Elyse's February 14, 2000 Albany, NY BSB Concert Review!
~*Hey, It's Elyse (the co-owner) again! I just recently experienced my 3rd BSB Concert in my 3rd BSB Tour! So here it is for all of you!*~
First thing's first:
Ok...i didn't know i was going to this concert till like 2 days ahead of time. So I was even more excited than usualy cuz i thought i didn't get tickets. My friend called and was like, "My mom's not going to the concert now...do u wanna go?" Of course I jumped at the chance! This girl is Catherine and the other girl that went is Amanda...just to let you know.
It starts:
We left at like 2:30, right after school, cuz Catherine's dad picked us up. We drove for like 3 hr and when we finally got to Albany (we're from New Jersey), we couldn't find the arena. So we went into a dollar store and got directions. We hd like 1/2 hr to go...we were singing bsb songs the whole time...no music or nothing. When we got near the arena we rolled downt he windows and we screaming at the top of our lungs. Oh yeah, about 1/2 way to Albany we saw another car on the highway and we had signs that said Honk if YOu Love BSB on our windows and they made a sign REALLY quick that said We're Going Too...so we had fun with them on the way there. Anyway...it was about 6:00 when we got there and we were STARVING...so we found a McDonald's right across the street from the Pepsi Arena (wow...Aj's dream arena...McDonald's right across the street). The drive through was jam packed and so ws inside. The wait was bout 1/2 hr to get the food...everyone was going to the concert. We were like, "Is anyone here NOT going to the Backstreet Boys concert?" We finished eating round 7:00 and decided that it'd be too late to find a parking spot at the arena...so we walked from Micky D's to the arena. Catherine's dad left us off (he was staying in the car) and we were off. As were were walking down the street we were singing "Feeling so Good" by Jennifer Lopez and "I'm so Excited"...people in their cars could hear us and so could other people on the street, but we were having fun.
We're almost there:
Ok...souvenirs were spread out majorly here. One table had 8x10 pics of the guys and one of the group and big posters and glow sticks. So I went over there and got the Brian pic and a glowstick. I was like "2 Brians and a glowstick please." and the dude was like "2 B-Rok's and a glowstick. What color? Blue or green?" I was like blue so he gave it to me and I gave him the money. (the pics were $5 each...glow sticks $6). When I got back to my friends they were waving at something and I was like , "What?" and they were like "A video camera" I turned around and there wsa a tv camera taping me while i was buying my souvenirs! I was on TV and I didn't know it!! Then I had to get a laminate...it's a tradition for me. So I push my way to the front of the BIG souvenir stand (the one with the t-shirts, laminates, hats, the 8x10 collage concert pics, etc) and I get my laminate ($20) and the guy's like "Wow...you've got a lot of em" I'm like ype, this is my 3rd concert. Then we're done...no one else wants anything...so we go find out section to go up, cept there's this huge line cuz the doors haven't opened to go actually inside (this other part was inside/outside). So, we get to the end of the line and they open and we make our way upstairs and then to the place where they're collecting tickets. We continue singing, we're like "I'm so excited...and I just can't hide it/I"m about to lose control and I think I like it" and "I'm feelin so good/I knew that I would/Takin care of myself like I should..." Everybody else in line thought we were crazy. Then we were like "Hey...look, it's Howie!!" and people look...we start crackin up. It was great. Then, we started to do another joke and we look at our tickets and were like "Oh my god...we got front row!!!" and these other girls decided to be mean and were lik "Oh my god...we got front row!!" in this taunting vocie, so we were like "Wow, you too? Maybe we'll see you there." then they gave us this nasty look. Now, Amanda's really nice but the way she acts she acts like a suck up, which she wasn't trying to be. The guy that rips her ticket she goes to "Hi...how are you?" and he gives her this stare like "I can't get you anywhere...i just rip tickets" and then after like 2 min he's like "Good... ready to see the hockey game" she was a little out of it and didn't know he was joking and she was like, "what hockey game? I wanna see the Backstreet Boys!" and I was like, "Hmm...maybe the Backstreet boys playing hockey...then they'll got hot and take their shirts off."
