I know, I know, some of you are already seething and yelling "TRAITOR' at your screens, but before you go completely deranged, let me explain something to you. Just because I’m an avid Backstreet Boy fan, I don’t limit myself to only listening to Backstreet Boys. I’m a music lover. I listen to boys, rock, rap, r&b, country, you name it. I think my boys are better than everyone else in the business, but that doesn’t mean I don’t check out the other groups too. I’ve tried and tried and tried and tried some more to score BSB tickets, but it’s just not happening yet. And I was really getting frustrated with my extremely horrible luck. So I figured since 98 degrees were coming to Fort Wayne, I might as well see someone. And when I got 98 degrees tickets, my faith in me getting BSB tickets returned. Someday, I REALLY REALLY hope I can write about my BSB concert experience, but for now I’ll have to settle for 98 degrees.
Okay, now that that’s out of the way...
The fateful day:
October 24, 1999
Okay, we were pumped. This would be my first boy group concert ever! I looked at it as practice for my first BSB concert. Me and my four ecstatic friends were next to hysterics as we found our SEVENTH ROW seats.
7:30 No Authority took the stage, and I experienced the real power of a live performance. Before this wonderful evening, I never cared much for these guys. They had a lame name and I also thought their music lacked any depth whatsoever. But I was genuinely impressed with their smooth dance moves, flips, and better-than-expected music.
8:15 No Authority decided to move on to better things and leave us. We went off to get some water and visit the facilities. We even got a peek backstage- no boys, but some tasty looking food.
8:30 I still thought we still had two more openings acts, but I guess they decided to split on us because the tarp thingy covering the stage began to move. The guys of 98 degrees were getting into their capsules, and I was nuts! You could see little flashlight beams and then all of a sudden - WAAAAAA! - the light shut off. Might I say, Heelll-lllooo eardrums? Oh boy, it was loud! My friends and I screamed at eachother about "Oh my god, can you imagine if this was Backstreet Boys?!?", or "Oh my word, this is nuts, I couldn’t handle a BSB concert". And then all of a sudden -BOOM- the tarp was removed and there stood 4 capsules. Geez, us girls can really pump out some noise! Then this deep voice talked about the future, when it got to the "... 4 chosen souls known as Jeff, Nick, Justin, and Drew. They will be known as 98 degrees." part the boys stepped out, and I about fell over and died.
First Song: Heat It Up! I always thought this song was lame until I heard it live. Wow! I went crazy! Everyone of them was hot live, even poor Justin. I was sold on 98 degrees by the end of the first song. Then they went and broke out with the cover songs. They sang The Offspring’s (Yes, EVIL Offspring!) "Pretty Fly For a White Guy", Eminem, and PRINCE! No one understands my obsession with Prince. He was my idol all through Middle School. I still love his music more than anybody’s except BSB. And when I heard them singing it, I almost crumpled over and fainted. Instead of doing that, though, I just screamed the words. I was the only one in my area who knew the words, I felt pretty special.
It all gets mushed together in my poor overwhelmed brain after that. They sang a bunch of songs, I screamed a lot. Jeff looked at me during "Invisible Man"... eye contact is VERY good.
Favorite Moment:Prince’s 1999 of course!
Complaints: Monster woman in front of me... this girl must have been 6 feet tall. And beyond her were these stupid little girls with signs. I spent most of the concert smushing my friends together so I could see.
This being my first concert of this type, I never expected the rush of emotions that comes along with it. My face hurt for the next two days from smiling like a freakin’ idiot. I sincerely pity whoever has to be seated around me at my first BSB concert. I was utterly insane when I saw 98 degrees, I’m afraid of what I’ll do when I finally see BSB. Oh my word, that’s gonna be nuts!
