a mini-stage RIGHT in front of us. If the disorganized crowd were rows, we would have been like... 4th row. So awesome!!!!!!!
But then......... he got down from the stage and started to make his way through the crowd!!! He was headed straight to us, as Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know?" started playing. I was so flipf$&@&÷&#;$; excited that he was going to pass by even closer to us....
And THEN... he stopped. RIGHT between my cousin/bestie and I with our other bestie right behind me... and danced for the remainder of the song. In my total bliss, I attempted to take a selfie (pic included), and failed but luckily my inside voice screamed "BITCH! Just enjoy the fucking moment!" and so, I did.
It was a perfect, beautiful dream. And as he moved along, we melted in to a puddle. I was now sure that this wasn't going to just be a regular cruise with a few New Kids shows- it was going to be absolute magic. And it was.
I have so many stories from that cruise, but this one, in particular, stands out. And it's not quite over, yet.
In the total cruise hangover after getting back home, we were all obsessively reliving the dream through pics and other people's YouTube videos... and some how, some way, by some utterly DIVINE force... some random, amazing human posted a video of Joey on Masquerade Night........ and somehow captured from the moment he stopped between us, until he moved along. Literally as if we had asked them to record it. It's insane, and they may never know how eternally grateful these random strangers are, to have a video to help relive one of the most magical experiences of our lives. I think you can see the complete elation and maybe some nerves at work on our faces- you can definitely see how careful we were not to touch him- we wanted him to feel safe and stay forever... Please, Don't Go Joe. (Link to video, below)
Watch "NKOTB Cruise 2014 ~ Masquerade Night, Joe Walking Through Crowd" on YouTube
SEE VIDEO BELOW
Love you girls, and hope you've my trip down memory lane!!!!
Jenn
