By HOSEA CHEUNG, 24 HOURS
The buzz: Backstreet was back alright, albeit one man short. The four-singer "boy" group revived the late '90s at GM Place Thursday night with a set list meant to show Vancouver why the Backstreet Boys were on top of the music world at one point in time.
Cute beginnings: When you start off the show with Brian Littrell's five-year-old son Baylee coming on stage to aww the female contingent with a cute rendition of "Are you ready for the Backstreet Boys?", you know you're off to a great start - in terms of making hearts melt.
Tatted up with wrong: The songs coming out of A.J. McLean definitely did not match his appearance to start off with, as the rocker-like outfit along with his full arm tattoos mirrored characters out of West Coast Choppers as opposed to a heart-throbbing boy band member. Oh, there were also "Queen Tour '75" and "Black Sabbath" T-shirts amongst the other singers to go with the leather jackets. Wrong genre.
Ear drums shattering: I've heard loud. Heck, I've heard Chinese-restaurant loud. But the shrilling cacophony of high-pitched girls made the Hansons seem manly. My head hurts.
Night of estrogen: On the same note, about 80 per cent of concert attendees were women, but it wasn't difficult to find men amongst the throng of female fans. They were either attached to their girlfriends/wives, with their daughters/nieces, or terribly lost. Oh, and of course, there was a lone 24 hours journalist somewhere amongst the gender minority of the night.
Target audience: The much older Backstreet Boys did not fail to disappoint when it came to wooing fans, since entering the crowd to give kisses and hugs to adoring fans sure helped their cause.
Loudest sing-along: It had to be a tie between "I Want It That Way" and "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely". Seven women miraculously got pregnant the moment those first notes played. It was that good.
Self promo: Of course, all members had previously spent time exploring their own solo careers, so each had a turn at singing their own song. Howie Dorough bombed, I don't even remember A.J.'s, and Nick Carter looked out of sorts. It was probably Littrell who actually showed some talent.
Man amongst boys: Speaking of Littrell - who happened to draw a close resemblance to Canadian comedian Gerry Dee - he was the only one amongst the four who actually looked grown up. His maturity definitely showed, as did his musical talent through his solo single "Welcome Home (You)". Throughout the night, the family man and devout Christian seemed more real, for a lack of a better word; he stood out.
Synthesizing solo: Seriously, still? When Carter's voice sounds like a raspy male version of Britney Spears, then it's pretty obvious as to who went with synthesizer help. I guess he needs all the false boost he can get. Now if only they could do something about his dancing.
Stage and props: With the most creative display during the opening where the singers "fought" in a boxing ring, props were prominent throughout the show. From chairs to cellphones to a poker table, the stage presence was utilized somewhat effectively. Don't forget the improvisation prop known as a run-away bra which Carter used to put on his face. What's with Vancouver fans and throwing bras? Not that I'm complaining.
Lights: Honestly, if it weren't part of my job to pay attention to lighting, I wouldn't have even realized any change from the plain blue/purple hue they had on for most of the night. It was nothing spectacular.
Encore: BSB started strong and ended strong, and with a pretty upbeat version of "Shape of my Heart" to close out the night, plenty of fans definitely went home happy. Also, gotta love the confetti.
Grade: C+ - Although I'm not the biggest supporter of boy bands, the overwhelming roar of approval all concert long definitely revived the popularity of BSB in Vancouver, even if it's just for one night only. However, the four singers have their past to thank for the outcome because if a group of unknowns did the exact same act, it would have been just another Thursday night.
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