Review: As long as you love them
By Pocholo Concepcion
January 23, 2006
INQ7

ALL that screeching could have crashed the Big Dome’s ceiling.

Some 10,000 people spent an hour and a half withstanding the high-decibel screams of fans who watched the Backstreet Boys (BSB) in concert Friday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

BSB, recognized as the biggest-selling and most popular “boy band” in history, was obviously loved and admired by a predominantly female fan base, who were adolescents when BSB hit international fame 10 years ago.

The non-stop shrieks that echoed throughout the gig was understandable; it was only the second time Filipino fans caught sight of the American dance-pop singing quintet in the flesh—never mind if Nick Carter looked 30 pounds overweight.

Struggling to keep in synch with the group’s snappy choreography, Carter was easily the most applauded, even as the rest elicited their own share of audience idolatry. AJ McLean, who earned the group’s sympathy a few years ago for going on voluntary drug rehab, was now the most athletic, running and flexing his toned limbs all over the stage while ably fulfilling his solo vocal parts.

The others were no less engaging. Howie Dorough cut the most dashing figure every time he took center stage. Brian Littrell, who handled most of the singing parts with high notes, exuded confidence even if he was the shortest guy in the group. Kevin Richardson, the tallest, stood out while playing on a baby grand piano.

Wild, ecstatic
All these moments were marked with screams that bordered on the wild and ecstatic, even as BSB came out trotting in attire so down and dirty casual like street bums and muggers. OK, good-looking street bums and charming muggers.

Boy band mania has long disintegrated in the United States, so why do the Boys remain such darlings to the local crowd? What’s so outstanding anyway with BSB songs that reek of saccharine mush?

The only logical explanation is that most of these songs, expertly crafted by studio songwriters and producers with an ear for teen appeal, hit the mark with a slice of the generation that came of age at the height of grunge and hard rock in the 1990s.

Is it right to surmise that those who grew up worshipping BSB preferred the simple joys elicited by “As Long As You Love Me” and “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)"—as opposed to the complicated emotions in, say, Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”?

Or is it just a terrible case of missing out on the action, since the Backstreet Boys first visited the Philippines then as virtual unknowns, only to capture legions of fans first in Canada and Europe, before America followed suit?

However which way we look, the adulation was so infectious that it got us to sing along to tunes we used to consider too lame to be part of our lives.