Confessions of a Contest Winners Friend

This wild ride to Da Beantownland all started a few months ago, when my friend Jess aka @lioneris won a Streetlight Contest to spend the day with Donnie!! OMG was I excited. Having never met Donnie before I have to admit I was on cloud 20!! There wasn't much information. Donnie announced it and she was the 3rd contest winner sooo Chicago it was!! Never been to Chicago before so I was really excited at Seeing Donnie & a visiting a City I've never been to before =)

We had tickets already to go to the Sugar Bar in Columbus..So we packed our bags (thinking) that we would be flown into Chicago after the show in C-Bus. Jess had gotten an email from Flossy wanting all of our info for the Flight on DWAir there..So away we went to meet @covergirl_76 & @stephspencer for a Fun-Filled night. We arrived there early but when Jess & I ran into Flossy he said we would have an email the next day, so we were fine with that & went on & had an amazing night, where I finally got to meet Donnie after 22yrs!!! Nothing was going to bring me down off of that high...UNTIL the next morning when that email never came.. With a Crying contest winner we headed home. That was possibly the longest trip ever...But I still had faith that something good would come of this mess, at least I hoped.

About 2 weeks later the tickets were released for the House of Blues concert & we were lucky enough to score a few tickets!! Girls Gone Bad Krew would be hitting Boston to have a Wonderful Knight.. Then Jess got a phone call asking if we would like to go to Atlanta or Boston as a replacement for the busted Chicago Show. She decided on Boston. So that the other winners would have their contest to themselves. But I still held onto that ticket. Worried that something would go wrong. We got flight plans that night. They were flying us in a 3pm the day of the show & back out at 9am the next morning.. In the winter? What if there were flight delays or cancellations? So she wrote back cause we really wanted to see the city as well & Johnny changed our flights for us. We booked a room for the first 2 nights & waited on other info...

The days got closer & we both started getting nervous. We had our hotel room. We had our flights. So I decided to let go of my Sacred Concert ticket & in the back of my mind. I was worried sick. Everyone kept saying you will be fine. But they had not already been screwed out of a show already either. I'm pretty damn sure you would be nervous as well.

So on Friday the 17th with no sleep & a two hour drive, I met Jess at the PGH airport. For her first flight on a plane.. It was 5am. The Security lines were long & we were both exhausted already. We landed in the bean around 8am & the cab whisked us away to our AWESOME hotel suite...I must admit it was probably one of the nicest hotels I have ever stayed in!!

BUT we still had no idea what the plans were for Sunday.. Still no tickets for the Show or a Hotel Room to stay in. Jess had tried countless times to get ahold of a certain someone. With no reply. So here we are stranded in Boston. There could be worse things right?? So we made the best of the day.. Took an Old time Trolley Ride, Went on the Skywalk at the Prudentual Center. Where we FINALLY got a text back from Flossy w/ another phone # to get n touch with Johnny. We were relieved to say the least. We went back to our hotel room to get in touch with him ONLY to find out that he had totally given us the wrong phone number. The first 6 digits were exactly the same. More emails & texts to him & not once did he ever answer us back. So with all hopes dashed to very sad girls roamed the brisk streets of Boston trying to find the Cheers on Beacon Street to find our girl @lisamh74.

When we finally arrived almost an hour late. The bartender with the Hawt Boston accent yells at us to look at the Tv. Since Lisa decided to tell him that we were in town to see the New Kids. He replied you mean the 5 bad brothers from da beantownland?? =) So we look up to see Donnie being Interviewed at the Celtics game that we were planning on going to.. He also gave us a card to call just in case we ended up with no tickets for Sundays show... We left there soon after. Took some pictures & put our tired butts to bed..

The next day the rest of the Bad Girl Krew @pammieb74 @covergirl_76 @iheartrocknroll were arriving. Luckily we managed to get ahold of Johnny thru email that morning. His accent let me tell ya, I could listen to all day. But he called & said that Donnie had told him to get back to the city asap because of the storm & that he would be in touch with us later that night to fill us in on what we were to do. That we would be taken care of. Breathing a sigh of relief we got ready to venture out in Boston & meet the girls...So funny to be actually talking to him on the Telephone when all I really wanted to do was Scream J-O-H-N-N-Y!!! lmao.. cant help it.

So we headed over to their hotel only to find out that @stephspencer was arriving late from being on standby in Chicago because of the Blizzard of '09 that decided to hit the same weekend. THANK GOD we had asked Johnny to switch those flights or we would have never seen Boston. We made plans to meet at Fanueil Hall.. Had some dinner & drinks at Dick's last Resort and then headed back home to get ready for the Blockhead Dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Dinner was amazing.. Lots of incredible Girls from all over & one very special guest. Donnie, who yes Did go around & hug each & every one of us.. Before saying I F**king Love you & Dashing away for Robs Party! Which we were not going to attend & then decided at last minute that what the hell why not. So Jess, Pam, Lisa & I headed there while the rest of the girls headed home for the night. Im So glad that we went. We finally got to meet up with Michelle @worldoftrouble, @jess1810 & Em who I had been friends with for years thanks to 98 degrees! I had just never met him in person!!

