The Backstreet's Back Tour was a concert tour by the Backstreet Boys that began in 1997 and concluded in 1998. It was also the first tour to be held all over the United States. The set list included songs from their second album Backstreet's Back (International) (1997) and several songs from their debut U.S. album, Backstreet Boys (1997).
During this tour, Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell underwent surgery to correct a congenital heart defect he had had since birth. Surgery was necessary because the hole in his heart was getting larger. The group postponed a couple of show dates but Littrell was back performing with the group within weeks after the surgery only to have oxygen tanks in the wings of the stage.
Opening acts Emjay (December 27, 1997 – January 7, 1998) Los Umbrellos (January 14, 1998 - February 1, 1998) Westlife (March 17–18, 1998) Solid HarmoniE (March 17–22, 1998) Thomas Jules-Stock (March 24, 1998 - April 15, 1998) N-Tyce (March 24, 1998 - April 15, 1998) Aaron Carter (July 8, 1998 - September 15, 1998) Jimmy Ray (July 8, 1998 - September 15, 1998) S.O.A.P. (July 8, 1998 - September 15, 1998) Chris Durán (September 18–19, 1998) INOJ (November 18–19, 1998) LFO (December 30–31, 1998)
Setlist
Tour dates DateCityCountryVenueNorth AmericaDecember 27, 1997HalifaxCanadaHalifax Metro CentreDecember 29, 1997Quebec CityColisée de QuébecDecember 30, 1997MontrealMolson CentreDecember 31, 1997January 1, 1998January 2, 1998OttawaCorel CentreJanuary 3, 1998TorontoSkyDomeJanuary 5, 1998MontrealMolson CentreJanuary 6, 1998January 7, 1998Quebec CityColisée de QuébecJanuary 14, 1998CharlotteUnited StatesIndependence ArenaJanuary 15, 1998AtlantaFox TheatreJanuary 16, 1998LouisvillePalace TheatreJanuary 17, 1998DetroitFox TheatreJanuary 18, 1998ColumbusPalace TheatreJanuary 20, 1998TampaUSF Sun DomeJanuary 21, 1998West Palm BeachCoral Sky AmphitheatreJanuary 22, 1998Ponte Vedra BeachNease High School Football StadiumJanuary 23, 1998Washington, D.C.DAR Constitution HallJanuary 24, 1998ProvidenceProvidence Performing Arts CenterJanuary 27, 1998AlbanyPalace TheatreJanuary 28, 1998PlainviewThe VanderbiltJanuary 30, 1998IndianapolisMurat TheatreJanuary 31, 1998Kansas CityMemorial HallFebruary 1, 1998DallasBronco BowlSouth AmericaFebruary 13, 1998Viña del MarChileAnfiteatro de la Quinta VergaraFebruary 15, 1998TigreArgentinaAnfiteatro del Parque de la CostaNorth America Leg 2February 21, 1998Lake Buena VistaUnited StatesHouse of BluesMarch 15, 1998OrlandoUniversal CityWalkEuropeMarch 17, 1998DublinIrelandPoint TheatreMarch 18, 1998March 20, 1998BirminghamEnglandNEC ArenaMarch 21, 1998LondonWembley ArenaMarch 22, 1998March 24, 1998CopenhagenDenmarkBella CenterMarch 25, 1998GothenburgSwedenScandinaviumMarch 27, 1998MannheimGermanyMannheimer MaimarkthalleMarch 28, 1998CologneViva Television StudiosMarch 29, 1998OsloNorwayOslo SpektrumMarch 30, 1998StockholmSwedenStockholm Globe ArenaMarch 31, 1998April 1, 1998CopenhagenDenmarkForum CopenhagenApril 2, 1998ArnhemNetherlandsGelreDome XSApril 3, 1998April 4, 1998GhentBelgiumFlanders ExpoApril 5, 1998April 6, 1998AmnévilleFranceGalaxie AmnévilleApril 7, 1998ParisZénith de ParisApril 9, 1998BarcelonaSpainPalau dels Esports de BarcelonaApril 12, 1998ValenciaPlaza de Toros de ValenciaApril 13, 1998MadridPalacio de DeportesApril 14, 1998April 15, 1998LisbonPortugalPraça de Touros de CascaisNorth AmericaApril 24, 1998Bay LakeUnited StatesFrontierlandApril 25, 1998May 1, 1998May 2, 1998May 8, 1998May 30, 1998MansfieldGreat Woods Center for the Performing ArtsJuly 8, 1998CharlotteCharlotte ColiseumJuly 9, 1998JacksonvilleJacksonville Veterans Memorial ColiseumJuly 10, 1998MiamiMiami ArenaJuly 11, 1998OrlandoOrlando ArenaJuly 12, 1998AtlantaCoca-Cola Lakewood AmphitheatreJuly 15, 1998BristowNissan PavilionJuly 16, 1998PhiladelphiaCoreStates CenterJuly 17, 1998New York CityRadio City Music HallJuly 18, 1998New HavenNew Haven Veterans Memorial ColiseumJuly 19, 1998AlbanyPepsi ArenaJuly 21, 1998DarienDarien Lake Performing Arts CenterJuly 22, 1998Cuyahoga FallsBlossom Music CenterJuly 23, 1998NoblesvilleDeer Creek Music CenterJuly 24, 1998Auburn HillsThe Palace of Auburn HillsJuly 25, 1998LouisvilleFreedom HallJuly 26, 1998St. LouisKiel CenterJuly 28, 1998The WoodlandsCynthia Woods Mitchell PavilionJuly 29, 1998Dallas, TexasCoca-Cola StarplexJuly 31, 