Still reeling from the excitement of last weekend, when the Backstreet Boys led us on a trip down memory lane, we whittle down all our reasons why we still love them into a list of ten.
1. The Backstreet Boys have been around for 22 whole years – a lifetime in boyband years. And they never stop thanking the fans for their support. ‘Are you ready to party like it’s 1999?’ roars Kevin Richardson, the oldest and probably the stiffest of the gang. Yes, there’s no doubt in our mind we are.
2. The boys – or should we say men? – know who their fans are, and they’re not afraid to deliver. In fact, they aim to please. It’s obvious the mostly female crowd of 20- to 40-somethings want one thing and one thing only – to relive their teenage years. So when Nick Carter shouts, ‘We want you to go crazy, and we want you to act like you’re 15 again! Those are the only rules we have!’, the audience goes nuts. Us included – no shame there.
3. From the moment they burst on stage with ‘The Call’ until their two-song encore of ‘Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)’ and ‘Larger than Life’ almost two hours later, the energy in the room sizzles. That’s no small feat, considering how it’s been over a decade since their peak as part of the ’90s boyband movement. But then again, these guys are larger than life.
4. Each Backstreet Boy takes his turn in the spotlight to chat with the audience, starting off with Nick, who cheekily milks all the attention before introducing the rest. As if we don’t already have their entire biography memorised.
5. ‘What do you do when you’re a full grown man in a boyband?’ asks the video on screen. If you’d like to know, you’ll find a way to get your hands on their new documentary, Backstreet Boys: Show ’Em What You’re Made Of.
6. For most of their set, the guys sing and dance along to a backing track, but really, no one cares. After all, we’re here to see them re-enact the best memories of our childhood in the flesh, pitchy vocals and all. But it’s a nice change to see them sit down with guitars, keys and percussion to play acoustic versions of ‘Drowning’ and ‘10,000 Promises’.
7. What’s a band without funny stereotypes? A two-minute video appears while they change out of their suits and into comfy clothes (referencing ‘As Long as You Love Me’). Who’s the serious one? Kevin, for sure. The silly one? Probably Nick. The diva? Looks like it’s Howie Dorough, who apparently walks around with a mirror. And the sexiest? They all claim it.
8. ‘It’s not about the past; it’s about the future,’ declares Brian Littrell, who easily takes the prize for the goofiest one. He points to each section of the audience to give thanks, before clumsily executing high kicks and excitedly proclaiming that Backstreet Boys will return to the recording studio this summer. Cue frenzied screams.
9. There are no crazed shouts of ‘I love you’ here, nor any frantic stampedes to the front. Just a mature audience enjoying the obvious camaraderie between the guys. And every bit is so awesome, it triggers off a whole lot of reminiscing for us – we make a mental note to continue the ’90s throwback at home, by re-watching all their music vids.
10. By the end of the gig, we’re light-headed from inhaling the haze of nostalgia. It’s surreal how the guys manage to reduce an entire crowd of grown women (and several men) to swooning schoolgirls simply by crooning cheesy tunes and performing the same dance moves from their old music videos. But then again, that’s the Backstreet Boys for you. And they’re back, alright.
