New Kids on the Block “Mixtape” Tour Hit Sprint Center in Kansas City on May 7, 2019
New Kids on the Block (NKOTB) brought its “Mixtape” concert tour to Sprint Center in downtown Kansas City, MO on May 7, 2019 supporting its brand new single “80’s Baby.” The most electrifying boy band of the 1980s joined forces with a slew of icons from the decade to record the new tune and set sail across North America, including Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, Salt-N-Pepa and Naughty by Nature. The setlist was every bit as the tour title implies—one giant set melded together featuring the artists’ biggest hits.
NKOTB hit the stage with the same load of energy that it signaturized throughout the past 35 years and never slowed down for a moment. When the curtain dropped to reveal the five members—Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood and Jonathan Knight—suspended in air by the hydraulicized stage platform, all the angst in the arena exploded at once. Splitting the performances with a circular stage in front of the soundboard, those hydraulics would play a huge part during the evening as it blasted the artist sky high.
The perfectly intricate set for the night featured several memorable moments from the heart-melting love songs to the high-energy dancing. New Kids on the Block took the show into the crowd, Debbie Gibson and Joey McIntyre gave fans a rousing duet performance of “Lost In Your Eyes” and the KU dance team joined NKOTB on stage for “Boys in the Band” and a compilation of tunes from other ’80s artists. The band even created a comp video thanking Tiffany for helping make their career possible as an intro to “All This Time.” Salt-N-Pepa and Naughty by Nature had hands across the arena waving in unison every time on stage.
As the night culminated, the energy sustained. New Kids on the Block saved the ever-emblematic “Hangin’ Tough” to the end before bringing everyone back on stage for a joint performance of “80’s Baby.” When the song wrapped, the audience stood still. It was a sight in and of itself to be seen for no one in the entire arena wanting to go home. It was one absolutely wild and uncharted evening reliving the spirited tunes that purely exemplify the greatest era.
NKOTB “Mixtape” Tour Setlist at Sprint Center in Kansas City on May 7, 2019:
NKOTB – “The Way,” “My Favorite Girl,” “Dirty Dancing,” “Summertime,” “You Got It (The Right Stuff),” “Remix (I Like the),” “Block Party” and “Games”
Tiffany – “I Think We’re Alone Now” (Tommy James & The Shondells)
Debbie Gibson – “Out of the Blue”/”Shake Your Love”/”Electric Youth”
NKOTB – “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)”/”Valentine Girl”/”If You Go Away” and “Please Don’t Go Girl”
Salt-N-Pepa – “My Mic Sounds Nice”/”None of Your Business”/”Expression,” “Whatta Man” and “Let’s Talk About Sex”
NKOTB – “Tonight,” “Boys in the Band (Boy Band Anthem)” and “Cover Girl”
Naughty by Nature – “O.P.P.,” “Feel Me Flow” and “Hip Hop Hooray”
Debbie Gibson – “Foolish Beat” and “Only in My Dreams”/”Lost in Your Eyes”
Salt-N-Pepa – “Shoop”
Tiffany – “All This Time” and “Could’ve Been”
NKOTB – “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)” and “Step by Step”
Salt-N-Pepa – “Push It”
NKOTB – “Hangin Tough” and “80’s Baby” (with all acts)
