Review: John Burns is Fun and Fabulous in BOY BAND at Don't Tell Mama

John Burns’ BOY BAND at Don’t Tell Mama is a jubilant love letter to the music that raised a generation - and on opening night, January 29, the sold-out crowd was more than ready to sing along. From the moment the disco ball began to spin, Burns had the audience in the palm of his glittery hand. Opening with the Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody,” Burns cheekily amended the lyrics to announce, “John Burns is back,” and the room erupted in agreement. Yes. He. Is!

Backed by a powerhouse band in matching black shirts with a touch of sparkle - David Sillimann on drums, Skip Ward on bass, Mike Rosengarten on guitar, Tracy Stark as musical director at the piano, and Director Lennie Watts on backup vocals - the evening kicked off with high energy and unapologetic joy. The band was on fire throughout, with Rosengarten delivering a particularly killer solo during “Sucker” that drew well-earned applause.

The premise of the show is disarmingly simple: John Burns is celebrating boy bands. As he himself puts it, “In the chest of this full-grown gay man beats the heart of a teenage girl.” And for this self-proclaimed ’90s baby reviewer, it felt like the soundtrack of my youth had come roaring back to life.

Known for his signature jumpsuits, Burns did not disappoint. After starting the evening sleekly clad in the same shirt as the band, he soon stripped down to reveal one of his iconic glittering numbers! What followed was a parade of boy-band hits, mashups, and comedic turns that balanced camp with genuine affection for the genre. One of the night’s biggest laughs came courtesy of a hilarious duet with Lennie Watts, who donned a wig to play Burns’ childhood friend Tilly for a campy, pitch-perfect rendition of “What Makes You Beautiful.” It was, without question, one of the funniest moments I’ve seen in cabaret in a long time!

A slow, almost reverent entrance into Hanson’s “MMMbop” followed, and remarkably, it may have been the first time many in the room actually heard and understood the lyrics. Director Lennie Watts has a gift of working with performers to reframe familiar material, allowing audiences to hear these songs anew.

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, Burns leaned into romance with his hysterical “Dick Mashup,” pairing SNL’s “Dick in a Box” with Babyface and Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You” to riotous effect. Another standout was a Jackson family mashup, weaving together “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” and “I’ll Be There” among others in a seamless tribute to pop royalty.

And just when you think you’ve seen it all, Burns takes a turn toward K-Pop - yes, it’s in there too - with Burns even singing in Korean, much to the audience’s delight.

The evening’s most tender moment arrived when Burns dedicated a wedding mashup of ’90s love ballads to his husband, grounding the glitter and comedy in something deeply personal and heartfelt.

BOY BAND is a high-octane, joy-filled celebration of music, memory, and the unapologetic pleasure of loving what you love. Burns’ unbridled enthusiasm is infectious, and the audience at Don’t Tell Mama reveled in every beat.

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The show plays three more performances on February 4, 13, and 14 at 7:00 PM at Don’t Tell Mama. For more information, visit johnburns.live 

To reserve a seat for the show, visit: https://shows.donttellmamanyc.com/

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