I agree? The group wasn’t the same. It’s funny because I mentioned that today on Twitter after seeing their London concert on tv earlier this afternoon. Maybe it was the company they were keeping or just that one show, but their vocals weren’t great and I really hated those rearrangements they did of their classics and as I watched that I couldn’t help but think that Kevin would’ve been all “Hell no!” to most of the decisions they made during the “scissors” time as I like to call it lol
Aw, I have that 02 show saved on our DVR, but my husband saw it was on tv yesterday and started recording it for me halfway through -- so sweet. I didn't like some of the arrangements (or outfits) either. I don't mind New Kids, but they have two totally different styles and overall their vocals just aren't as strong. Add into that the fact that they don't really dance (other than the kick ball change for The Right Stuff), and well... the Boys are just superior. Despite New Kids codifying the modern boy band aesthetic. And realistically, the Boys are both the most successful boy band of all time and the longest running (if you ignore the "boy band factories" of the Asian markets or Menudo that cycle members through as they age out).
I get why they did it; those nostalgia tours were all the rage around that time. I believe that New Kids tried it and failed to sell as well with 98*. Not sure if it was before or after NKOTBSB... I can't remember, it was a long time ago. This was during my small period of soul searching and separation from the Boys, so I don't have any first hand opinions on any of it. I probably would have gone to a show in Denver since I'm team boy band, and it may have helped draw me back into the Boys sooner. It was a dark several years of me sporting the most obnoxious teenybopper-esque cowboy hats I could find, haha.
I wonder if they worried that they were waning in popularity from the fanbase and figured nostalgia tours were the way to go, but then seeing all the BSB fans (much louder BSB screaming in the show) plus the return of Kevin made them realize that they weren't nostalgia tour material yet (if ever). They still pack arenas just fine, in my experience.
This was a long diatribe, but you're absolutely right that Kevin would have not put up with that whole thing at all. I could venture some guesses on who was pro-NKOTBSB out of the group, but I'm sure you all had several lengthy discussions on that at one point. Regardless, #TeamKevin!
LOL! I ended up loving that tour more than I thought I would, but I agree about Kevin being all "Hell no!" I mean, he decided to come back when they still had another leg of the NKOTBSB tour; he could have participated, but opted not to LOL.
I actually think the worst butchering of their classics actually happened on the Never Gone tour, and that was with Kevin. I love Never Gone and enjoyed that tour, but I hated what they did with ALAYLM and IWITW. But Siberia and My Beautiful Woman made up for those two.
I'm glad they seem to have given up on trying to remix the classics and have gone for nostalgia instead by singing them the way they're supposed to sound. If it ain't broke, don't "fix" it!
He talks about it so nicely in interviews too. Something akin to, "I came back sooner, but I decided to let them keep doing their thing rather than throwing off the balance." Such a nice way to say, "Yeah, nope. See y'all when we're doing BSB only things again." lmao
Oh Never Gone... Such an interesting BSB time since they were trying to groove into the adult contemporary scene. And they made my drive all the way to Loveland for that tour; the worst!
There's nothing they should fix except bringing back even more nostalgic classics! I just want to have a party again. :'( Or I would die to see their TTWILI goggles one more time.
