Part 2: The Soundcheck
Part 1: The Airport
Rule Number 2 of Backstreet Boys Fanclub: Remember that the Boys and their assorted crew members are normal human beings with not-so-normal jobs. Or, it helps if you are nice to the bodyguards.
If I had to rank the experiences from Sunday, it'd go something like this:
1. Soundcheck
2. Cabride
3. Concert
Yes, you read that right. Not only was soundcheck better than the show (more on that in part 3), but it was easily the highlight of our Sunday.
After we got out of the cab and said hi to Q *snort*, we adjourned to a cafe at a nearby mall to refresh and regroup with the others. We spent a couple of hours just chilling and talking about the Boys. Again, it is awesome when you get to spend time with people that just get it. Think we swapped a couple of war stories from our last few concerts and were working on some of our signs for the show, when hey, isn't that - yay!
Nope, the Boys didn't come out (apparently Brian and Nick were doing interviews and lounging around the pool), but we saw Q and Josh walk out of the hotel and towards us. Q waved at us, so we waved back and said hi and let them go on their merry way. They came back later to ask us where the ATM was (this is the 2nd time I've had a bodyguard ask me that in this town), and when they were walking back to the hotel we showed them some of the paper planes we'd folded.
Q knew exactly what the planes were for and got all excited. "This is exactly how I made them that time!" And there was this bizarre moment where all of us had a conversation about how to fold the perfect plane, and then he basically gave us permission to throw the planes at the Boys during soundcheck. OKAY THEN. :D He asked us if we were all going to the show later (um, DUH) and then walked back with Josh. I must mention that at no time did we ask them for any information or try to follow them. There honestly is no point in aggressively stalking a hotel because it just raises a red flag for both the hotel and Boys' security.
On the drive to the venue we got into an argument about how many 'lalala's there were in Bigger, so of course we had to put it on to count them by hand. Just imagine 7 girls in a car all counting along to Bigger, okay, that's how hilarious it was. We had to play the song the whole way through even after we were parked just to make sure we counted correctly. Didn't say we were good at counting. *g*
Got to the venue waaay to early for soundcheck, so we just hung around and waited for Justin to appear. This one girl actually approached our group and asked us if we knew where the Boys were staying. Now, I don't know about you guys, but really? What kind of person does that?
Then Justin finally turned up, which was good since we had to talk to him about shuffling around some of our soundcheck passes. I uh. Ahem. I won the Platinum VIP pass fanclub contest for our show. For those keeping count, this is the third time I've won a soundcheck pass through the fanclub. I think their computer likes me or something, because I honestly was not expecting to win. Oh, and Justin? Nice guy, but seemed a little spacey, probably due to fatigue.
So we finally get into soundcheck, and hey, the Boys are already there! Q saw yes and gave us each a high five and a personal welcome to soundcheck. \o/ We gave him his goodie bag and he was so touched he gave me and Jo a hug. I think a lot of the time the bodyguards just get forgotten in the chaos of moving with the Boys, so we thought we'd make a sign saying thank you to Josh and Q, and brought it along with us to soundcheck.
Anyway, Boys! ♥ Dear god they were practically LOOPY and jumping off the walls. Everyone stood there for a while waiting for Nick until the DJ fired up a reggae song, and. Well. Just watch.
Howie: We wait for Nicky C. He *something* jujube. We don't know what to do. We think he make poo poo. (brb DYING OF LAUGHTER)
Seriously. They were HIGH on something. I'm not quite sure what. At one point AJ made a comment about how the hot sun was getting to them (gee, ya think?), and Brian was dancing like a fool as usual. After one song Nick was still nowhere to be seen, so we got more of AJ and Brian dancing like fools. Then Nick finally came out, and then it was time for songs.
Brian did an eerily uncanny impression of Kevin during Drowning, and then they did Straight Through My Heart, during which Brian practised his dancing. Then we asked for If I Knew Then, and that was when Nick caught sight of our sign. Apparently he liked it because he got Q to pass it to him...and then the shenanigans started.
Yes. Thanks to our sign they started picking on Q and Josh and ended up changing the lyrics to IIKT. Before soundcheck I hated the song, but now whenever I listen to it I remember all of the Boys ganging up on Q and Josh and start giggling. Listen out for Howie flubbing quite badly while trying to improvise new lyrics. There was a moment in the video where I was scrambling to catch the sign, and oy. Nick, you're a lousy throw.
