Backstreet Boys deliver stunning concert to devoted fans at Sphere in Las Vegas: Review
LAS VEGAS – “Sometimes I wish I could turn back time, impossible as it may seem,” the Backstreet Boys crooned on their 1997 smash “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart).”
At their Sphere residency, which kicked off its 21-date run July 11 at the visual playground in Las Vegas, the quintet absolutely reveled in nostalgia, turning back time for a sold-out crowd that proudly rocked Backstreet Boys T-shirts or all-white outfits in a nod to the "Millennium" album cover.
The sight of Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough and AJ McLean caused a level of ear-splitting adoration that has been trailing the guys for 30 years. But, as with every live performance at the Sphere, this was more than a mere concert, it was a thrill ride, and the vibrating haptic seats and nonstop visuals elicited shrieks in their own right.
The nearly two-hour joyride came with a futuristic spaceship theme – a nod to their bazillion-selling “Millennium” album, the celebratory theme of these Vegas shows – from the moment the fivesome launched from below the stage for the wonky pop-funk of “Larger Than Life.”
From there, this mission control was set to stun – as in stunning – for a romp through pristinely sung ballads overflowing with yearning (Carter and Littrell can still sell an emotion with clenched eyes and balled fists) and gleaming pop anthems buffed to a melodic sheen.
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As challenging as it can be to appreciate the artists as much as the visual elements at the Sphere, the Backstreet Boys kept fans' enraptured with a set design that maximized fan interaction. A pair of catwalks jutted from the oval stage, allowing the guys to roam into the crowd while hitting their dance moves.
“We are full of gratitude tonight,” said Richardson, who pulled his shoulder-length cascade of hair into a man bun during the show.
“I’ve cried at least four times tonight already,” added McLean, his tough guy exterior counterbalanced with a pink knit cap and blue painted nails.
Those emotions were evident in Richardson and Littrell during “The Perfect Fan,” an ode to moms (earlier in the concert, Dorough gave a shoutout to his 91-year-old mom who was in the audience). As childhood photos of the guys scrolled by, Richardson choked up missing some opening lyrics and Littrell pinched the bridge of his nose to prevent tears.
The joy emanating from the largely millennial devotees was palpable, from the white clothing blanketing the stands to the breathless commentary throughout the concert.
“I can’t breathe!” shrieked one woman at the opening of “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely,” while “No One Else Comes Close,” a silky early career ballad that teeters on its tenuous sexuality, prompted commentary usually heard at Chippendales. And let's face it, the Backstreet Boys were – and still are – masters of perfectly harmonized bridges (“I Want It That Way”) and glorious key changes (the underappreciated “Shape of My Heart”).
While the Sphere set list aimed to appease every level of fan – “Hey” from “Millennium 2.0” and the deep album track “Siberia” from 2005’s “Never Gone” being the two mavericks of the bunch – the adrenaline of the final batch of songs would enthrall even the snarkiest music purists.
“I Want It That Way” marked the first time a Sphere concert has involved a moving apparatus. The guys stood atop a platform that rose astoundingly high (seriously, who could blame Littrell for leaning against a metal bar anchored in front of him?) during the finger-snapping pop behemoth while lasers zigzagged around them.
They remained aloft for “Get Down (You’re The One for Me”)” in a recreation of the song’s 1996 video, including a massive mirror ball and hundreds of video squares that stacked to the top of the venue.
The Backstreet Boys own the distinction as the first pop act to play the Sphere, which has hosted U2, the Eagles, Dead & Company, Phish and Kenny Chesney. That their popularity has barely waned in nearly 30 years is commendable. But this new triumph is proof that what might feel like a fad in the moment can become a legacy.
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