Backstreet Boys take the Sphere out of this world at Vegas kickoff concert: Review
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.
More: Backstreet Boys setlist: All the blissful pop songs from Sphere Las Vegas residency
The nearly two-hour joyride came wrapped in 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.
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, whose hair changed from a shoulder-length cascade to 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 and family bonds, as childhood photos of the guys caused Richardson to choke up at the opening lyrics and Littrell to pinch the bridge of his nose to prevent his tears.
The joy emanating from the primarily 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 (looking at you, underappreciated 'Shape of My Heart').
While the setlist aimed to appease every level of fan – the new 'Hey' from the anniversary edition of 'Millennium' and the deep album track 'Siberia' from 2005's 'Never Gone' the two mavericks – 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.
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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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Gizmodo
an hour ago
- Gizmodo
Was This the Geekiest Concert of All Time?
When the hamburger-shaped spaceship with the word 'Millennium' on the back lowered down above me, I figured I was in for something special. What I didn't expect was that, for the next two hours, the 'Millennium…' let's call it 'Falcon,' would fly through an asteroid field before docking on a planet with light cycles and noir landscapes, as lines of code dropped down like rain and huge cylindrical gates of stars swirled around. But that's what happened, and, I must say, it was phenomenal. Last weekend, the iconic boy band Backstreet Boys started a short run of shows at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. It's that huge dome you've certainly seen on social media that houses its own unique Darren Aronofsky film, will soon reimagine The Wizard of Oz, and has played host to mega bands like U2, Dead & Company, Phish, and the Eagles. 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That, coupled with the fact we've seen Backstreet at venues all across Los Angeles and Las Vegas over the past decade, gave us a bit of an idea what to expect. But once the countdown clock clicked to zero, things were taken to a whole other level. View this post on InstagramAs you sit waiting for the show to start, you're in this huge pseudo-laboratory. It's dominated by a massive, phallic structure in the middle, which seems to serve no purpose. But, when the show starts, we learn this structure is basically a mega telescope that lets us rocket into space. It's here we encounter the 'Millennium Falcon,' fly around the asteroid, and we're off to the races. What's hard to even describe in words is the feeling of watching all this happen. This was my first time ever at the Sphere, and it's unlike anything I've seen before. It's a completely immersive experience that stretches beyond what your eye can see. So, as long as you don't turn completely around, you feel like the band is performing in a different place from where you're sitting. Places that change in wild, imaginative, colorful ways throughout the show. And, more often than not, those visuals are sci-fi influenced. So, for the show's opener, 'Larger Than Life,' we get those 'Millennium Falcon' scenes that mirror Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. A little later, 'More Than That' takes us through a space station filled with red roses and silver beings, almost like Silver Surfer visits The Hunger Games. The song 'Siberia' takes the group to a snow planet (Hoth?) where huge statues of their faces (almost like the Donner Superman) are carved into mountains. And, up until this point, I felt like maybe I was imagining all the nerdiness. But then Backstreet did 'Get Another Boyfriend.' During that song, two-wheeled vehicles that aren't quite like lightcycles, but very darn close, blaze through a shiny, tech-inspired landscape. It's kind of like the Grid from Tron, until the camera pans up. That's when we see, way up in the sky, it's actually a smoky, dark, neo-noir skyline. Immediately I said, 'Tron meets Blade Runner.' It's both obvious and, frankly, awesome. Songs that follow had monoliths very reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey, a huge, dare I say, world of water, and a clearly Tetris-inspired scene during 'Quit Playing Games (With My Heart).' At this point, a few of these connections were stretches, but others weren't, and after flying through an underwater oasis during 'Shape of My Heart' and the stage literally leaving the ground to simulate a spaceship during 'I Want It That Way,' the final three songs of the night locked everything in. 'We've Got it Going On' has the group singing in a sunburned, post-apocalyptic landscape that, at its center, houses multiple rings quickly circling a large ball of light. It looked like Stargate and the machine in Contact rolled into one. That went into 'The Call,' which was literally just The Matrix. No hiding it. Code drops from the top of the Sphere all the way down just like in the movies. It couldn't be clearer. Finally, for the last song of the night, the group did 'Everybody (Backstreet's Back).' 