Though they were fierce chart rivals back in the ’90s and early 2000s, it’s all love between the Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block these days. The one-time boy band chart competitors proved that their bond is stronger than ever on Saturday (June 28) when BSB members Howie Dorough and AJ McLean bum-rushed NKOTB’s Las Vegas residency gig at Dolby Live at Park MGM during the fifth night of the band’s current Right Stuff residency.
During the show’s “vows” bit, NKOTB’s Donnie Wahlberg asked, “how many of you thought that one day you might date a New Kid?… how many of you thought you might marry a New Kid?,” to raucous screams from the audience. The camera then zoomed in on Dorough, who was in the audience holding up a homemade “I Do” sign.
“Apparently, Howie Dorough thought he would marry a New Kid… we’re gonna fight over you Howie,” Wahlberg joked. “You were always my favorite Backstreet Boy.” Dorough was happy to play along, and in a comment on the Instagram video of the moment, the singer wrote, “Thanks for an amazing night, fellas! Still holding on to the dream I might marry one of you 😉.”
Dorough and McLean then hopped up on stage and got big hugs from their boy band brethren, with Wahlberg telling McLean, “damn, you smell good,” as fellow NKOTB member Joey McIntyre joked, “speaking of smell, I know Howie has the worst farts in the Backstreet Boys” as he embraced Dorough. “We love you guys so much,” Wahlberg said as McLean grabbed the mic and asked, “when are we going back on the road together again?”
After the excited shouts died down, Wahlberg suggested, “How about we finish Vegas, you smash the Sphere, and we team up and do it one more time?” The two groups — billed as NKOTBSB — mounted a joint North American and world tour in 2011 and 2012.
The Right Stuff residency dates march on tonight (July 2), with additional shows on Thursday (July 3) and Saturday (July 5) before the band returns for another run of gigs in November and February. Meanwhile, BSB are gearing up to launch their Into the Millennium residency at Las Vegas’ Sphere on July 11.
Check out the sweet reunion below.
