The Boys Are Back In Town

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Apr 13, 2000 Source: VH1 (The Wire) Submitted By: pandora@backstreetboys.com By Michael Hill Let's face it: Most guys don't spend that much time getting dressed, which may be one reason why last night's taping of VH1's Men Strike Back moved more efficiently than the spectacularly over-the-top Divas 2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross two nights earlier. The dress code for the gentlemen at New York's Theater at Madison Square Garden — the Backstreet Boys, D'Angelo, Enrique Iglesias, Tom Jones, Sting, and Sisqo — was basic black, preferably leather, definitely form-fitting. There were exceptions: the always-in-white Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell, the always-in-red Sisqo, and Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson in an ankle-length grey skirt over black trousers (remarkably similar garb to what David Bowie sported on Saturday Night Live when he played "Boys Keep Swinging" back in the new wave '80s). The lone woman onstage, the formidable Christine Aguilera, stuck with black as well — midriff bared, of course. The lack of costume changes, breathtaking as they were when Miss Ross was in the house, underscored the mood of Men Strike Back: This show was more about male bonding than diva poses. But it was also about preening — and bumping and grinding — before an audience of very vocal females of all ages. The good news for Sting, who opened the taping with a solo version of "Roxanne" accompanied by Branford Marsalis on soprano sax, was that the little girls still understand. His entrance elicited as many screams as the Backstreet Boys received when they joined the former Police singer a few minutes later for a beautifully harmonized version of "Don't Stand So Close to Me." Maybe it's all that yoga he does, but the lithe, lean, and very blond Sting was a physical match for any one of those Backstreet Boys. And they proved to be an excellent musical match for him. They ditched the boy-band mugging to focus on their gorgeous harmonies, which swelled during the song's famous choruses. The intellectuals in the house got a thrill, too, when the Backstreet Boys, used to singing the hypnotically rudimentary lyrics of Swedish songwriter/producer Max Martin, executed one of Sting's most memorable couplets, rhyming "shake and cough" with "Nabokov." The muy guapo Enrique Iglesias followed with smoldering renditions of "Be With You" and "Bailamos." Iglesias doesn't move all that much, particularly south of the border, but he merely needs to lift the tail of his shirt and offer a glimpse of his well-documented abs to elicit screams. Tom Jones, whose lascivious hip-swiveling turned on TV audiences back in the '60s, helped Iglesias break a sweat on a very funky duet rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire." Iglesias really cut loose vocally on the final verse, and Jones simply cut footloose as he always does. God bless him, the guy can still move. Actor Matthew McConaughey, one of a group of celebrity hosts that included Jenna Elfman, Kevin Bacon and wife Kyra Sedgewick, Susan Sarandon, and Dylan McDermott, introduced D'Angelo. As a guy who, according to Austin, Tex., police reports, enjoys a good session of naked bongo playing, McConnaughey has a special appreciation for the stripped-down soul of D'Angelo, describing his sound as "groove and bass." D'Angelo certainly had the groove, fronting a large combo with the mastery of Prince and the gritty soulman style of Wilson Pickett on "Chicken Grease" and "Send it On." Within seconds, D'Angelo had everybody on their feet, with their hands in the air and their backfields in motion. Jones returned to get on the good foot with D'Angelo on a rousing version of the Godfather of Soul's classic "Sex Machine." Before they launched into their serious funk, Jones and D'Angelo teased the crowd, flirting with young women standing by the lip of the stage, suggesting that they were going to take it nice and easy. But Jones never does anything nice and easy — the extended jam of "Sex Machine" was nice and rough. Jones then took his solo turn. This veteran Welsh shouter, who could be the grandfather of many of the girls yelling for the Backstreet Boys, rocked the house with his signature song, "It's Not Unusual," and a foot-stomping cover of Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way." Surprise guest Sisqo made explicit what Jones' gyrating hips simply suggested, performing his left-field hit, "Thong Song." The Dru Hill singer was backed by a dozen or so dancers clad in that song's fashion accessory of choice (and discreetly covered with scarves tied around their waists). Sisqo proved himself a fierce live singer and a very limber acrobat, outdazzling any of the dancers backing him, even without a thong. Young Christina Aguilera has a diva's pipes already and can cram more notes into a single line than a trio of Mariahs. Though she delivered her hits, "I Turn to You" and "What a Girl Wants," with great technical prowess, the real surprise of her set was a rendition of the pre-rock'n'roll-era pop standard "At Last" with a small jazz combo. For a suitably world-weary version of the tune, check out Joni Mitchell's new Both Sides Now disc, but Aguilera gets points for tackling something so outside the box of teen fodder. Give her a few years; like Ann-Margret in Bye, Bye Birdie, she's got a lot of livin' to do. The Backstreet Boys, whose artistic cred increased with every note they sang, closed the show with "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" and their latest single, "The One." Sting returned the Backstreet Boys' earlier favor by joining them on "I Want it That Way," lending that already irresistible tune the sort of plaintive air he brings to his own material. It was fitting, then, that the entire crew returned for a grand-finale rendition of the Police's "Every Breath You Take." With the choir-boy harmonies of the Backstreet Boys, and some gospel-style testifying on the bridge by Aguilera, the song lost its dark, obsessive tone and became something celestial, more about a guardian angel than a stalker. The evening ended with fireworks, confetti, bear hugs all around, and those indefatigable Backstreet Boys signing autographs for their young fans. The men weren't striking back; they were just hanging out. You can catch the Men Strike Back concert on VH1 this Tuesday, April 18th at 9:00 PM ET. To find out more about the performance and performers go to VH1.com's Men Strike Back special area featuring a live chat, photos from the concert, streamed videos on each artist, fan sites, an At Work radio special, and streamed video on each performer. Comment on this item. Next Item: Howard Stern makes Sara's dream come true Prev Item: Wanted: Charter Club Damask Stripe King Duvet (White)