Review: Backstreet Boys, Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
WITH 13 Top 40 hits on Billboard 100 and more than a million albums sold, there was no doubt about the Backstreet Boys’ track record.
But the question on everyone’s lips as the four entered the stage (original band member Kevin isn’t taking part in the reunion) was whether – after a decade away – the boys still had it in them.
Well, although there were a few hiccups with sound and vocals, overall it was a great performance.
The boys leapt on to the stage through string curtains and screamed Backstreet’s Back, All Right! which brought the audience straight to their feet.
The stage was set up as a sound system with great lighting effects and resident DJ, plus clever videos to distract us when the band left the stage to change.
Although Kevin Richardson was sitting out of the Unbreakable Tour, the rest of the boys seemed as united as ever.
The Grammy-nominated foursome danced their hearts out and it was a spectacular moment when they performed to Larger Than Life.
Brian Littrell took lead for most of the show and at times it seemed he had left a slice of his vocal range in America, as he failed to reach some of the higher notes.
And there were a couple of cues missed too.
But he got the better of his nerves in the second half, and finally wooed the girls with his great voice in I Will Always Love You – together with his cheeky smile, of course.
The group, put together by music mogul Lou Pearlman, took turns to sing solo, which was a nice touch.
They also performed songs from their new album, This Is Us – their seventh album in 13 years. For the new release, they’ve called in the likes of Akon, Ne-Yo and One Republic frontman Ryan Tedder to help.
The performance of their latest single Bigger was particularly catchy, I thought, and will be performed on the X Factor this Sunday, for anyone who missed it.
November 05, 2009
By Katie Davies
JournalLive