1998Kansas CityKemper ArenaAugust 1, 1998Tinley ParkNew World Music TheatreAugust 2, 1998MilwaukeeMarcus AmphitheaterAugust 4, 1998Greenwood VillageCoors AmphitheatreAugust 6, 1998West Valley CityE CenterAugust 7, 1998Las VegasMGM Grand Garden ArenaAugust 8, 1998Los AngelesUniversal AmphitheatreAugust 9, 1998August 11, 1998ConcordConcord PavilionAugust 13, 1998PortlandRose GardenAugust 14, 1998SeattleKeyArenaAugust 15, 1998VancouverCanadaGeneral Motors PlaceAugust 17, 1998CalgaryCanadian Airlines SaddledomeAugust 18, 1998EdmontonCommonwealth StadiumAugust 19, 1998SaskatoonSaskatchewan PlaceAugust 20, 1998WinnipegWinnipeg ArenaAugust 22, 1998TorontoMolson AmphitheatreAugust 23, 1998MontrealParc des ÎlesAugust 25, 1998HalifaxCitadel HillAugust 27, 1998UniondaleUnited StatesNassau Veterans Memorial ColiseumAugust 28, 1998MoosicLackawanna County StadiumAugust 29, 1998East RutherfordContinental Airlines ArenaAugust 30, 1998GeddesNew York State Fair GrandstandAugust 31, 1998Essex JunctionChamplain Valley Expo GrandstandSeptember 2, 1998UniondaleNassau Veterans Memorial ColiseumSeptember 3, 1998ProvidenceProvidence Civic CenterSeptember 4, 1998ColumbiaMerriweather Post PavilionSeptember 5, 1998AllentownAllentown Fair GrandstandSeptember 14, 1998AlleganAllegan County Fair GrandstandSeptember 15, 1998YorkYork Fair GrandstandSouth AmericaSeptember 18, 1998Buenos AiresArgentinaEstadio Camilo CicheroSeptember 19, 1998North AmericaNovember 18, 1998MinneapolisUnited StatesTarget CenterNovember 19, 1998December 30, 1998TampaIce PalaceDecember 31, 1998OrlandoOrlando Arena
Festivals and other miscellaneous performances
South Florida Fair Jam at Nease Festival Internacional de la Canción de Viña del Mar Orlando Bands Together Radio Regenbogen Party VIVA Unplugged '98
Grad Nite Kiss 108 Party Great New York State Fair Champlain Valley Fair Allegan County Fair York Fair
Cancellations and rescheduled shows January 9, 1998Ponte Vedra Beach, FloridaNease High School Football StadiumRescheduled to January 22, 1998March 14, 1998Orlando, FloridaUniversal CityWalkMoved to March 15, 1998; concert was a part of the "Orlando Band Together" BenefitMarch 17, 1998Dublin, IrelandRDS SimmonscourtMoved to the Point TheatreMarch 18, 1998Dublin, IrelandRDS SimmonscourtMoved to the Point TheatreSeptember 13, 1998Shakopee, MinnesotaCanterbury ParkCancelled; concert was a part of "Last Chance Summer Dance". The group allowed ticket holders to attend the November 1998 concerts in Minneapolis.November 27, 1998Cologne, GermanyKölnarenaCancelled; concert was a part of "Hand in Hand for Children"December 1, 1998Cologne, GermanyKölnarenaCancelledDecember 2, 1998Munster, GermanyMuensterlandhalleCancelledDecember 3, 1998Berlin, GermanyVelodromCancelledDecember 4, 1998Leipzig, GermanyMessehalle 7CancelledDecember 5, 1998Rieden, GermanyOstbayernhalleCancelledDecember 6, 1998Mannheim, GermanyMaimarkthalleCancelledDecember 7, 1998Zürich, SwitzerlandHallenstadionCancelledDecember 9, 1998Friedrichshafen, GermanyMessehalle FriedrichshafenCancelledDecember 10, 1998Wels, AustriaBosch-HalleCancelledDecember 11, 1998Munich, GermanyOlympiahalleCancelledDecember 13, 1998Bremen, GermanyStadthalle BremenCancelledDecember 14, 1998Oberhausen, GermanyKönig Pilsener ArenaCancelledDecember 15, 1998Frankfurt, GermanyFesthalle FrankfurtCancelledDecember 16, 1998Stuttgart, GermanyHanns-Martin-Schleyer-HalleCancelled
Personnel Lead Vocals: Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, AJ McLean Tour Director: Tour Manager: Paul "Skip" Rickert Assistant Tour Manager: Tim Krieg Co-Director: Denise McLean Co-Director: Nicole Peltz Press Liaison: Leila Eminson Tour Accountant: Vincent Corry Staff Photographer: Andre Csillig Musical Director: William 'Bubba' Bryant Costume Design: Jill Focke, Kerstin 'Kiki' Theileis, Janine Schreiber Choreographer: Fatima Robinson** Assistant Choreographer: Richard "Swoop" Whitebear
Security Billy Evans: Nick's Security Tom LeBrun: Head of Security/Brian's Security Marc Preston: Howie's Security Marcus Johnson: AJ's Security Carlos Cardenas: Kevin's Security John "Q" Elgani: Security
Band Keyboards & Synthesizers: Tommy Smith Electric & Acoustic Guitar: Billy Chapin Keyboards / Acoustic Guitar: Dennis Gallo Percussion / Saxophone: Obie Morant Bass Guitar & Synth Bass: Freddy Mollings Drums & Percussion: Tim Berkible
References