Rio goes Brazil nuts for Backstreet Boys

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Nov 22, 2000 Source: The Official Site Submitted By: Kristin Rio rocked like never before when an estimated 45,000 Backstreet Boys fans swarmed on the Brazilian city to see the band perform a magical a cappella medley of BSB hits. In scenes reminiscent of spectacles staged by the likes of U2, Rolling Stones and the Beatles, the band entertained a captivated crowd from the 4th floor terrace balcony at Rio de Janeiro’s Le Meridian Hotel. Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson arrived in the city that afternoon for the penultimate stop on their incredible, never-before-attempted, six continent promo trip in celebration of the band’s new album Black & Blue. At 10pm on Monday 20 November, unbelievable images of mass hysteria and passionate devotion were witnessed outside the hotel situated on Copacabana Beach. A heaving sea of hyper fans, covering the area of two football pitches, packed into the surrounding streets as police helicopters swooped overhead adding to the mounting tension. Moments later, when the award-winning band walked onto the specially erected stage on the hotel terrace, a tremendous scream that would have ricocheted off the end of the Hysteria Richter scale erupted in the night air. The Backstreet Boys, officially listed as one of the biggest bands in the world following global sales exceeding 51 million albums in less than four years, performed a live a cappella set consisting of Quit Playin’ Games, All I Have To Give, I Want It That Way, Time and the new single Shape Of My Heart. 29-year-old Kevin Richardson terrified security guards and his fellow band mates when he clambered up onto the scaffolding and swung out over the audience 100 feet beneath him. ‘I had to turn away,’ recalled BSB Brian Littrell after the show. ‘I’m really scared of heights and wanted to lie down on the ground when I saw Kevin clamber way up there.’ The band were ‘blown away’ by the reaction they received and began talking excitedly about what they could expect when they return to South America on their 2001 world tour. ‘I mean, that was just a 10 minute show,’ remarked an overwhelmed AJ McLean who, during the performance, whipped his T-shirt off and lobbed it down into the crowd. ‘Can you imagine what a full on gig will feel like?!’ The band’s journey from the airport was just as eventful as the bus carrying the five singers negotiated its way through the congregating South Americans flocking to the city. Young girls endangered their lives by throwing themselves at the vehicle and rocking the bus. Police were forced to drag several young people out from the crush to prevent a likely tragedy from occurring. ‘It was crazy. You would have thought the President was here or Michael Jackson, not the Backstreet Boys,’ said a modest Howie Dorough referring to the sheer numbers spilling onto the roadways. ‘It was scary,’ recalled Littrell. ‘I was worried some of those fans were going to get seriously hurt.’ McLean confirmed his bandmate’s fears: ‘I was very scared for the fans cos they were stampeding over one another to get closer to us.’ The Backstreet Boys faced a grueling afternoon of TV interviews and were shocked to be asked a question of a very racy nature. ‘Is it true you are not virgins any more?’ suggested the South American journalist. Understandably the guys were thrown off guard momentarily until, youngest member of the band, 20-year-old Nick Carter replied, ‘Well this is our first time to Brazil so you’d be correct in saying that we’re not virgins to Brazil anymore…’ The band set off at 3am Tuesday 21 November for New York City the final destination on their unique around the world journey covering an amazing 26,000 miles in just 100 hours. Comment on this item. Next Item: Backstreet Boys release New CD Prev Item: Lance Bass comments on Black & Blue