By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
March 29, 1999
Who knew that the ‘N Sync crowd would be familiar with the Beatles, much less the Sugarhill Gang? But when photos of the former were flashed on a screen above the stage Friday night at the Rosemont Horizon, the young crowd gave a knowledgeable ovation to the Fab Four.
And when the superb hip-hop troupe from another generation preceded ‘N Sync’s 90-minute set, I wondered whether the kids would dismiss the members – whose average age is 38 – as the Over-the-hill Gang. But even though the audience seemed a little confused at the sight of the trio – which doesn’t include a cutie in its fold – they recognized the intro to “Rapper’s Delight” and grooved along to the Gang’s hot beats.
And lest you think this was a crowd that would cheer for anything, the audience hissed and gave a loud, collective boo when photos of President Clinton flashed on the screen in a montage that was supposed to represent the 1990s.
‘N Sync’s popularity is at its peak. The current tour – including a two-night stand at the Horizon that concluded Saturday – is completely sold out.
The latest in the line of popular boy groups, ‘N Sync has something going for it that works to their advantage live: Fronted by lead singers JC Chasez and Justin Timberlake, each of the five members can actually duplicate what he does on the band’s self-titled debut album, which has sold more than 6 million copies in the United States.
Veterans of touring, the singers – aged 18 to 27 – also know how to turn in a good show. Unlike some of their peers who appear uncomfortable with their choreographed steps, there’s not a klutz in this bunch. They’re athletic, too, executing neat back flips on a whim.
Besides the obligatory boy group a cappella session, ‘N Sync’s concert also included a video montage of several decades. Dressed in appropriate costumes, the band members came out and sang songs that represented each era. For the ’60s, the group ironically enough selected to perform the theme to Tom Hanks’ ’90s film “That Thing You Do,” which was set in the ’60s, rather than an actual song from that era.
No matter. As each member of the group took his one turn at playing instruments that night, Chasez matched the delicious giddiness of that Oscar-nominated song. Actually, that song, which is less emotional than the rest of the band’s numbers, was one of the evening’s highlights. Chasez might want to consider adding a few more pop-rock songs such as that into the repertory.
Like most boy groups, ‘N Sync doesn’t play its own instruments or write its own songs. And in concert, the six-man backup band is discreetly placed at the back of the stage so as to not get in the way of the Fab Five gently gyrating for their fans.
They are critically slammed for all of this, but they are dismissed primarily for their unapologetically hopeful pop songs.
But I’ll tell you what. When my 16-year-old niece – who had never heard the ‘N Sync album – and I left the Horizon, we were both humming “Tearin’ Up My Heart,” a song that neither of us thought we knew.
