10 Unforgettable Moments from the New Kids On the Block Las Vegas Residency

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As teens, members of New Kids on the Block spent their days getting into mischief while riding the subway around Massachusetts. “Jordan would be running off on the subway into Boston, getting into trouble and break dancing,” Jonathan Knight recently told Country Living of his bandmate and brother. Yet the band would never have guessed they would one day mark their 40th anniversary by riding a replica of that subway straight onto stage in Las Vegas.

In a dazzling opening to their New Kids On the Block: The Right Stuff Las Vegas Residency, Jonathan, Jordan Knight, Danny Wood, Joey McIntyre, and Donnie Wahlberg emerged into the Dolby Live at Park MGM theater in life-sized model of a Boston train, which read 1988 (the year the group broke out with Hangin’ Tough) on the back and 2025 on the front.

Brian Babineau @brian_babs_babineau / Al Powers @powersimagery

It was the beginning of a two-hour spectacle of nostalgic hits, glittering outfits, dreamy ballads, unexpected nuptials, killer choreography and jaw-dropping production stunts, which later had confetti-covered fans spilling out of the theater awestruck.

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Here are 10 highlights from opening weekend of the residency, which continues until February 2026.

Flying New Kids!

Once upon a time I stared up at my bedroom walls admiring boy band posters—never imagining I would one day sit in Las Vegas staring up at the musicians floating above me instead. In the weeks leading up to opening night, Jonathan dished that the residency had “a lot of cool moving parts” and it turned out he and his bandmates moved the most, leaving few inches of the venue floor—and even airspace—untouched.

Brian Babineau @brian_babs_babineau / Al Powers @powersimagery

“Blockheads, is it possible to get closer to you?” Donnie asked as the singers took their places in individual black boxes. “Only if you sing as loud as you can!” The crowd’s cheers were promptly drowned out by cries of “Oh my god” as the boxes lit up and lifted off, soaring across the theatre as the band sang “The Whisper” from 2013 album 10. In a reminder that there’s no such thing as bad seats at a NKOTB show, the guys glided all the way to the upper rear section, dangling in front of fans who weren’t expecting to come face-to-face with the hovering heartthrobs. Afterwards, Donnie appeared equally stunned by the stunt, pumping his fist in the air and declaring “We made it!” three times.

Going to the chapel

“Pretty mama, if you’re single, you don’t gotta be alone tonight,” the group sings in their Ne-Yo collaboration “Single” from 2008’s The Block. And sure enough, no Blockhead was left single after opening night, thanks to Donnie officiating a mass wedding! After he asked the crowd how many people once dreamed of marrying a New Kid—noting that his own wife Jenny McCarthy “thought she’d marry one of the Mötley Crüe,”—Donnie got to work giving fans their happily ever afters.

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“We’re all grown up now and we’re in Las Vegas and I have officiating powers,” he said. “Do you, New Kids, take these Blockheads to be your forever fans so long as we both shall live?” After the band replied, “I do,” it was over to fans. “And do you, Blockheads, take these New Kids to be your forever boy band, forsaking all other boy bands – *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, O-Town, One Direction and all the rest – as long as we both shall live? I now pronounce us New Kids and Blockheads forever!”

Give it to us solo Jordan!

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In a solo surprise, Jordan pulled out his top 10 single “Give It to You” from his self-titled album Jordan Knight. But in true Vegas-style, he didn’t just sing the flirty 1999 hit—he hopped into a ferris wheel carriage and flew across the stage while a neon wheel spun on-screen in the background. It was the perfect ode to the track’s music video, in which Jordan danced in front of a ferris wheel at an amusement park. The video was nominated for Best Dance Video at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards and his love interest was played by Marisa Ramirez, who would later portray Donnie’s on-screen police partner Maria Baez in Blue Bloods.

Dirtier dancing

What better way to breathe new life into “Dirty Dancing” than with some hot salsa moves? Slipping into white shirts and black vests, the hunks shimmied around the stage in an exotic twist to the live favorite.

Brian Babineau @brian_babs_babineau / Al Powers @powersimagery

Blockhead HQ

Forget the pool—the place to be by day was Blockhead HQ, a fun pop-up which saw a bar at Park MGM converted into a NKOTB wonderland. Blasting hits like “Block Party,” the colorful space featured themed drinks like the New Kids on the Blocktail (gin, lime, St-Germain and chareau liqueur) and vodka concoction Sip By Sip, a play on 1990 anthem “Step By Step.”

