| Despite Illnesses, Backstreet Boys Give It All They Have to Give in Las Vegas | |
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| Last Edited: Monday, 24 Nov 2008, 4:10 PM CST | |
| Created: Monday, 24 Nov 2008, 4:10 PM CST | |
myFOXhouston.com Web Producter HOUSTON -- There's no doubt the Backstreet Boys are one of the most successful boy bands during the pop era of the late 90's and early 00's. During their thus far 15-year career, two of the Boys' six albums--Backstreet Boys and Millennium-- remain charted among the Top 40 most popular records ever produced, according to Amazon.com. And even though the group's popularity has dwindled since the 2001 release of Black and Blue, devoted fans from all over the world still swooned as the now-quartet took the stage Saturday night at the Pearl Concert Theater at The Palms hotel in Las Vegas.
Women--and a few men--of all ages packed the 2,500-person capacity venue with cameras in hand and outfits decked out with tribute to the Boys. Concert venue officials said as of Saturday morning, about 2,000 tickets had already been sold, and more were being bought right before the show. When the doors opened, a stampede of women barged through the doors, all intent on making it in first so they could stand right up against the stage. And when the lights dimmed and the curtains dropped, their screams became unmerciful. Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell and A.J. McLean jumped into a mock boxing ring with their robes and gloves and started the show with the song, "Larger Than Life." And when they sang "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely," the boys gathered around a poker table and played with cards as they sang. However, Carter, the youngest member of the group, had run up a fever of 103 degrees the day before, prompting management to cancel the Friday show in Phoenix, Ariz., according to the group's official Web site. And throughout the concert, a clearly still ill Carter kept pushing his microphone down to cough. And on a video chat with fans shortly before the show, McLean said he, too, was feeling under the weather and also on medication. However, his vivaciousness seemed to overcome any sign of physical weakness. But Carter couldn't hide it. After straining to sing the first few songs, Carter opted out of singing his parts for the rest of the show and just sang along in the choruses and danced. Dorough-- who already was singing the parts of former Backstreet Boys member Kevin-- filled in for Carter. And when Dorough didn't sing the parts, Carter let the fans sing them for him. So the quartet became a trio-- and one that probably is weaker today than it would have been nearly a decade ago. The band members had trouble singing their hit songs on-key and keeping up with their different orchestrations. But despite the setbacks, the relaxed atmosphere of the show and the oral exchanges among themselves made the Boys seem much more real in comparison to their previous, more punctual concerts. And its intimate setting also allowed for great fan interaction. When the Boys' weren't dancing, they were busy touching fans' hands and joking around with them, sparking laughter among the crowd. McLean, Dorough and Littrell also jumped off the stage for the "Lollipop Song," where they kissed random fans. And McLean, who is known for his wild and free-spirited moves, made even the women old enough to be his mother scream and swoon. The Boys also promoted themselves both as a group and solo artists. McLean and Dorough, who are both working toward releasing their solo albums, each sang a track to showcase their styles, while Littrell continued to promote his 2006 solo album, Welcome Home. McLean's song, "Drive-by Love," had a pop-rock feel with a catchy tune that could easily catch the attention of tweens and mainstream rock lovers. Dorough's song, "She's Like the Sun," had distinct Spanish influence and was unique from than anything he had ever recorded with the group. Littrell brought giggles to the crowd as he prepared to sing "Welcome Home," a single off the Welcome Home disc, which sold more than 100,000 copies. "I think there three or four of you here who have it," Littrell joked with the crowd. And when the crowd screamed louder, he conceded, "All right. All right. Maybe five or six." Yet the biggest excitement of the night came when McLean let the fans in on a little secret--the group is scheduled to return to the studio Dec. 1 to continue working on their seventh record, which may be released in 2009. "I want you to share this secret with everyone you know," McLean told fans. Overall, the concert proved the Boys were more than a pop-music-era fad and that they are both comfortable and confident in their current status as a quartet and solo artists. However, anyone who already isn't a fan probably wouldn't have been persuaded of their talent Saturday night. Verdict: Three of Five Stars Set List:
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lunes, 24 de noviembre de 2008
Despite Illnesses, Backstreet Boys Give It All They Have to Give in Las Vegas
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