My friend got to ask Brian a question, someone asked Nick a boring question, and Jo got to ask Howie about trying different foods all over the world. FWIW, Brian does a killer impression of a rattlesnake. Then it came to AJ, and seriously I could've kicked myself because for the longest time it seemed like no one wanted to ask him a question, and everyone was nudging me and stage whispering "Just ASK something, it's AJ!" Epic mindblank. Ugh. So someone congratulated AJ on his *coughengagementcough* and asked if he wanted a boy or a girl first. (watch out for Nick's face in this vid)
I'd liked to state for the record that months ago I predicted AJ would have a daughter first, and she could be the frontwoman of the 2nd generation band. The first show that Gladys Knight and the Pimps play, I am so there.
Click on the thumbnails for bigger pictures
Picture taking was...picture taking. Didn't freeze up this time, but I didn't have any Oscar winning dialogue either. I'm pretty sure Nick put his hand on my shoulder, but I think I was a little shell-shocked from all the sign shenanigans. At least I managed to give AJ his goodie bag without embarrassing myself.
Jo and I got Platinum VIPs, and, not gonna lie, I was a little disappointed when I realised Nick was going to do the backstage tour. HOWEVER. I totally forgot that I am immune to the Carter charm only if he is not standing in front of me. And for 15 glorious minutes he got to take us on a tour around the venue, which was boring in and of itself, but I kept on tripping over barricades and things sticking out of the floor. By some miracle I did not trip and fall in front of Nick Carter, and for that I am very grateful.
When he took us to the dressing rooms, Brian suddenly came out of nowhere with a beanie and gloves on.
Nick: *stops talking when he realises everyone is looking at Brian*
Brian: I thought I'd wear the stuff that the fans gave me! *makes monkey noises and runs away*
Nick: That there is a wild animal that likes to live backstage. Sometimes we see him, sometimes we don't, but mostly we leave him alone.
Brian: *pops back out and pretends to climb the wall like a spy. or Spiderman*
People, I could not make this up if I tried, okay. Jo and I were almost dying while suppressing our laughter. We got to ask questions, and I asked Nick if there had any wardrobe malfunctions on tour. Apparently Howie rips the crotch of pants often while doing Bye Bye Love. Nick signed our passes, and then we all took a picture. Did I mention there were only 7 people doing the tour? No? Okay then. :)
In conclusion: Nick is hot. VERY hot. I am still mostly apathetic towards him, but put him in front of me for 15 minutes and I will have a sudden urge to cling on to him and never let go.
Part 3: concert, and how some bad fans can ruin everything for everyone else.
Rule Number 2 of Backstreet Boys Fanclub: Remember that the Boys and their assorted crew members are normal human beings with not-so-normal jobs. Or, it helps if you are nice to the bodyguards.
If I had to rank the experiences from Sunday, it'd go something like this:
1. Soundcheck
2. Cabride
3. Concert
Yes, you read that right. Not only was soundcheck better than the show (more on that in part 3), but it was easily the highlight of our Sunday.
After we got out of the cab and said hi to Q *snort*, we adjourned to a cafe at a nearby mall to refresh and regroup with the others. We spent a couple of hours just chilling and talking about the Boys. Again, it is awesome when you get to spend time with people that just get it. Think we swapped a couple of war stories from our last few concerts and were working on some of our signs for the show, when hey, isn't that - yay!
Nope, the Boys didn't come out (apparently Brian and Nick were doing interviews and lounging around the pool), but we saw Q and Josh walk out of the hotel and towards us. Q waved at us, so we waved back and said hi and let them go on their merry way. They came back later to ask us where the ATM was (this is the 2nd time I've had a bodyguard ask me that in this town), and when they were walking back to the hotel we showed them some of the paper planes we'd folded.
Q knew exactly what the planes were for and got all excited. "This is exactly how I made them that time!" And there was this bizarre moment where all of us had a conversation about how to fold the perfect plane, and then he basically gave us permission to throw the planes at the Boys during soundcheck. OKAY THEN. :D He asked us if we were all going to the show later (um, DUH) and then walked back with Josh. I must mention that at no time did we ask them for any information or try to follow them. There honestly is no point in aggressively stalking a hotel because it just raises a red flag for both the hotel and Boys' security.
On the drive to the venue we got into an argument about how many 'lalala's there were in Bigger, so of course we had to put it on to count them by hand. Just imagine 7 girls in a car all counting along to Bigger, okay, that's how hilarious it was. We had to play the song the whole way through even after we were parked just to make sure we counted correctly. Didn't say we were good at counting. *g*
Got to the venue waaay to early for soundcheck, so we just hung around and waited for Justin to appear. This one girl actually approached our group and asked us if we knew where the Boys were staying. Now, I don't know about you guys, but really? What kind of person does that?