I was told that Johnny was there so I fugured what the hell. I went & introduced myself & Jess to him and he said to follow him & wait at the bottom of the ramp he would be taking us up to VIP. So ok I drag Jess over & there we stood. LoL. I have to laugh at all of this. Im a tiny girl but I wasnt letting anything from keeping Jess from getting her prize!! He takes us up to VIP. Which was Super tiny & Super Smooshed. He brings Donnie over introduces us as the girls he would be spending the next day with and of course I had to speak up. lol and say. You have no idea who I am. And hes looking at me like well hell no why should I? =) So I went on to say I am your BeerBabe as in BeerBabeSuzi. He grabs ahold of me and Says *Holy Shit I Love you..* *I've been following you almost as long as you've been following me* Then he says I LOVE You again.. (makes a girl feel good) he then turns around with me in a big bear hug and screams to whoever will listen *THis is my BeerBabe & I love her* lol. I laugh still as I write this.. He gave jess a hug & away he went to do his thing.. I grabbed Johnny not long after & said we were leaving, I couldnt take the damn crowd and walked out into the Boston Blizzard of '09. We got lost & looked like frozen Popsicle by the time we made it back to our room. But we were happy & off to bed we went...

The next morning we got ready & headed to our new hotel. Which might I add was possibly the scariest taxi ride I have ever had in my entire life. It was still snowing like hell & this Taxi drive was ALL over the place. But we made it safely. Got ready & headed down to the Lobby to meet Johnny who of course was running on Wahlberg time. =) And we all know what that means!! He shows up says he has to get Donnie & they would be right back down. The contest was supposed to be spend the day with Donnie. Which would have been amazing. But at this point sad to say I was just worried about getting the tickets after everything we had been thru... They come back down to the lobby. He walks over gives Jess her hug, walks over & says Beerbabe (lol) gives me my hug. And then Jess gave him his Christmas Present from her which she nicknamed GW & you can find the video on youtube! Then they leave.. With the plan that were supposed to be meeting Johnny at 630. Like I said I was just happy to get those tickets...

That night he had left us stickers & told us to get ahold of him once we got to the HOB. We get inside & see Donnie peaking out of a private door. So I walk over point to our stickers & say *Where does this get us?* The guy tells us to go thru the door so we do & were backstage. WoW. Never been backstage before.

I look up to see Donnie walking down the steps & pointing at us sayin *YOU come with me* lol... So here is Jess & I wandering down the hallway & up these steps with the Marshmellow right in my face!! Whoa...He looks at me & asks me what Contest I had won. He had no clue why we were even there & thought I had won. I was like No this is Jess's contest & she went on to explain how we had ended up there. JOhnny wasnt really to sure to be honest either earlier that morning, when he was trying to make plans.. So Donnie takes us to what he called a Super Secret Hallway, Stuck us beside the Choir & told us to eat.. Yes I said eat.. Oh & that we were to take NO pics with any other New Kids unless he was in it.. I had to laugh at that.. In fact We never Got ANY pics at all, because we never seen him after that. But thats ok,.. Im just glad that we were there & things had finally fell in place. =( =)

Concert started. We were in the 2nd tier right over top of the guys.. Great views might I add. And it was possibly the best concert I have EVER seen in my life. When New Edition walked out I thought i was gna drop my camera on someones head!! i got some great shots & vids I was a happy happy girl...Most amazing night ever!! Concert over & here we are wandering around again not sure where to go.. We ended up in the back hallway next to the guys dressing room, by complete accident.. Someone walks right past us and says hey girls... Were like HI back & then I hit Jess and was like Holy Shit that was Joey.. sorry Ive never been that close I think i was in shock and Jordan was making his way to us as well. I thought i was gna get to meet him but Johnny whisked us away into a Limo with a bunch of people we didnt know but were very sweet at the same time & Johnny yellin.. Whys this Limo smell like Cat Piss.. The smell was horrible!!!

We went to the VIP party at the Estate was right over top of Donnie in a Balcony while he sang and met some more BH's while we were up there. But once again it was so Smooshed I couldnt see anything let alone move & I had to stand on a cushion to even see Donnie when he came up...

We left Boston the next morning with some amazing tales, New Friends and Some of the best BH Stories I have made yet.. I want to thank Donnie & Johnny both for coming thru & taking care of us that weekend even when they were as clueless as we were!! I cannot wait to do this again. Would I go thru all the stress & agony that it took us to get there. Yes.. BUT I have learned thru this experience that Not everything nor Everyone are always what they seem...

Donnie Marshmellowtweet 12/17/09

NKOTB Jordan Knight and Donnie Wahlberg rehearsing for HOB 12/20/2009

Donnie Wahlberg at Hard Rock Cafe

So my friend Amanda get video at the Hard Rock Cafe Blockhead Dinner.. She gets everyone getting love but Us!! lol. Oh well there will be other days!! =)



Donnie stopped by Hard Rock Cafe Boston at a fan organiged Blockhead Dinner 12-19-09 to say hello to & hug ever fan there... that's a lota love from 1 man!!!.He never ceases to amaze me! I was SO happy that my husband John got to see the magic of Donnie F'N Wahlberg! LOL He keeps talking about just how giddy I was just being near him! If anyone has any video or pictures of Donnie talking with us please tweet me! @CoverGirl_76


Donnie hugging every BH in the place. Here with @DEWz_pingpong & @sylvestrie.

Chris Coleman having fun in the Lobby after HOB

My Own Personal video.. Slowly but surely I am getting them up!! =)

Chris in his HOMETOWN (haha) Of BOSTON, having fun with Cruchy Kevin after the New Kids on the Block Concert at the HOB

A “Vintage” Night w/ Donnie & Jimmy

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thanks 2 http://nkotbgirl.blogspot.com/ for grabbing some of these pictures!!

A “Vintage” Night

Imondalist & Manager from Vintage Lounge w/Donnie Wahlberg

Imondalist did it again. They always find a way to bring entertainment to Boston. This past Friday they brought in Jimmy Marsh.

