Backstreet Boys - Are a Pop act that will live forever!

July 6th 2014

London, Hyde Park, UK

****1/2

Everybody!!! Backstreets Back!!!

British Summer Time

Backstreet Boys ****1/2 (Main Stage) The last time the boys were in the UK, it was for a double headline tour with The Backstreet Boys. This tour was a Sell Out!!! all over the place. The band have never been as big in the UK as they have in the US where they are almost Gods, and you can see that because they are supporting McBusted when in the US that would not be dreamed of. So today in Hyde Park is the Backstreet Boys real chance to shine and show the UK what they can do and I really think they did that.

You hear the riffs of 'Everybody (Backstreet's Back) in the background as the set seems to get into motion and they break into the single 'The Call' which gets the boys going in the right way and lines them up to a great version of 'Incomplete' which feels a little stripped down but the visuals behind them really set a nice atmosphere for the song and the music sounds equally as good on the album. For this song Nick Carter plays the guitar and sings at the same time, which really shows off his versatility. This continues on newer song 'Permanent Strain' which the crowd seems to take to equally as well, and shows the band can still write a great love song.

'All I have to Give' is beautiful and has real emotion to it as they to a Ne-Yo Esq. dance routine. All the members vocals sound incredible during this song and it is my personal favourite in their set today. The harmonies and vocal tones are pitch perfect and you realise that Backstreet Boys are a boy band that actually rehearse all the time and love what they do. 'As long as you love Me' seems like an old friend that has come back to visit and just makes you really happy. You would think that what was coming next with change that but it doesn't at all. Because halfway through the set the thunder rounds all around the park and it starts to pour down with rain. The band break into their hit single 'Quit playing Games (With my Heart)' which even though it is raining the whole crowd is having a good time and singing every word and not even caring about the fact they are soaking wet.

'We've got it goin' On' at the start is brilliant they have 80's volume level bar imaginary, you know the kind you used to get on stereo's going behind them. As they sing the melody it rises up and down and this looks really cool. They start to do a really stupid dance that at the beginning is totally out of time and then get's better as the song goes on. A.J. McLean leads most of the vocals on this track like he seems to do throughout the set, showing that he is one of the most prominent singers in the band and the fact he can sing the songs so strong while the silly dance routine is happening is a great task.

We feel a little bit like we are drowning in the rain as the Backstreet Boys sit down with guitars a keyboard and a drum box to give us beautiful acoustic versions of their songs 'Drowning' and '10,000 Promises' which both show that they can harmonies perfectly in the live atmosphere in a very special way. You can see that all the band have a real bond together that only comes with time. They get back into action with 'The One' and 'In a World like This' before they bring out the big boys.

'I want it that Way' one of the bands biggest hits is fantastic today and everyone sings every word out in the rain and the bands is even joined by James Bourne from McBusted todays headline band. James links arm in arm with the guys to sing his heart out to the hit song. If you have not heard this song before, then I wonder what planet you have been living on because I am sure it's one of the most played songs in the World.

The song everybody has been waiting for could possibly be 'Everybody (Backstreet Back)' which is sung really loud by everybody in the audience so the band have to sing even louder to make any impact. This song really stands out as one of the highlight in the set and really shows off Nick Carter to the best of his abilities. The song ends with a massive screechy guitar song and you know it's time for the end of their set with the big anthem 'Larger than Life' which is everyone's last chance to sing their hearts out.

I really enjoyed my time with the Backstreet Boys and I really liked the confidence they had and the fact they can sing so well so many years on. If you like Pop music then this is an act you just have to see live because they will shock you with how good they actually are. This is one Pop band I think will live forever.

Backstreet Boys - Setlist
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The Call
Incomplete
Permanent Stain
All I have to Give
As long as you love Me
Show me the meaning of being Lonely
Quit playing Games (With my Heart)
Shape of my Heart
We've got it goin' On
Drowning (Acoustic)
10,000 Promises (Acoustic)
The One
In a World like This
I want it that Way
Everybody (Backstreet's Back)
Larger than Life