It confuses me how Jordan Knight, as part of the New Kids on the Block has filled the Saddledome twice in the last four years, yet his October 18th show had a small audience at MacEwan Hall Ballroom at the University of Calgary. Touring behind the excellent Unfinished album and bringing the charisma that made millions of girls swoon to posters on their wall, there should have been more people.
It didn't deter Knight, who performed with the same enthusiasm and energy as if there were 10,000 people instead of a few hundred. Kicking off the evening with Higher Knight bounced around the stage backed up by two energetic backup dancers. Give It To You from his 1999 solo album was another early standout before Knight slowed things down for a set playing the piano.
The song O-Face – literally about asking a woman to show her orgasm face – saw Knight grinding against the stage as if trying to coax an orgasm out of the floor. It was the only somewhat cringe-worthy moment in an overall stellar show. Knight even brought up four women on stage to dance with for the song Rockstar.
At the end of the show, Knight thanked those that attended, reflecting on the last four years and the whirlwind that has been his life since the New Kids reunited. He reminded the crowd that the first one was a sweet one, and the second one was a blast... ending the concert on a high note with The Right Stuff the only NKOTB material of the night.
It really is a shame that more people didn't attend, because they missed out on a fantastic show put on by a veteran performer. The primarily female audience ate it up and will surely snap up tickets when the New Kids tour in support of their upcoming album.
Opener Jesse Labelle showed that he is a man to watch. Performing mostly songs from his sophomore album Two the charismatic Toronto native bounced between playing guitar and keyboard during his 30 minute set. Songs like Heartbreak Coverup and One Last Night along with a cover of Drake's Take Care garnered him new fans, many of whom lined up to meet him during intermission. I highly suggest grabbing his album, and checking him out next time he plays Calgary.