Backstreet’s back, again. The men of BSB were on “Good Morning America” this morning to announce a new set of tour dates for their world tour, “In a World Like This.” The tour will begin in Canada on May 3, with it’s first US appearance on May 22 in Seattle. Avril Lavigne will be joining the guys as a special guest for the US leg of the tour. Tickets will go on sale March 21.

Check out the full list of dates and the announcement video below:

May 3rd – Moncton, NB @ Moncton Coliseum
May 4th – Halifax, NS @ Halifax Metro Centre
May 6th – Kingston, ON @ Rogers K-Rock Centre
May 7th – London, ON @ Budweiser Gardens
May 8th – Hamilton, ON @ FirstOntario Centre
May 11th – Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
May 13th – Moosejaw, SK @ Mosaic Place
May 14th – Lethbridge, AB @ Enmax Centre
May 16th – Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome
May 17th – Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
May 18th – Dawson Creek, BC @ EnCana Events Centre
May 20th – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
May 22nd – Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theater
May 24th – Wheatland, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre
May 25th – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
May 28th – San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
May 29th – Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
May 30th – Las Vegas, NV @ Planet Hollywood
May 31st – Las Vegas, NV @ Planet Hollywood
June 2nd – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheatre
June 4th – Corpus Christi, TX @ American Bank Center
June 5th – Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
June 6th – Oklahoma City, OK @ Chesapeake Energy Arena
June 7th – Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre
June 9th – Omaha, NE @ Centurylink Center
June 10th – St. Paul, MN @ Excel Energy Center
June 11th – Chicago, IL @ FirstMerit Bank Pavilion
June 13th – Indianapolis, IN @ Klipsch Music Center
June 14th – Pittsburgh, PA @ First Niagra Pavilion
June 15th – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
June 17th – Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theater
June 18th – Darien Lake, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
June 20th – Boston, MA @ Comcast Center
June 21st – Camden, NJ @Susquehana Bank Center
June 22nd – Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach Theater

I’ve enjoyed One Direction since “What Makes You Beautiful,” but only because I understood one hundred percent what they are — a boy band.

The guys were literally thrown together by Simon Cowell and made into superstars. I understand the “1D can do no wrong” mentality their fans have towards their manufactured music because I lived it with Backstreet Boys and Aaron Carter (yeah, I thought “How I Beat Shaq” deserved a Grammy). While I generally listen to more “indie” music, I’ve always appreciated One Direction for their contributions to my “Getting Ready” playlist, or my drunken loud sing-a-longs. All that being said, the guys surprised me with their latest album “Midnight Memories.”

While the band’s past two albums have been more on the pure pop side, “Midnight Memories” has a very obvious rock (mostly 80s) edge to it. “Best Song Ever,” which most obviously bridges the gap between “Take Me Home” and the latest LP, is the pure pop song we’d expect from the quintet. But don’t think people didn’t notice that nod to The Who’s “Baba O’riley” in the opening. The album’s title track “Midnight Memories” seems very influenced by Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” From the deluxe version of the album, “Does He Know?” is clearly an ode to Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl.” “Little Black Dress” also addresses 80s rock, with a messy and sexy song that sings, “I wanna see the way you move for me baby,” which will surely have 90,000 girls screaming every night on their just announced 2014 “Where We Are” stadium tour.

The band began when the boys were just 16, 17, 18, so now, three years later, it would be pretty sad if their albums didn’t continue to show some growth. Since the guys are still young, (Harry, the youngest at 19) the songs have become very sexually charged, but with some amount of subtlety in their “rock ‘n roll” lyrics. After all, One Direction still has young fans, ones which they don’t want to quickly lose like Miley Cyrus did. The chorus to “Midnight Memories,” sings, “Midnight memories oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.. Baby you and me, stumbling in the street singing, singing, singing, singing. Midnight memories, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Anywhere we go never say no. Just do it, do it, do it.” The “Little White Lies” chorus says, “You say you’re a good girl, but I know you would girl.” However, you’re not fooling anyone over 14 with those lyrics.

While the 80s rock bit might be fun for the parents dragged to the show to listen to, the songs sometimes feel forced. Instead of being rock, it sounds more like “Hey, I’m a rock (pop) star!” This is fine though, because it’s what’s to be expected from a boy band with an “edgier” album. The songs that sounded more genuine were the folky, Mumford and Sons paddle-drum-inspired tracks. The band’s second single, “Story of my Life” is a perfect example. All five of the boys helped co-write the song, which is by far one of the best songs on the album. With the acoustic aspect, the strong writing, and super developed vocals from all five of the boys, this feels like the most natural next step for the group. Following in a similar suit is the Lumineers-esque “Happily” co-written by Harry Styles. The song is very reminiscent of and just as catchy as — if not more so — than “Ho Hey.” “Through the Dark” and “Something Great” also fit in with these songs. If I were to pick the direction (ha) their next album would go, it would be in the style of these four, which by the way, all feature at least one of the members as a co-writer (as do all but three songs on the Deluxe edition).

