My First Date With The Backstreet Boys

February 23, 2001

by guru mumu

Friday, February 23rd, 2001, was a fateful night for me. I did something quite unexpected. I braved 8 year-olds wearing bra tops and leather, eardrum-shattering screams, and spending quite a mound of cash all too see the Backstreet Boys live and in the flesh. They didn't bear as much flesh as I would have liked (c'mon, I paid good money for the show) but that's okay. Maybe next time.

And what did I think? I had fun. I sang along. I danced along. I clapped along. But mind you, I didn't scream along. It's gonna take more than 5 dancing boys to make me scream, I'll tell you that much. Perhaps 5 dancing boys giving me a massage? Okay. Never mind. This is meant to be a PG-13 article.

One thing I can say about the boys, they sure know how to put on a show. The effects, from pyrotechnics to hypnotic images on a giant screen, from elevating and descending stages to billowy smoke, definitely added to the hype and excitement of the show. The concert was brimming with electrifying energy from start to finish; heck, even intermission was an event, with giddy fans doing the wave and practicing their ear-splitting hollering…you know, in case they forget how.

The back-up dancers were excellent, too. They sure made the Backstreet Boys look good! The Backstreet Boys sounded great live, too (well, they should, after 8 years of practice!), singing cuts from their latest album, "Black & Blue," as well as some hits from their older albums. They also have stage presence that would rival that of say…Mussolini. Yup, there's no doubt about it; these guys could run for office and they'd win, hands-down, with some stiff competition from N'Sync. It's amazing how much power and influence they have over the people! Grunting, gyrating, grinding, and grooving at all the right moments, they thrilled girls, boys, women, and men (especially the 2 blondes sitting in front of us, who served as half of the entertainment for that night) alike with their belief in making their concerts personal. Kevin, AJ, Brian, Howie, and Nick made it a point to shake at least 5 hands each. Nick went over and beyond the call of duty when he brought a girl, who looked about 5 or 6, onto the stage and proceeded to do a duet, kindergarten-stye, with her. Awwww. It was touching. But jaded li'l me couldn't help thinking, "Wow! What a great photo op! Excellent publicity stunt! That should raise his Q-rating by a gazillion points!"

I don't think the Boys need to worry about their Q-rating, though. Each and everyone of them is spearheading some sort of charitable foundation, ranging from saving the ocean to finding a cure for diabetes. Led by Kevin, they briefly talked about their good causes before going on to sing "Give Me A Reason." That's another thing about this concert: the lead-ins to the songs were just so smooth. A favourite of mine was the lead-in to "The Call": Kevin got a "call" from a cell phone and just as he answered, the first pumping beats of the song filled the stadium. It's a perfect case of you know what's next and you can't wait to see it unfold. Another lead-in involved footage of the guys horsing around in their change rooms before they broke into "How Did I Fall In Love With You?" at centre stage at floor level. They were so cute! What can I say? Guru Mumu broke down and caught the Backstreet Boys fever!

I was especially thrilled when the Boys took the stage at floor level. Even though I didn't get floor seats, I got a close enough glimpse of them, sweat beads and acne and all. I don't know if it's just me, but seeing them up close like that was nothing short of surreal. I'm so used to watching them on TV, I found it hard to believe that they were right in front of me, with nothing but a few metres (and a truckload of security) keeping us apart. And you know what? I would've wanted to get a little closer…especially to Nick. Yup, I admit, I was strangely very much attracted to the lad. It's funny what 8 years and a few hundred million dollars can do for a blond, pimpled boy. But yeah, even just for that night, I thought Nick was neat.

Speaking of Neat, the opening act, Krystal, put on quite an impressive show as well. Damn, the girl's got some major vocals going on! Having recently signed with the Backstreet Boys label, she's hoping to get a piece of the fame and fortune pie. She's got a voice that could put Mariah Carey to shame, a sound that's a mix of Brandy's and Monica's, and a look that has a striking resemblance to that of Pink. Oh, and she also plays the piano while she belts it out. Is she going to make it? Hmmm…hard to tell. But watch out for her. Her set of pipes don't kid around.

Overall, I give the show a thumbs up. The Backstreet Boys proved once again that they are first-class entertainers. Sure, I felt like an old fogie amidst those scantily-clad tweens. Sure, I didn't hip and hop to the beat the way I would have, say, 5 years ago. But I had fun. And I liked what I saw. Would I see them again? Sure I would. And perhaps I'd rush the stage next time!