The Backstreet Boys - the biggest selling boy band in the world - will make their Northern Ireland concert debut this spring, it was revealed today.  The band, which has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide, will play the Odyssey Arena in Belfast on Monday, May 12.

Their first two US releases both received the Diamond Award for sales of over 10 million - Backstreet Boys in 1997 and quintessential Millennium in 1999, which reached number one in 25 countries.

Now a four-piece after the departure in 2006 of Kevin Richardson, the band has scored a dozen top 40 hits, including Quit Playing Games With My Heart, As Long As You Love Me, Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) and All I Have To Give.

Backstreet began performing in 1993 and despite changes in the music scene, a three-year hiatus and Richardson’s decision to leave, the band never split up.

Last October they released their sixth album Unbreakable - their first effort since the departure of Richardson.

The album has been exceptionally well received compared to their comeback album after their three-year break, Never Gone. However, while it has received positive reviews, it has not performed as well as its predecessor.

The four remaining members of the Grammy-nominated band are Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, A J McLean and Nick Carter and the quartet has not ruled out the possibility of Richardson returning in the future.

Tickets, priced £33 and £30, to see the Backstreet Boys’ debut Belfast show go on sale on Friday, February 1 from the Odyssey Arena box office and usual Ticketmaster outlets.

Posted: January 18th, 2008 under In The Press.
Comments: none

Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough has travelled the world playing in front of millions of fans, but he has always dreamed of returning to his hometown to marry the woman he loves in front of close family and friends. The 34-year old star’s wishes came true when he married Leigh Boniello, 33, in an intimate ceremony at St. James Cathedral in Orlando, Florida, followed by a lavish reception at the La Viance. The couple’s relatives were joined by Howie’s bandmates Brian Littrell, AJ McLean and Nick Carter, along with Kevin Scott Richardson, who left the band in 2006. The guests enjoyed three days of celebrations which included a Catholic wedding mass and a pre-wedding dinner followed by a visit to a karaoke bar!

But the festivities were tinged with sadness because of the absence of a couple of close relatives. Leigh’s sister Stacy O’Neil was to have been maid of honour but after discovering she was pregnant with twins, she was advised not to travel for medical reasons. Guests’ thoughts also turned to Howie’s sister Caroline Dorough-Cochran, who died of lupus. When the newlyweds left the church, 200 butterflies were released in her memory.

OK! caught up with the happy couple after the event to hear all about their big day…

Congratulations! How was the wedding?
Howie: It was a fairy-tale, rock star wedding. I couldn’t ask for anything more. Honestly, my cheecks are hurting from smiling so hard.
Leigh: It was amazing. We had so many surprises for everyone. The whole thing went on for three days. We didn’t tell anybody but Howie and I jumped on a helicopter and landed right in front of where the cocktails were being served. It was awesome. Everyone was shocked.

Howie, what did you think as Leigh walked up the aisle?
Oh my God. I was holding myself back from crying. I had to take a couple of big breaths. She was so beautiful, it was more than I ever expected.

Did you cry?
Howie: I definitely got choked up. My eyes definitely watered here and there. The priest told me: ‘This is your dream come true’. I always wanted to get married in my own church where I was baptised.
Leigh: I’m a pretty emotional person, so I thought I would cry. But I think after all the planning, as soon as we were getting ready to go, I was like, alright, we’re doing it. My dad was worse than I was. He was tearing up. I’m looking at him like, don’t start!

Leigh, your sister couldn’t make it. Was it emotional not having her there?
Yes, I mean I can’t even talk about it. She’s been wanting to have a baby for a long time. And now that she’s pregnant with twins, obviously I was so happy for her. She taped a speech on DVD and they played it at the reception.

What was the most emotional moment?
Howie: I think seeing Leigh coming down the aisle. It was amazing. I just kept on telling her I love her so much. I kept saying: ‘You look so beautiful’. It was a dream come true for me. She’s my best friend.
Leigh: Just seeing my dad cry as I walked down the aisle. And my mom of course.

Was it important that you got married at the cathedral?
Howie: I’m from Orlando and this is the church I was baptised at, had my first communion, confirmation and my oldest sister got married here. I’m the baby of the family so I kind of wanted to complete the circle.

