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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
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.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter From 'Party in the U.S.A.' to 'Born in the U.S.A.': 20 of America's Most Patriotic (and Un-Patriotic) Musical Offerings Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
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. More: Backstreet Boys setlist: All the blissful pop songs from Sphere Las Vegas residency 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. 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 setlist 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. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sphere (@spherevegas) 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. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Backstreet Boys bring futuristic concert to nostalgic fans at Sphere
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Backstreet Boys Kick Off Sphere Residency With Larger-Than-Life Show in Las Vegas
Backstreet's back, alright. You might have thought the Backstreet Boys peaked in the early 2000s, but fans dressed in all white leaving Las Vegas' Sphere Friday night (July 11) would disagree. The group of five arguably put on their best show yet in the high-tech venue right off the strip. Into the Millennium's opening night transported fans to outer space as a massive screen surrounded them with visuals of a spacecraft right before the band appeared on stage. The Backstreet Boys — Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, AJ McLean and Kevin Richardson — launched into a night of hits with 'Larger Than Life,' which was the perfect description of the show they had created. More from Billboard Backstreet Boys' 'Into the Millennium' Setlist: Night 1 at Las Vegas' Sphere Goes Beyond the 1999 Album Oasis Storm Back to U.K. No. 1 Following Reunion Tour Boost Watch Justin Bieber Have a 'Sweet Spot' Dance Party With Sexyy Red in New Video Although the show was celebrating the group's landmark album Millennium and journeyed through the entire track list, they also performed the recently released 'Hey,' and they ventured into other albums like Black & Blue. Cue almost 20,000 people dancing to 'The Call' and belting 'Shape of My Heart.' Speaking of belting, the gentlemen's vocals shined. They didn't miss a note or a beat — as they also included all the nostalgic choreography we've come to expect. Highlights of the evening at the over-the-top venue included one moment when the gigantic screen showed the men etched in the side of a mountain during 'Siberia,' and another when they rose high above the crowd on a ship singing signature song''I Want It That Way.' It was the perfect blend of spectacle and heart. They closed the night with 'Everybody (Backstreet's Back).' (See the complete night one setlist here.) As everyone poured out into the streets of Vegas, we'd gamble that many of them will be back to see the show again. The residency continues through Aug. 24. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
USA Today
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Backstreet Boys setlist: All the blissful pop songs from Sphere Las Vegas residency
LAS VEGAS – In the late-'90s, the Backstreet Boys reigned as the princes of pop. Now, the group of Nick Carter, Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson, AJ McLean and Howie Dorough hit a new historical height as the first pop group to play the vaunted Sphere in Las Vegas. For nearly two hours at the July 11 opening concert, the quintet stormed through a 25-song setlist that hammered the necessary hits, from the set opener 'Larger Than Life' to the dance floor closer 'Everybody (Backstreet's Back).' In between, they catered to devotees with album tracks (2005's 'Siberia') and new songs ('Hey,' from their 'Millennium 2.0' album that also arrived July 11) while celebrating their landmark 1999 "Millennium" album. Given the blank palette of creativity provided by the Sphere, BSB took full advantage of the visual toys at their disposal, including recreating their disc-floating video for 1996's 'Get Down (You're The One for Me).' This 'Into the Millennium' residency will stick around with 20 more shows through Aug. 24. Here are all the songs played in Las Vegas. Backstreet Boys 'Into the Millennium' setlist
Forbes
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Backstreet Boys Debut Inside The Top 10 During A Very Exciting Week
Backstreet Boys' Millennium 2.0 debuts at No. 10 on the iTunes Top Albums chart as the band launches ... More its new Las Vegas residency at the Sphere. FRISCO, TEXAS - MAY 08: Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, AJ McLean, and Brian Littrell of Backstreet Boys attend the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards at Omni Frisco Hotel at The Star on May 08, 2025 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage) Friday (July 11) is a big day for the Backstreet Boys. The legendary boy band has a packed 24 hours, as the group just dropped its highly-anticipated reissue of the album Millennium – now titled Millennium 2.0. In just a few hours, the group will launch its Backstreet Boys: Into the Millennium residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Fans of the pop outfit are surely thrilled about all that's going on in the Backstreet Boys universe, and they have collectively helped the decades-old album become a bestselling title once again in the United States. Millennium 2.0 Debuts Inside the Top 10 Millennium 2.0 currently sits at No. 10 on the iTunes Top Albums chart. The Backstreet Boys are responsible for one of half a dozen new entrants into the highest tier on the iTunes list of the bestselling albums and EPs in America. The boy band follows newly-dropped projects from stars like Justin Bieber, Twice, and Ateez. Further down on the same ranking, the group's The Hits: Chapter One declines, and it looks like it might soon fall off the iTunes Top Albums chart. The focus at the moment, of course, is squarely on Millennium 2.0. Classic Backstreet Boys Hits Climb Two of the biggest singles from the original Millennium appear on the iTunes Top Songs tally as the revamped album debuts. "I Want It That Way," which is regarded as not just one of the most famous Backstreet Boys singles, but also one of the quintessential boy band tracks of all time, sits at No. 84. Meanwhile, "Larger Than Life" barely cracks the 200-spot roster, coming in at No. 195 — at least for now. Millennium 2.0 Celebrates 25 Years Millennium 2.0 celebrates the original album's twenty-fifth anniversary. The two-CD deluxe edition includes the original full-length, as well as a second disc packed with additional content like live recordings, demos, alternate versions — including one of "I Want It That Way" with different lyrics — and even the brand new tune "Hey." Backstreet Boys Launch a Las Vegas Residency The Backstreet Boys begin their residency at the Sphere tonight, with dates scheduled into mid-August. At the moment, there are 21 concerts planned, but many Las Vegas residencies are known to extend and add additional dates.