Other songs on the album are everything you want to have in a One Direction song: a perfect balance of all five guys singing, super catchy choruses, fun up-tempo dance songs, and cute ballads that will make everyone swoon. “Diana” is very infectious, following suite with the more 80s rock influenced. “Don’t Forget Where You Belong,” written by Niall Horan and McFly, is very anthemic, clearly written with a stadium tour in mind. “Why Don’t We Go There” is one of the more “pop” songs on the album, and I have to give credit to Niall who sounds great at the end of the song (really through the entire album, his voice has matured the most). “You and I” and “Half a Heart” will surely bring some tears and aw-ing from the girls, as well as raised cell phones and glow sticks (do they still sell those?). Although, I have to remark on the awkward line in “Half a Heart”: “I’m walking around with just one shoe.” That’s not endearing, go find your other shoe.

While the band had some solid songs that begin to show signs of artistry in some of the members, others are completely unmemorable. Songs like “Strong,” “Better Than Words,” and “Right Now” were among my least favorite, mostly because they felt unnecessary. The songs added nothing to album, and honestly, it took me a few listens to even remember them. “Alive” is another one, but due to the poor songwriting. The beat and melody are catchy, but the song is saying “Yes, go sleep with every girl you see. It’s okay, ‘if it makes you feel alive'” No thanks. These songs, mixed with the more “forced” sounds, and the “almost-there” songs, show how rushed this album was. Three albums in three years? If the lads had taken their time on this album, perhaps had the opportunity to write more songs without co-writers, the album would have felt more like an album, and less like a cluster of singles. Although rumors of a 2014 album have already started, I hope they take their time on the next one.

But hey, most of these songs are catchy beyond belief, and I may or may not be buying tickets to their 2014 stadium tour…so, I think they’re doing something right.

 Score: 3.5/5

It’s that time again, the Backstreet Boys are hitting the road for the final leg of their In A World Like This Tour and we couldn’t be more excited to see more from the boys. Unfortunately, you’ll only be able to see the guys in concert if you plan on being in Japan sometime in October. But, do not fret, the Backstreet Boys will be back stateside at the end of the month for their 20th Anniversary cruise. Yes, for all you casual fans out there — the Backstreet Boys have their own cruise.

For those of you who are anxiously waiting for that ship to set sail on Oct. 25 or those of you who just get BSB withdrawals if you don’t see them ALL OF THE TIME, here’s a little clip to hold you over. Check out HTS’s exclusive clip from the Backstreet Boys In A World Like This soundcheck.

The Backstreet Boys have left a “Permanent Stain” on my heart and it’s incredible that “In a World Like This” they are still “Larger Than Life,” (sorry couldn’t resist).

Okay so maybe they don’t get played on the radio much anymore and they can’t sell a million albums in one week (tell me one artist who still does that), but the Backstreet Boys sure as hell know how to put on a great concert and they made fans at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine on Sept. 6 swoon like a bunch of teenagers.

In fact, there were actually a lot of teenagers in the audience. They could have been there to see opening act Jesse McCartney, but they could also have really cool older sisters. Either way, the crowd went wild during both sets. McCartney, who was also in a boy band once (anyone remember Dream Street), warmed everyone up with some of his more popular songs like “Leavin” and “Beautiful Soul.” He also previewed a couple of songs from his upcoming EP. McCartney’s dance moves and R&B hooks were reminiscent of Justin Timberlake, though he’s not nearly as good, it was still entertaining. His set was a perfect appetizer to the main course.

Nearing the end of the North American leg of the In A World Like This tour, the Backstreet Boys danced the night away with quite a bit of pep in their step. Back in their heyday, the boys – or should I say “men” – were often said to be the inferior dancers in the BSB versus N’SYNC competition, but believe me when I say their moves on Friday were leaps and bounds ahead of what N’SYNC did at the VMA’s. They truly seem to believe that staying together for 20 years means bringing their A game and giving the fans what they want for all 20 of those years — and when you are the world’s most successful boy band that means dancing.

The guys may be in their 30s and 40s, but they didn’t let that stop them from hitting every single move with energy and style. They opened the show in dramatic fashion, coming up from under the stage in slow motion as smoke filled the arena and nearly 15,000 fans held their breaths in anticipation. Then, the smoke cleared, all the boys were on stage and A.J. (McLean) ran towards the front platform singing the opening lines to “The Call.” Every single person in the audience started screaming and for a moment it felt like it was 1999 all over again.

But, before fans could get too comfortable in the nostalgia party, the boys would throw in a song off their latest album. They sang six songs off “In A World Like This,” including the title track of the same name. Fans may enjoy hearing the older songs, but the boys were able to impress with the newer songs. Kevin (Richardson) showed everyone that a good boy band does not need just one or two leads singers with his impressive vocals in “Breathe.” The group also took a step away from their more sugary pop numbers as they picked up some instruments and played “Madeline” and a few other songs acoustically.

The only thing that really took away from the show was the giant looping screen behind the stage. Most of the time it would just play kaleidoscope art, but every once in a while an out of place Zen image would appear for no apparent reason (think giants pictures of the Earth and waterfalls). But, cheesy background images aside, the group performed like they were still in their prime.

They closed out the night with two of their most iconic songs, “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” and “Larger than Life.” Many fans did the choreography right along with them. There were even a few grandmas and six-year-olds in the mix. Seriously guys, “Backstreet’s Back” is this generation’s “Thriller,” everyone knows the moves. For many of us it was like re-living a school dance, only this time we didn’t have to sneak in the alcohol.

Photography by Rosemary Vega

[See image gallery at hollywoodtimessquare.com]

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