‘Door is wide open’ for New Kids-Backstreet Boys tour

Joey McIntyre talks of New Kids on the Block playing “only” a 40-show residency in Las Vegas. It’s a novel take in a city where four shows covering two weekends is often considered a residency.

“It’s interesting when you get off and on the horse, jumping back in when it’s only a total of 40 shows,” McIntyre says during a phone chat. “It’s a great show; we built it and we created it for Night One. So for now, nothing’s changing, but we’ve only done it 16 times, so it still feels very fresh.”

The show premiered, to ebullient response from the Blockheads, this past June.

NKOTB resumes “The Right Stuff” production at Dolby Live at Park MGM on Saturday, running eight shows through Feb. 25. The classic roster of McIntyre, Jonathan Knight, Jordan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood are back for eight-show runs June-July and again in October.

McIntyre says the New Kids are “stewards” of the boy-band culture, as the guys have cultivated a career dating to 1985. when McIntyre joined. All the “Kids” are now in their 50s.

“I think we’re stewards in the history of music, in terms of where we’ve come from and we’ve been able to experience with our fans,” McIntyre says. “We might not always be on the nose, but there’s always that feeling and that energy behind what we do.”

The coupling of New Kids at Dolby Live and Backstreet Boys at Sphere has generated a resurgence of interest in the boy-band phenomenon. The two acts co-headlined on tour in 2011-12. AJ McLean and Howie Dorough ignited new speculation of a return to that pairing when the BSB members rushed the stage at an NKOTB show in June.

“When are we going back on the road together again?” McLean asked as the crowd erupted. Wahlberg called back, “How about, we finish Vegas, you smash the Sphere, and we team up and do it one more time?”

McIntyre had a VIP position for that back-and-forth. He came away reminded of the collective power of both bands.

“When we toured together, it was really such a home run. It was a great time for both bands to come together, and each fan base to getting to know each other,” McIntyre says. “I gotta say, it’s not on the table right now. But we’re buddies, we love seeing each other, we love having a good time together. It feels like, someday, the door is wide open.”

The band still performs extensive choreography, unleashing “Twisted,” “Block Party,” “Summertime,” and “Cover Girl.” The closing set is “Step By Step,” “Kids,” from the 2024 album “Still Kids,” and “Hangin’ Tough.” During “Shout,” they take to LED-lined pods and are hoisted over the crowd.

This is some pretty impressive stewardship.

“This is an absolute workout because we give 110 percent,” McIntyre says. “We do a pretty good job of taking care of ourselves and showing some refinement of what we do. We’ve still got some youth in our bones.”

Cardi B at the club

Cardi B is hosting her “Official Little Miss Drama” after-party at Hakkasan on Friday night, after her tour stop at T-Mobile Arena. You might have caught her in Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance. The “Bodak Yellow” headliner is said to have dropped Pats’ receiver Stefon Diggs, who seems to have had a bumpy weekend.

Haps at South Point

Terry Fator sold out his three shows at South Point Showroom in January, kicking off his U.S. tour this year. The ventriloquial star is back at South Point from April 21-23. He and Winston the Impersonating Turtle are bracketed by the Bee Gees tribute “Stayin’ Alive” from April 17-19, and Dave Halston’s “The Sinatra Experience” from April 24-26.

Of interest to Vegas entertainment buffs, Bronx Wanderers are back Friday through Sunday, followed by Human Nature from Feb. 20-22. Vocal acrobat outfit Mo5aic premieres in the room Feb. 27-March 1. Go to southpointcasino.com for all the intel.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.