Boy Band Trivia Night at the Tangled Wood -- April 27.
Tuesday, April 27, 7 p.m.
The Tangled Wood, 3636 Tanglewood Road, Bettendorf IA
Iconic groups ranging from the Jackson 5 to New Kids on the Block to *NSYNC will be celebrated at The Tangled Wood on April 27 when the Bettendorf venue hosts Boy Band Trivia Night – an evening in which music fans can trade their knowledge for cash prizes while answering questions on the Backstreet Boys, One Direction, Menudo, and loads of other beloved pop artists.
Although the term “boy band” wasn't commonly used when they debuted, the earliest predecessors of this format were groups such as the Jackson 5 and the Osmonds, which helped form the genre's eventual template. The Jackson 5 were a siblings group that established many musical conventions that boy bands follow, including close harmonies, catchy pop hooks, and choreographed dance moves. All Jackson 5 members also sang – a common convention of a boy band, meaning that no one performer dominates the stage. Also a siblings group, The Osmonds first started singing barbershop music for local audiences before being hired to perform at Disneyland early in their career. Their appearance in a televised Disney special earned them additional TV spots on The Andy Williams Show and The Jerry Lewis Show.
Boston group New Edition was formed in 1978 and reached their height of popularity in the 1980s, meaning they are often credited for starting the boy-band trend, even though the term didn't officially exist until the 1990s. Influenced by New Edition, Maurice Starr helped popularize the genre with his protégés of New Kids on the Block, the first commercially successful modern boy band, who formed in 1984 and found international success in 1988. With New Kids on the Block's continued popularity and Color Me Badd also having success, boy bands became a continued staple of the Billboard charts throughout the 1990s, with the most prominent ones featuring R&B and gospel elements courtesy of All-4-One (formed in 1993) and Boyz II Men (formed in 1988). Boyz II Men were also the most successful boy band act on Billboard's U.S. Hot 100, though it wasn't until 1997 and the change to pop-oriented groups such as Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, *NSYNC, The Moffatts, and Hanson that boy bands exploded commercially and dominated the market.
Since 2001, the Jonas Brothers rose to fame from promotion on the Disney Channel in 2008, while other bands such as JLS and Mindless Behavior also emerged and experienced remarkable success. In the early 2010s, the emergence of new boy bands including Big Time Rush, The Wanted, and One Direction and the formation of supergroup NKOTBSB – which comprised members of New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys led to something of a genre comeback, followed by the arrivals of groups such as A1, Blue, 98 Degrees, Five, 911, and O-Town.
Boy Band Trivia Night begins at 7 p.m. on April 27, participation is free for the all-ages event, and cash prizes will be awarded. Guests are asked to wear face masks when not seated at their tables, and more information on the evening is available by calling (563)949-1000 or visiting TheTangledWood.com.
