NKOTB in Copenhagen, Denmark. May 8th 2014

 For those who don't know who NKOTB are then it is a boy band from the mid-late eighties to mid 90s. One of their biggest hits is "Step by Step". NKOTB stands for "New Kids On The Block" The five members are: Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Jon(athan) Knight, Joey Mcintyre and Danny Wood.

I had been looking forward to this day for quite some time, since besides the concert we were going to meet the band before the concert. Karina (my best friend) and I had bought VIP tickets since we didn't expect that there would be a podium for wheelchair users, since this was what we had been told from the venue. We went to Copenhagen Wednesday and we stayed at a hotel in the same building as Falconer Hall so we just could take it easy on Thursday, on the concert day itself.

Now the day was finally here. We had to pick up the tickets at the foyer from 3.30 pm. When we got there, there were already some who stood in line for the VIP tickets. We stood in line for a while before it became our turn. We walked over to the table and was handed an envelope in which our ordinary tickets were in. We were also given the VIP "signs" we were going to have around our necks. Then we went up to the 1st floor where there were already a number of people who walked around confused. They wanted to change groups since some already had made groups beforehand and now they weren't in the same group so they could get to be in the same group again. Karina and I started in Group G but ended up being in Group A instead. We got something to eat and to drink until we were told that we should stand in one line starting with group A, group B etc. I could feel that I was getting a little more excited by the second.

I stood so I could see the door, NKOTB would come out through. As the door was quietly opened many of the women started screaming as they already knew NKOTB would come through the door. They went into the so-called Meet & Greet Room when all of a sudden Donnie came running into the room where we were standing and waiting. He gave hugs to several girls. Across the room to the right from where we were standing a girl was sitting in a wheelchair who got a big hug from Donnie. There was a girl standing behind Karina who pointed down at her and said that there were also a wheelchair user here too. Donnie actually came over to Karina and gave her a hug. Meanwhile, Jordan also went into our room. He also gave hugs to several until he and Donnie went back to the Meet and Greet room. Not long after we were told that the first group (group A), were allowed to go into the M&G room and meet NKOTB. We came in and most of us managed to hug all 5 men and said a quick hello. So next we had to find our place. I chose to stand next to Jordan. I had said beforehand that if I couldn't stand next to Donnie (I'm a Donnie girl ;-)) I would stand next to Jordan instead. Karina would have loved to stand next to Donnie too, but when she got a hug from him before our session and during the session, she chose to stand next to Jon instead. After 2 pictures was taken, we had to go out again. It took a little time before Karina came out. It turned out to be because she had not given Joey a hug. And he thought that they should give each other a hug before she went out.

It was actually pretty funny after I came out from the M&G room. Because I was shaking like crazy, quite like a leaf, my entire body was shaking. I think it was all the excitement that came out the second I went out of the M&G room. It was also fun to see the other girls when they came out of the M&G room, since everyone had a big smile on their faces. When we all had been through M&G there was a lottery. We had all a ticket in the envelope we had been given with the VIP tickets. There was drawn a winner, then we all had to go downstairs to get to the door of the hall. Since this whole session had taken place on the 1st floor we went down by a lift back to the foyer. When we got to the doors of the hall the "regulars" was already in line for the concert. We were led through a side door. Karina and I quickly agreed that right there we felt a little like a real "VIP". When we had been let through, we went to the merchandise booth and found out that we would buy a t-shirt and a tour programme. We bought it and then went over to the VIP queue to the hall. At one point a security guard approached us and said that a podium for wheelchairs was in the hall. We were also told that it actually only was set up approx. 30 min before we came down because they didn't know that there were going to be wheelchair users at the concert. It was only during the VIP event that they found out that there would be at least 3 wheelchair users. So they got the podium up rather quickly. As the door was opened those with the most expensive VIP tickets was admitted first. Then we came in after wards. Karina and I went directly to the podium. And then we just had to wait until the doors opened. And then wait until NKOTB went on stage. Shortly before the concert started, a couple where the man is a wheelchair user came into the hall. It turned out to be a couple that Karina and I met last year when we were at a Robbie Williams concert in Copenhagen. We greeted them and talked to them until it was time to NKOTB to go on stage.

NKOTB went on stage just over 8 pm. They started out with ”Crash” and then the party started and the party continued throughout the whole concert. The audience sang along to all the old hits like "Step By Step”, "Tonight" and "You Got It (The Right Stuff)”. The new hits such as "Remix (I Like The)", "Summertime" and "The Whisper" to the cover songs they sang. It was a rather "hot" concert for several reasons. ;-) First it was VERY hot during the concert. Several times I could feel the sweat running down my back. The second reason was because there were shown a lot of abs. ;-) In "I'll Be Loving You Forever" the Danish part of the fan club had made notes with red hearts, which was inscribed "BHLOVE" that we all held up under that number. NKOTB was touched by this gesture and Donnie said a few words about it both from the stage and later on Twitter. About 2 hours later, the concert finished. Although the 5 men now are older, they still got it. The first time around I wasn't a big fan of them, but I've always liked their music and the concert has probably made me a bigger fan than I was.

When we came out from the Falconer Hall, we could not quite figure out if we should go up to our room or if we should see if we could get a glimpse of NKOTB before they left. Before we decided we said hi to a woman we knew who also were at the concert. We ended up deciding to go outside after being inside for a while. There were already a few people standing outside. We stood and waited and waited. Some lost their patience and left, which meant that we could go a little further forward. After waiting for what feels like an eternity, Donnie came out as the first. He came out and gave everyone a hug all the way around. We got him called down to where we were standing. Karina got a picture taken with him and I asked him if I can could get a picture with him too. That I could. When he put his arm around me, he noticed my clothes or lack of it... ;-) Since Karina and I stayed at the hotel in the building our coats was in our room. So I only had short sleeves on in the Danish spring evening. And I didn't want to go up to the room and get my coat, since the was a possibility that I would miss something while I was up in the room. ;-) A third person also got a picture with him. After he had left us to go further down the line we found out that the pictures we thought that were taken was non-existent since the girl who took the pictures had not pressed the button all the way down on the camera. We all tried to get him over to us again. He came over to Karina and she got as a single picture with him and then he went into the bus. After wards I was disappointed that the picture didn't exist. It was not Donnie's fault since it was something that was out of his control.

Then Jordan, Danny, Jon and Joey came out. They went more or less straight into the buses. We waited for all the buses to leave and then we went up to our room and settled down so we could get to bed.

While I've been writing this about a week after the concert, I'm still not come down from cloud 9. And I'd also really would like to stay up here a little longer. It's a great feeling. And the disappointment of the picture with Donnie which doesn't exist is gone. The whole day was really great. And although it did cost a lot for the VIP tickets, it was well spent. Sometime in the future, I would definitely do it again, the whole VIP tickets thing. I'm definitely going to a NKOTB concert again. Hopefully sometime soon. And I hope that I will get my picture with Donnie. ;-)