Nashville Tennesean Review: 11/29/99 Nashville, TN

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Dec 05, 2099 Source: The Tennessean Submitted By: Shannon J Boys' concert short on good music, but their props were fun to watch    (pub. date: November 30, 1999, The Tennessean) The Backstreet Boys sure know how to use them. And they had them in bounty last night during a sold-out show in the Gaylord Entertainment Center. Wires suspended them above the crowd on two occasions. Fireworks flashed around them. A retractable pedestal in the center of the stage gave them extra height, and confetti even dropped from the ceiling near the close of the performance. Add to that numerous costume changes - from pink zoot suits with white spats to futuristic outfits - and 10 dancers, and you have a show that was visually changing almost constantly. The funny thing about props, however, is that they often take attention away from what ought to be the main part of a concert: music. And that part of the show was decidedly mixed. The Boys can certainly sing. At times, their voices came across as distorted and brash, but most of that can be attributed to the need to hike up the sound, simply to make an aural connection above the din of shrieking teen-age girls. When they weren't distorted, they were invariably on key during their boyish solo parts, while their harmonies were impressively tight and on the money. And, to their credit, the Backstreet quintet showed more vocal restraint than fellow teen group 'N Sync did this past summer. The Boys added small flares and flourishes at times, but they didn't exhibit the need to rewrite every line in the manner Justin Timberlake and crew did when they played First American Music Center. Backstreet has now pieced together at least five infectious Top 40 hits that are undeniable in their melodic content, whether it's something as harmless as Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) or as brash as the show opener, Larger Than Life. But much of the rest of the material was, unfortunately, not as large as life. At one point, after reeling off three ballads in a row, they promised to slow down the pace. Heck, they might as well have turned out the lights and had nap time. All the activity covered up the inconsistencies in the music for most of the crowd, which erupted in screams on every song, nearly every time the vocal lead shifted, whether the new singer was Nick Carter, A.J. McLean, or any other Backstreeter. Activity, unfortunately, did not cover up the consistencies in the two opening acts. EYC, which stands for "Express Yourself Clearly," is a male trio that expressed itself as a tease. One member of the group spent half his time on stage pulling up his shirt, to expose his low body fat and well-developed stomach muscles. At least he recognized the group's strength. They executed some difficult dance steps flawlessly, and demonstrated some harmony skills. But the songs themselves were consistently uninteresting. Fourteen-year-old Mandy Moore spent production money on male dancers, but didn't spring for musicians, singing to prerecorded tracks, which sends a message about what's important in her show. Moore demonstrated a certain power in her voice, but when the music was disposable, particularly when she dusted off a ballad, her voice didn't have enough power, or individual character, to compensate. --Tom Roland staff, The Tennessean Tom Roland can be contacted via email at troland@ tennessean.com or by mail at: Tom Roland staff writer The Tennessean 1100 Broadway Nashville, TN 37203 Comment on this item. Recent Comments Submitted by: markus http://imrdsoacha.gov.co/silvitra-120mg-qrms Submitted by: link building kdkfkY I appreciate you sharing this post.Much thanks again. Really Great. Comment on this item. Next Item: Knoxville News-Sentinel Review: 11/28/99 Knoxville, TN Prev Item: Orlando Sentinel Review: 12/01/99 Orlando, FL