Getting to our seats:
We thought the Pepsi Arena was like really big. We had Sec 201 Row E seats...so we figured we'd be pretty far back. We find the stairs that go up to our sec and there's like 5 of em. We look up and we're on one of those sec where the stairs go up high so the seats start farther back. So i thought we'd be even farhter back. Turns out we were the first row in our sec. We decided that since the balcony was open we'd go down there as soon as the opening act comes on. So we got all situated and stuff...we wer eready to go. Oh wait...gotta tell ya one more thing. I had box seats last time. The arena I went to had 2 levels of boxes...one right on the first level, one in between the first and second. We had the latter and thought those were GREAT. Now, since the Pepsi Arena was small...they only had the boxes right on the first level. So it was like taking the 2nd level and pushing it down to where the other boxes were. Can u imagine that?
Opening Act:
I went to the tour in 98. When I went we had this girl named Rockell (sp?) and Aaron Carter...each performed bout 5 songs. I also went in 99...we had Mandy Moore and EYC...each performing bout 5 songs. I knew there was only one OA this time, but I didn't know who. Turns out it was Rockell again. Guess how many songs she sang? 2! Then she left. By this time we had our spots picked out on the balcony and were standing there. AFter she left..more peeps joined us. Then this bitchy lady starts yelling at us "There's other people in the arena besides you! Could you move?!?!" So...we sat there and we could still see through the railing and weren't in anyone's way. She went down and told a security guard on us!! So, we moved back to our seats.
THE SHOW:
Ok...it's the same tour as the 99 Millennium tour for those of you that went! Nothing new. Cept that Nick's hair's short...it took a litle while to get used to, but that's ok. Let's see...nothing special bout the beginning sequence that everybody know soo much about. Cept that Kevin looks REALLY REALLY hot and he like steals the show in that part. Whoa mama! Um, let's see...oh yeah, their intros. Nick was the first and he started blabbering bout something. I forget. I think he forgot bout Valentine's Day...but that's ok, he's blonde. Um...then at the very end and he was like, "Oh yeah...I got my haircut. Do you guys like it?" We started screaming. Then he was like "I'll tell ya more about that later." He never told us anything more. Then it was Aj and he was like "I see a lot of beautiful women in the audience tonight. I just got a big favor to ask you. Will you all be my Valentines?" Screams lke crazy. Then Brian started talking about how there'd be no BSb without us and then he was like "Happy Valentine's Day" and then Kevin and Howie. Can I just say something? Their guy dancers rule!! The girls are sluts...but the guys were soo cool. Especially during the As Long As YOu Love Me chair dance. Omg...i love em! Let's see...after ALAYLM. Ah...I forget!! Oh wait...Don't Wanna Lose you Now...beautiful song, beautiful performance. That's all I gotta say. Quit Playing Games...Nick was right on our side when he was flying. I mean, he was like looking right at us. When they started flying we rushed to the balcony w/ everyone else, too. So...I stared screaming "NICK!" as loud as I could and started waving. Everyone else was screaming too, but not waving. I guess he heard us, then saw me waving and gave me this face that said "I can't get the balls up there" (the balls that they were throwing). I was like I don't want a balll, I mean i do but i know i can't, just wave. Then he pointed at me and everybody started getting in shock, but i was the one that made him point and he pointed at me and the; whole group but mostly at me. La la la, i was very happy! Oh yeah, then bitch lady goes downstairs and tells security guards on us again...we were gonna leave right after they were done flying...but, no, she got us yelled at again. What was next? Um..The Perfect Fan. Kev totally stole the show in the beginning. You know, talking bout the song and how brian wrote it, and then being broadcasted talking to his fans. Awww. Anyway, not much to say cept that it's a beautiful song and they do it so cute with the fans and their moms too. i would faint if i was them...then i would grab brian's leg and wouldn't let go (j/k). Um, oh yeah, i thin it was this part. AJ wsa crackin me up! During a break in the lyrics (just the music) b4 the 2nd verse he started to do some messed up ballet dance! it was the most hilarious thing i ever saw...he was like doing jumps and turns...omg, u had to see it! Now we come to one of the best parts...Don't want You back with poles!! For some reason, last year bri was the first one up there, just sitting all cute, and he was this year to...he shakes the pole first, then