The Total Package!!! (part 1)
Ok, so I'm just copying over my blog from nkotb.com, because I want to keep a copy and I don't know if I'm keeping my membership there if there's no pre-sales to buy for next year.
The tour is short sets by Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees and then a 2 hour long NKOTB fest! I bought some super fancy, stupidly expensive tickets (called The Total Package) that got us a meet and greet with New Kids and seats inside the security barrier for the show. So here's what happened before the show. D is Dani, of course.
Hi fellow BHs! Day after my show, my ears are still ringing, my feet still hurt a little, but oh it was so worth it! As always, our guys put on an incredible show, and this time I splurged on Total Package tickets for me and my girlfriend. She's more of a 98* fan, but we'll forgive her for that, right? She was just a toddler when NKOTB were big, can't blame her. :p
Wow, this got really long, so I'm going to split it into 2 parts. The pre-show, then the show. Here's the first bit!
I was so excited all day, but I kept procrastinating on getting ready. Eventually I did, and ended up picking up D 10 minutes or so early. Thankfully, she anticipated my excitement and was ready. So we headed downtown to the Scottrade Center. It started pouring down rain on the way there, and I was glad we could park in the garage. We got there a bit early and just hung out for a while, because VIPNation still wasn't ready even though the email said 4pm for Total Package. Eventually, they called for us to line up, Total Package first, then 5*. We got our laminates, tickets, and wristbands. The laminates were nice, they even said "The Total Package" on them. Checked our tickets, Pod T, row 1! Yes!! Obviously, second row in the pod is still amazing, but I've always always wanted to be true first row, and we were! Then they kept us waiting around some more, and we chatted with some of the other people around us, and when they told us it'd be 6 to a photo group, we organized a group. It was really nice to have only 6, and the people in our group were amazing. I wish I had gotten names, but we were all too excited talking about the guys! We had enough diversity that I think everyone got who she wanted. D had wanted Donnie, because she's a movie buff and loves his movies and didn't really know the other guys. I told her that was unlikely, but as it turns out, I was wrong, she got him! I got Jordan. But I'm getting ahead of myself...
Once they got organized, we all crammed into some elevators and headed downstairs to the "dressing room". It wasn't so much a dressing room as part of the locker room for the hockey team. LOL It was cramped and hot, but we knew it was going to be worth it. They had decent food, little sandwiches, big cookies and cupcakes, some candy and little bags of chips. Then there was a cooler of soda, beer and wine. I'm a mixed drink girl, don't like beer or most wines, so I left the booze alone, even though I could have used a little something to take the edge off. We all stood around just chit-chatting and waiting for the guys. I guess everyone got absorbed in talking, because Donnie just snuck right in and it took several seconds for anyone to notice him! He started making the rounds, hugging everyone and chatting a bit. Danny came in next I think. He looked really sleepy. I heard him tell someone they had just woken up. Got a hug from him, those big arms, wow! Jordan came into the room and I whisper-squealed to Dani "there he is!!! That's Jordan!!!" She about died laughing. I'm generally really laid back and low key, so me getting that excited was something new to her. Jordan made his way around and I got a big hug from him. *swoon*. Got a great Jon hug too, he always gives nice hugs. Donnie finally made his way to the part of the room we were in, and just grabbed D and hugged her. She didn't say a word, so when he came to me, I was like "you've gotta tell him!" and he was like "what?" So I said "she loves your movies!!" and he said thanks, and gave me a hug that seemed to last forever. He stood back and looked at us and asked if we were related. I said "no, we're girlfriends, why?" and he said "I'll tell you later". Um....ok. Still waiting for later Donnie!!!! Joey didn't make it to our side of the room I don't think. I know I didn't get a hug from him, anyway.
Then they started calling for pictures. It was quick, but the guys seemed to be having a good time. When they called our group, I went straight to Jordan and said "I get to stand by you! Isn't that exciting?" and he agreed and asked me my name. I told him, so when the photographer went to snap the pics, Jordan yelled out "JOSIE!" instead of "cheese". Awesome. D got to stand next to Donnie, which was really exciting for her. If I'd been thinking, I'd have put myself between Donnie and Jordan with D on the other side of Donnie, but oh well.
I had heard the Total Package M&Gs last 10-15 minutes, but it didn't feel like it to me. Hard to say, because of course we had to put our purses, including phones, off to the side, so I had no way of knowing what time it was. I think they may have cut ours short though. Or I have a really bad sense of time. Either could be true. But security did really seem to be rushing them out of the room. Donnie defied them and stayed, and called for the hosts to turn the music off so he could talk to us. Told us it was going to be a great show, and enjoy it, and....stuff? I can't remember, I was still on a high from standing with Jordan and getting hugs from 4/5s of the guys.
Then we got our VIP gifts (speakers! cool! bag! cool! Socks! wtf?) and t-shirts that we could trade at the merch booth, and our signed posters. The bag especially came in handy, I had packed flip flops in my purse to wear after the M&G, because I knew my heels would be killing my feet, but I failed to account for the fact that my heels were much bigger than flip flops and wouldn't fit back in my purse! So into the bag they went! We got to do our crowd-free shopping, which still took a while as people deliberated on what to trade in and the employees seemed confused about the process. D traded one of her shirts for one that would fit her better, and gave me her other one for my daughter. I kept one of my shirts for a friend who won't be able to make it to any shows, and traded the other for a smaller one for my other daughter. They do have programs finally, so I got one of those too!
