Backstreet's back

With last year’s sell-out show setting the standard, this year’s performance from the 90’s hit boy band was always going to be a big one.

The chart-toppers pulled no punches last night and jumped straight in with number one hit Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) jumping out the big screen to an ecstatic Echo arena audience.

Having had quite some time off, Backstreet Boys: Nick Carter, AJ, Howie and Brian hit all the right notes and moves as they mixed classics ‘As Long As You Love Me’ and ‘Larger than Life’ with songs from new album ‘This is us’.

The shows theme evolved around the concept of each Backstreet Boy becoming a character in a movie on the big screen and then jumping out explosively onto the stage, Nick Carter missing his certain trademark blonde curtains, chose The Matrix.

With five costume changes, four backing dancers and a large two-tier, double-stairwell stage to deal with, things were always going to be tight, fortunately the night went without a hitch, unlike Morrissey who stormed off after only two songs after a plastic bottle was thrown at him.

The ease of having spent 16 years with one another was evident, as to the audiences delight, the boys were in a more than playful and mischievous mood throughout the performance, leading only to the audience screaming even more.

Louise Skeldon, 21, from Liverpool said: “It was so good, they definitely haven’t lost it, there performance was amazing and they mixed the songs really well, you got all the sing-along classics as well there new stuff, not bad for £35.”

The show ended in a feat of extravagant magnificence, as dazzling stage lights glistened off the confetti being sprayed over the audience as the boys sang their final song ‘Straight Through My Heart’.

John Barry, Human Resources Manager at the Echo Arena said: “It was a fantastic evening, everything went great, the crowd was near full capacity and best of all the audience enjoyed the show.”

Backstreets back...they certainly were in Liverpool.