climbs and just sits on the top and sings. All the other guys are like hanging upside down from the pole and AJ's humping his (got a pic of that too...yummy). Kev's piano solo time. BEAUTIFUL. And then Back to Your Heart...omg so beautiful again. Howie for some reason keeps getting pegged with stuffed animals during this part...lol. Happened last time too...probably cuz he's in the middle. Everybody/We've got it goin on/that's the way i like it medley. Put together great. There's like thunderstorm affects b4 they come on. You hear rain, then loud thunder, then the lights flash...it's pretty cool. Did they change the moves for Everybody? I wasn't sure. I know they changed them for That's the Way I like it and a little for We've got it goin on (left my fave part though, when they're kneeling and then they kick...lol) Ok, when they were at the side kinda opposite us, i was tryin to get a pic of just the dancers (they were on the another side) and all of a sudden i see this white shirt go flying...guess who's it was? AJs! Of course he had a black wife beater on (unfortunately)..but it was funny cuz i wans't payin attention and all of sudden i see this white shirt in the air. I was like "whoa" Next up...spanish eyes. Beautiful song for beautiful guys to sing (1 with spanish eyes). Um, next was No One Else Comes Close. Oh, wait, first off. I love the little platform thing they did on...Brian was right on my side staring right at me (if was down lower, but u get my point). I almost caught his attention too, but some security came up and yelled atme to put my camera away...like i really would. I almost caught his attention cuz this girl i met was helping me scream for him (when it was quiet) and i helped her scream for Nick when the platform started spinning for INBYH. Back to NOECC...I love it! THEY HAVE SUCH BEAUTIFUL VOICES. I knew that before, but just how they do 3 slow songs in a row, OMG, it's amazing. Aj doens't do his little "Damn, I love you" at the end, though :-( Um, INBYH. Hehe, the platform spun...that was great. Love the song too. Ugly pants though...the girl I met was like "damn, those are ugly pants." I was like, "Wait till u see the jackets that go with them" I mean, they're not ugly, it's just the color that m akes u wanna puke. All I Have to Give...damn ugly pink suits! Sorry. If they were blue or something they'd be good...even white. Gotta love the hat routine though!!! And the guy dancers rule! (just needed to say that again) show me the meaning! LOVE THE SONG!!! I think it was Kev (either him or Howie) introduced it like saying bout how much it means to them and bout Denniz Pop and stuff. It was sweet and it's like my fave song...esp Howie's part, i love it! Dancers gotta put something on though! Maybe less revealing dresses or something. It's a sad song, not a time for them to be showing the world their body. Cool dance at the end though. NOW TO THE BEST PART!! The end! (wasn't good cuz it was the end, but because it was good, u get my point) It's Gotta Be you...u should've seen their outfits!! Last year they wore whatever they wanted and bri was wearing a bed & white long sleeved shirt (w/ hood that he kept putting on his head...lmao), baggy cargo patns, and a red baseball hat; kev=black tank top and baggy khaki pants; aj=tite white t-shirt and baggy white pants; howie=black wifebeater under black long sleeved shirt...but there were like no shoulders on the shirt so u could see the straps (which he later took off); nick=black long sleeved shirt and baggy jeans. Anyway, they did the same this year but with different outfits. Um..they were all wearing tank tops cept Bri, too. Let's see if rembember. Bri=baseball jersey w/ grayish blue sleeves and white rest of the shirt; Nick=like a navy green tank top (not tight) with 00 in orange an dmatching green pants; AJ=bright yellow wifebeater; Howie=black wifebeater; Kev=green tank top (tight). The song was great, the moves were great, you get my point. Then they made us do the "Ooo Ooo" thing for like an hr. Um, the best part? M C....FREAKY D!!! Him and Nick were up on the top thing and he had a hood on and was doing this like rapper pose--the arms crossed over the chest thing...u know it. Nick was like "I just wanna introduce u to the new rapper from Wannabe-A-Rapper Records...M...C.........FREAKY D!!" Then he did his rap...it's great. So rarely can rapping be described as cute. Oh yeah...and while Kev was introing his peeps Bri was playing basketball up on the top thing...it was too cute. Then at the end Nick joined him and took the ball from him...poor thing. B4 aj introed his...he jumps right into the crowd...lol. Then they continued the song and left. Awww. IWITW--EVERYONE was singing...and that's how they wanted it (no pun inteneded). Howie shook everyone's hands around the stage...too cute! Then they all left us.