Fort those that do not know who Jimmy Marsh is, he is a Boston based artist that just came out with a recent CD and is backed by the one only Donnie Wahlberg who himself has his own label called Donnie D Productions

Looks like Mark Porter has found his way around the crowd!!

and of course my Girl Michelle Causing TROUBLE as usual

New Kids on the Block & Ernie and the Automatics

We had the pleasure of Standing beside Tim Archibald (Bass Guitarist) Wife & Daughter from Ernie & the automatics.. It was nice meeting you, sorry the girls behind you were pushy & you ended up leaving before the show was done.. Not all of us out here in New Kids Land are like that. But I hope if you read this that you had a wonderful time at the show!!
Suzi

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On Sunday, December 20th Ernie and the Automatics performed at the House of Blues with the New Kids on the Block. This was an amazing night of music for a great cause, a portion of the ticket sales went to Toys for Tots. Ernie and the Automatics started the night off with a bang, then joined the New Kids on stage. Check out these great photos from the rehearsal by Rebecca Gaucheman and the story from Boston.com.

Some members of the New Kids on the Block were in an undisclosed location on the evening of Dec 16, practicing with Ernie Boch Junior and his band, Ernie and the Automatics.

Donnie Wahlberg and Jordan Knight were at the jam session.

They were getting ready for a show at the House of Blues in Boston on the 20th.

From Joeys Blog: Christmas Blog

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Merry merry y'all... I just made little Griffin my special annual Christmas eve grilled ham and cheese on challah bread :)!!! His first- and he loved it. I served it rustic style on a cutting board. He didn't want me to cut it in half, which I thought was pretty macho of him. FYI- challah bread is that Jewish braided bread so the edges are all rounded with little humps so the slice of bread looks like a big cloud. Grilled to perfection- read slightly burnt (you gotta watch the flame!) The tradition started years ago at my old house at Old Green Hill just outside of Boston. I'd light a big fire and hear it crackling from the kitchen as I was worked the grill. A good bottle of red wine is key, but not entirely necessary. I've always loved grilled cheese- who doesn't- but the Christmas eve tradition started about 6 years ago with me and my mother-in-law Nancy. I hooked up some memorable sandies that night and we've done it every year since. Griff got his early tonight for his dinner. The grown-ups will have theirs later by the fire, when the kiddies are fast asleep. But I was proud to watch Griffin take that sandwich down as I held my other sound asleep son in my arms on Christmas eve, I am blessed- no secret there. This year I'll be cooking one for my brother-in-law William. He's a discerning lad, so the pressure is on. "Ya gotta watch the flame!!" I make Barrett a mini one- yeah I know- she's a waif, but I love her. Nothing better than enjoying the tastiest sandwich and taking a long winters nap.

Whatever traditions you celebrate at this special time- be they edible, or libationary, familial or spiritual (hopefully all of the above)- I wish you live them to the fullest. Regardless of our personal ups and downs and the world's turmoil, there is so much to be grateful for and to rejoice in. Let us rejoice. Merry Christmas, everyone!!! -jm

From Joeys Blog: Mac Pac 3000 Update

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To all of my peeps who purchased a Mac Pac, I, once again, give you my word that your transactions are safe. And just when they were ready to go out- PayPal shipping site crashed (and this was after some really annoying issues on the PayPal side). My patience is wearing thin and I'm sure yours is as well. Regardless of our hiccups, you will have your Mac Pacs with-in the next week or so if you are in the USA. In fact about 100 went out already.

Thank you for your overwhelming response to the Mac Pac 3000.

If you remember, the link went up too soon and so there was some confusion about "outside of US" orders. We have recently sent e-mails from joemacpac3000@gmail.com giving you options to either call in your order and/or resolve shipping to your country. Anette and Brittany and everyone at Meyer and Son are good people and care very much about you guys getting your Mac Pac.

After all is said and done, the buck stops here, so I apologize for any and all confusion. This was not a seemless operation. It was a special project for me and maybe I was a little too hands on. I should stick to singing and dancing. HOWEVER, it will all be worth it when I give you that first Mac Pac 3000 hug!!! oxoxo -jm

NKOTB BRING THE HOLIDAY CHEER TO BOSTON!

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NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
BRING THE HOLIDAY CHEER TO BOSTON

THE GROUP PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS WITH SPECIAL GUESTS JOHNNY GILL AND RICKY BELL FROM NEW EDITION
FOR A SPECIAL ONE NIGHT ONLY EVENT
BENEFITING GREATER BOSTON’S TOYS FOR TOTS

EVENT RAISED OVER $60K AND 5 TRUCKLOADS OF BRAND NEW TOYS FOR THE CHARITY

NEW YORK – New Kids on the Block brought the holiday cheer to a sold out crowd at Boston’s House of Blues during a special holiday show this past weekend to benefit great Boston’s Toys for Tots. The Boston boys sold out their show within minutes, and with all net proceeds from the event going directly to Toys for Tots, the group raised over 60k instantly. In addition to the monetary donations that poured in, fans filled FIVE plus truckloads of brand new toys to support the charity.

“We’ve said it before, but we can never say it enough, we have the most amazing fans in the world. It is their generosity and dedication that made this all possible,” said Donnie Wahlberg. “Thanks to them, we are able to do what we do and help to give back. 5 truckloads of brand new toys went to Toys for Tots last night!!! The trucks were brimming! It was truly the most incredible sight.”

“Santa who? The New Kids bring more toys than that guy!” exclaimed Sergeant Clint T Schibner of Greater Boston Toys for Tots. Going on, the Sergeant said, “We are absolutely amazed at the sincerity and generosity the New Kids have not only shown Toys for Tots, but more importantly the less fortunate children of the Boston area…their hometown! Marines pride themselves on taking care of their own. The New Kids can take pride in knowing their contribution, as well as their fans’ contributions, will affect the lives of tens of thousands of children in the communities where they grew up, thus, taking care of their own.”