'Everybody' is probably Backstreet's most famous song and already had a super geeky monster music video when it was released in 1997. Later, it also made an appearance in Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's 2013 meta-comedy This Is the End. So there was already some strong pop culture grounding. Here, though, this version wasn't filled with monsters or angels. It was, again, a huge sci-fi landscape filled with dancing robots that all looked like Star Wars Battle Droids wearing Mandalorian helmets. Now, was I merely reading this into the show? Was I projecting my love of these movies onto the performance? At some points, most definitely, and honestly I'm fine with it. As the 'Millennium Falcon' brought us back to the original laboratory, marking the end of the evening, I sat there in disbelief. I'd just witnessed not just a super fun, energetic pop show in arguably the most incredible, immersive venue in the entire world, but I had also been taken on a trip through worlds clearly inspired by, and sometimes directly based on, some of my favorite movies ever. Talk about a magical night I'll never forget. Backstreet Boys' 'Into the Millennium' tour at the Sphere in Las Vegas runs during the weekends through the end of August. Then, there's a possibility it could come back in 2026. If it does, I'm going again. Without a doubt. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Yahoo
2 days ago
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A Full List of Current Las Vegas Residencies (Updating)
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. 2025 is already shaping up to be a big year for concerts, from Kendrick Lamar and SZA setting off on their first-ever stadium tour, to AC/DC rocking out across the USA on their Power Up tour. If you're itching for live music next year, there may be no place hotter than Las Vegas. More from Billboard 25 Biggest Concert Residencies of All Time Usher on Channeling Frank Sinatra for New Ralph Lauren Fragrance Campaign: It's a 'Grand Moment for Me' 'AGT' Contestant Had No Idea Her Mom Signed Her Up to Audition, But She Still Blew Simon Cowell Away Some of music's biggest stars, including the Backstreet Boys, Mariah Carey, the Eagles and Maroon 5 are taking over Sin City in 2025. Regardless of whether you're a fan of country, pop, R&B, hip-hop, alternative or other genres, Vegas has enough live entertainment for all kinds of music lovers to enjoy. And what better excuse to travel to Vegas than to see your favorite musician? Because there are so many music tours, festivals and Las Vegas residencies on the roster for this year, keeping track of when and where to see your favorite artists live can be a bit overwhelming. To make your search easier, we've compiled a list of current Las Vegas residencies, where they'll be taking place and, of course, where to buy tickets. See below for a roundup of Las Vegas residencies to check out on throughout 2025. July 2025: July 11 – 26: Kelly Clarkson: Studio Sessions at The Colosseum, Caesars Palace (Buy tickets here or here) July 11 – 27: Backstreet Boys: Into the Millennium at the Sphere (Buy tickets here or here) August 2025: Aug 1 – 16: Kelly Clarkson: Studio Sessions at The Colosseum, Caesars Palace (Buy tickets here or here) Aug 1 – 10: Backstreet Boys: Into the Millennium at the Sphere (Buy tickets here or here) Aug 1 – 9: Lenny Kravitz: Blue Electric Light at Park MGM (Buy tickets here or here) Aug 8 – 9: Boyz II Men at the Chelsea, the Cosmopolitan (Buy tickets here or here) Aug 22 – 31: Bruno Mars at Park MGM (Buy tickets here or here) September 2025: Sept 1 – 6: Bruno Mars at Park MGM (Buy tickets here or here) Sept 5 – 13: The Eagles at the Sphere (Buy tickets here or here) Sept 10 – 20: Janet Jackson at Resorts World (Buy tickets here or here) Sept 12 – 13: Pitbull: Vegas After Dark at Fontainebleau (Buy tickets here or here) Sept 24 – 30: Rod Stewart: The Encore Show at Caesars Palace (Buy tickets here or here) October 2025: Oct 1 – 24: Rod Stewart: The Encore Show at Caesars Palace (Buy tickets here or here) Oct 2 – 25: Lionel Richie: King of Hearts (Buy tickets here or here) Oct 3 – 30: The Eagles at the Sphere (Buy tickets here or here) Oct 10 – 25: Earth, Wind & Fire at Venetian Theatre (Buy tickets here or here) November 2025: Nov 1 – 8: The Eagles at the Sphere (Buy tickets here or here) Nov 1 – 16: New Kids on the Block: The Right Stuff at Park MGM (Buy tickets here or here) Nov 7 – 15: Kelly Clarkson: Studio Sessions at The Colosseum, Caesars Palace (Buy tickets here or here) Nov 21 – 22: Pitbull: Vegas After Dark at Fontainebleau (Buy tickets here or here) December 2025: Dec 4 – 13: Dolly Parton at the Colosseum, Caesars Palace Buy tickets here or here) Dec 30 – 31: Jennifer Lopez: Up All Night at the Colosseum, Caesars Palace (Buy tickets here or here)
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Tears, Spaceships and Nostalgia: How Backstreet Boys 'Pushed the Limits' of Las Vegas' Sphere With 'Mind-Boggling' Residency Launch
