Young Katherine is Crying Tears of Joy

Tonight I am going to see a band that ruled supreme over the dreams of my ten-year-old self. The New Kids on the Block. Oh my goodness was I OBSESSED with them. I was gunning for a wedding with Joey McIntyre because he was the youngest and I figured he was my best shot. That and he was cute as hell. I collected New Kids on the Block trading cards, had posters, wore out cassette tapes and a pirated copy of their Disney special and watched their Saturday morning cartoons religiously. Before I even knew how sex worked exactly I had a boner for most of the dudes in NKOTB. Stupid outfits, choreography, lyrics and all.

Their music was and is totally innocuous. It's nothing more than ear candy that will rot your ear drums. But man, is it fun and danceable. They were the first musical group that I wanted to see live and I wanted to see them bad. But I knew then that I couldn't go to a concert since the closest place they most likely would perform to Upper Michigan was either Detroit or Minneapolis/St. Paul. That was not going to happen. And when they broke up I was sadly resigned to the fact that I would never see them perform. Well, fresh on the heels of nostalgia (are we any better than the Boomers who shell out tons of cash for Sha Na Na?) NKOTB decided to make a new album and tour.

My chance had finally come to see my childhood crush in person performing! But I had moved on. Since then I had the same obsession with the Gallagher brothers and Kings of Leon. So when my friend Lyndy told me she had an extra ticket and that I was now going with her to a concert only 30 minutes away I didn't jump right on board. I mentioned the opportunity to Mike and he casually asked if I had any friends when I liked them in the first place. I started to take umbrage when he said, "You didn't have anyone to share them with then but you do now. Go and have fun." So I am. And I will.

Here they are then:


Here they are now:


I'd say they aged pretty well. Wouldn't you? If you happen to be going, look for me. I'll be the grown woman wearing a t-shirt with an iron-on picture of Joey cut-out as a heart. Over my heart. See what I did there?