Promising a fun night full of surprises, the group did not disappoint. NKOTB showed some fan appreciation performing hit after hit including classic NKOTB holiday songs that haven’t been performed live in over 15 years! The New Kids pulled out all the stops even bringing local legends Johnny Gill and Ricky Bell from New Edition on stage to sing their joint song “Full Service” from New Kids’ recent album, “The Block.” The Boston boys even debuted their brand new song, “Coming Home” which fans received as a free download when the pre-ordered the band’s upcoming DVD of the same name. Adding more local flavor, NKOTB invited local businessman Ernie Boch to open and even play with them on select songs with his band Ernie and the Automatics. With non-stop action and surprise after surprise, lucky NKOTB fans were certainly treated to a one of a kind evening.

SET LIST:

One Song
Step by Step
Single
Coming Home - First Ever Live Performance
Dirty Dancing
Full Service - w/ Johnny Gill and Ricky Bell of New Edition
Merry Christmas Intro
Funky Funky Christmas
Last Night I Saw Santa
Chestnuts Roasting
Oh Holy Night
This One’s for the Children
Toys for Tots Check Presentation
Tonight
Right Stuff
Hangin’ Tough

Donnie Wahlberg doesn’t skip a beat!

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Photo by Kelvin Ma

Donnie Wahlberg and Jordan Knight got the NKOTB party started at the House of Blues on Sunday and Donnie continued the Block party into the wee hours yesterday morning at The Estate.

By Gayle Fee & Laura Raposa
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 - Updated 2d 3h ago

Dorchester homeboy Donnie Wahlberg kept the Block party going after the New Kids’ show at the House of Blues on Sunday night.

Donnie beat feet from Lansdowne Street to The Estate for an oh-so-exclusive afterparty where he was greeted by a barrage of screaming female fans.

And don’t think Donnie takes his rekindled pop stardom for granted! Because before taking the stage, the actor/singer walked the line of admirers that stretched down The Alley and around the corner onto Boylston Street, meeting and greeting as many gals as he could before security whisked him through the door.

Inside, Donnie grabbed a mic, hopped on stage and began belting out his solo tune “I Got It,” NKOTB’s “Click, Click, Click,” before closing with “Rise ’N’ Grind.”

It was the second benefit of the evening Donnie & Co. did for Toys For Tots . Earlier in the night, the entire band - along with car czar Ernie Boch Jr.’s Ernie & The Automatics - performed for a star-studded crowd at the House of Blues.

Grooving to the holiday beat were Godsmack frontman Sully Erna; Johnny Gill, Ricky Bell and Ronnie DeVoe from New Edition, who joined the boys onstage for a song from the sold-out show; football hero Doug Flutie, his daughter Alexa and his niece; and super-agent - and ex- Extreme drummer - Paul Geary .

Despite the blizzard, the show was packed, and we heard scalpers outside were getting upwards of $500 apiece for tickets. Ho, ho, ho!

New Kids bring holiday cheer to House of Blues

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By Barry Thompson
Monday, December 21, 2009

The holidays are supposed to be about togetherness, presents, cookies and other warm, fuzzy things. Boy bands, on the other hand, are usually about searing aural agony and the mutual humiliation of both performer and listener. Usually, boy bands are not about fuzzy things. Boy bands are about hogwash.

That doesn’t mean the New Kids on the Block can’t use their evil power to spread cheer. Sixty dollars might seem like a steep price to see yet another reunion from the Boston quintet who served as the late 80s/early 90s equivalent of the Jonas Brothers. But net proceeds from Sunday night’s NKOTB concert went to Toys for Tots, and many revelers brought a toy to donate. NKOTB may be exploiting their fans’ nostalgia, but this time, it was to improve the holidays for some underprivileged youngsters. Perhaps NKOTB are on the path to redemption.

By now, some of NKOTB’s original devotees are pushing the age requirement for cougardom. But when the curtain rose on the matching black-suit-outfitted former teen idols, the sold-out room unleashed a collective shriek that could match any response Robert Pattinson’s gotten recently. During some good-natured banter - and after Joey McIntyre admitted to flubbing a verse - Donnie Wahlberg mentioned it was getting moist at the end of the platform into the crowd. He was probably only exaggerating a little.

Of course their music is hammy and dated, and their latest tune, “Coming Home,” is so close to elevator music it barely qualifies as a song. On the plus side, it was sort of cool when two members of New Edition made a surprise appearance. At worse, it was pretty entertaining to watch five guys histrionically prance around as if they were playing street toughs in a Broadway musical.

After the New Editioners ducked out, opening act Ernie and the Automatics backed NKOTB for the second half of the show. Faux snow fell from the ceiling as NKOTB offered up a number from their 1990 Christmas album. Then this Herald scribe scrambled off early to make deadline.

Snow can't put damper on New Kids parties

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Rob Lewis, musical director for the New Kids on the Block, greets fans at Oliver’s at the Cask ’n Flagon, where he performed a solo show. (Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)

By Mark Shanahan & Meredith Goldstein December 21, 2009
New Kids on the Block fans can’t be stopped, at least not by snow. Just hours before flakes began to fall around the city, New Kid followers were at Oliver’s at the Cask ’n Flagon to see New Kids musical director Rob Lewis perform a solo show. Last night, fans were out again to see the Kids perform a Toys for Tots benefit at the House of Blues and to attend an after-party at the nightclub Estate in the Alley. There was concern over the weekend that the snow would, in fact, prevent New Kid Joey McIntryre from getting to Boston for the gig. The youngest of the local boy banders - whose wife gave birth to their second son earlier this month - was on Twitter telling fans “My flight was canceled. My only option is a morning flight. :( holding on to hope.’’ McIntyre was able to make it to town just in time.