Then Justin finally turned up, which was good since we had to talk to him about shuffling around some of our soundcheck passes. I uh. Ahem. I won the Platinum VIP pass fanclub contest for our show. For those keeping count, this is the third time I've won a soundcheck pass through the fanclub. I think their computer likes me or something, because I honestly was not expecting to win. Oh, and Justin? Nice guy, but seemed a little spacey, probably due to fatigue.
So we finally get into soundcheck, and hey, the Boys are already there! Q saw yes and gave us each a high five and a personal welcome to soundcheck. \o/ We gave him his goodie bag and he was so touched he gave me and Jo a hug. I think a lot of the time the bodyguards just get forgotten in the chaos of moving with the Boys, so we thought we'd make a sign saying thank you to Josh and Q, and brought it along with us to soundcheck.
Anyway, Boys! ♥ Dear god they were practically LOOPY and jumping off the walls. Everyone stood there for a while waiting for Nick until the DJ fired up a reggae song, and. Well. Just watch.
Click to viewHowie: We wait for Nicky C. He *something* jujube. We don't know what to do. We think he make poo poo. (brb DYING OF LAUGHTER)
Seriously. They were HIGH on something. I'm not quite sure what. At one point AJ made a comment about how the hot sun was getting to them (gee, ya think?), and Brian was dancing like a fool as usual. After one song Nick was still nowhere to be seen, so we got more of AJ and Brian dancing like fools. Then Nick finally came out, and then it was time for songs.
Brian did an eerily uncanny impression of Kevin during Drowning, and then they did Straight Through My Heart, during which Brian practised his dancing. Then we asked for If I Knew Then, and that was when Nick caught sight of our sign. Apparently he liked it because he got Q to pass it to him...and then the shenanigans started.
Yes. Thanks to our sign they started picking on Q and Josh and ended up changing the lyrics to IIKT. Before soundcheck I hated the song, but now whenever I listen to it I remember all of the Boys ganging up on Q and Josh and start giggling. Listen out for Howie flubbing quite badly while trying to improvise new lyrics. There was a moment in the video where I was scrambling to catch the sign, and oy. Nick, you're a lousy throw.
My friend got to ask Brian a question, someone asked Nick a boring question, and Jo got to ask Howie about trying different foods all over the world. FWIW, Brian does a killer impression of a rattlesnake. Then it came to AJ, and seriously I could've kicked myself because for the longest time it seemed like no one wanted to ask him a question, and everyone was nudging me and stage whispering "Just ASK something, it's AJ!" Epic mindblank. Ugh. So someone congratulated AJ on his *coughengagementcough* and asked if he wanted a boy or a girl first. (watch out for Nick's face in this vid)
I'd liked to state for the record that months ago I predicted AJ would have a daughter first, and she could be the frontwoman of the 2nd generation band. The first show that Gladys Knight and the Pimps play, I am so there.
Click on the thumbnails for bigger pictures
Picture taking was...picture taking. Didn't freeze up this time, but I didn't have any Oscar winning dialogue either. I'm pretty sure Nick put his hand on my shoulder, but I think I was a little shell-shocked from all the sign shenanigans. At least I managed to give AJ his goodie bag without embarrassing myself.
Jo and I got Platinum VIPs, and, not gonna lie, I was a little disappointed when I realised Nick was going to do the backstage tour. HOWEVER. I totally forgot that I am immune to the Carter charm only if he is not standing in front of me. And for 15 glorious minutes he got to take us on a tour around the venue, which was boring in and of itself, but I kept on tripping over barricades and things sticking out of the floor. By some miracle I did not trip and fall in front of Nick Carter, and for that I am very grateful.
When he took us to the dressing rooms, Brian suddenly came out of nowhere with a beanie and gloves on.
Nick: *stops talking when he realises everyone is looking at Brian*
Brian: I thought I'd wear the stuff that the fans gave me! *makes monkey noises and runs away*
Nick: That there is a wild animal that likes to live backstage. Sometimes we see him, sometimes we don't, but mostly we leave him alone.
Brian: *pops back out and pretends to climb the wall like a spy. or Spiderman*
People, I could not make this up if I tried, okay. Jo and I were almost dying while suppressing our laughter. We got to ask questions, and I asked Nick if there had any wardrobe malfunctions on tour. Apparently Howie rips the crotch of pants often while doing Bye Bye Love. Nick signed our passes, and then we all took a picture. Did I mention there were only 7 people doing the tour? No? Okay then. :)
In conclusion: Nick is hot. VERY hot. I am still mostly apathetic towards him, but put him in front of me for 15 minutes and I will have a sudden urge to cling on to him and never let go.
Part 3: concert, and how some bad fans can ruin everything for everyone else.