Backstreet Boys Still a Hit With Fans in Southwest

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Sep 04, 2001 Source: Albuquerque Journal Submitted By: Gina Cates By Leanne Potts The rest of the country may be tiring of the Backstreet Boys, but ticket sales for their Oct. 7 concert in Albuquerque indicate New Mexico kids and moms still think the Boys rule. The show at the 12,000-seat Journal Pavilion sold out in about two weeks, according to Ticketmaster — not as fast as the summer's hottest acts Madonna and Janet Jackson, who have been selling out 30,000-seat arenas across the country in minutes. Thirteen-year-old Stephanie Caper of Albuquerque is planning to attend the show with her mother, who is also a fan. "I like Nick; he's my favorite," she said. Michele Risner of Alamogordo wasn't able to get tickets through Ticketmaster so last week she was trying to buy a pair on eBay for herself and her 12-year-old daughter, Brittany. She bid $102.50 for a pair of tickets about 20 rows from the stage but didn't get them. The seller wanted $250 for the tickets — about double their face value — but didn't get his price. The flagging popularity of boy bands apparently means the scalping market just ain't what it used to be. But fashion be damned, some BSBs fans are still willing to pay whatever it takes to get tickets. Kim Ward of Midland, Texas, ponied up a whopping $521.99 on eBay for a pair of seats four rows from the stage. The tickets' face value: about $140. Ward, 44, is coming to the show with her 17-year-old niece, Shannon. This isn't just a case of Ward being a good aunt, though. She's a fan, too. "I am a HUGE BSB fan!!!!" she wrote in an e-mail. "I completed treatment for breast cancer in May ... During my treatments I used my BSBs CDs to help calm me and soothe my nerves. BSB was with me at every treatment." Comment on this item. Next Item: BSB: Still Boys Prev Item: All-Star Lineup To Record Marvin Gaye Classic