Fanatical devotion greets New Kids’ holiday spectacle

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From left: Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight and Danny Wood at the House of Blues on Sunday night. (Winslow Townson for The Boston Globe) By Jonathan Perry Globe Correspondent / December 22, 2009

Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet - nor two canceled flights nor a seven-hour delay, for that matter - was going to keep Amy Stroud and Laurel Mahaney from seeing New Kids on the Block bring down the House of Blues on Sunday. “I said we can’t not do this - we’ve gotta support our boys,’’ said Stroud, 36, as she stood with her friend near the rear of the sold-out room, both of them happily singing along with Jordan Knight as he cavorted to “Dirty Dancing.’’ “I think they love us as much as we love them.’’

With that in mind, both friends, who met at a New Kids show back in the day, braved the weekend blizzard and flew into Boston from their home state of Oklahoma. It was a rough flight, they admitted, but worth every bump. Stroud, who lives in Tulsa, said it was the 20th time she’s caught a New Kids show (including four trips to Boston). “I’ve only seen them 12 times,’’ said Mahaney, 33, who lives in Tahlequah.

Such is the kind of fanatical devotion New Kids on the Block engender more than 20 years after their debut album and more than a year into a highly successful reunion and tour that brought the now-all-grown-up boy band to the House of Blues for a benefit show supporting Toys for Tots. And a show it was - as much glitzy, campy, holiday-themed spectacle (did you expect anything less?) as concert showcasing songs from the Kids’ ’08 comeback album, “The Block.’’

Of course, we got many of the monster hits that, along with NKOTB predecessors New Edition (whose Johnny Gill joined the Kids onstage), helped spawn a generation of boy bands. “Step by Step’’ (cue rapturous screams from the overwhelmingly female audience) and the show-closing “Tonight’’ (cue more rapturous screams) were two particularly giddy trips to the time-machine.

We also got all the preening and wooing, all the choreographed dancing and clowning around, all the cheesy buddy banter among Jordan, Jonathan, Joey, Donnie, and Danny that’s always been at least as important as the music. And yes, they still looked sharp in their tailored suits as they paraded down the stage runway, taking solo turns to croon in the spotlight.

This being the season to be jolly, the boys pulled a handful of holiday nuggets (circa 1989’s “Merry, Merry Christmas’’) from their Santa goodie bag of a set list. De facto bad boy Donnie Wahlberg led a spirited rendition of “Funky, Funky Xmas’’ and jumped from a piano. Jordan, sporting a red and white Santa’s hat, unleashed his heart-melting falsetto on “The Christmas Song.’’ Joey McIntyre got off on the wrong key (“Jesus, you did not give me the right note tonight,’’ he said, gazing up at the rafters) before requesting a do-over and then making like an angelic American Idol on “O Holy Night.’’ The seven-piece gospel choir screamed sincerity. Joey’s sunglasses at night - indoors - did not.

Ernie and the Automatics opened with a set long on covers and genial bar-band blues-rock. Although the band is ostensibly led by auto titan and group namesake Ernie Boch Jr., the presence of guitarist Barry Goudreau and drummer Sib Hashian - both onetime members of the band Boston - was easily the outfit’s biggest selling point, as its medley of Boston hits made clear.

Wahlberg wows ’em

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As you’ll read below, the New Kids on the Block performed a sold-out benefit show for Toys for Tots at the House of Blues on Sunday night. After the concert, New Kid Donnie Wahlberg kept the party going by performing some of his solo tunes at the Estate nightclub. Wahlberg sang “I Got It,’’ a song that features former Danity Kane singer Aubrey O’Day (whom Donnie was once rumored to be dating), the New Kids song “Click Click Click,’’ and another solo tune, “Rise N Grind.’’ Wahlberg’s appearance at the club brought out so many fans that the line went down the Alley and out onto Boylston Street. Not bad for a Sunday night after a snowstorm. The Estate after-party also benefited Toys for Tots.

Rockin’ with the Kids

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McIntyre and mates look forward to House of Blues - and beyond

By Sarah Rodman Globe Staff / December 18, 2009

Joey McIntyre is on the phone promising that the New Kids on the Block show on Sunday at the House of Blues will hew toward traditional New England holiday rituals. ‘‘We’re going to have a harp. We’re going to have bonnets on and muffs. It’s a Pilgrim Christmas,’’ he says with a chuckle. Of course, the youngest member of the recently reunited boy band is kidding. They may have rocked pegged pants in the ’80s, but there’s no way McIntyre, 36, and his brothers in synchronized choreography — Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood, and Jordan and Jonathan Knight — would be caught dead in a muff. The sold-out show, a benefit for Toys for Tots, will be the last stand in the reunion for now as each Kid returns to solo pursuits. When we chatted with McIntyre, he was excited to talk about his new seven-song iTunes EP, an uptempo pop affair called ‘‘Here We Go Again,’’ but even more jazzed about the arrival of his second child, another son, born Sunday. After a few weeks on diaper duty with his wife, Barrett, McIntyre will return to the Hub on Jan. 14 for a solo show at the Paradise.

Q. So what’s the story with Sunday’s show?

A. We’re going to have a party; there’s no way around it. But there’s going to be a genuine performance too. Maybe do a couple of the hits and some Christmas songs and really just be together and have a good time and raise a lot of money for Toys for Tots.

Q. It’s been six months since the tour ended. With the benefit of a little hindsight, how do you feel the reunion went?

A. To just be a part of that experience was beyond any of our imaginations. It was amazing. Personally, I’m an intense guy so sometimes that was interesting. (Laughs.) You have five different personalities. I love these guys, they’re my brothers, but I am my own artist at the same time. So sometimes that was difficult to navigate for me. And I know it’s crazy because you think, Joe, what are you worried about? It’s nothing but success.

