Backstreet Boys have it all, it seems, but it has not always been a life of ease for the members. Although the group went through hardships both in personal and professional life, it only made them stronger. The times when flowers, underwear and mascots were showering the stage may be over, but it seems that Backstreet Boys still have the power to turn women in their 30s and 40s into a bunch of hysterical teens.

Photo © Backstreet Boys 

After 26 years of being in the business, the group ventured on one of the biggest world tours in their career: the DNA World Tour, including two sold-out nights at O2 Arena in London. 24,000 fans gathered at the London’s O2 Arena on the first night and the anticipation grew minute by minute. Some (if not most) of the audience came to see Backstreet Boys to experience a sentimental journey to their youths and to check whether the group’s members are still divinely handsome, with the ability to seduce the crowd with their voices, and they did not disappoint. Although the members have left their boyhoods behind quite a while back, their charisma and stage presence remain as strong as ever.

As soon as the five appeared on O2’s stage, the fans began to scream loudly and the first sung verses of their intro Everyone followed by I Wanna Be With You – a song from their 1996 first full-length album – were enough to make the audience go euphoric. Backstreet Boys repeatedly waved, smiled and charmingly chatted to the audience every now and then, but they did not waste any time and smoothly moved to one of their vigorous songs: The Call, which grabbed the audience by their feet; not a single person could be seen sitting down while BSB performed their hit track from 2000. With new songs from their DNA album: Nobody Else and New Love and a few oldies, including Don’t Want you Back and Get Down (You’re the One for Me), the first part of Backstreet Boys’ show felt developed to perfection, and not only vocally; their staging was something to be admired – the visuals in the background fit like a glove to each and every song the Boys performed.

Photo © Backstreet Boys 

With Brian getting emotional and thanking the audience for sticking and supporting Backstreet Boys for the past 26 years, it was easy for the fans in the audience to feel that all the wait was worth it, finding themselves again with the band on that particular day and time. After performing DNA’s Chateau (Howie solo), the group brought on more memories with Show Me the Meaning of Being a Lonely and Incomplete. Brian’, AJ’ and the rest of the members’ voices were pitch perfect; their beautifully controlled high notes and the group’s vocal synchronization left no room for improvement. In addition to their superb acapella performance, Backstreet Boys sang more of their older songs, such as More Than That, Shape of My Heart and Drowning; in between, they also showed they had the moves to go along with Chances and As Long As You Love Me.

BSB is one of those groups whose shows have always been events of the highest rank. Now in their late 30s and early and late 40s, the quintet no longer needs fancy choreography as their voices and stage presence work to their advantage. Regardless of the age of the people in the audience, no one found any aversion to grooving to the band’s songs. There were mothers with their daughters, all equally loud, and fathers with teenage daughters, all swinging their hips, and it was easy to feel an abundance of love and support for Backstreet Boys at the O2.

Photo © Backstreet Boys 

The concert didn’t lack in solo performances, with standouts being solos by Brian (Nobody Else), Nick (The Way it Was) and an amazing duo from Kevin and AJ (Passionate). The show came to an end with Don’t Go Breaking My Heart and Larger Than Life. Backstreet Boys entertained the crowds for two hours and performed 30 songs that evening. No one can deny that this particular American group created songs that have become timeless hits; songs that continue to evoke strong emotions among their fans. And it’s not too cliché to say that with two amazing sold-out nights at the O2 arena, the DNA World Tour is set to become larger than life.

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Written by Maggie Gogler

Edited by Sanja Struna