KETTERING — All week commercials ran on Miami Valley television hyping the appearance of the Backstreet Boys at the Fraze Pavillion

They lauded the 1990s boy band as having “changed pop culture.”

All week I vowed that I would make the Fraze and the Backstreet Boys pay for that overblown claim.

While I am not willing to say they changed pop culture, they did put on a really good show. On Saturday, Aug. 9, the Fraze was filled with fans of all ages, from young girls to men with thinning, white hair. The group has been around for 15 years, with a CD released as recently as October after years dominating the charts in the 1990s, but still the span of the crowd’s ages was surprising.

Teenagers, who had to be in elementary school during the Backstreet Boys’ heydey, screamed and squealed when one of the members ran backstage before the show. Their screaming didn’t end until the 105 minute show ended.

They are a dramatic group, those Boys. They held the long notes long, touched hands with fans in the front row and wiped their sweaty brows with aplomb.

Their opening song, “Larger than Life,” featured Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell and A.J. McLean as prize fighters duking it out in a ring.

The group, known for its harmony, were in good voice, especially Littrell, but it was their dancing that stood out. Their intensely choreographed, almost regimented moves thrilled the audience. Sometimes it was unintentionally funny (that means you, Nick Carter), but it was always energetic.

“Quit Playing Games with My Heart” and “As Long as You Love Me” slowed things down, then an extra-bouncy “(Everybody) Backstreet’s Back” closed the show.

Source: Daytondailynews.com