Q. I would imagine since you’re all grown men now with separate lives, coming back together for such a long stretch probably was great fun some days and probably felt like a big mistake on other days. And you all have actual brothers, too, so it’s not like you need more family.

A. Yeah, exactly. (Laughs.) And I’m the pipsqueak little brother. Everybody else gets along fine except for me. But that being said, we all have a great time and we get on the conference calls and we [chat] and have a lot of laughs and everything’s cool. And we’re thrilled about the stuff we get to do. We ordered up another cruise in May.

Q. Were you on the first one for the whole time or did you get whisked on and off by helicopter?

A. No, no, we were on it the whole time. You’d think, OK, 2,000 girls, where the hell are you going to go? But they didn’t feel the need to chase you around, because you were on the boat. So it was like, Hey, how you doing? See you on the lido deck in two hours. (Laughs.) It was all totally cool.

Q. When did you start thinking you wanted to do a solo thing again?

A. On the second or third leg of the New Kids tour when we were in Europe I started getting mad. I get mad because I hear all the nos: “No, you can’t do it because of this.’’ “Look at the state of the music business - who’s going to want it?’’ “You’re wasting your time.’’ “You’re not good enough.’’ All those cliché things. So I knew I was getting itchy, but I didn’t know how I was going to do it. As soon as I came off the road I went right into the studio, and I was lucky enough to team up with three guys, a production and songwriting team [Brent Paschke, Drew Ryan Scott, and Gabe Lopez]. We wrote all these songs, and I think that angst is in the music. “Here We Go Again’’ is about getting back in the fight and staying in there. It’s honest, but it’s cool at the same time, and that’s the idea, to be honest.

Q. For the solo tour will you have a full band or play to tracks?

A. It’s going to be a band; it’s going to be full-blown. I could’ve done seven songs to tracks with some dancers and signed some autographs, but I decided to rock and roll and do it the right way, or the way I think it should be done.

Q. Have you guys talked about making another record and keeping the New Kids reunion going?

A. I don’t think we’re going to be making music too soon. We’ve got a couple of things on the horizon. We want to do stuff that’s cool and that we’re excited about and that we think the fans would be excited about, like the House of Blues date and the cruise. What we were able to experience and have with the fans is really cool, so we’re not going to blow it.

Donnie Wahlberg Talks Twitter

Donnie Wahlberg has been in the music industry for well over twenty years, and has seen many changes in that time. Most recently, stars have been using social media, and specifically Twitter, to promote themselves and connect with fans to varying levels of success. Wahlberg is a devoted Twitter-user, and enjoys being able to put a smile on a fan’s face with the click of a button. It also allows him to see another side to his fans he otherwise would be unable to see. In this video, WatchMojo.com chats with Wahlberg about his obsession with Twitter, and the benefits it offers both him and his fans.

Interview With Donnie Wahlberg

We ask Donnie what it was like to reunite with his bandmates, what life is like as a solo artist, and to get his take on his hardcore fans.

Party with the New Kids on the Block at the Estate

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Posted 12.18.09 by Kate McCulley

Filed under: Pop Culture

If you couldn't snag tickets to the exclusive New Kids on the Block concert at the House of Blues this Saturday, all is not lost -- Jordan, Joey, Jonathan, Donnie and Danny will be partying at the Estate afterward at the Official NKOTB After-Party!

It's not the first time the boys have been drawn to the Estate. Two and a half years ago, before the New Kids reunited, Donnie Wahlberg celebrated his birthday at the Estate. His crew, which included bandmate Jordan Knight, held court on the platform raised above the dance floor.

If your goal is to get close to the New Kids, take it from me -- it's not easy. I've tried. As soon as my friend and I put a single foot up on the platform, we had bouncers threatening to kick us out. We did get a great view of Donnie blowing out his birthday candles from behind the platform, however. Hint, hint.

If not, enjoy the best of what the Estate has to offer: excellent music, funky retro decor, and a location just a short walk away from Chinatown for late-night eats.

Admission is a bit tough for this one -- rather than selling tickets, you can purchase a $50 ticket to reserve a table. Once you've entered, standard Estate liquor prices apply. However, this event benefits Toys for Tots, so your money will be going to a good place!

The Estate
1 Boylston Place, Boston

Donnie pic from Celts game

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Donnie Wahlberg was also at the game as well! Ya know, from New Kids on the Block! He is the guy in the middle with the black hat on being interviewed! So it was pretty cool seeing both these celebs at the game.

New Kids in town

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By Mark Shanahan & Meredith Goldstein Globe Staff / December 17, 2009

Two of the New Kids on the Block were in Norwood last night putting the finishing touches on the group’s sold-out benefit show for Toys for Tots, which will be held Sunday night at the House of Blues. Car magnate Ernie Boch, whose band Ernie and the Automatics will open Sunday’s show, gave his private hangar space at the airport to the New Kids so that they could practice their moves. The only Kids at the airport last night were Donnie Wahlberg and Jordan Knight. Among the missing was Joey McIntyre, whose wife just had a baby a few days ago. There’s no official word on where the Kids will be between now and Sunday, but we have some guesses. Wahlberg’s protege, hip-hop artist Jimmy Marsh, has a gig at Vintage lounge on Broad Street on Friday night. The poster for the party says that Marsh will welcome a “special invited guest’’ during the event. It’s a good bet that Donnie is the special guest in question, right? The “Christmas With Jimmy Marsh’’ party starts at 11 p.m. Meanwhile, Rob Lewis, of MTV’s “Making His Band,’’ has a gig at 10 on Saturday night at Oliver’s at the Cask ’N Flagon. Lewis has been the keyboardist on the New Kids tour and advertises on the poster for his Saturday show that “surprise special guests have been invited.’’ Sounds promising.

