Backstreet Boys are rage of the age

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Date: Oct 22, 2099
Source: San Jose Mercury News
Submitted By:
Y

By Candace Murphy

HEY, YOU. Forget Bruce Springsteen. He was born in the USA just way too long ago.

And the Bridge Concert? A bunch of old-timers doing the same old thing they did last year. And the year before. And the year before. Heck, decades before. Will this thing ever go the way of Lollapalooza and just die out?

No, the pop music event of the fall is unquestionably the arrival of five guys named Kevin, Brian, Howie, A.J. and Nick: the Backstreet Boys. And love 'em or hate 'em, the concert, slated for Oct. 21, is one that should not be missed.

The Backstreet Boys' appearance marks the peak of a thundering crescendo that has brought the boy bands No Authority, EYC, 98 Degrees and 'N Sync to the Bay Area this summer. But the Backstreet Boys are the cream of the crop. They have the looks, they appear to have the talent, and they definitely have the fans. The night won't soon be forgotten.

Of course it's a coin flip as to who will be responsible for etching the event in our collective memories. Sure, the Backstreet Boys might handle the task. But more than likely, it will be the hordes of screaming, bawling, hyperventilating fans who will swamp the San Jose Arena, having paid close to $200 a piece for tickets that sold out in the sexy blink of A.J.'s eye.

Such hysteria is nothing new -- those Bobby Soxers did the same for Francis Albert Sinatra, and need we even mention the Beatles and Duran Duran? -- but like a car crash, it's hard to look away.

Experts that follow teen trends are particularly interested in the overwhelming popularity of the all-boy dance-pop quintet. The Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync and Ireland's Boyzone are all composed of the magic number of five. People who think way too much say it's because the young fans who currently groove to the smooth moves and sounds of the boy groups cut their teeth on shows like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Four turtles and one rat were the stars of the show.

Of course, cynics say the quintets are popular because savvy marketers know that if they have five faces on a stage, rather than the more standard four, or even three, there's a better chance that some young, pure, as-yet unblemished heart will fall in love.

And that means more money for everyone.

Well, except for the young, pure as-yet unblemished heart who will shell out 20 bucks for a concert program and double that for a garish T-shirt. So what that means is that there will be a really good babysitting market for parents.

Everybody wins.

What is probably so appealing about the Backstreet Boys for fans ---- who, despite the Boys' own diversity, are extremely Caucasian -- is that they aren't the least threatening. When parents see that picture of Kevin or Brian on the wall, they see a pair of homegrown Kentucky kids. Better that, in their minds, than a blow-up of Busta Rhymes, mid-scream and with his baggies dangerously low on his hips.

But when it comes right down to it, much has to do with the music. A hybrid of new jack balladry, hip hop, R&B and dance-pop virtually assures there's something in it for everyone.

Even you.

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