Mo-ni’s back, ALRIGHT!

That’s right, your favourite blonde is back and I’m delighted to be here!

I got to thinking, after the NKOTB Mixtape Tour concert that not doing any research actually provided the benefit of a more authentic experience and reaction. So I did it again, with the exception of the opening act which I decided to skip. I just can’t do country music, I’m sorry but it’s just not my flavour.

Before diving into the full experience of last night’s Backstreet Boys DNA concert, I’d like to take you with me on a little walk down memory lane.

“Picture it: Sicily, 1922…” oh wait, wrong memory. Actually, Würzburg, Germany 1996, working as a nanny for family friends when I was offered to join some people roughly my own age who were actually chaperoning a couple of 13 year olds to a concert. I asked the name of the band and was informed that they were called ‘The Backstreet Boys’ and I MUST know who they are. Long story short, I didn’t; I hadn’t heard a single phrase of a single song. It was in an auditorium filled with 13ish year old girls. For those of you who may not know this, Germans tend to be overall taller than North Americans. I had a solid 5 years on these girls and significantly less inches in the height department. As the auditorium was flat and we were situated somewhere halfway back from the stage…the extent of the concert was listening to the Boys serenading the screaming girls and me enjoying the view of mini-backpacks, shoulders and manes of hair of the girls around me. I only saw one song from my perch upon my 6’4 friend’s shoulders but that couldn’t be sustained as the buckles for his overalls (God bless the 90’s) were digging into his skin. I did get a CD as a souvenir and if I were to look hard enough, am fairly certain I could dig it up. But there ends my contact with The Backstreet Boys save the exception radio exposure over the last 23 years.

Toronto, 2019 and I’m poised and ready among yet another sea of predominantly women and I seat myself between two lovely ladies. The entry of the Boys was truly an audio-visual explosion. Seizure inducing lasers, flashing lights, pyrogenics and as the jumbotron lifted into the sky, there they were larger than life. The crowd was immediately on their feet, screaming their lungs out, holding up cell phones and trying to capture the moment for posterity (or not-so-humble humble brags on social media). Clad in black with…trench coats and jackets?! In the summer? I couldn’t really concentrate on what they were singing because I was too busy wondering if they were going to be ok? Heat stroke seemed like a distinct possibility as they were already sweating profusely by the second song. Were they drinking enough water? Were they hydrating?! Were paramedics standing at the ready? But lucky for them, the wardrobe changes were a-plenty, although in my honest opinion, questionable at best. Odd combinations that included Hammer pants (which made the crotch grabs and gyrations actually quite hilarious), leather jackets, shiny t-shirts and a graffiti’d bomber jacket and my ultimate favourite, Kevin’s marching band leader silk shirt. It was distracting throughout the entirety of the concert and I felt like the wardrobe designer was executing some sort of revenge rather than an artistic statement.

I digress. The music was exactly what was to be expected as was the dancing and general performance. 26 years these chaps have been at it and clearly that amount of time together allows for a group of voices that gel very nicely together. But my absolute favourite part was when they reminisced that when they first started, they did a lot of acapella and proceeded to perform a piece with only their voices blending.  No flashing lights, bodies bopping around, crotch grabs etc. just five dudes, standing together side by each, their voices the only instruments in perfect harmony. It was just so genuine and organic and proved (not that there was really any doubt) that their fame and stardom came from a place of pure talent.

There was a shout-out to the fans and their dedication, that they were humbled and honoured to be back in Toronto, how special the fans are and what they’ve done for their lives and for their music.  Very nicely said and tip-o-the-hat respect for their recognition of this fact.

With two boy band reviews behind me in the span of a month, this girl is ready to shake it up as all the nostalgia is getting to me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I am going out to purchase a mini-backpack as they appear to be back in fashion.

The Backstreet Boys head to Western Canada next week with stops in Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. The current leg of the tour wraps up this November in Hawaii. For tickets and more visit https://www.backstreetboys.com/

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