Backstreet Boys pump out their R&B at Jamsil hall

Since their debut 10 years ago, the Backstreet Boys has ignited a boy-band boom worldwide. As the members grew up, their music become more mature, with more ballads and fewer dance rhythms, but they maintained the spirit and big chorus sound of a boy band while selling over 80 million albums through 2002.
Following last year’s release of “Never Gone,” their first album in five years, Backstreet Boys will perform at the Seoul Olympic Gymnastics Hall tomorrow as part of their worldwide Never Gone Tour, which began last March.
The Backstreet Boys got together in 1995 with Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough (Howie D), Alexander McLean (AJ), Brian Littrell and Nick Carter, and released their debut album, “Backstreet Boys,” in 1996 with new jack swing, hip-hop and rhythm & blues songs. After rising to fame first in Asia and Europe, the group released its “Backstreet Boys” album in the United States in 1997, with songs from two earlier albums, including “Backstreet’s Back,” which produced a number of hits with songs like “Everybody” and “As Long As You Love Me.”
Their prime days came in 1999 with the release of the “Millennium” album, which sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. Songs like “I Want It That Way” and “Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely” became instant hits. Their latest “Never Gone” album also went double platinum worldwide, selling more than 3 million copies.
Their success, following in the footsteps of the New Kids On The Block (the latter dating from 1989) inspired the formation of other groups like N*sync and 98 Degrees.
The Seoul concert will include oldies and songs from their new album such as “Incomplete” and “I Still.” There will be an open rehearsal and a backstage meeting with fans.
The boys spent most of their teenage years making music, and now should be called men rather than boys, but Kevin said in a recent interview, “I think we can stay as a boy band as long as we are getting old and growing with our music. Our fans from our younger days are growing up, but the fans will still love our music from old days.”

by Limb Jae-eun

The concert starts at 6 p.m. tomorrow at Seoul Olympic Gymnastics Hall in Jamsil, eastern Seoul. Ticket prices are 66,000 won to 110,000 won. For information, call (02) 3444-9969; for tickets, call 1544-1555.