If someone were to ask you about The Backstreet Boys, the first thought that would probably come to your head would be they are so irrelevant, either that or aren’t they dead yet/I thought they were in rehab, and you know what to some extent you would be right, but after going to their packed out 20th anniversary tour (actually 23rd anniversary, they have been on this tour for 3 years) I was astounded at the number of people who still carry the fond nostalgic memories of The Backstreet Boys with them in their everyday life.
Take me for example; The Backstreet Boys released their first album when I was a fresh-faced 5 year old. I grew up listening to their music, dancing to their songs and by the time I was old enough to realize that boys didn’t have cooties, Nick Carter was my second crush (after Zac Hanson of course).
Here I am in all my Backstreet Boy loving glory (both above and below because it’s so good - Ed). This was my 2nd Grade yearbook photo. I wore this shirt for a month straight when I was 8, my poor mother had to wash it every day because it was the only shirt I wanted to wear and it had Nick Carter’s face on it so BONUS!
I’m the type of fan that would watch all their music videos as a kid and learn the dances to whip out at other 8 yr old birthday parties. When I watched their recently released movie Show Em What You’re Made Of, the part that broke my soul was when they were visiting Nick’s old dance studio. The BSB’s walked in and met the kids that were currently taking a class and Nick asked if any of them knew the ‘Backstreet’s Back’ dance (only the most famous dance/song in their repertoire). As each kid in the class shook their heads in a solid ‘NO’ my heart broke a little more, it finally shattered and I burst into tears when the boys offered to teach them the dance. THIS WAS SOMETHING I HAD ALWAYS DREAMED OF AND THESE LITTLE PISS-ANTS DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THE SONG!!! THE IMPUDENCE!
So you can imagine that when I got offered the chance to go to the Meet & Greet/Sound check Party before the Backstreet Boys’ concert here in Sydney and actually meet them face-to-face my reaction was something like this:
Naturally very calm and collected.
When I got to the stadium it hadn’t quite sunk in yet, I wasn’t really prepared for what was about to happen. We got given our passes and were sat in the waiting room before being taken into the stadium for the sound check. I spotted Nick stepping on stage and still I was fairly contained. Seriously what was wrong with me, a true fan girl would be a puddle on the floor by now? Little did I know my time would come, I would have my embarrassing fan girl moment, the minute they started singing. Literally they all sat down with their guitars and the first angelic notes came out of their mouths and the next thing you know my face was like Niagara Falls. I managed to collect myself for the 4 songs they played and the ridiculous audience questions (seriously questions from the audience never go well, why do people do that?!) One woman legitimately asked the boys to impregnate her! This would have been difficult and weird for more than the obvious reasons because she was already heavily pregnant (I mean really save some babies for the rest of us out here) and I can’t imagine a baby conceived with the sperm of 5 different men would come out normal.
I pulled myself together after they finished performing and waited in line for the meet and greet. Now I am a natural eavesdropper; I can’t help it I just constantly drop mad eaves and being in this line was no different. I heard fans arguing about who was in front of who, competitions about who was the bigger fan or who had loved them longer; I heard one Platinum VIP holder discuss how she didn’t pay $600 to have some tall person sit in front of her at the sound check, I mean god forbid right! How could these people even talk to each other when The Backstreet Boys were in the same room! I know I couldn’t I just fidgeted about doing what looked like some sort of “I desperately need to pee” dance because I couldn’t stand still I was so nervous. My wrists went weak which I thought was weird because in the movies it’s usually your knees but hell screw conformity. I word vomited all the potential things I could say to them because you have to say something you can’t be that weird mute fan who just takes a photo and walks away in awkward silence.
I gradually came closer to the front of the line and finally it was my chance. I hugged each of the boys individually and took my photo and let me tell you, thank the sweet lord above I wore my Beavis and Butthead “Nachos Rule” shirt because it sure was a conversation starter. The boys were praising me on my shirt choice, discussing how it was such a throw back and I just nodded and laughed, then they started quoting the movie. I decided this was my time to speak. I kid you not the only thing I uttered to the Backstreet Boys, my childhood idols was, “Hehe TP for my bunghole!”, I am so happy they laughed with me and not at me (at least that is what I am telling myself).
I walked away with this stunner of a picture and a signed photo of the boys and proceeded to walk upstairs to the arena to watch the show. The whole walking upstairs proved difficult though because my legs were jelly.
As I glanced around at the arena just before the show started I noticed three things:
1. The place was absolutely packed. The last time I had seen that arena so packed was for One Direction so irrelevant my ass!
2. There was no one there under the age of 18 (and if there was they were there because their parents obviously couldn’t get a babysitter)
3. All these people, well really let’s call them women were behaving the way One Direction fans do. They were dressed in homemade shirts, making hand hearts, screaming their lungs out. Who says it’s only tweens who behave that way.
It was actually so refreshing to see because obvious the BSB’s bring out the youth in their fans. For 2 hours these people get to relive some of the best times of their lives, see a band they loved and probably didn’t think they would get to (aka me) and dance around to some classic tuneage. I can’t see the downside in this can you?
Now sure the boys were older but they played on that fact and even talked about making you feel like you were 15 again and partying like it was 1999. No, they didn’t dance as much but when they did holy crap balls did they still have it. I went into that show thinking, yes they aren’t 20 anymore so it might be disappointing but I walked out astounded.
And finally, you know what Facebook, yes I WILL tag my FRIENDS, The Backstreet Boys in my picture!
-Court W
