By Jim Harrington

Nick Carter wants to be Christina Aguilera. He wants to be Justin Timberlake.

That's what this Backstreet Boy's solo show Sunday night in San Francisco was all about proving that he has what it takes to transform himself from teen pop idol to adult star.

Unfortunately, the evidence provided at this concert didn't support this point of view.

Based on this show-as well as on his debut solo record, "Now or Never"-Carter does not seem ready to join the ranks of Aguilera, Timberlake, Pink and other artists who have successfully transitioned from kiddie crowds to adult audiences.

Despite his efforts to distance himself from his boyband branding, the popular Backstreet Boy remains much closer to his little brother, Radio Disney favorite Aaron Carter, than he is to the likes of Timberlake.

Not that anything is wrong with that. There is a place in the world for a talent like Nick Carter. Hopefully, he will learn to accept that place. We would all be better off if Carter stopped trying so hard to be something he's not.

The 23-year-old New York native tried to prove to the Fillmore crowd that he's a rebel. He wore torn jeans and a sleeveless black T-shirt, which revealed a number of tattoos on his arms. He played loud, aggressive rock music that shared more in common with Linkin Park than the Backstreet Boys. He even played electric guitar and punched his "devil fist" in the air as if he were at a Black Sabbath show.

And it all felt incredibly forced.

But the fact is, with or without his fellow Backstreet Boys, the elder Carter remains a safe, cuddly pop idol who appeals to both moms and daughters.

But he obviously doesn't appeal to as many moms and daughters as he once did. In the late 90's, while the Backstreet Boys were busy selling a staggering 55 million records in three years, a Nick Carter solo show would have been an incredibly hot ticket.

A few years later, the ticket is lukewarm at best. Carter wasted no time delving into "Now or Never" material like "Girls in the USA," a song that seemingly serves no other purpose than to provide a reason to parade a few women in tight clothes across the stage.

It was a strange start for a show where the average fan was likely a 14-year-old girl.

"I Stand for You" was another big rocker that drew its strength from the arena-size drumbeats. Carter seemed totally overwhelmed by the material at this point.

Luckily, things finally fell into place with "My Confession," a typical power ballad that could have worked on any Backstreet album. Carter did a great job selling this song, particular at its close, which is really what counts most in the world of pop ballads.

After some ridiculous Linkin Park style rap-rock antics with opening act Sev, Carter luckily calmed things down with a nice unplugged segment. Sitting on a stool, the vocalist gave the crowd exactly what it wanted with three consecutive Backstreet favorites, including particularly satisfying versions of "Quit Playin' Games (With My Heart)" and "I Want It That Way".

Carter is a fine singer with a very expressive voice. Given the right material, usually a sleek pop ballad like "I Want It That Way," he is able to shine. Unfortunately, there wasn't a whole lot of that material on display Sunday at the Fillmore.

The unplugged material worked because it was the right material and because it was presented in a way that highlighted Carter's greatest asset - his voice.

But his voice had too much competition for the spotlight this night. It had to compete with drum solos and guitar solos. It had to compete with Limp Bizkit-esque songs and uninspired '70's covers.

Most of all, it had to compete with what Carter wants to be when he grows up.

Note to Nick: Quit playing games with my ears and get back to Backstreet.