BACKSTREET'S BACK...ALRIGHT!

"Everybo....dy, Yeaaaah, Rock Your Body....Yeaaaah, Everybooooody, Rock Your Body Right! Backstreet's Back, Alright!!!"

"I'll never break your heart, I'll never make you cry, I rather die than live without you...."

OK, OK, I know some may comment... "OMG! Backstreet Boys!!??! That's a boyband...it's sooo lame etc... etc...". But come on, admit it! Once upon a time, long long ago, in a land far far away....you have, at one point, listened to their songs until you could blurt out the lyrics or might have even bought their album before.

And I won't deny it....I LOOOOOVE the Backstreet Boys some time ago...those boyish looks, those many karaoke repertoires, those cheesy but oh-so-cool dance moves. And YES, I even bought 2 of their first albums entitled, 'Backstreet Boys' and 'Backstreet's Back'. They came to Sydney sometime in Jan 2006 at Entertainment Centre but I wasn't able to catch that show because I was back in M'sia for holidays. So going to their Unbreakable Sydney concert last Friday was sorta like finally being able to chase back my teenage dream *those were the days....loooong gone...*

Brian McFadden (of Westlife fame and fiance of Aussie songbird Delta Goodrem) opened their act at 7:30....sang I guess about 4-5 songs including his latest, 'Only a Woman Can'. It was such a boyband night, considering McFadden used to be part of Westlife. And, after his gig, it was a painful 40 minutes wait before the BSB started. Audiences were at first, enthusiatic, doing rounds after rounds of human waves. And then there were cheers, screams demanding for the boys to come out. Silence again, human waves again, screams again.....I had to admit I was getting a bit frustrated about the wait. The tickets noted 7:30 as the start time but it wasn't until 8:40 that they finally appear.

And, they did not just appear and kick off the show with some real cheesy boyband-style dance moves, they did it in the most unusual way....as if it was a boxing match, with a commentator introducing each of them at each corner of the mini made-up boxing stage. We had a good laugh on that one...

It was suprisingly a pleasant night. Not really a tacky boyband reminiscence night. They did sang most of their hits eg. Quit Playing Games with My Heart, All that I can Give, Larger than Life, Show Me the Meaning (of Being Lonely), I Want it That Way, More than That, The Call, Incomplete, Just Want You to Know and their new song, Helpless When She Smiles. The whole arena went totally crazy when they did I Never Break Your Heart and As Long As You Love Me while the music video was shown at the background, instantly comparing their boyish looks back then with their 'matured' looks now. Also, I looooove the part when they did Everybody (Backstreet's Back) and performed the dance move as of the music video. *Coooool!*




Throughout the show, all 4 of them did individual songs of their own. Howie did a latin-ish rendition, Nick with his rave drums session, Brian sang his new song 'Welcome Home' while AJ sang a solo heavy-rock track, fast proving that boyband too, has their own style when it comes to solo careers. And the BSB I love most.....AJ! I just don't know why but I felt his outlook passes some similarity with Jacky Cheung.....the moustache, the face shape, those 'man-ly' looks. Both had their different styles but I can't deny that they do look alike!

My favourite part of the night was the performance of 'Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely'. The setting was a poker table at the edge of the stage. All four of them played a few hands of poker with cigars in their hands while they sang. The background showed a close-up of them in black and white, almost like a scene in some mafia movie back at those colorless era.



They still manage to pull through despite Kevin's decision to leave the band. But then of course, among all 5 of them, Kevin was always the one who sang the least throughout their career. He was more of a dancer and composer rather than a singer. So his withdrawal from the band almost cause no impact at all to the remaining 4.

Everyone was obedient throughout the show even when Brian came down the stage to greet some fans....but during the encore session, Nick came down and that was the time when everyone went crazy (ermmm....that includes me) and ran to the front. Of course the main reason of me running to the front wasn't for Nick....I was hoping and praying that my fave among all, AJ, will come down as well.....Too bad, my predictions was wrong. Indeed AJ came down the stage but it was on the left side while I ran towards the centre of the stage....BADDDD.....but I did manage to catch some good shots of all four of them.

The show ended with the song 'Shape of My Heart'. Overall, it was quite an enjoyable nostalgic night, although it was just a less than 2 hrs show. I had a fun time going down memory lane along with the arguably best boyband of all time. And finally after 15 years, I have fulfill my dreams to watch them live on stage.....