Disney's Backstreet Show Is Preteen Dream

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Jul 01, 2099 Source: The Cayman Compass Submitted By: Melissa Gibson By Jacqueline Cutler Girls who skipped school and begged parents to take them to Times Square are standing five deep behind barricades while New York police and an army of private security officers patrol. So what if they don't have tickets to the taping of the concert? Or if all they can do is stand in front of the exquisitely appointed New Amsterdam Theatre and scream for several hours? Maybe they catch a glimpse of their heart-throbs, the Backstreet Boys. The Boys, as those who adore them call the group of five Southerners, are taping a show, Backstreet Boys In Concert, which airs Saturday, July 10 on the Disney Channel. Just in case you're over 18 and somehow missed them, the Backstreet Boys are hot. They've sold more than 27 million records in 48 countries, and their latest CD, Millennium, was released in May. Mention their names - A.J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, and Brian Littrell - and the uniform response from fans is a shriek. In an exclusive interview after the concert, Littrell, 24, admits the adoration has been difficult to adjust to. "In the beginning, it was very overwhelming," he says, slouching in a folding chair, "It's what you make of it....We are just real people. I give a lot of time to CDs and videos, and then I try to relax, play golf, basketball. Sometimes I just like to sit on my patio and drink coffee." In his soft Kentucky drawl, he adds that it's disconcerting to have to buy groceries in the middle of the night. Like the others, though, he is gracious when with his fans, which seems easy when large, armed men keep them at arm's length. Still, obsessed fans have managed to hid in the storage space of the Boys' tour bus and climb over barbed wire to get into their dressing rooms. Inside the theatre, scrunchies on arms, braces on teeth, and wraparound smiles on faces, the girls shriek as one. A stagehand adjusts a microphone, and the screaming begins. It's contagious. The moment one girl hits that note, the others join in until the decibel level ratchets the spine of anyone over age 30. The girls likewise scream the lyrics to each song. A casual survey of adults found no one heard actual words. Starting with "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)," the group works it magic. When Carter holds and audience member's hand while singing "All I Have To Give," the girl clutches her heart with her other hand. As Carter releases the anonymous fan's hand and returns center stage, her girlfriends collapse into her arms to touch the hand that held Nick's. Few are as lucky as the young lady onstage. Most are like Katie Petrikoni, 14, of South Brunswick, N.J. who knows every word to each song and finds it impossible to sit at all. Most of the kids will be exhausted the next day, a school day, and will likely skip classes again. "I don't have to go to school. But I'm going so I can brag to my friends," Petrikoni says proudly. Comment on this item. Recent Comments Submitted by: johnansog http://imrdsoacha.gov.co/silvitra-120mg-qrms Submitted by: suba suba Mr0JMe Title It is really a nice and helpful piece of info. I am glad that you shared this useful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing. Submitted by: oem software WwbSvT Good! Wish everybody wrote so:D Comment on this item. Next Item: Best buds with Backstreet Boys Prev Item: From Backstreet to Britney, designers cash in