New Kids On The Block Mix It Up At The Xcel Energy Center

Last updated on July 2nd, 2022 at 04:12 pm

New Kids On The Block (NKOTB) brought their 2022 Mixtape Tour to The Xcel Energy Center, bringing with them 80s and 90s hitmakers  Rick Astley, Salt-N-Pepa, and En Vogue. 

Headliners New Kids On The Block were the first ones on the stage as 10,000+ blockheads screamed as Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood came out singing on hits “You Got It (The Right Stuff),” and “My Favorite Girl.”

En Vogue entered the stage next singing the feisty “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)” and hit “Free Your Mind.” 

Rick Astley came out next, the first of the groups to take center stage on the small “B Stage” in the back. Rick and his infectious smile started schmoozing with the crowd while singing a couple of songs, including the hit “Together Forever.”

Like the old-fashioned tapes people used to make, NKOTB popped up again. Once again they hit the rewind button on another set of hits, and were also sporting a fresh new wardrobe. It was one of many wardrobe changes in the night.

Salt-N-Pepa was the last of the bands to perform, starting with the controversial (back then) “Let’s Talk About Sex” before singing their hit “Whatta Man” which featured En Vogue.

Rick Astley then returned, this time to the main stage, to sing the super smash hit “Never Gonna Give You Up.” 

The rest of the night circled with all the groups taking turns between the main stage and the smaller B Stage, with Salt-N-Pepa popping up on the smaller stage for a set that included major hit “Shoop,” with Donnie Wahlberg assisting.

Donnie entered the stage sporting a jacket reading “Dapper Dan.” The question is: was this an ode to Dapper Don from Salt-N-Pepa’s hit “Whatta Man” that has Dapper Don, or was this a nod to Danny Regan, Donnie’s recurring role on the fan-favorite TV Show Blue Bloods?

NKOTB and the rest of the groups did an amazing job throughout the night making it feel like a night when MTV played videos or when someone made a cassette with a solid lineup of pop hits.

Besides the bands playing their own hits on the mixtape, they managed to throw in Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” along with songs from Mark Morrison and BBD to name a few.

The night ended with all 4 bands on stage singing Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.” The Xcel Energy Center getting “Rickrolled” by the whole cast was a perfect way to end the show.

While NKOTB may not take themselves too seriously – like when they showed a live cam of them booty shaking for the mostly female crowd during S-N-P’s set – one thing is certain: they are serious when it comes to putting on a fun and entertaining show.