Andrew Matte, Leader-Post
Published: Sunday, August 31, 2008REGINA -- The big tease worked to a T.
The Backstreet Boys blew a thousand kisses, vowed more than once to perform in Regina again, jumped into the crowd to exchange hugs with front-row females and even suggested they should move to the Queen City during a powerful concert that pushed two hours.
All of this, of course, was met with waves of screams and flailing arms from a sea of mostly young, gussied-up girls and young women who figured this was more than a concert, but rather a significant event.
And, on many levels, it was. This was a confident, talent foursome that had a similarly powerful backup band and technicians behind them - all three factions combined to make one slick show. And even though the "unrehearsed" between-song banter and playful antics on stage were anything but, it all seemed fresh and genuine.
It was a fine showcase for great voices and athleticism.
Even before the show, the teasing began when one of the Boys waved to the crowd from the sides of the stage, prompting a hopeless rush toward him and the waiting security.
When the curtain fell, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean were introduced on the screens above playing the role of boxers on their way to a boxing match before appearing in person in a ring.
They launched into "Larger Than Life" as they shadow-boxed and sang into their famous headset microphones that made them look like rock star restaurant drive-through attendants.
We might think this was a metaphor for the band's battle for respectability in the contemporary music world or perhaps a fight to return to their lost success, but no such cerebral debate was happening last night as the Boys winked, raised their fists and gestured to a Brandt Centre nearly crammed with female faces.
The best thing about the show was how it kept the songs as its main feature, and the four musicians were left to play their instruments in the shadows behind the Boys and bring an arena rock feel to Backstreet hits like "I Want it That Way," "Shape of My Heart" and "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely." This helped make it seem we were at a rock concert rather than a Backsteet Boys show, something that appeared to be a success given all the dancing and singing in the parking lot afterwards.
Lots of planning also went into to the video production, which was the best I'd seen at any concert. The cameras put the singing faces on the big screen with seamless precision, something this video music generation demands.
The cameras followed the Boys' grinning faces as they performed Backstreet hits, danced through choreographed numbers and exchanged high-fives as they passed each other. The show, which was acceptably cheesy at times, was careful to highlight each member equally -- McLean (the troubled one) helped raise the crowd's volume after the lift of an eyebrow or when his crotch was a seen on the screens, Dorough (the cultural one) accepted flowers and panties like it was another day at the office, Littrell (the religious one) traded gestures with those in the front row while he sang, and Carter (the sweaty one) pushed his face into cameras more than once, hamming it up like he was having the best time of his bandmates.
No mention, however, was made of former member Kevin Richardson, who left the group in 2006. I have no idea how he earns his living today, but my guess, judging from the success of Saturday's show, quitting was a mistake.
The show's slickness was evident, too, when each Boy took turns singing a song from their solo efforts -- two have CDs out, two have CDs in the hopper -- and Littrell made a clever mention of the entire Backstreet Boys catalogue, even describing a couple of CD covers.
The evening began with a comparatively short show performed by reality show product Girlicious, the four-member group of models who can sing, or singers who look like models, or something.
The whole deal was lost on me - when we sing over recorded music and background vocals, we call this karaoke, which was essentially what this was, but with some choreography and exposed midriffs. There was also lots of wriggling of bums and heaving chests. I don't understand how this combination of catchy songs and adult entertainment is appealing to a teen girl audience, so I'll leave it at that.
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