'This is insane. I'm losing my mind,' AJ McLean told a sold-out crowd at Sphere Las Vegas on opening night of the Backstreet Boys' Into the Millennium residency. 'I've cried at least four times since we've been up here.' McLean wasn't the only band member overcome with emotion during Friday's nostalgic, otherworldly trip down memory lane. Kevin Richardson became so choked up he couldn't sing his verse of 'The Perfect Fan,' while Brian Littrell cried next. More from The Hollywood Reporter THR's 2025 Top Music Lawyers: Nominations Are Now Open Kanye "Ye" West Struggles Through Chaotic, Rain-Soaked Shanghai Concert Will Justin Bieber Land a No. 1 Debut With 'Swag?' Nick Carter was meanwhile fighting tears before he even rose onstage for 1999's anthem 'Larger Than Life,' which had audience members seemingly dancing through space while dodging meteorites thanks to Sphere's immersive visuals. 'As I was about to come up, I started breaking down and crying because it was so emotional and surreal,' Carter told THR in an exclusive interview. 'We've been together so long and had so many ups and downs, so the fact we can still perform on any stage is amazing. 'We'd been rehearsing for two months and we're perfectionists, so we've been hard on ourselves, and finally getting to that place where you're about to be launched out of a lift onstage was very emotional.' It's not surprising emotions were running high. For Carter, Richardson, McLean, Littrell and Howie Dorough, 1999's Millennium record catapulted them to startling fame and cemented the foundations of a 32-year career that has seen them tour the world, release 10 albums, earn Grammy nominations, release a documentary and build solo careers. Meanwhile for fans, Millennium ignited their first musical infatuation or concert experience – or the tour they forever regretted missing. I was 17 in New Zealand when I helped launch a petition to bring the Into the Millennium Tour Down Under. Two decades later, I was mesmerized as the heartthrobs soared high above the stage on their DNA World Tour, sparking flashbacks to when they rode hoverboards through the air during Into the Millennium. 'This is it,' I thought. 'This is the closest I'll ever get to seeing Into the Millennium.' Then came Millennium 2.0. An idea hatched eight years ago, Carter says the band hoped to transport fans back to simpler times. 'There was no social media and technology wasn't as advanced,' says Carter. 'People had to go to concerts to watch shows and we had to deliver. The Millennium tour was progressive. We were taking risks and facing the challenges of doing a production in-the-round and flying on surfboards. 'There were times we'd get stuck in the audience and things would break down because technology wasn't what it is now. It was a simpler, great time and we're bringing that back, so people can relive great music and feel like kids again.' Yet, the residency was never about re-creating the 123-stop tour. 'We didn't want to redo Millennium,' show producer and director Baz Halpin told THR. 'Sphere's a unique venue and with Backstreet being the first pop show, we didn't want to repeat the Millennium tour, but take elements and blend them in. It's like, 'What would a BSB Into the Millennium Tour be if it was done for the first time in 2025?'' 'We wanted to build a story around Millennium — give it a character, then let world-building from song-to-song transpire from that,' Halpin continued. 'We've built a galaxy which incorporates things people will recognize, but it's Spherified.' One of those familiar elements is the spaceship setting from 'Larger Than Life.' Another Millennium dance anthem, 'It's Gotta Be You,' followed the opener, before the quintet veered off Millennium to 1997's 'As Long as You Love Me,' by which point Sphere was a dancing sea of white, thanks to McLean requesting concertgoers don white like the album cover. Many had planned those outfits for months, a reflection of how journeying into the millennium kicked off well before opening night for many fans. For me, it started at LAX, where 'As Long as You Love Me' played in the departure lounge, before I landed in Vegas to hear 'Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)' blasting through the The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, Millennium shirts dotted the casino floor, while Liam's Den & Bubble Bar offered a 'Millennium Cocktail.' A jaw-dropping, edible chocolate, light-up Sphere greeted me in my room, before I headed to the 'Backstreet Boys Terminal' to hop on-board 'Air BSB.'The immersive, free two-story fan experience was co-curated by BSB and Vibee, a company founded by Live Nation that offers global destination experiences. Vibee package holders enter via a specially designed Air BSB check-in area, while regular 'passengers' are greeted by a departures board listing stops from the original tour. Saluting the group's iconic 'I Want It That Way' video (filmed at LAX,) the airport theme's dripping with '90s nostalgia, like a replica of MTV's Total Request Live set with cardboard cutouts of BSB and host Carson Daly. Fans can also stop by the BSB Mail Centre to post fan mail or see memorabilia including MTV VMA awards, handwritten set lists and costuming. Stopping by on Thursday, BSB were said to be so excited by the experience they offered up more memorabilia, before eagerly recording and broadcasting boarding announcements. From here, the walkway from The Venetian to Sphere feels like an airport air bridge (complete with a mass, post-show 'I