I am NOT a theif:
Ok...there's these really big signs hanging on the ledge of the 2nd level. There are like 20 of em around the arena. So I decided that when the peeps sitting in front of them left, I'd make a grab for one of them. So...right after IWITW...the peeps in the row in front of the signe leave, it's still dark, so i start ripping it (these things are huge). Then...I make a mad rush to me seat and stuff it in there. I had this small one-strap backpack...and once most people left...i stuff it in there. It took like 15 mint o fit the whole thing in there. Hehe...no one noticed. It was great.
I'm a bad girl:
I got yelled at about 10 times through the whole concert. I don't feel like going into too much detail (cuz i wrote so much uptop...sorry), though. Once was in the beginning when we were first told to go to our seats. Then again. Then to put my camera away. Then to sit down again (when we were standin in the aisles). Then to move back to my seats cuz people were coming down (which i didnn't know about...i would've moved if they told me they were right behind me). Then to put my camera away again. There were more, i just don't remember. But everytime a guard left, i went right back to where I was. It's not like they can kick us out, we paid for the tix!
Dissappointments:
1)AJ barely didn't do any pelvic thrusts and he didn't hump the stage or take off his shirt!! AH, I was soo pissed.
2)Ok...the way we came out, we came out right above the tour buses (we also came out like 15 min late). We ran downstairs hoping to get a TINY glimpse of the boys (there was like one other group of peeps there, we were like somewhere weird), thinking they'd come out right by the buses (there were doors). But they didn't. We spent like 30-45 min waiting. Later I realized that they were probably in the bus already. The curtains were drawn, the lights were off, and some other stuff. All the buses were like this, too. Either they were in there already waiting for all the fans to leave so they could leave...or they wait backstage until like midnight and THEN make a getaway. Who knows?
3)While we were waiting by the buses, soem guy comes up with t-shirts for $10. He turns em around real quick and they have tour dates on the back. So we each buy one. Then he ran off, another guy came iwth long sleeved ones w/ a better pic too. I tried to trade, but some other girl was buying it and he was like "last one" which it really isn't cuz they stuff em in their boxers, trust me. Like 2 min later i turn over my shirt and they've got last year's tour dates on em! I didn't care that much (actually i did) cuz i went to alst year's tour. But my 2 friends didn't. I went over to that other girl to ask if she got ripped off too. She had this year's on. Same price, right dates, long sleeved, cooler shirt. I WAS SOO PISSED. I was gonna wear my shirt to school the next day, but i couldn't cuz it had last year's dates on em. So, I have a BSB 2000 shirt so i wore that (i felt like such a dork, but that's ok...i also wore my 3 laminates [but i put them on 1 neck thing] and my glowstick). Actually, no one really made fun of me. Most people were like "You went to the cocnert last night?" and stuff like that. So it was alright.
Closing thoughts:
Sorry you guys this was so long, but I like to save these reviews so I don't forget anything. That's the reason it's so long, for my own knowledge. Also, if anybody else has any reviews (or will have reviews after they go to a show) please send them my way to bsb_pride_alive@hotmail.com You can send reviews from any tour! Also, if you have TV appearance reviews, music vid reviews, meeting the boys reviews, or anything else you can think of. Please send them my way! Thanks a bunch and thanks for reading!
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