Last week, my friend surprised me with a ticket to NKOTBSB. I had previously turned down a ticket three times due to money-saving antics. (It was hard. Very hard. And yes, that’s what she said.) But one of the concert-goers had to back out and I was in.

Now, I had seen NKOTB twice before, and while I was never a true Backstreet Boys fan (I could only name one of them), I did like some of their songs. So, when I got the ticket, I was ecstatic. And going to the show with five of my 30-year-old-plus girlfriends for a night of nostalgia, well, you just can’t beat that.

I knew what I was in for. I knew my elementary school heartthrobs still had it. I knew they were pressing 40 but still had rock-hard bodies and smooth dance moves. The songs sounded great. The boys – all of them – looked good. And the people in attendance went nuts (present company included).

It got me thinking though: what a great concept. Who do you think was the mastermind behind this brilliant venture? I feel like it went down like this:

Aging boy band #1: “Man, our flame has been extinguished. What can we do now? I’m not cut out to be in the real world. Let’s find another “has-been” band to reignite the flame. Hey, *NSYNC, you wanna make music with us? No, OK. Hey, Backstreet Boys, you in?”

Aging boy band #2: “Hell yes!”

And just like that, a mega boy band was born.

It truly is genius if you ask me. Sure, both groups are making new music, but no one cares. We come to hear the old stuff. The good stuff. We want to be transported back to a time when we were young and carefree.

So while NKOTB may be old – and BSB is nipping at their heels in that department –those “boys” are the smartest people in the world.

And they put on one hell of show.

More From 92.9 WBUF