Glee Guy Creates Gleeful Glee Tribute Tune

We already knew Glee's Mark Salling was adorable. And we totally know he can sing so good, so good, so good!

But what we didn't know was just how much he loves his gig on the Golden Globe-nominated hit show.

Thankfully, he wrote a little ditty and produced a video to show his appreciation. Talk about the perfect holiday card!

The erstwhile Puck begins with a reenactment of getting the call that he scored the job, complete with a New Kids on the Block T-shirt! He makes sure to show off all his behind-the-scenes pals and gives a wink to some of his costars.

New Kids on the Block's Danny Wood Doesn't Like New Christmas Music

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New Kids on the Block's Danny Wood recently released a CD in honor of his mother Betty Wood, who died of breast cancer, called 'Stronger: Remember Betty.' All proceeds from sales of the album go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

The singer talked to us about creating it, and also how he really feels about Christmas music.

"I like Christmas music like Nat King Cole and all the classic ones, but the new Christmas music is not the best," he tells PopEater.

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How is everything?
Things couldn't be better, Things are really great. I think the album for the [Susan G.] Komen Foundation is selling really good. Probably next year, I'll be writing them a nice check.

How did the album come about?
While the New Kids were on tour and never really thought I would be putting a record out or anything like that, I was just writing for myself. What happened was I started accumulating songs and I figured why don't I do something for charity because I already have been raising money for the Komen foundation. We had been selling tank tops at our shows and we've raised close to a half a million dollars for them and I just wanted to keep it going. I had like six or seven songs, I just figured I'd finish it and make it for breast cancer.

What's coming up for you?
Next year, probably doing some stuff with New Kids, hopefully a tour. This record will kind of go through Christmas and into next year. You know, I've already started writing other stuff, but I never really have a plan on what I'm going to do next. We'll just see what happens.

Was it fun to get back with the New Kids after so long?
It was amazing, it was completely unexpected. I had no expectations. When you're away for 15 years, coming from a pop group like that, you don't really expect much. Well, I didn't. For it to turn out the way it did, we did over 150 shows, it was beyond anything I'd ever expected. And I got to share it with my kids. My kids were on tour with me a lot. That was a big bonus.

Did they have fun?
They love it. They ask me every day, 'What are you doing next year? What's going on?'

Will you take them again?
Oh yeah, I'll include them as much as I can without them missing any school.

Is it easier that way to balance your family life with your career?
When we first got back together, we did a lot of the rehearsing in L.A. and I live in Miami. So I was away from my family a lot. But in the end it kind of worked out because we did a summer tour and my daughters, who are 7 and 11 years old, were with me like the last three weeks of the tour straight. It was a blast.

Any plans for the holidays?
The New Kids, we're doing a fundraiser for Toys for Tots on Dec. 20. So that's a big deal, we're going to sing some Christmas songs and try to raise money so the kids up in Boston have toys.

What's your favorite Christmas song to sing?
None of them. I have bad experiences. We did a Christmas album under the pressure of our record company the first time around. It was not fun. I like Christmas music like Nat King Cole and all the classic ones, but the new Christmas music is not the best.

It can come out cheesy and silly.
Yeah, that's kind of what we did. That is what we did.

Donnie Marshmellowtweet 12/16/09

Donnie Marshmellowtweet 12/15/09

Donnie Marshmellowtweet 12/14/09

Donnie Marshmellowtweet 12/13/09

Donnie Radio interview Kiss 108 Boston, December, 17, 2009

First Look: NKOTB 'Didn't Want the Reunion to End'

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Didn't get a chance to see the New Kids on the Block on tour? Now you can have Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood and Jordan and Jonathan Knight in your living room when the group releases its concert DVD on Feb. 2.

From early rehearsals to inside the recording studio, NKOTB's Coming Home DVD is "bringing you back to the very first moment of the reunion step by step until today," Donnie Wahlberg tells PEOPLE. "It's kind of like a yearbook – only from a 15 year high school reunion."

The DVD includes the singers' performance of classics like "Step by Step" – and unseen footage from the groups fan cruise to the Bahamas, where Wahlberg and Wood surprised fans in their cabins. Wahlberg has a soft spot for replaying the fan footage, saying, "the emotion from the fans, in every arena throughout the tour, was so intense," he says. "It gives me chills every time I watch it."

Get ready for more chills, Donnie. The reunion party will continue in 2010 when the boys hit the high seas again on a sold-cruise in May. And there will be ten golden keys hidden in the deluxe and super deluxe DVD box sets that will grant lucky fans two tickets to any future NKOTB concert.

Says Wahlberg: "We hope to find new ways to give our fans no less as we move forward."

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK COMING - HOME MUSIC VIDEO

Donnie Wahlberg "Coming Home" to Toronto ~Dec 10/09

Donnie Wahlberg & his assistant Johnny arriving in Toronto on December 10/09 He came out before I hit record so I missed the startled jump as we WOOOOOed and got really excited to see @worldofjohnny Welcome Home guys!!!!

Donnie Wahlberg vists the Z studios

New Kids on the Block jam with Ernie Boch Jr. in Norwood

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Updated: Wednesday, 16 Dec 2009, 9:44 PM EST
Published : Wednesday, 16 Dec 2009, 9:44 PM EST

NORWOOD, Mass. - Some members of the New Kids on the Block were at Norwood Airport on Wednesday night, practicing with Ernie Boch Junior and his band, Ernie and the Automatics.

Donnie Wahlberg and Jordan Knight were at the jam session.

They're getting ready for a show at the House of Blues in Boston this Sunday night.

