How about NKOTBSB singing the National Anthem for Boston team games?
Thought about this while walking the dog. If you've seen the promo video at NKOTB.com for the Fenway show, and Donnie's clips for the Celtics, you know the guys love their Boston teams. What better way to show their love, and get some PR for the upcoming NKOTBSB tour, than for the group to perform the U.S. National Anthem at upcoming Boston sporting events?
Here are some suggestions:
Boston Red Sox
Home Opener: Fri Apr 8 -vs- NY Yankees
This is almost a "no brainer", given NKOTB's heritage. The opening opponent, the NY Yankees, adds to the attraction.
Of course, with so much cachet, a more well-known artist might be given the honor. The group could always perform during the rest of the series.
Alternate: The group sings "Sweet Caroline" during the 7th inning stretch during one of the games.
Boston -vs- Tampa Rays
This would have a rivalry theme between the groups themselves - NKOTB's Boston roots -vs- BSB's Florida roots. Plus, BSB did the NA honors for Tampa's opening World Series game back in 2008 ( see below).
Boston hosting Tampa Bay: Mon-Wed Apr 11-13
Last Home Game before the NKOTBSB tour: Sun May 22 -vs- Chi Cubs
This could be a "send off" for the group, and a way to get some last-minute promotion for the tour if the game is televised nationally, either on Cable or network TV.
NBA Playoffs
This is trickier. A team's playoff schedule is determined by its overall record, so we won't know for sure until the end of the season when Boston will be playing at home.
Celtics Opening round playoff game
The NBA playoff seeding rules for the first round give home-court to the top team in each of the 3 divisions within a Conference.
Boston currently leads the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division by 13 games over the NY Knicks. There are about 23 games left for each team, so Boston will clinch first-round home court if their wins and Knick losses in the remaining games add up to 11.
Their first round opponent will depend on the final standings of the remaining in the Eastern Conference.
The first round schedule games begin the weekend of April 16.
Playoff series against the Orlando Magic
Since BSB hails from Orlando, this series would be a rivalry between the group's hometown teams.
However, there is no guarantees this series happens.
Orlando is in the same (Eastern) conference as the Celtics, but in a different division - the Atlantic Division. They trail the Miami Heat in the division by 3 1/2 games. If Orlando winds up with the better record, they would win the Southeast Division and would have home advantage for the first round.
If Orlando doesn't finish first, their first-round opponent would be determined by the final records of the other Eastern Conference playoff teams.
If Orlando does not get Boston as a first round opponent, there is a chance either team (or both) might be eliminated before they get a chance to meet.
The good news is that both teams
- played each other in 2010 (Eastern Conference finals; Boston had home court and won),
- played each other in 2009 (Eastern Coference semi-finals; Orlando had home court and won),
- but not in 2008 (Orlando lost to Detroit, who then went on to play Boston)
About the "The Star Spangled Banner", the U.S. National Anthem
The "SSB" consists of 8 lines, with a sort of natural "pause" in the middle of each line.
Oh say can you see, By the Dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed, At the Twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, Through the perilous fight
Over the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets' red glare, The bombs bursting in Air,
Gave proof through the night, That our Flag was still there.
Oh say does that Star-Spangled(,) Banner yet wave
Over the Land of the Free(,) and the Home of the Brave?
Lines 1 and 3 rhyme and share a melody; Lines 2 and 4 also rhyme and share a melody
Lines 5 and 6 are sort of a "bridge"
The melody for line 5 is a variation of the melody of lines 1&3 in a higher range (when the SSB is played by a band, the higher pitched instrument play the main melody, while the lower-pitch/"bass" instruments play the Line 1 melody)
The melody for line 6 is a variation of the line 2&4 melody, but it's not as close as line 5 is to line 1&3
The melody line 7 is an "extended" variation of the first part of Line 1's melody, and Line 8's melody is a variation of the melody in Lines 2 & 4.
So, how should they sing it?
Usually a member will "solo" the first half of each line, with the band performing the second half.
Or, a member could "solo" each line, alternating members, with the non-solo members singing backup.
Or it could be sung as a group, with a "solo" embellishing the bridge.
The problem with so large a group is splitting the solo parts evenly. I would suggest they perform it "simply" as a entire group.
Or sing it in sub-groups dividing among all nine NKOTBSB members:
Subgroup "A"
1. Oh, say can you see
2. By the Dawn's early light
3. What so proudly we hailed
( Subgroup "A" or the entire group) At the Twilight's last gleaming?
Subgroup "B"
4. Whose broad stripes and bright starts
5. Through the perilous fight
6. Over the ramparts we watched
( Subgroup "B" or the entire group) Were so gallantly streaming
7. And the rockets' red glare
8. The bombs bursting in air
9. Gave proof through the night
( Subgroup "C" or the entire group) That our Flag was still there
(Entire group or just one band, NKOTB or BSB) Oh say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet Wave
(Entire group or the other band, BSB or NKOTB) Over the Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave?
Another possibility is just let the "leads" in each group (usually Brian and Nick in BSB, maybe Jordan and Joey in NKOTB?) do the first halves of the lines, the group picking picking up the second half.
AJ and Howie, Danny, Jonaton (and maybe Donnie if he doesn't "lead") would get short shrift (~again~), but it would make the perfomance more manageable.
Past performances, credit to YouTube
You can see how they've done it in the past. The past performance were usually during concert or promotional tours.
Here are some suggestions:
Boston Red Sox
This is almost a "no brainer", given NKOTB's heritage. The opening opponent, the NY Yankees, adds to the attraction.
