By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
August 2, 2000
Let’s get this out in the open now: I am three times older and twice as tall as many of the ‘N Sync fans who attended the band’s sold-out show Tuesday night at the Route 66 Raceway in Joliet.
I do not listen to their records at home. Nor do I own any of their collectible dolls, T-shirts or posters. But once or twice a year, when the Sun-Times sends me out to review their concerts, darned if I don’t end up having a good time.
Tuesday night, the five-man boy band performed a theatrical concert that was choreographed down to the tiniest step. But the members–particularly lead singers and heartthrobs Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez–are such seasoned showmen that they lend an air of spontaneity to their meticulously rehearsed act.
This concert, which is the last date on this leg of their tour, has been a long time coming. Originally scheduled in June, the show was postponed when heavy winds struck the raceway and damaged their stage. The weather cooperated Tuesday night as the band’s explosive show made the 45,000-plus fans forget about the humidity.
After three anemic opening acts, including a decent set by Pink, ‘N Sync made a dramatic entrance suspended above the stage by giant marionette strings, a concept from the cover of their latest album, “No Strings Attached.”
Are the guys puppets in a boy band machine? They may have started that way, but they’ve taken on lives of their own.
With “No Strings Attached,” the group’s 15 minutes of fame has extended to an hour. The CD debuted at No. 1 on the album charts, and with 2.4 million copies sold in a week, ‘N Sync also broke the record for fastest-selling album in music history.
They’ve consistently sold out every venue they’ve headlined in the last few years, including this one. Chicago area fans snapped up more than 45,000 tickets for the Joliet show in 45 minutes.
Was this show as good as their concert last year at the Allstate Arena? No. As my 11-year-old niece, Tabitha, pointed out, their set last year was more varied and energetic.
This tour, they paid homage to Austin Powers, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” and Pokemon. A highlight of the evening was Timberlake’s take on the human beat box.
Their hits were there, including, “I Want You Back,” “Bye Bye Bye” and “God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You.”
Boy bands are an entity unto themselves. They aren’t encouraged to write their own music or play their own instruments. Their jobs are to sound good, look better and break a few hearts along the way, ‘N Sync has perfected this formula and gone head-to-head with their rivals, The Backstreet Boys.
But unlike the Boys, two of whose members have gotten married and engaged this year, the boys from ‘N Sync know how to play the game.
They remain single–no strings attached.
*****
Hot boy band gives girls that Sync-ing feeling
There is nothing like the sound of screaming girls. And it seems like all of them were in the parking lot at the Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, hours before the ultra-popular boy band ‘N Sync was scheduled to appear for its 9 p.m. concert.
One group of fans took a detour from a family reunion in Kentucky to attend the concert. Emily Finney, 16, of Four Corners, Colo., said, “This concert is a must-see. I’ve never seen them before, so I’m very excited. We left all the boys in Kentucky to come see ‘N Sync. We’re heading back to the reunion tonight after the show.”
As fate would have it, the Finneys were able to attend the ‘N Sync show Tuesday because it had been rescheduled. After a small tornado struck the raceway hours before the original June 25 date, the band decided to postpone its Joliet appearance.
On Tuesday, the fans came decked out in their cutest summer outfits. They compared pictures of the band members and shared stories about almost meeting the guys.
“JC waved at me last year,” bragged one girl.
“I touched Lance’s hand,” said another.
Last names are superfluous when you’re a true ‘N Sync fan, as these kids are.
Just ask the girl with the “I Love Justin” sign. Or her friend wearing a T-shirt that depicted Britney Spears with a big X over her face. Why the animosity? Spears is rumored to be dating Justin.
Mary Cinder, an 8-year-old fan from the Milwaukee suburbs, has a theory about why ‘N Sync is so popular. “It’s because Justin is cute, and I like his hair,” said Mary, who was looking pretty cute herself with the name “Justin” spelled out in pink glitter on her forehead. “And I like that he’s the youngest.”
Being young is a good thing when the majority of your fan base is still in grammar school. At 19, Justin is just young enough to daydream about, but old enough so that he seems cosmopolitan compared with the girls’ male classmates.
Not everyone here was looking forward to the show, though. Bob Smith, a Chicago dad cajoled into bringing his two pre-teen girls to the concert, whispered to another adult, “I hope all these boy bands break up. I can’t take anymore of this.”
