By Aranda Rahbarkouhi

IT’S roughly 25 years since I returned from a holiday in America clutching my newly-bought New Kids on the Block Hangin’ Tough cassette tape.

If my memory serves me right, when I got back, it was passed around nearly all the girls in my year group.

Back then, Jordan was always the favourite, so posters of Donnie, Joey, Jon and Danny were left for the rest of the class to pick over. Ah, the nostalgia!

Fast-forward to 2012, and for a bunch of men verging on 40, they have formed a super group alongside the Backstreet Boys, with an easy-to-Tweet name too – #NKOTBSB.

Surrounded by an audience of now 30-something-year-old women, the excited squeals took me straight back to the classroom … and I recaptured my youth (if only for one night)!

Loyal fans came in their droves wearing band T-shirts, and carrying posters declaring their love for the lads.

They began their set by rising up on a platform like a boy band phoenix which was truly spectacular. In fact, the choreography, lighting, stage design, and most importantly, the singing were all top-notch.

Each band took it in turn to file on to the stage and roll out hit after hit, and as they did, the crowd took a step back in time and screamed their hearts out.

By the time US heartthrobs New Kids belted out The Right Stuff, everyone was on their feet doing their own version of the “oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh” dance.

Donnie Wahlberg was by far the chattiest and cheekiest of the New Kids (Men), hollering ‘Newcastle’ whenever he got the chance, stripping off his top, and inviting all the ladies back to the tour bus. I know a few who would have taken him up on that offer!

Read full article on ChronicleLive.co.uk.