THIS IS US TOUR: Backstreet's Back

Dust off those old Backstreet Boys T-shirts from the '90s.
The Boys are back in town and coming to the Trib Total Media Amphitheater at Station Square on Aug. 25 on the "This is Us" tour, with special guests Tino Coury. Get ready to sing along to all the old fan favorites like “Quit Playing Games With My Heart” and “I Want It That Way.”

“You can’t miss this show,” said group member Brian Littrell, 35.

“This show is action packed, lots of fun from start to finish and you’ll hear all the old songs from when you were in second grade, or kindergarten or college, or wherever you were when you were introduced to the Backstreet Boys. There’s going to be a lot of great dancing, high energy and four feature films during the show. It’s a great memory and a great time to go into the past and see the future and where we’re heading as a group.”

It’s hard to believe it’s been about 17 years since the Backstreet Boys first hit the airwaves, invading teenage girls' hearts with their pop music, dancing and good looks. But now those boys, who were only teenagers themselves when the group started, have turned to men and with their age can a natural evolution in their music. Their most recent album, “Unbreakable,” is a take on a more contemporary style of music, and an attempt to distancing themselves from the pop boy band era.
But don’t worry, fans, as Littrell assured me, there will be plenty of old favorites played during the show.

“We focus on both the old and new,” he said. “Our catalog of hits in the past kind of speaks for itself. We’ve had a lot of top tens in our career, but our focus now is really where the Backstreet Boys are headed in the future. It’s a journey in time from where we came from and where we want to take our fans in the future. A lot of fans want to remember the past, but we’re over the past. There’s more music and more albums in our future with this group and a lot more memories and experiences to share.”

Littrell says the new era of the Backstreet Boys has something for fans, both young and old. In fact, Littrell has noticed even the men have finally started to jump on the BSB bandwagon.

“The longer we stick around, the more guys come out to the show,” said Littrell. “After being around for over 17 years, the guys aren’t as intimidated by us anymore because we’re not out to steal their girls. They’ve grown into acceptance with our music. There’s still the boy band era associated with our group, but to be honest that era has come and gone. The most important thing is the Backstreet Boys are still going strong and we have a consistent future of making music.”

According to Littrell, the Boys will be heading back into the studio this fall to work on their next album. For now they are focusing on the tour and bringing their heart and soul to all the fans. For Littrell the stop in Pittsburgh will also bring a much needed day off and a chance to visit some friends who live locally. Keep your eyes peeled while out and about next week. You might just spot yourself a Backstreet Boy walking around in the area.

“I love Pittsburgh,” said Littrell. “We’ve been there many times, and the Pittsburgh audience has always been really gracious. I’m really excited that we’ll have a day off while in Pittsburgh and I’m going to get to to see some old friends who live about 45 minutes south of the city.”

Hayley Bykens is a resident of Washington, PA. Her life is more complex than her interests. As a woman of many hats, Hayley is proud to be a mother, marketing coordinator, student, teacher, writer and crazy coupon lady. With a busy life, Hayley’s always got a story to tell, concert to review, or festival to visit, so enjoy her rants and raves on life!

http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/hayleystory/08-24-2010-hayley-backstreet-boys