Backstreet Boys

On my flight home from the opening week of the Backstreet Boys Las Vegas residency– I’m reflecting on my 3 shows, 2 after parties, and 1 meet & greet. It’s always bittersweet when a BSB event comes to end thus I’m trying to focus on the fun memories as opposed to letting the dreaded post-concert depression sink in. Alas, while my Larger than Life adventure has come to an end, I know many if you are still anxiously waiting for yours so I’d like to share my experience in hopes to get you just a little more excited and prepared on what to expect.

*Disclaimer* These are all my personal experiences so there are no guarantees it will be exactly the same for your show, as it seems that the Backstreet Boys and Wonderful Union are constantly working to improve the experience for us.

VIP Meet & Greet

For this residency, the Backstreet Boys are offering VIP meet & greet packages so I was super excited to take advantage during opening night. I checked in promptly at the designated time and my tummy proceeded to have those excited/nervous butterflies for the following 2 hours until the boys finally arrived. They peered their heads over the balcony to say hi and we all went crazy! Both the fans and the boys seemed energized for opening night.

Once I made my way to the front of the line, security instructed us to say ‘hi’ to the first 3 boys, pose for the picture, and then say ‘hi’ to the last 2 boys. It was pretty structured and it allowed me enough time to give hugs to my 5 favorite men and wish each of them a “happy opening night.” 

After I got to meet Brian, Howie, Kevin, Nick, and AJ – I was escorted to a lounge where I could get 2 free drinks, snacks, and could take pictures in a photo booth and play with BSB-stick emojis. Since my experience on opening night – they have swapped the order and will first take you to the lounge to hangout prior to taking your picture. 

Venue Logistics

The venue is located at the Axis in Planet Hollywood which is centrally located on the Vegas strip – I found that quite convenient. I also stayed at Planet Hollywood, which made it super easy to literally just take the elevators downstairs and I was pretty much there. There are also a ton of shops and restaurants surrounding the venue which was nice to grab a bite to eat before/after the show. Also be sure to check out the Axis shop located outside/across from the venue which sells lots of cute BSB Vegas merch.

The venue does let you bring in water bottles (woohoo!) but they may make you pour it out into a cup once you get inside. They also let you bring in cameras as long as it does not have a detachable lens. We were instructed that you can use the camera without flash and no livestreaming.

Here’s a rough timeline of what to expect:

4:50 – VIP Check in
7:00* – Boys arrive for Meet & Greet
7:30 – Doors to the Venue Open
8:00 – Doors to the theater itself open
9:30 – Concert Starts
11:00 – Concert Ends
12:00* – Backstreet Boys arrive to the after party
*Subject to change depending on the show, but hopefully it will stay within this ballpark

Concert

At 9:30 the lights finally went dark and the show began. The boys quite accurately described the show as a “trip down memory lane.” We got to hear all their classic hits with a few surprises for the die-hards, such as myself. My favorite songs of the evening were Get Another Boyfriend and Undone. Overall I loved the production value and the dancers really take it up a notch. Throughout the night they also brought back some of my favorite routines that we haven’t seen in a while, such as the chair dance from ‘As Long as You Love Me.’

I won’t elaborate much further on the concert itself, just because it’s something you need to experience the magic live for yourself!

If you’re anything like me – I’m sure you’re wondering how your seats are. I thought the venue was relatively pretty small and it seemed like all the seats provided a good view. I did 2 shows in the pit and 1 with seats and I enjoyed both for different reasons. Having a seat really gives you a good view of the entire show and ensures you don’t miss anything. Plus, depending on where your seats are, there may be a surprise in store in the middle of the show. I also really enjoyed my experience in the pit because you get to be up close and personal and you have a chance for a fleeting hand grab from your fave boy. Either way – you really can’t go wrong.

Final Thoughts

The last fun thing that I haven’t mentioned yet is that fans are running into the boys outside of the concert, around the strip. So keep your eyes peeled when you’re exploring the city because you just never know when you may randomly bump into a Backstreet Boy!

Overall I had such a great time and I’m already scheming on how I can go back to Vegas to see them again before their residency ends in July. I hope you’re all able to make it to Vegas to check out such an amazing concert.

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By Laura D
BSB Fanclub: https://backstreetboys.wun.io/users/laurad