The boys from the back street have returned showing that, although thirty years have passed more or less, they continue to arouse passions wherever they go. You only had to look yesterday at the shine of the fan in the eyes of thousands of followers who did not want to miss the performance of the Backstreet Boys at the Palau Sant Jordi as part of the DNA World Tour.
It may be that –biological clock in hand– they are no longer a boy band in the strict sense, but the expectation and subsequent dedication of the 18,000 people –mostly female– who packed the Montjuïc venue showed that what is important is the present. And not only to remember those times and songs recorded in the sentimental chronicle, but to reconnect with Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough, A.J. McLean and Nick Carter, three years after their last visit. Although this time unacceptably overshadowed by his demand to validate the photographs that the media took of the concert before publishing them. An increasingly widespread practice.
The quintet was punctual when it appeared, dressed in black, at nine o'clock at night. They started before the deafening reception to the sounds of I wanna be with you and the more than two hours that the evening-concert-celebration lasted had the shouting of the mass as background sound. And it didn't matter if they reeled off slower tempo ballads like I'll never break your heart or All I have to give (a part of which they sang in Spanish), because that was non-stop give-and-take.
They did have to dose the unstoppable rhythm of the beginning, and so the intervals between song packages were repeated, always taking advantage of connecting with the public, joking with them – changing clothes behind a screen and throwing the respectable person from the VIP area underwear–, confessing his love and gratitude –including a “long live Spain” repeated a couple of times by Howie Dorough– or remembering his beginnings. In short, creating an atmosphere of complicity and good harmony that became a slight feeling of nostalgia. Without forgetting a recorded video where the five former boys were currently shown as good parents and sentimental partners. Very tender.
The end of the show – which was scheduled to last 29 songs, including remixes and encores – focused on songs from their first three albums, such as the unstoppable Everybody or We've got in going on, reserving the anthem I want for the official ending it that way. And to close the encores, they had prepared that infallible love hook titled Larger than life.
