New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
O-Town brings boy band nostalgia to Mohegan Sun
O-Town was one of reality TV’s first big music groups, having found fame on “Making the Band,” a series that ran from 1999-2002 on ABC for one season and MTV for two, which chronicled the creation, development and rise of a boy band.
Currently comprised of Trevor Penick, Jacob Underwood, Dan Miller and Erik Michael Estrada — original front man Ashley Parker Angel is no longer in the group — the band found success with two platinum recordings, which produced hit songs such as “Liquid Dreams” and “All or Nothing.”
But a changing musical landscape, combined with some behind-the-scenes controversies, resulted in the group’s breakup soon after.
“We’ve been friends for so long, and when we were doing the TV show we didn’t know how not to argue and push each other’s buttons, but we now know how to communicate and love each other and respect each other,” Penick said.
In 2014, some O-Town members reunited and found full houses waiting for them on a national tour. This resulted in a Kickstarter campaign for a new album, and the band more than doubled its goal of $47,500.
Today, O-Town is still going strong and on Sept. 30 will be heading to Mohegan Sun for one of the group’s first live shows since the pandemic.
“Now we’re back on the road and everything seems to be getting better,” Penick said. “The energy of everyone is so strong. It’s been 17 months between shows, and we haven’t waited that long since we first broke up.”
Now that O-Town is back performing, Penick noted no one is taking anything for granted — something members learned when they first disbanded.
“We are enjoying every minute and are extremely happy that our fans are coming out and are there to see us,” he said. “When it’s stripped away and taken from you, it gives you a whole new perspective, so it’s been really, really good.”
At the Mohegan Sun, O-Town is touring as part of its Pop 2000 Tour. “It’s a lot of fun and a lot of highenergy songs that make people feel good the entire time,” Penick said.
“We love singing and dancing together. We love each other and I think that shows on the stage when you watch us.”