Were there any last-minute problems or hitches?
Leigh: Besides my fiancé losing his passport two days before our wedding as we’re going to go on our honeymoon? Luckily his management company were great - they got it done in a day.
Howie: Besides me not finding my cufflinks, that was about it. It was actually really smooth.

What was your most memorable moment of the whole day?
Leigh: Flying in on the helicopter for sure. And we did a butterfly release in memory of Howie’s sister who died of lupus. They released 200 butterflies when we walked out of the church.
Howie: Definitely the helicopter. I wanted to do a rock star entrance. Everyone was like: ‘Wow!’. The helicopter swooped around the house, a couple of times - it was a drastic entrance! And the butterfly release outside the beautiful church.

What was it like to have the other Backstreet Boys there?
Howie: It was awesome. They all got up to say a special blessing to me and Leigh. It was sweet. They’re like my brothers and for me to have them there, I got choked up. They said something to both of us. They know Leigh as well, because she used to work for us. The fact that they said something and recognised her and how long we’ve been together was so sweet.
Leigh: I worked for the group so they all care for me a lot. I think they always knew we would get married. They’ve been so supportive.

Tell us about your first dance…
Howie: It was Endless Love. She has a lower bass voice than me, so she did the Lionel Richie part. I did the Diana Ross part.
Leigh: Not your typical wedding song but our big joke is that he sings all the high parts, I don’t know if anyone got the joke!

And now you’re heading off to Antigua for your honeymoon…
Howie: We’re so excited. We just have three days to get away because I have to do some shows with the group, but we’re so excited. We were going to do a honeymoon in Africa and Greece for a month but we couldn’t do that because of the schedule with Backstreet. But just taking the time to go to this place, we’re just so glad to chill and relax.

Do you have any plans to start a family?
Howie: We’ve definitely talked about kids. We’re both excited about taking on that chapter in our lives. I think we’ve had some amazing years of being on the road and partying. Now that we’re getting closer to our mid-thirties, we’re not thinking so much about ourselves any more.

Posted: January 2nd, 2008 under In The Press.
Comments: none

It’s not just the female pop stars who are under pressure to keep fit and look good. Nick Carter of The Backstreet Boys lost nearly 20kg to get in shape for the release of the US boy band’s latest album, Unbreakable, and upcoming world tour. “I was really unhealthy the last tour,” Carter says.

“I was really fat and disgusting. I never want to get to that again. People are watching you so you have to uphold your image to a certain extent.”

The 27-year-old weighed about 100kg at his heaviest, and says it took him six months to lose the weight.

He hasn’t gone on any special diets but has simply been eating healthier and working out at the gym.

“I am feeling great,” Carter says. “I look better. I feel better. I am ready to get out there and perform. I am so ready.

“It was exercise and eating healthier, eating less calories and more working out – that is pretty much what I was doing.”

Carter grew up in the public eye, joining the group at just 12 years of age.

Backstreet Boys have sold more than 100 million albums and 15 million singles worldwide and group members are recognised wherever they go.

Their first two US releases – Backstreet Boys in 1997 and Millennium in 1999 – each sold more than 10 million copies, with the latter reaching No.1 in 25 countries.

Their hits include Quit Playing Games, As Long As You Love Me, Everybody, I Want It That Way, Incomplete and Just Want You To Know.

“We definitely have to just take care of ourselves because we are getting older,” Carter says.

“Anybody who is getting older in life, they have to take care of themselves.

“They have to realise that you can’t just jump right back into something because you could injure yourself.

“So we all have to prepare ourselves and make sure we are ready – it is a gruelling schedule.”

It has been two years since the band last visited Australia and a lot has changed.

They’re now a four-piece – Brian Littrell, Carter, A.J. McLean and Howie Dorough – after Kevin Richardson left the band in June last year to pursue other interests.

“The dynamics of the group is different with Kevin gone,” Carter says.

“We are on the exact same page with where we want to be musically, and with what we want to do on the show.

“Kevin was a perfectionist which, maybe at certain times, prohibited the creative atmosphere.”

