St. Louis Post-Dispatch Review: 11/17/99 St. Louis, MO

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Nov 19, 2099 Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch Submitted By: Y Backstreet Boys put big show around their mediocre singing BY KEVIN C. JOHNSON kjohnson@postnet.com Post-Dispatch Pop Music Critic If concerts were judged solely on presentation and production, the Backstreet Boys' sold-out show Wednesday night at the Kiel Center might be one of the most favorably reviewed concerts the teeny-boppin' pop group has ever seen - if just for its entrance alone. But here's the catch: Concerts aren't reviewed solely on presentation and production. No amount of special effects, aerial stunts, fancy footwork, fireworks, confetti or levitating platforms can cover for actual talent. And that's where the Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter, Howard "Howie D." Dorough, Brian Littrell, Alexander James "A.J." McLean and Kevin Richardson ultimately fail. (OK, now that I've put that out there, I'm at risk for a week's worth of phone calls, letters, and e-mails from irate teen girls who'll tell me I need to shut up unless I can get up on stage and do a better job myself.) The ceremonial-like opening began with science fiction movie music and torch-carrying dancers and culminated in the Backstreet Boys rising from the floor and continuing to rise until they were high in the air gliding on snowboards that carried them to the stage situated in the center of the arena floor. It was an eye-popping entrance. But once the music started with the song "Larger Than Life," the problems began. The fellows haven't improved as vocalists, despite the fact that its second CD, "Millennium," will probably sell more copies than any other CD this year. Their singing during early tunes like "Get Down (You're the One For Me)" and "The One" sounded not only oddly canned, but phoned in - on a bad cell phone at that. Their voices, Carter's in particular, were thin and whiny. Every song was treated like a hit and received that way, and most songs had some sort of production number attached to them. For "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)," the group was hooked up to wiring that allowed them to space walk, somersault and sprint in the air, high above the audience for the second time. If this sounds familiar, it's because the group's main competitor, 'N Sync, did the same stunt on its last tour. The slick, on-point dancers, including St. Louis-area natives Amy Allen, Roland Tabor, and Earl Manning, helped keep many of the upbeat songs like "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" and "We Got It Goin' On" moving right along, and the chair routine from the male dancers during "As Long As You Love Me" was impressive, even though chair routines have gotten old. Slower songs tended to make the group look better, with less is more working in its favor vocally. The group took itself most seriously with some of these songs. You could tell by the way they came out in suits and sat on stools, with one suddenly sporting a pair of spectacles and another slicked-back, neat hair for ballads like "Spanish Eyes," "I'll Never Break Your Heart," and "No One Else Comes Close." Dorough distinguished himself here, shining as well as a Backstreet Boy can shine vocally. "The Perfect Fan," dedicated to all the mothers in the house, featured several mother-daughter pairs on stage, and each Backstreet Boy strolled around the stage with the daughters. The group's encore included "It's Gotta Be You" and ended in fireworks and confetti, a seemingly fitting finale though the group returned for a final round of fireworks and the song "I Want It That Way." Two other young acts, EYC and Mindy Moore, opened the concert. For those shut out by the concert's quick sell-out or those who can't wait to see the show again, the Backstreet Boys will return to St. Louis, this time to the TWA Dome, at 7:30 p.m. March 7. Tickets are $37.50-$45, and go on sale Dec. 4. Comment on this item. Next Item: Cincinnati Enquirer Review: 11/15/99 Cincinnati, OH Prev Item: Kansas City Star Review: 11/18/99 Kansas City, MO