Backstreet Boys' Brian talks 'perfect' tour for different-sounding crowds

BURGETTSTOWN − Backstreet Boys fans don't scream like they once did.

Oh, those fans still make a lot of noise, it's just their vocalized excitement has taken on a lower resonance that comes with age, plus having noticeably more guys in the crowd.

"The funny thing is, there's a lot more dudes showing up at Backstreet Boys shows," Brian Littrell, one of the famed boy band's all-original members, said.

And it's not just teenagers and pre-teens in the audience, Littrell said, as many parents who grew up with BSB posters on their bedroom walls and eagerly watched the pop group's videos on MTV's "TRL," now are taking their children to shows.

"A lot of parents are bringing their kids to show the new generation, 'Oh, this was your mom's favorite band growing up,'" Littrell said.

Expect multiple generations singing and dancing to Backstreet Boys hits like "Larger Than Life" and "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" when Littrell, AJ McLean, Kevin Richardson, Nick Carter and Howie Dorough bring their DNA World Tour here.

Regional dates include July 5, The Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown; July 6, Blossom Music Center, Cleveland; July 14, Waterfront Music Pavilion, Camden, N.J.; July 16, Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, N.Y.; July 19, PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, N.J.; July 23, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; and July 24, Bethel Woods Center for The Arts, Bethel, N.Y.

"It's pretty exciting; we've got 32 songs in the set," Littrell said in a Zoom interview. "Of course, there's some medleys. We don't want to keep everyone there for three or four hours. We want to keep your attention."

To help hype fans, the group released a "Making of the DNA Tour" video on its YouTube channel, where McLean called it the "perfect" tour. Let's pick up the Q&A with Littrell right there.

Q: Can you elaborate on what makes this the perfect tour?

A: Well, there's going to be just about every song you can imagine the Backstreet Boys sing. Like I said earlier, there's 32 songs in the set. It's about two hours. Definitely a lot of dancing and high energy. You're going to see the culmination of almost 30 years of music. And it's just a lot of fun. If you have an opportunity to come see it, don't miss it. We're going to make you feel you're 10, or 12 or 15 years old again. Like you're a little school girl or school boy. The funny thing is there's a lot more dudes showing up at Backstreet Boys shows nowadays. It's different.

Q: What do you make of that?

A: I think they're husbands. I think they're boyfriends. I think they're guys who liked us 20 years ago, but they were just afraid to like us. They couldn't really publicly say it (laughs). So I think we stood the test of time. We stuck around long enough and now they're like, 'Man, I think these guys are pretty dang gone good' so we should go see them in concert. Look, if you're close by and you get a chance to purchase a ticket, because I know they're selling pretty quickly, but it's really the perfect storm. To be back on stage live, seeing the fans' smiling faces and singing every word to the song. It doesn't get any better than that.

Q: What does the fan reaction sound like? Does it sound the same as it did 25 years ago? Is the screaming the same?

A: It will still move you. And what I mean by that is the sound is really so loud it will literally move you, physically. Your body can feel it hit your chest. And I love that. It gives us energy on stage to do what we do. It's not easy to do what we do. You've got to get your body prepared. But when you're talking about the screeching sound of the crowd, it's lowered a little bit, because we don't have the same number of 10- and 12-year-old girls out there. We do have kids, I'll say that. A lot of parents are bringing their kids to show the new generation, 'Oh, this was your mom's favorite band growing up when she was your age.' I think that's a huge compliment. But the screeching is not as high as when they were 10- and 12-year-olds.

Q: That's better for your eardrums, right?

A: Yes it is.

Q: You guys always thought of yourselves as more of a vocal group. The dancing and chorography was a side element. Is that something you're going to emphasize again on this tour?

A: Totally. That's exactly what we're going to do. When you listen to all of our songs, I think they have a certain vocal quality of harmonies and melodies, and they've really stood the test of time. They've stood above average, I would say, and we pride ourselves on the quality, not really the quantity, of the music over time. For us, it's a joy. There is a point in the stage show where we sing an a cappella song, "Breathe," it's on the brand-new "DNA" album, so that's really a standout point where everyone can be like, 'Oh, my God, these guys are really good.' Because sometimes these vocals get lost in the song and the production and the dancing. Like you said, the dancing has always been like the second element from a show standpoint for us compared to the vocals. And it will always be that way, focused on the vocals

Q: Do you have a favorite number on this tour?

A: Man, it's really hard to pick a favorite. I mean, I love seeing the reactions to 'Quit Playing Games' when we're out front, where there's a little stage we'll pop up on and get to sing some songs and be really, really close, out in the middle of the audience. As soon as that intro hits, people just lose their stuff. They're like, 'Oh my gosh, I remember this song when I was like in second grade.' I ran into a guy a couple weeks ago on the golf course and he said, 'Dude, I have you say you were my first concert. I loved you when I was in the sixth grade. And "Quit Playing Games" was my favorite song.' And I was like, 'Dude how old are you?' And he said, 'I just turned 30 last month,' and I was like, 'Oh, man, I really got old.' He made me feel old real quick. (laughs). So I'd say "Quit Playing Games" just for the reaction of fans. It's something that never gets old.

Q: Did any part of you visualize this 25 years ago, that you'd be in your mid-to-late 40's with Backstreet Boys still performing?

A: I always expected it. I think we anticipated it and wanted to be doing this. And I think we set our goals to be attainable and achievable. We've always tried to work at having a balance outside the entertainment world. Having families and kids and a normal life, keeping us more grounded and stable, I think. But being a pop star and on stage in front of the lights it can − and will − get the best of you at times, when it's so big it kind of overtakes you. But I think our goal always from the very, very beginning was to stick together through the good and bad and just focus on our craft and making good, quality music for a long, long time. And as long as we continue to do that, we can do this for as long as we want. I think that's been the biggest feat from a band like us to be able to achieve.

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Q: Anything else you want to talk about regarding the tour or future Backstreet Boys plans?

A: We got a brand-new Christmas album coming this fall. The first time in almost 30 years the Backstreet Boys have ever recorded a Christmas album start to finish. You're going to have some of the greatest Christmas classics that you can think of, with an old-school feel. Think of The Rat Pack meets Boyz II Men. We're super excited about it. And we're just excited to be back on stage and see the smiling faces. We're blessed to be able to do what we do and go to work and do something we love and are passionate about, and feeding off the fans who give us such happy and warm emotions. There's no better job on the planet.

Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Backstreet Boys' Brian talks perfect tour & different-sounding crowds