November 1, 1990

I hope the Dixie Chicks and their fans had a blast tonight at Rexall Place. But I couldn't help remembering that I was at the then Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton on November 1, 1990, watching the New Kids On The Block perform a sold out (17 000 +) show.

I have two words for you: Sonic. Boom.

And it wasn't that the New Kids themselves made ears bleed, but rather the deafening screams of the 16, 991 preteen girls and young women present (yes, I do think I was one of only ten men in the building that night)

But here's the thing:

1) I dug a couple NKOTB tunes back in the day.
2) It was the closest thing (atmosphere-wise) to Beatlemania I'd ever experienced up to that point. Of course, I've since learned that 400 in a casino can sure sound like 17,000 when the Bay City Rollers or Herman's Hermits are onstage. Am I also Mikey The Retro Guy? Yes. Get over it.

3) I have in storage, unopened and in the wrap, a copy of the NKOTB Christmas album.

A big thank you to Penelope's Mom, my sister Jacquie, for standing in line for a day and a half so I got a ticket. And also to the friend I had with me that night, who made sure I was able to navigate my way through the throngs after the show.

Happy weekend everyone!

MTMG