Of course, with so much cachet, a more well-known artist might be given the honor. The group could always perform during the rest of the series.
Alternate: The group sings "Sweet Caroline" during the 7th inning stretch during one of the games.
This would have a rivalry theme between the groups themselves - NKOTB's Boston roots -vs- BSB's Florida roots. Plus, BSB did the NA honors for Tampa's opening World Series game back in 2008 ( see below).
Boston hosting Tampa Bay: Mon-Wed Apr 11-13
This could be a "send off" for the group, and a way to get some last-minute promotion for the tour if the game is televised nationally, either on Cable or network TV.
NBA Playoffs
This is trickier. A team's playoff schedule is determined by its overall record, so we won't know for sure until the end of the season when Boston will be playing at home.
The NBA playoff seeding rules for the first round give home-court to the top team in each of the 3 divisions within a Conference.
Boston currently leads the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division by 13 games over the NY Knicks. There are about 23 games left for each team, so Boston will clinch first-round home court if their wins and Knick losses in the remaining games add up to 11.
Their first round opponent will depend on the final standings of the remaining in the Eastern Conference.
The first round schedule games begin the weekend of April 16.
Since BSB hails from Orlando, this series would be a rivalry between the group's hometown teams.
However, there is no guarantees this series happens.
Orlando is in the same (Eastern) conference as the Celtics, but in a different division - the Atlantic Division. They trail the Miami Heat in the division by 3 1/2 games. If Orlando winds up with the better record, they would win the Southeast Division and would have home advantage for the first round.
If Orlando doesn't finish first, their first-round opponent would be determined by the final records of the other Eastern Conference playoff teams.
If Orlando does not get Boston as a first round opponent, there is a chance either team (or both) might be eliminated before they get a chance to meet.
The good news is that both teams
- played each other in 2010 (Eastern Conference finals; Boston had home court and won),
- played each other in 2009 (Eastern Coference semi-finals; Orlando had home court and won),
- but not in 2008 (Orlando lost to Detroit, who then went on to play Boston)
About the "The Star Spangled Banner", the U.S. National Anthem
The "SSB" consists of 8 lines, with a sort of natural "pause" in the middle of each line.
Oh say can you see, By the Dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed, At the Twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, Through the perilous fight
Over the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets' red glare, The bombs bursting in Air,
Gave proof through the night, That our Flag was still there.
Oh say does that Star-Spangled(,) Banner yet wave
Over the Land of the Free(,) and the Home of the Brave?
Lines 1 and 3 rhyme and share a melody; Lines 2 and 4 also rhyme and share a melody
Lines 5 and 6 are sort of a "bridge"
The melody for line 5 is a variation of the melody of lines 1&3 in a higher range (when the SSB is played by a band, the higher pitched instrument play the main melody, while the lower-pitch/"bass" instruments play the Line 1 melody)
The melody for line 6 is a variation of the line 2&4 melody, but it's not as close as line 5 is to line 1&3
The melody line 7 is an "extended" variation of the first part of Line 1's melody, and Line 8's melody is a variation of the melody in Lines 2 & 4.
So, how should they sing it?
Usually a member will "solo" the first half of each line, with the band performing the second half.
Or, a member could "solo" each line, alternating members, with the non-solo members singing backup.
Or it could be sung as a group, with a "solo" embellishing the bridge.
The problem with so large a group is splitting the solo parts evenly. I would suggest they perform it "simply" as a entire group.
Or sing it in sub-groups dividing among all nine NKOTBSB members:
Subgroup "A"
1. Oh, say can you see
2. By the Dawn's early light
3. What so proudly we hailed
( Subgroup "A" or the entire group) At the Twilight's last gleaming?
Subgroup "B"
4. Whose broad stripes and bright starts
5. Through the perilous fight
6. Over the ramparts we watched
( Subgroup "B" or the entire group) Were so gallantly streaming
7. And the rockets' red glare
8. The bombs bursting in air
9. Gave proof through the night
( Subgroup "C" or the entire group) That our Flag was still there
(Entire group or just one band, NKOTB or BSB) Oh say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet Wave
(Entire group or the other band, BSB or NKOTB) Over the Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave?
Another possibility is just let the "leads" in each group (usually Brian and Nick in BSB, maybe Jordan and Joey in NKOTB?) do the first halves of the lines, the group picking picking up the second half.
AJ and Howie, Danny, Jonaton (and maybe Donnie if he doesn't "lead") would get short shrift (~again~), but it would make the perfomance more manageable.
Past performances, credit to YouTube
You can see how they've done it in the past. The past performance were usually during concert or promotional tours.
- BSB sings the SSB, Orlando Predators football game, Orlando, 1993
- BSB sings the SSB, 1997 hockey game in Quebec
- BSB sings the SSB, Detroit Pistons basketball game, 1999
(probably during the Millenium tour)
- BSB sings the SSB, NFL Championship Game (Super Bowl), 2001
(during the Black&Blue tour)
- BSB sings the SSB, 2008 World Series, Tampa
(during the 2nd leg of the Unbreakable tour)
- BSB sings the SSB, 2009 World Series, Los Angeles
(they were in L.A. doing promotions "This is Us" CD release)
I couldn't find a version of the SSB sung by NKOTB as a group, just a version by Jordan and one by Joey. I think we need an updated video, guys! ;^)
Gotta give props to this version, even if it's by a rival group. Simple, clean, yet good - NSYNC sings the SSB, 2000 World Series