DUBAI: Almost five years after their 25-year anniversary concert in Dubai, Backstreet Boys returned to the UAE, this time to Abu Dhabi’s glittering Etihad Arena, as part of their “DNA World Tour” — and it was glorious.
Fans in Saudi Arabia, who will get to see them live on May 11 in Jeddah, are in for a treat and a trip down memory lane with AJ McLean, Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough and Nick Carter.
Having had more than two years to perfect their performance thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic delay, “DNA World Tour” is a polished, high-production act that is flawless from beginning to end: The vocals are pitch perfect, the harmonies deep, strong and vibrant, and the dance moves are smoother than butter.
The concert began with one of their lesser-known hits, “Everyone,” from their 2000 album “Black and Blue,” and as the opening verse hits — “We’ve been through days of thunder / Some people said we don’t belong / They try to pull us under / But here we stand together and we’re millions strong” — you know it’s a personal affirmation as much as a declaration: These guys are here to stay.
Apart from the singing and dancing, the band took ample time to talk to the audience and among themselves, the chemistry between the five Backstreet Boys still palpable and alive.
At one point, Carter, who stole the show with his incredible solo bits, especially on “Shape of My Heart,” stopped the show to say, “I have to say something. Honest to God, coming from me, Abu Dhabi is probably the most beautiful place I’ve been to in the entire world. We love it here. I think I’m going to buy a house here.”
To thunderous cheers, McLean said: “Thirty years is a long time for any group. So, it broaches the question? How about 30 more years of Backstreet Boys?”
“May not be as much dancing involved though,” he quipped right after.
And the night was not all about trading in nostalgia, either. Songs from their “DNA” album — released first in 2019 — were predictably peppered through the concert and revealed a matured and evolving band, unwilling to rest on their previous laurels.
Nowhere was this more prominent than their new track, “No Place,” performed against the backdrop of a music video showing the band with their respective spouses and kids: a reminder that we’ve grown up alongside these boys, listening to them from our childhood bedrooms and now, as full adults, indulging in old memories.
The band also paid homage to their a cappella beginnings and showed off their vocal chops with the new song “Breathe,” harmonizing expertly with each other.
The best was left for last, though. A seven-song tribute to their earliest hits, including “Everybody,” “It’s Gotta Be You,” and “I Want It That Way,” had the crowd dancing from beat to beat through it all.
All in all, Backstreet Boys proved beyond doubt that they’ve earned their place at the top and for as long as they are around, they intend to stay there.
