¬ houston, tx - 7.28.98

I went to the Backstreet Boys' concert in Houston at the Woodlands, July 28. It was awesome! My four friends and my mom all piled into our van and headed to the Woodlands. We left around 4:00 in the afternoon. It was torture just getting there. There was traffic and construction on the road. Of course we got lost once we got off the highway. Since we had Backstreet posters on our windows just to show that we're going to the concert, everyone followed us like we knew the way. It was funny when we led them to the information center. Well we found our way and we were finally there. It was extremely hot. Remember in Houston the temp. had been getting over 100 degrees. There was no shade and the first thing I thought is that I'm gonna get a hat.

Well, we pushed our way through the crowd and one of my friends found someone that we could stand with. There really was no line, just a crowd. We weren't far from the gate and everytime something happened everyone at the front screamed. Of course it was nothing, just the people unlocking the gates. Well, I stuck my camera and extra film in my mom's purse. They wouldn't search her bag. Well we went through the gates and my freinds and I went straight to the booths for stuff to buy. Well, I got a fish hat which costs $30!!! But I really wanted it so it was worth it, and also a tour t-shirt. I would have gotten the tour program but I had no money left and after my mom broke her hundred dollar bill buying water she didn't want to get back into the crowd around the booth. She said later.

Well we went to find our seats and when we showed our ticket stubb my friend looks at us in a frantic telling us that she can't find hers. She checked every pocket and it turns out that it probably fell out when she took out her wallet. Well we begged with one of the staff about our problem and while we were doing that one of them asked if the passes around our necks are the All Access passes...you know real ones. But of course we had the ones that came with the All Access video, so we're like "No, they're fake." They looked confused. Looks like they never heard of the fake ones. We could have almost gotten away. Well, our honesty got my friend to her seat. She just couldn't leave without a stubb or until the end of the concert. Well, we're at our seats and waiting forever. We weren't as far as we thought we would be...43 rows back to the left side.

7:30 comes and two guys walk out on stage with none other than Aaron Carter. Of course my friends and I jumped to our feets. We love that little guy. He was so adorable. He sang two songs: "Crush on you" and "Shake It". He introduced his backup dancers and mentioned the fact that he's Nick's younger brother, and that he has a cd out. Well, we were so disappointed that he only sang two songs 'cause after him S.O.A.P. sang 3 songs and Jimmy Ray sang four. (I always wondered what happened to Jimmy Ray.) But when Jimmy Ray first came out jammin' on his guitar, Aaron Carter was following him pretending to play an air guitar. Of course that got people up on their feets. Then he left and everyone sat back down. After Jimmy Ray we waited Till 8:45.

Then the lights went out and the curtains drop, and the flashes off everyone's camera went off. Then there they were, rising from the platforms with Fireworks going off behind them. Then we heard AJ hit the first note. It was "That's the Way I like It." Everyone screamed. It was extremely loud. They made sure the speakers were louder than the screaming. No matter how loud we screamed (and it was deafening) we could still hear them...that was great! Then they introduced themselves, and when it was AJ's turn he asked if we liked his new hair-do: red. Of course the response was a scream. Then they did a song in acapella and each got a solo. They left Nick out and Nick was like "This isn't fair, what about me?!" Of course he got his solo in the song. Then I think they sang "Hey, Mr. DJ" and then did some dancing to other songs or the other way around.

Then came their solos. Howie was first and sang "My Heart stays with You." He threw roses out into the audience and of course took off his shirt. Then AJ came out and sang "Lay Down Beside Me." Then it was Kevin. I don't remember what he sang but in other reviews they say that he sang "Noboby But You." But I remebered that he blew me away. He was great. Then it was Brian. He sang "That's what she Said." He came out with a guitar and sat in a chair and played it. After him it was, of course, Nick. He sang "Heaven in Your Eyes." One thing I remember is that he spent an awfully long time on one note. It was awesome and got everyone screamming.

Then the rest of the guys came out and they sang "Let's Have a Party." After that point I can't remember what order any of the songs went. They sang every song of the U.S. albulm except "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" and "If You Want It To be good Girl (Get Yourself A Bad Boy)." When they sang "Quit Playing Games" they had a couple false starts and then the drummer was like "You do it then." That's when Nick took off his top shirt to reveal a white tank top. (That's when my film satrted to rewind. I didn't get a chance to take a pic of them playing the instruments.) The screaming was intense. He got behind the drums, AJ on the Bass, Howie on the guitar, Kevin on the keyboards, and Brian on the congas. Then they introduced the band. The show was awesome. Time went by and then I realize that the show is gonna eventually end. After "As Long As You Love Me" They said a few words that seemed like it was the last song, so some people started to leave.

Then after a few minutes they came out and sang "Get Down" which ran into "We've Got it Goin' on." Then they left and a short version of the "Everybody" video came on the screens. After it was over the stage was full of smoke and 5 coffins were being pushed onto the stage. They turned it around and they came out. And before I knew it, they were saying "Good bye, Houston!." We left and there was already a large crowd around the booths so I still never got my program. Oh, well. If anyone was at the Houston concert and got good pix e-mail me. I would be willling to pay for copies. HitznBSB@aol.com