New Kids on the Block, the iconic quintet that dominated the pop charts and set the stage for a new wave of boy bands in the 1990’s, is taking an audacious leap beyond the concert world and into the world of fan conventions, the group announced Monday.
The band, which formed in 1984 before reuniting in 2007, says that the event will take place at the Rosemont Theatre and the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in suburban Rosemont from May 26 through May 28.
The event will include a concert, panels, a “prom-themed” party and more, according to a press release.
“We’ve done almost every event imaginable with our amazing Blockhead family over the last 15 years – from cruises to concerts to town hall meetings – but nothing quite like BLOCKCON,” Donnie Wahlberg, one of the band’s founding members, said in a statement. “Spending three full days with them, while hosting a convention crafted especially for them, is the perfect way to celebrate this reunion that has meant so much to us all.”
According to the press release, the event coincides with the 15th-anniversary of their reunion tour in 2008.
The group plans to host a “one-of-a-kind” concert event on the Friday of the convention, along with daytime panels and events Saturday. A “NKOTB Prom” party will take place Saturday night before a farewell event on Sunday morning.
Tickets will go on sale beginning Friday at 11 a.m. on Ticketmaster’s website, the group says. Block Nation fan club members will get early access to tickets on Thursday.
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A variety of ticket plans and packages will be included in the sale, including VIP tickets, and the group says it has arranged discounted hotel rates around the convention center for guests attending the events.
New Kids on the Block formed in 1984 and has sold more than 80 million albums, according to the press release. The band has sold nearly four million tickets to concerts since their 2007 reunion, and has toured with other famed boy bands, including the Backstreet Boys.
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