The album title Unbreakable signifies the group’s strong bond and all they have been through since forming in 1995.

“No matter what road blocks or adversities that come in the way, whether people have heart issues, whether people go to rehab, whether people leave for a solo stint, whether a member leaves the group, the actual group the Backstreet Boys is unbreakable,” Carter says.

The new album continues to offer fans the band’s trademark melodies and well-crafted three and four-part harmonies – signs of the mature musicians they have become.

The group devoted 18 months to recording Unbreakable. The first single, Inconsolable, is a piano ballad reminiscent of the group’s biggest hits.

Carter says his siblings are also in show business. His singer brother Aaron and three sisters, Angel, Leslie and Bobbie Jean, featured in a reality show called House of Carter.

Carter lives in Los Angeles and many would think he leads the A-list Hollywood life but that is apparently a misconception.

Carter, who has dated the likes of Paris Hilton, Ashlee Simpson and Kathy Griffin, says he doesn’t like to mix with other celebrities.

“I am not friends with a lot of people out here in Hollywood,” he says.

“I barely know any celebrities out here and I like it that way. It is the craziest thing in the world and they are not real friends. Most of my friends are just normal people.”

[Source]

Posted: December 31st, 2007 under In The Press.
Comments: none

The Backstreet Boys may have put on a mile-high performance Friday night at the Jingle Ball show in the Big Apple, but AJ had a rough ride back to his Hollywood home on Saturday when he spilled his Starbucks everywhere while boarding.

The crooner was obviously feeling cranky without his caffeine hit as he scoffed away at his sandwich.

“It’s been a bad day so far, just as well I didn’t spill my lunch too,” the pop prince said. “Then I would have been real mad.”

Meanwhile, AJ’s bandmate Nick Carter took every opportunity to chat on his cell from takeoff to immediately after landing. Was it a special somebody?

Pop Tarts has been told that the boys will be up to some sins in Vegas over New Years as they “Rock Your Body” at the Body English in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

But one bopper who won’t be behaving badly (we hope) is Howie Dorough, who tied the knot just last week in his home base of Orlando to his longtime love Leigh Boniello.

The 34-year-old wed the real estate broker in a traditional white wedding that our spy says was “so incredibly sweet and perfect. All the boys were there supporting Howie on his big day.” Awww.

[Source]

Posted: December 31st, 2007 under In The Press.
Comments: none

Knee-high snow drifts and a citywide parking ban weren’t enough to keep a hardy few from making their way to Hartford’s Webster Theatre Thursday night for a radio-station holiday concert featuring the Backstreet Boys. Their reward for braving the storm? A headline act that went on an hour late and then performed for just 30 minutes, with no encore.

Despite the slippery conditions, the Backstreet Boys refused to cancel or postpone the show, which is a scenario with great potential: You and your friends, among the lucky ones who make it to a half-full club that was supposed to have been packed, ready to have an unforgettable night. This was unforgettable, but for the wrong reasons.

At least the quartet was in peak form for its seven-song set. Accompanied only by keyboard and guitar, the Boys showed off their vocal chops without the bombastic song arrangements from their albums — and they certainly can sing.

Their voices fell into layers of multihued harmonies on “Unmistakable,” and they perched on stools to deliver the catchy minor-key melodrama of “Shape of My Heart,” grinning at each other and looking as though they were having a great time.

A spiky current seemed to surge through the crowd, mostly comprising young women, after the opening notes of “I Want It That Way,” and the audience sang along at top volume, all but drowning out the Backstreet Boys.

“You know this one?” A.J. McLean cracked.

There was a different energy rippling through the theater when the Backstreet Boys said good night after “Helpless When She Smiles.” The stunned audience paused for a few moments, then started chanting the band’s name and “one more song!” before trudging out of the venue as if in shock.

The sound in the venue was often an issue, too. The sister duo Karmina performed before Pras, but their harmonies on pop-rock songs were lost in a wash of drums and keyboards from their backing band.

A pair of Connecticut acts opened: Columbia Fields, which played a set of slight but hooky songs built around acoustic guitar and piano, and singer Bek Phillips.

[Source]

Posted: December 31st, 2007 under In The Press.
Comments: none