By BOB GROSS , Of The Oakland Press 02/28/2003

February 28, 2003

Laura Weber pulls a much-cherished packet of photos from a backpack. "This is me and Nick in Belgium," she said.

She was hoping to get another photo - of her and Nick in Pontiac. Nick Carter, the youngest member of the multiplatinum Backstreet Boys pop group, performed Thursday night at Clutch Cargo's in Pontiac. It was a much more intimate venue than arenas such as the Silverdome or The Palace of Auburn Hills, where the full BSB contingent has rocked Oakland County before.

And, to judge by the 35 to 40 fans waiting in 18-degree temperatures outside the nightclub at noon Thursday, the night could almost be billed as "Nick Carter and Friends."

Because it seemed that nearly everyone in line had a snapshot of themselves with Nick - in Germany, Spain, Florida or Milwaukee.
Weber, 19, and five of her friends traveled from Europe on Wednesday to Pontiac for the concert. She's from the Netherlands, as are Debby Yoey, 18, and Lobke von Eijk, 19.
Tinne Roelens, 19, and Caroline DePauw, 23, are from Belgium, and Nelly Feliz, 20, is from Spain. They all met at a Backstreet Boys concert in Belgium and keep in touch through e-mail. They found out about the Pontiac date through a TicketMaster Web site.

"We're going to two concerts," said Weber. "We're going to this one and the one in Milwaukee."

Members of the fan group arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Wednesday. They got to Pontiac by 9 a.m. and were probably going to be standing in line until 7 p.m.

"We really like the music," Weber said. "We're kind of addicted to it."

"They're just so great," DePauw said. Fans of the Backstreet Boys go to great lengths to see both the group and its component parts. Tricia Snell, 26, and Lezlie Baker, 36, of Davenport, Iowa, traveled more than seven hours to huddle on the sidewalk outside Clutch Cargo's, wrapped in blankets and sleeping bags.

"This is a local trip," said Snell. "I was in New York last week" That trip was to see Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson in the stage musical "Chicago."

"This is my first Nick concert," Baker said. "Then we're going to Chicago and then Milwaukee after that."

While Baker is a self-described "Howie girl," a fan of Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough, Snell said she also has a thing for Carter. "I'm a Backstreet Boy fan, but Nick is definitely my favorite," she said. "Just seeing him and being near him makes me happier than anything else - and I like his voice, and it's good music."

She pulls out a plastic photo holder filled with pictures of herself and Carter, including one of the two of them in a pool in the Bahamas.

"He recognizes me," she said. "He's probably scared of me." Troy Cousino, 35, of Lansing was first in line. He and his friends brought lawn chairs that they camped out in, starting at 11 p.m. Wednesday. The overnight low in Pontiac at that time was 6 degrees.

"It was very cold," said Cousino, opening his coat to reveal a T-shirt showing himself and Carter mugging for the camera, "but it was even colder Thanksgiving Day when I had this picture taken at the Detroit parade."

Cousino said the chance to attend the concert was worth the drive from Lansing and the overnight wait in sub-freezing temperatures.

"Obviously, with all the money he's made, he doesn't have to sell $18 tickets at Clutch Cargo's to make his fans happy, but he does," said Cousino.

While there was a festive air outside the club, the mention of another popular boy band did elicit a few groans. "Euw," said one of the fans waiting in line. "Don't even bring them up.

"Who's 'NSYNC?"

ŠThe Oakland Press 2003

Source: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=7214871&BRD=982&PAG=461&dept_id=467992&rfi=8