Want It That Way' singalong). Along with such hits, the band delivered favorites like 'Don't Want You Back,' and 'Get Another Boyfriend,' accompanied with slick dance moves care of longtime choreographers Rich and Tone Talauega. Heart-wrenching 'Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely,' meanwhile, was backdropped by smoky spirits performing interpretative dances. The set list was the first and most 'critical' step, according to Dublin native Halpin, who carved out his career working with boy bands like Westlife, Boyzone and Blue. He's since worked on The Eagles' Sphere residency, UFC Noche and Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. Halpin recalls hearing about the 'iconic' Into the Millennium tour, but never imagined he'd one day get a call from BSB manager Ron Laffitte about creating a Sphere version. He's grateful the group quickly comprehended the 'gravitas' of every creative decision. 'You can't reverse when you're creating in Sphere because it's so technologically complicated,' Halpin said. 'With every layer, you're building on the foundation and it's got to be absolutely right, so the next layer's solid. If you pull a toothpick from the bottom, the whole thing topples.' 'The band caught on that we had to nail down songs and not deviate six months out otherwise all the work would fall apart. There's no time to redo things like a normal tour. You can't make another piece of content in three days — it takes three months.' While the hits were a must, it was a medley of lesser-performed ballads that had fans hypnotized, like 'Back to Your Heart,' 'No One Else Comes Close to You' and 'Spanish Eyes'. 'This is my mom's favorite song,' Dorough shared. 'She's here and 91!' Moms were also the theme of 'The Perfect Fan,' with photos of the band's wives, kids and moms flashing across screens. 'This song's super-special to me,' Littrell explained. 'I wrote it many moons ago and dedicate it to my mother.' Fans were in tears as the group crooned haunting 2005 ballad'Siberia,' while screens showered virtual snow and displayed aged versions of BSB in a Mt. Rushmore-style visual. They also performed 2025 single, 'Hey,' which features on newly-released Millennium 2.0, alongside remastered versions of the original tracks, live recordings and B-sides like 'If You Knew What I Knew.' Of course, it was the final act everyone was waiting for — airborne BSB. The 'BSB Army' had long wondered if the hoverboards from the original tour would appear, with Dorough teasing an 'adaptation' of such moves to THR in May. The singers instead rose on a spacecraft-style platform during 'I Want It That Way.' For Carter, it was the coolest moment of the production. 'We're raised into the air suspended with four cables,' says the musician, who has released solo album Love Life Tragedy alongside preparing for Sphere and will drop new single 'Searchlight' on Thursday. 'It's secure, but also a little dangerous and just mind-boggling.' Following debate over the best seats for the show, the 200s sections proved optimal for taking in 360-degree effects, while feeling eye-to-eye with BSB as they floated above the stage. However, general admission took visuals to another level as I frequently questioned if the ground or stage was moving while feeling sucked up into the screen. 'I'm going to need chiro after this,' one fan remarked, craning her neck. Other GA attendees wore compression socks, stretched mid-show and briefly left to pump breast milk — somewhat answering Halpin's question of what an Into the Millennium Tour looks like in 2025. GA was also where the party was at as 'Everybody (Backstreet's Back)' closed the show with robots performing the video's iconic choreography onscreen. By the time show two wrapped on Saturday, the quintet was in celebratory mode at The Venetian's Voltaire, where Richardson, 53, led a singalong to Fugees hit 'Killing Me Softly.' It's rare the whole band attend afterparties, but it reflected the solid team effort behind Sphere. Halpin stressed how each member's input was imperative. 'It's like Inside Out, where they're all different emotions and bring a unique character. Kevin questions everything. He needs to understand every detail to build the whole picture. Brian's asking, 'How is this decision impacting everything else we're going to do?' AJ's all about, 'How do we keep the crowd's energy up?'' 'Howie wants to understand the emotion behind everything. Nick's the canary in the coal mine. When we did tests, he was the one I'd look to to gauge reaction. You look to Nick to see how an audience member's going to experience it. 'When you combine all those perspectives, it becomes cohesive and very Backstreet Boys. They know who they are and what their fans like. But they're also risk-takers, who want to push boundaries.' In doing so, Halpin believes Into the Millennium's a game-changer for Sphere. 'We're pushing the limits of what's been done at Sphere because we came in with the experience of other shows,' he says. 'Sphere was a newborn with U2, and with every artist that's gone in since, it's had another birthday and grown. Every band before has been a soundtrack to the visuals, but this show's different. It's the most ambitious show that's been done in there.' 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