Ok, wrapping this up for now. More excitement to come in part 2....
The tour is short sets by Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees and then a 2 hour long NKOTB fest! I bought some super fancy, stupidly expensive tickets (called The Total Package) that got us a meet and greet with New Kids and seats inside the security barrier for the show. So here's what happened before the show. D is Dani, of course.
Hi fellow BHs! Day after my show, my ears are still ringing, my feet still hurt a little, but oh it was so worth it! As always, our guys put on an incredible show, and this time I splurged on Total Package tickets for me and my girlfriend. She's more of a 98* fan, but we'll forgive her for that, right? She was just a toddler when NKOTB were big, can't blame her. :p
Wow, this got really long, so I'm going to split it into 2 parts. The pre-show, then the show. Here's the first bit!
I was so excited all day, but I kept procrastinating on getting ready. Eventually I did, and ended up picking up D 10 minutes or so early. Thankfully, she anticipated my excitement and was ready. So we headed downtown to the Scottrade Center. It started pouring down rain on the way there, and I was glad we could park in the garage. We got there a bit early and just hung out for a while, because VIPNation still wasn't ready even though the email said 4pm for Total Package. Eventually, they called for us to line up, Total Package first, then 5*. We got our laminates, tickets, and wristbands. The laminates were nice, they even said "The Total Package" on them. Checked our tickets, Pod T, row 1! Yes!! Obviously, second row in the pod is still amazing, but I've always always wanted to be true first row, and we were! Then they kept us waiting around some more, and we chatted with some of the other people around us, and when they told us it'd be 6 to a photo group, we organized a group. It was really nice to have only 6, and the people in our group were amazing. I wish I had gotten names, but we were all too excited talking about the guys! We had enough diversity that I think everyone got who she wanted. D had wanted Donnie, because she's a movie buff and loves his movies and didn't really know the other guys. I told her that was unlikely, but as it turns out, I was wrong, she got him! I got Jordan. But I'm getting ahead of myself...
Once they got organized, we all crammed into some elevators and headed downstairs to the "dressing room". It wasn't so much a dressing room as part of the locker room for the hockey team. LOL It was cramped and hot, but we knew it was going to be worth it. They had decent food, little sandwiches, big cookies and cupcakes, some candy and little bags of chips. Then there was a cooler of soda, beer and wine. I'm a mixed drink girl, don't like beer or most wines, so I left the booze alone, even though I could have used a little something to take the edge off. We all stood around just chit-chatting and waiting for the guys. I guess everyone got absorbed in talking, because Donnie just snuck right in and it took several seconds for anyone to notice him! He started making the rounds, hugging everyone and chatting a bit. Danny came in next I think. He looked really sleepy. I heard him tell someone they had just woken up. Got a hug from him, those big arms, wow! Jordan came into the room and I whisper-squealed to Dani "there he is!!! That's Jordan!!!" She about died laughing. I'm generally really laid back and low key, so me getting that excited was something new to her. Jordan made his way around and I got a big hug from him. *swoon*. Got a great Jon hug too, he always gives nice hugs. Donnie finally made his way to the part of the room we were in, and just grabbed D and hugged her. She didn't say a word, so when he came to me, I was like "you've gotta tell him!" and he was like "what?" So I said "she loves your movies!!" and he said thanks, and gave me a hug that seemed to last forever. He stood back and looked at us and asked if we were related. I said "no, we're girlfriends, why?" and he said "I'll tell you later". Um....ok. Still waiting for later Donnie!!!! Joey didn't make it to our side of the room I don't think. I know I didn't get a hug from him, anyway.
Then they started calling for pictures. It was quick, but the guys seemed to be having a good time. When they called our group, I went straight to Jordan and said "I get to stand by you! Isn't that exciting?" and he agreed and asked me my name. I told him, so when the photographer went to snap the pics, Jordan yelled out "JOSIE!" instead of "cheese". Awesome. D got to stand next to Donnie, which was really exciting for her. If I'd been thinking, I'd have put myself between Donnie and Jordan with D on the other side of Donnie, but oh well.
I had heard the Total Package M&Gs last 10-15 minutes, but it didn't feel like it to me. Hard to say, because of course we had to put our purses, including phones, off to the side, so I had no way of knowing what time it was. I think they may have cut ours short though. Or I have a really bad sense of time. Either could be true. But security did really seem to be rushing them out of the room. Donnie defied them and stayed, and called for the hosts to turn the music off so he could talk to us. Told us it was going to be a great show, and enjoy it, and....stuff? I can't remember, I was still on a high from standing with Jordan and getting hugs from 4/5s of the guys.
Then we got our VIP gifts (speakers! cool! bag! cool! Socks! wtf?) and t-shirts that we could trade at the merch booth, and our signed posters. The bag especially came in handy, I had packed flip flops in my purse to wear after the M&G, because I knew my heels would be killing my feet, but I failed to account for the fact that my heels were much bigger than flip flops and wouldn't fit back in my purse! So into the bag they went! We got to do our crowd-free shopping, which still took a while as people deliberated on what to trade in and the employees seemed confused about the process. D traded one of her shirts for one that would fit her better, and gave me her other one for my daughter. I kept one of my shirts for a friend who won't be able to make it to any shows, and traded the other for a smaller one for my other daughter. They do have programs finally, so I got one of those too!
Ok, wrapping this up for now. More excitement to come in part 2....