As Long As There Be Music They’ll Be Coming Back Again

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There is only one thing in the world that can make a grown woman act like a 10 year old child, her favorite boy band. Last night marked the return of not just any boy band, it was THE boy band, the Backstreet Boys. Though many bands have come before and even more have come out since, the Backstreet Boys have been consistently delivering music for 17 years.

It might appear to some that this band’s career died years ago, but the thousands of fans that attended last night’s Backstreet Boys concert at the Gibson Ampitheater begged to differ. I myself, having been a long time Backstreet fan, did not know what to expect from this tour. I thought of them as a happy childhood memory. Nostalgia was my main reason for buying tickets to this concert and I feared I might not have another opportunity to see them again. I had this strange feeling in my gut the entire night leading up to the concert. Part of me was expecting the same exciting performance they have always delivered, but another part of me was scared that they would look old or not perform with as much energy as they used to. I exhaled a huge sigh of relief when, as soon as the lights dimmed and I heard the familiar sounds of Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), my heart started pitter-pattering with happiness. Like many other women (and some men) in the audience, I felt 12 years old.

Though Nick Carter, the youngest Backstreet Boy is now 30 years old, and the oldest member, Kevin Richardson, isn’t even in the band anymore, they still dance and sing like teenagers. The most amazing part was their charisma. Throughout the entire concert they pointed, waved, and threw things at the audience. They seemed to know better than anyone, that they’re fans are what made them who they are. I was especially impressed when they jumped into the audience in the middle of a song and serenaded audience members. It takes a lot for an artist to risk his/her safety for the sake of their fans, but they did it. And trust me, they definitely were risking their safety. When Carter walked down the right side of the arena I feared he might not be able to finish the song. All you could see was a stampede of young women rushing towards him in hopes of touching his hand. A security guard had to pull him back to the stage to keep the crowd from getting too rowdy. Rowdy or not, I found myself wishing I had spent the $125 it cost to sit amongst that crowd.

The concert itself was filled with all of the band’s classic hits such as “I want it that way,” “The Call,” and “As long as you love me.” They also sprinkled in a few songs from their latest album “This is Us” (which would only be appropriate considering they were on a tour of the same name). I hadn’t heard their new album, so it was nice getting to listen to it live. I liked most of the news songs; “This is Us” and “Straight Through my Heart,” were my favorites. Not all of it stuck with me though, “PDA,” was one of the worst songs of the night. The choreography accompanying it did not help either. They were repeatedly mock “grinding” their dancers. It was a little awkward to watch. Besides that however, the concert went far beyond my expectations.

Their video montages were especially entertaining. Each member did a spoof of a major Hollywood movie in which he green screened himself into popular scenes to talk about the tour. My personal favorite was AJ McLean’s rendition of Fight Club. It went something like this, “first rule of backstreet boys fan club, you do not talk about backstreet boys fan club. Second rule of backstreet boys fan club, only two guys to a song. Third rule, songs will go on as long as they have to. The fourth and final rule, if this is your first night, you have to sing.” I don’t think any fans had trouble following the final rule.Long Live the Backstreet Boys

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