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New Kids on the Block (NKOTB) made their Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) debut on Tuesday, taking the predominantly female audience at NRG Stadium on a trip down memory lane.
The Boston-based quintet – namely Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood and Jonathan Knight – was once the apple of Generation X women’s eye.
Per Wahlberg, the city wasn't shy when it came to showing him and his bandmates trademark Lone Star hospitality.
"Houston, you know how to throw a [heck] of a party," he said, referencing the Bayou City's signature late winter event, which was NKOTB's literal first rodeo.
Wahlberg himself drew much of the cheers, shrieks and screams that rattled the home of the National Football League's (NFL) Houston Texans by playfully removing some of his clothing.
"Dear Lord, younger me couldn’t have handled that," Rhonda, who requested to be identified by only her first name, told Houston Daily. "It’s like they knew the fans were grown women."
NKOTB performed a highly anticipated set that was a mix of their chart-scorching bubblegum hits from the late 1980s and early 1990s ("The Right Stuff" and "Tonight") and more recent, edgier tracks they have recorded and released since their 2008 reformation ("Dirty Dancing" and "I Like the Remix").
While it has been eons since NKOTB's heyday, the loud, enthusiastic response they received revealed otherwise.
The group acknowledged the nearby Astrodome and the role it played during their meteoric success more than 30 years ago before launching into the McIntyre-led ballad, "Please Don't Go, Girl."
"Without this song, there wouldn't have been an Astrodome," Wahlberg declared. "There wouldn't have been [a show] tonight."
The high-pitch, adolescent coo McIntyre was famous for had evolved into a deep yet soulful baritone.
"I've been singing this song for 35 years," NKOTB's youngest vocalist said. "I hope to sing it for 35 more."
HLSR, which is in its 91st year, continues through Sunday, March 19.