From the ages of 12-16, I was ‘Hanging Tough’ with my favorite band.
Not so much now. I know you’ve been waiting with baited breath for my NKOTB concert review from Friday night, but you had to wait all weekend, because frankly, the old boys on the block kicked my old ass. Yes, I was in sad shape on Saturday-my feet and knees throbbed with intensity, my voice sounded like that of an 80 year old smoker, and my ears didn’t stop ringing until Sunday, thanks to 20,000 Soccer & Hockey moms screaming incessantly-like it was 1989. My brother took one look at me Saturday afternoon and announced that I was ‘Hangin’ Rough’. He was right. Did I mention how much my knees hurt?
I guess that's what aging is all about. Fun now comes with a price tag. And this, my friend, was one heavy price tag-after you factor in the price of admission, the drinks, the eats, more drinks, and my knee that gave out halfway through "Step By Step".
But sometimes its worth it and this time, it was. I partied like a rock star for 12 hours straight. I caught up with old friends and danced to tunes that I danced to a long, long time ago. I laughed whole-heartedly at the 19,999 other people that were wearing crazy shirts, buttons, pins, -and those who cried, or hyperventilated-because surely I wasn't doing anything like that!
The Carrie who went to NKOTB concerts at 14 and the Carrie that went to NKOTB at nearly 34 were two very different gals. “Old” (but young) Carrie was still innocent, idolistic and obsessed with the superhumans on stage. “New” (but old) Carrie was more interested in being with friends, enjoying some drinks, and dancing along to the big hits of the old days. And for the first time, I watched one of their concerts with full disclosure- the guys performing were mere mortals, made of flesh, just like me. And the piercing pain screaming from my high-heeled feet reminded me that I’m no “New Kid” anymore.
It won’t be long before I’m the mother of a 12 year old girl who wants to go see her generation of “New Kids”. And I can’t wait. I nearly teared up during the show, thinking of the future, and taking Scarlett and her cousins, Sara & Stella to see the hottest teen sensation of 2020. Because chances are, someone's dreamy face will cover their bedroom walls. And I’ll have to buy every button, poster, video, and cereal that bares their name. And I’ll have to get in line at midnight and wait for 8 hours outside a department store to buy nose-bleed tickets at $130 a pop. And I’ll have to take a day off work to take the girls to the show and let them stay home from school the next day because we won’t get back home until midnight. And my sister and I will bitch and moan about the cost, and the time, and roll our eyes at our daughter’s requests. But we’ll secretly love every minute of it. My mom used to tell me that going to a New Kids concert made her nostalgic for the Beatles shows she attended as a teen. I imagine that’s how I’ll feel-someday. Right now, Scarlett still idolizes "The Wonder Pets" so hopefully I've got years before she starts begging me to take her to concerts. I just hope my knees hold up that long!
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