Please Don't Go New Kids (Part 2)

I’m on the slow road to NKTOB Concert Recovery. What a rough road but I think I’m finally starting to come out of it.

A few other items of interest (at least to Annette and I) from the concert and return trip home:

*The teenage girls sitting next to us came only to see that kid, Jesse McCartney. They stayed for a few minutes of New Kids but decided it was too loud and they didn’t like all the screaming so they left. The couple in front of us also left partway thru New Kids for the same reason…just too loud. All I have to say to those people is LIGHTWEIGHTS, HELLO YOU’RE AT A NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK CONCERT NOT MICHAEL BOLTON!” People, tsk tsk.

*We never did get “discovered” because of our shirts and hats. Honestly, we didn’t see anyone being chosen to go back stage. I think it was hype. Either way we still looked good.

*The New Kids did a short but heartfelt and moving tribute to Michael Jackson. They talked about how if it hadn’t been for Michael Jackson there would be no New Kids as he really inspired them and opened the door to pop music in the 80’s. Then Donnie did some “Billie Jean” moves and Annette died a blissful death. To Michael Jackson wherever you are (and I have my suspicions)-Thank you for Thriller one of the greatest music videos of all time, for some fantastic music before you became so out there, for the moonwalk that I wish I could do, but most importantly for inspiring and leading the way for our New Kids. P.S. While those are awesome accomplishments, Dude, you were weird . P.P.S. That Pepsi commercial still gives me nightmares.

*Beer was $11.00 at the concert making me thankful that I am a dry Baptist. I’d much rather spend my money on NKOTB buttons and posters!

*The New Kids gave it their all for over 2 hours. It was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. The energy in that pavilion and of the thousands and thousands of people there was incredible. Say what you want about New Kids on the Block, just don’t say it in front of me, but they can out-entertain about any other artist out there. That’s my unbiased, informed opinion of course.

*Twitter is of the devil, especially since we follow all 5 of the New Kids on it and were checking it obsessively the duration of the trip to Chicago and after the show to find out their thoughts and where they were headed to next. It’s an addiction, please set up an intervention, thank you.

*Security Guards at Tinley Park can bite me. Ooops, was that too harsh? TOO BAD THEY WERE EVIL!!! The tour buses were parked behind a wooden fence. After the show, we did what any devoted fan would do and made our way to the gate in the fence where the buses would pull out. Hoping that the New Kids, or at least some of them would come out for a visit before they got on their buses, or at the very least be able to wave at the buses when they drove out of the fenced area. Remember Des Moines and how we met Donnie and he begged us to go on the road with them? Anyway, from following them (obsessively) on Twitter we know that NKOTB actually enjoy meeting their fans and encourage people to wait for them so they can get face time. Apparently the Security Guards hadn't received the memo and had no idea what the New Kids were about. I use the term Security Guards loosely, as we're talking about college aged kids w/ the head security guard being a girl who was approximately 2 feet tall. Not exactly intimidating if you know what I'm saying. After we stood there for all of about 5 minutes, they told us all to leave. We, of course looked at them and laughed because really they had to be joking. The longer we stood there the angrier they got and the more forceful they tried to be. We were moving away and decided to just wait in another area of the parking lot. But 2 Foot (that's our nickname for her) didn't like that and started getting REALLY REALLY angry, screaming things like "They are NOT coming out, you all need to leave immediately or we will have squad cars up here" and "If you're still here in 5 minutes you'll be considered trespassing and WILL be fined or put in jail." Then the other security guards who were slightly taller, yet no more intimidating, thought they needed to sound tough too so they started yelling and getting really pushy. You may or may not know this about me, but I do not respond well to being yelled at and treated like I'm part of a herd of cattle. I bit my tongue as long as I could but just couldn't take it anymore. I'm only human. So I yelled at Two Foot that she needed to tone it down and also that she was 2 foot tall (just stating the facts). I don't know that she heard me because I wasn't the only one yelling at her and she was in an extremely heated conversation with another fan. Then I had a heart to heart with one of the frat boy Security Guards. He wasn't AS grouchy as 2 Foot, still no Prince Charming but I was able to have a somewhat reasonable conversation with him. The conversation went something like this:
Me: "Are the New Kids aware of how you guys are handling the Security out here? They typically like to meet their fans after a show."
FBSG (Frat Boy Security Guard): "The show ended half an hour ago, if they were gonna come out they would've by now."
Me: "So they don't know?"
FBSG: "If they were gonna come out they would've been out by now."
Me: "Wrong. They have to shower and get cleaned up and it usually takes at least 45 minutes to an hour. I know this because we've been to several other shows and that's how it works."
FBSG: "They aren't coming out."
Me: "They have to come out sometime. I bet you don't follow them on Twitter do you? Cuz if you did you'd know that they WANT to meet their fans and they WANT their fans hanging around their buses when they come out of the arena."
FBSG: "They AREN'T coming out, and we will have squad cars up here any minute so you all need to leave."
Me: "This is a crock. When the New Kids finally do come out and are upset because there are no fans around I want you and Two Foot to tell them it's your fault, that we tried, but that you all chased us away. They will not be happy. And don't think we're not going to tell them about it on Twitter."
And with that I stomped off as he was calling for squad car backup. PUHLEASE PUNK.
We loitered (as 2 Foot so threateningly called it) for a while longer and finally decided there was no sense going to jail if we still wouldn't be able to meet the New Kids. It was a very adult like decision and frankly, kind of boring. :) But we didn't lose hope...yet.

*Because we are Twitter followers, we know that in the recent past at least a couple of the New Kids have been known to go to a local Waffle House or other restaurant and hang out with the fans after a show. It usually starts by Donnie (Annette's NKOTB husband) sending out a "tweet" saying where they are heading and to be there. Then madness descends on whatever establishment they are headed to and they show up and the fans have the time of their life. We held hope they would do the same in Chicago. After all it was a Friday night. So we waited...and waited....and waited....for that magical tweet. And there was....NOTHING. When they finally did "tweet" they were on their way to their next concert stop in OH, no Waffle House or Denny's stops. It was devastating.

*Headed home the next morning in a gloomy mood as we started coming down off the NKOTB high. Discovered a Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins combo store on our way out. It was so bright and cheerful, decorated in pink and orange. I grabbed a handful of pink plastic spoons as souvenirs, they were so pretty. But really a Dunkin' Donuts AND a Baskin Robbins all in one store? Pure genius! It was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise gloomy day, well that and our stop at the outlet mall, oh and getting home to our families. :)