Megan PellegrinoEver get that feeling of nostalgia when you hear a song you were once obsessed with? You know, maybe something you used to rock out to whilst wearing your Barney glow in the dark pajamas or scruncie from Limited Too. For thousands of fans in Wilks-Barre, Pa. the Backstreet Boys brought that nostalgiac feeling.
Brian Litrell, Howie Dorough, A.J. McClean and Nick Carter have been touring since February to promote their latest CD, “Unbreakable.”
One of their final tour dates was played on Nov. 2 at the Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre.
“I’ve been waiting years to see the boys, I grew up listening to them,” Lindsay Buckley, junior education major, said. “I’m a sucker for boy bands.”
The Backstreet Boys have been together since 1993 and are still going strong. “Unbreakable” was the Boys’ sixth studio album. It is the follow up album to their 2005 hit album, “Never Gone.” It is also the band’s first album attempt since the departure of former band member, Kevin Richardson.
Richardson left the group in June of 2006 to pursue other interests in his life.
“I’m not going to lie, I’m a little upset Kevin wasn’t part of the concert,” Barbara Cortellesa, junior education major, said. “He was definitely the sexiest member of the group.”
Despite the absence of Richardson, fans were still delighted by the groups’ 20 song set.
They began with some of their old school tunes ranging from “All I Have To Give” to “Incomplete.”
The boys all showcased some of the solo efforts that they have been working on. Litrell performed a country ballad from his album, “Welcome Home.” Carter sang an uptempo song, while Dorough showcased his voice with a romantic slow song.
McClean proved he’s still got sex appeal with a risqué performance of “Driveby Love,” a song from his upcoming solo album.
“Holy crap! A.J. was so freaking sexy,” Carolyn Sweeney, junior art history major at St. Joseph’s University, said. “He may be older, but he’s not showing any signs of age.”
Wilkes-Barre was only a minor stop on the band’s 98 show tour. Russia and South Africa were just some of the countries to host the band’s talent.
“I loved watching them. They had so much energy,” Buckley said.
The Boys finished up their set with an exciting performance of “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” complete with dance moves from the infamous music video. Just when fans thought the concert was over, BSB returned to the stage with a surprise encore of “Shape Of My Heart.”
“I screamed the loudest I’ve ever screamed when the boys came back out,” Sweeney said. “Plus, they sang my favorite song.”
Fans huddled out of the arena dripping with sweat and into the crisp fall evening. A smile graced each audience members faced as they rushed into their cars and turned up some Backstreet Boys tunes to relive the magic of the evening.
“That was one of the best concerts of my life,” Cortellesa said. “Backstreet’s back alright, but I don’t think they ever left.”
