In 2022 the youngest New Kid on the Block, Joey McIntyre (Joe Mac), turned 50 and celebrated with a performance at New York City’s prestigious Carnegie Hall, which was a bucket-list moment for both artist and fans.
The Solo Joe show was so well received that there’s a bit of a world tour happening in 2023 (Europe and the UK) for the natural born entertainer, as well as summer dates across North America.
The Sugar Club in Dublin welcomed McIntyre on an otherwise quiet Monday night, with the queue starting mid-morning. I arrived just after six pm and the line of local and international blockheads formed around the block for the next couple of hours, until the doors opened by bemused staff.
Around 100 VIP ticket holders gained entry first, filling up the front rows of the theatre, and would later meet Joe after the show for photos. Tiered, plush velvet banquettes, soft lighting and small tables provided the seating and a cosy atmosphere for the majority of the million sisters (300) while steps either side of the seating held the rest. I’d like to add back, but what’s a show without audience participation? Not a Joe Show. Listen to his “One Too Many: Live From New York” album from 2002 for a flavour of the experience.
The show started just after half eight, with two U2 covers; it was good to hear ‘Where The Streets Have No Name’ as part of the medley. McIntyre’s great grandparents came from Ireland and he made witty, heartfelt and self-deprecating cultural observations throughout the show.
This spontaneous and natural banter is one of main reasons I travelled from the UK to see the Solo Joe show; he’s an effortless entertainer with audiences, whether on a stadium stage with fellow members of New Kids on the Block, Broadway boards (‘Wicked’, ‘Waitress’) big screen (‘The Heat) or in an almost one-to-one intimate show situation like the Joe Show. He’d definitely draw the crowds for a Vegas residency.
Rising producer and multi-instrumentalist Sean Thomas provided the guitar, background vocal and keys sound, although McIntyre took to the piano to play several songs towards the end, including an impressive cover of ‘Desperado’.
The set list included McIntyre’s own material including ‘Here We Go Again’ as well as covers of favourite artists, including George Michael’s ‘Faith’ and ‘Father Figure’, Elton John’s ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’, Mark Ronsons’ ‘Uptown Funk’ and 1D’s Niall Horan’s ‘Slow Hands’. Joe also performed the Sinatra standard classic ‘All The Way’, which he dedicated to his late father, Thomas Joseph McIntyre.
Joe found time for plenty of merriment throughout the ninety-minute set, sharing his travels around Ireland and reminding Sean to keep playing the guitar, because he could talk all night. At one point, feeling the need to get close to the audience, Joe turned up near the back of the theatre, hopping onto the arm of a banquette to perform the next song, before realising it was the rather big New Kids on the Block favourite, ‘(You Got It) The Right Stuff’. He went for it anyway, swaying and dancing with his arms as the song called for; if he had fallen there were immediate and willing arms for a soft landing. A quick conga of hugs towards the stage and he was back for ballads ‘Stay The Same’ and ‘Please Don’t Go Girl’. Impressively, you could still hear Joe over the audience response to that number.
Fresh from the inaugural Block Con held in Illinois last month, with the band doing a deep dive into ‘80s album cuts and memorabilia for convention attendees, Dublin fans were treated to a surprise performance of the ballad ‘Where Do I Go From Here?’ from the Step By Step album, proving that McIntyre’s vocal range is one of his super powers (along with his humour and storytelling). It was so good to hear this song live.
A solo Joe show was everything I’d hoped it would be; powerhouse vocals, spontaneous banter and intimate setting, with a fair chance of a return to his Irish roots for future shows. Perhaps other southern towns, like Waterford, will be on the map next time?
It was Thomas’ first time in Europe, with him grading the audience an 11/10 – and at one point the audience chanted “Sean-y” to show their appreciation of a fantastic Joey and Sean show; Cologne and London are up next on the tour.
Set list: 1. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (U2 cover) 2. Where The Streets Have No Name (U2 cover) 3. Here we go again 4. You’re Just What I Needed (The Cars cover) 5. Uptown Funk (Mark Ronson cover) 6. Tonight 7. I love you came too Late 8. Faith (George Michael cover) 9.Slow hands (Niall Horan cover) 10. Single 11. All The Way (Frank Sinatra cover) 12. Own This Town 13. Father Figure (George Michael cover) 14. Where Do I Go From Here? 15. Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (Elton John cover) 16. (You Got It) The Right Stuff 17. Stay The Same 18. Please Don’t Go Girl 19. Supergirl 20 Don’t Stop Believing (Journey cover) 21: Five Brothers and a Million Sisters Encore: 1. Desperado (Eagles cover) 2. Easier Venue: The Sugar Club, Dublin, Ireland Date: Monday 19th June 2023
