LOS ANGELES — New Kids on the Block have invited some old friends on their forthcoming national tour.
The boy band announced Monday that hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa, singer-songwriter Rick Astley and R&B group En Vogue will join NKOTB on its 2022 MixTape arena tour, which will make several stops in California next spring.
"We had a blast out on the first MixTape Tour in 2019, and can't wait to take it to another level with our fans on the MixTape Tour 2022," NKOTB star Donnie Wahlberg said in a statement.
"Just like a mixtape, these shows are going to take audiences through all the emotions. To be able to have Salt-N-Pepa come back and now also have the iconic and legendary Rick Astley & En Vogue join the tour… we could not be more excited. Let's GO!"
During the first leg of the tour, NKOTB and its "legendary guests" will appear at San Diego's Viejas Arena (May 26), Los Angeles' Staples Center (May 27) and Anaheim's Honda Center (May 28) before heading to Fresno's Save Mart Center (May 31), San Jose's SAP Center (June 1) and Sacramento's Golden 1 Center (June 2).
The MixTape tour bus will also travel to a slew of other major cities between May and July, including Nashville, New Orleans, Houston, Las Vegas, Seattle, Denver, Orlando, Florida, and the headliner's hometown, Boston.
The band's announcement comes about two months after the singers performed a sold-out set for the first time in two years at Boston's Fenway Park. In 2019, NKOTB embarked on its first MixTape tour — featuring Salt-N-Pepa, Tiffany, Naughty by Nature and Debbie Gibson — which raked in $53.2 million and sold more than 650,000 tickets.
Tickets for the collective's upcoming shows — which will see the '80s and '90s heartthrobs perform a variety of hits, including "Hangin' Tough," "I'll Be Loving You Forever" and "Step by Step" — go on sale Friday.
You can find more information on the group's website.
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