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Fans could snap pics in life-sized NKOTB doll boxes, take a selfie with the group’s mascot Block-E or head into the Blockhead Confetti Room. Jenny McCarthy also had an area for her brand, Formless Beauty, where concert-goers could get makeovers, stock up on beauty products or meet the actress and TV personality. Danny’s dad Daniel Wood, affectionately known as Big Dan, was spotted at the pop-up and even hopped in line to take photos with fans in the Blockhead Confetti Room, while Donnie also made a surprise appearance at the venue.

Family, friends, celebs … everyone’s a Blockhead

Way to make an entrance Mrs. Wahlberg! Jenny had the venue erupting in cheers as she arrived at Saturday’s show, royally waving to the crowd, high-fiving fans and pumping her fist in the air with excitement. Jonathan’s husband Harley Rodriguez, Jordan’s wife Evelyn and Danny’s father Big Dan were also in the house for both Friday and Saturday’s shows, as was Joey’s wife Barrett and their three children, Griffin, Rhys and Kira. Griffin and Rhys even joined in with the actions for “Kids,” and the whole clan was filming as Joey belted out 1988 ballad “Please Don’t Go Girl.”

Joey’s friend and collaborator Debbie Gibson was also in the audience, mesmerized by the track. “Having seen him perform this from afar as a teen, then close up when we shared the stage right here in Vegas and also on the MixTape Tour, I can honestly say Joe always shows up with a fresh energy and stellar vocals,” Debbie raved to us after the show. “Time stood still when he took the mic for this soulful classic on opening night!”

Full House star Andrea Barber and musician Sean Thomas, who has written for NKOTB and worked with Joey in his solo career, were also in attendance.

Didn’t we blow your mind last night, Donnie?

Donnie was brought to tears during a special moment saluting the group’s recent 40th anniversary. “It was June 16, 1985 when I was lucky enough to audition for the one and only Maurice Starr,” Joey reflected. “I got the job on the spot.”

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“You never cease to amaze us,” Donnie tearfully told the audience, as Danny placed a comforting arm on his shoulder. “We love you. We appreciate you. We respect you. And we thank you. We are gonna work our asses off tonight for you Las Vegas!”

Twenty times for Vegas

It’s no NKOTB concert without the group’s pelvic hip thrusts during “You Got It (The Right Stuff).” And while they usually cap it at around “10 times,” the guys went all out for Sin City. “We’ve got to raise the ante for Las Vegas and do 20,” teased Donnie, before they seductively thrust away as laser lights beamed in-sync to their moves. Meanwhile, the song’s fun sliding steps choreography was elevated by a squad of slick background dancers, who perfectly funked up the show without dominating the action.

Brian Babineau @brian_babs_babineau / Al Powers @powersimagery

Old-school Vegas vibes

In a nod to those who birthed the Vegas music and residency scene, the group oozed Rat Pack vibes as they came out in colorful, glam jackets and sang “Click Click Click.” Gathering around a table and smoothly clicking their fingers as Donnie crooned the bridge, it could have easily been a scene from an old jazz lounge.

An encore for the books

Only in Vegas! In their fan favorite 2024 single “Kids,” the band sings, “Jump in the drop-top 'cause we're taking it up,” so it was only appropriate that they cruised on stage in a convertible (with a license plate “reading NKOTBLV”) before launching into the dance track. The stunt mirrored their 1989 “You Got It (The Right Stuff)” music video, in which Jon drove the band around in a 1971 Buick LeSabre Custom before they met up with a group of girls.

Brian Babineau @brian_babs_babineau / Al Powers @powersimagery

Twenty five years later, they were met with a few thousand ladies as they drove into the theater in sparkly white and silver jackets—with Jon once again behind the wheel. “I was probably the only one old enough to have a driver's license at the time,” he told us after the show. “But then I suddenly became the chauffeur! They were like, ‘Can you take me to school?’”

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Decades later, the tables were turned as Joey chauffeured Jon from Los Angeles to Vegas for opening weekend. And while it’s a well-earned upgrade from traipsing around town on trains to cruising cities in fancy convertibles, it’s clear that after 40 years together, it’s just like they say in “Kids” – “We’re still just kids that are messing around, making the most of the things that we found.”