See raw video from the practice on the left.

Joey McIntyre Talks New Baby, New EP

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Posted Tuesday 15 December 06:30 PM By: Brooke Tarnoff

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Full disclosure: I was a 12-year-old girl when New Kids on the Block released their monster hit 'Hangin' Tough,' so you'd be wise to take me with a grain of salt when I say that Joey McIntyre was the dreamiest pop singer that ever graced the pages of Tiger Beat. They say you should never meet your heroes, and having chatted with McIntyre shortly before the birth of his new son Rhys Edward, I'm happy to say they're wrong. The one-time New Kid was every bit as charming and sweet as a 12-year-old could dream, and I was thrilled to get the inside scoop on McIntyre's brand-new album 'Here We Go Again,' his brand-new family addition, and how he feels about his career post-NKOTB.

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I know you hear this on a daily basis, but I was a huge New Kids fan.

Awesome!

I think this is fairly sophisticated for a twelve-year-old: I was going to wait until you weren't popular anymore and five million screaming girls weren't competing for your attention, then make my move... even if it took decades. You ruined it by staying active in the industry for your entire adult life.

[Laughs] Wow. I never got too pathetic? You really schemed that out, like "I'll wait 'til no one wants him."

Good, right?

Really good. Hey, I was close. Here's the deal though, when I was pathetic, when I was unwanted, you were flying high.

Oh, I don't know.

Then, by the time you remembered to think, 'I wonder what Joe's doing,' I'd already come back.

Bad for me, good for you. But really, you have been working consistently for years, if not always where your original, mainstream audience could see you. So I think the choice to do 'Dancing With the Stars' in its first season was pretty bold. On network TV with no real idea of what to expect.

That's the risk. I had cold sweats about that, literally in bed going, "What am I doing?" Since New Kids, before ['DWTS'], I had a top ten single on my own, I had done a lot on MTV, I did a season on 'Boston Public' as a regular and I was on Broadway in 'Wicked' when it was huge. I did all these things, so that's why it was so hard for me to do a reality show. But it made me think - "It is music, it is dance. I'm going to learn from these peeople."

I was at a place where, I'd just come off Broadway, and I was antsy. In a perfect world, I would have been doing another TV show, but the situation came up. To be honest, it wasn't a decision where I was like, "Yeah! This is going to be cool!"

The show turned out to be a big deal. Are you glad you did it?

It's different now. Part of me wishes we had a results night - you know, it was six episodes. In that first season, you could kick ass on the third episode - but you weren't getting judged on the third episode. You were getting voted on the second show, the last show. It was really complicated, and you see the way it is now with the perfect format. I was able to go on a few tours with them and sing some songs - overall, it was a win situation.

So you would rather have done it during a later season?

Yeah. You don't get any points for being a leader. [Laughs] You don't hear Joey Fatone saying, "I want to thank Joe McIntyre for launching this show." But not to be corny - I like being a leader, I like to do things that are new and try things. It's great entertainment. It's great for the whole family, there's not a lot of TV like that. And those dancers are amazing.

Your wife is about to give birth - you must be over the moon.

Yes. Our son just turned two and he's the greatest. I just had to watch him get his first stitches yesterday. Oh man. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger - but that killed me. He's the best, and we're going to have two boys running around. I'm very, very, very fortunate.

Is there anything you're going to do differently with your new son?

I see my wife and how amazing she is, and how giving, how loving - it's just over the top. I watch that and go - "Can you imagine? You're going to have just as much love for someone else?" But you find the love. There's no end to finding the energy and the love. We're going to have a great time.

Given that you've been so active professionally - you have a new album out right now - I was pleasantly surprised that you chose to do a New Kids reunion. It's not something you see that often - Justin Timberlake isn't running back to hook up with 'N Sync. What went into that decision for you?

I think the process was tough at times for me. I am my own artist, we have five different strong personalities - very talented - but the cool thing is that when you have those five people with a lot to offer and you can communicate, great things happen. We were able to put together a really great reunion. All that being said, our fans stepped up before we even did anything. They made everything so much easier. The experience was awesome. The timing has to be right, and the timing was right for everybody. We definitely made the most of it.

We'd have pockets in the crowd of three or four teenage girls, and it would be hilarious. Sometimes they'd be, like, losing their sh-- like you did when you were 12.

I listened to your new single, 'Here We Go Again,' and it's very stylish, very rhythmic. Is this the sound for the whole EP?

Yeah. The direction started with an attitude. When I started to get itchy to write again, make some music, I heard a lot of no. No, you're wasting your time, look at the business, it's so hard, why do it, blah blah blah. All those things, and I think that angst and that energy drove the music. I think that's why it's very in-your-face and up tempo. I was able to find a producing and songwriting team that I wrote this music with, and we hit it off. We just wanted to kinda rock out and kick ass.

NKOTB - Donnie @ Chum FM Xmas Wish breakfast 12.11.09

Random Photos Donnies Posted this Week

My hands are full- of you- I'd rather it was full of your hips, shoulders, back, thighs, and more....

DWAIR now boarding... Can't tell you how much I love you all. Every day I spend with you all- is a gift to me! Yup.

At Z103dot5 with @TDot_Blockette Marisa... Happy Birthday! Much love to all those who braved the arctic chill in TO!

Another BH found me.... @JKs_drtydancr was at Target and heard the WOO!!!!!!

Okay... So they didn't WOO... But they did find me!!!! BH's in TARGET!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woooooooooo!!!!

Early for a meeting... Leaving me ten minutes to catch up on some HUMPS!!!!!!!! Anybody wanna join me?

Here. This pic is a hint of the location to the address that I just tweeted from... Anybody hungry! Woooooo!