Backstreet Boys blast off with their most ambitious concert yet at Sphere Las Vegas

1 week ago 6

Tue, Jul 15, 2025 (6 a.m.)

It’s a strange thing, being abducted by a boy band. But if you asked any concertgoer at Sphere on Friday night, they’d swear it happened.

Night one of the Backstreet Boys’ Into the Millennium residency began where many Sphere concerts inevitably end up: in another world. A leviathan-sized spacecraft—the kind Will Smith warned us about in Independence Day, the kind that makes Dennis Villeneuve’s ships from Dune look like flimsy kites—bore down from the ceiling, heralding the arrival of the Backstreet Boys.

Nearly every fan in the 18,000-seat venue gleamed in white, a nod to the 1999 album Millennium that gave us so many timeless bangers. Preparing for liftoff with album opener “Larger Than Life,” the global stars of our childhood blasted off with a 25-song set, christening Sphere as the first pop act to perform there.

“Forgive me, but holy s**t dude, look at this place! This is insane,” vocalist AJ McLean blurted out onstage. “You guys are the best fans in the universe, period. Usually, [Kevin’s] the crier. I’ve cried at least four times tonight.”

Emotions ran high, as did our endorphins, as Sphere quickly demonstrated why it’s one of the greatest entertainment venues of all time. That 16k resolution screen, a vision of technological wizardry, shapeshifted before our eyes to bring the Backstreet Boys’ vision into the modern age. We were thrust into a living, breathing music video as the landscape shifted onscreen, the rocky terrain of a lone ice planet whizzing past our heads so realistically, one concertgoer ducked while another whooped. Our seats shook and rattled as we made the galactic voyage. As one fan put it, “It’s all about the screen.” And though that might’ve been true, the real spectacle came from the audience—and their icons.

After an initial residency run on the Strip in 2017-2019, the Backstreet Boys have found themselves at the height of their powers—and paving a way for new pop acts at Sphere. Their harmonies, while muted slightly by Brian Littrell’s vocal condition, beamed with warmth on sway-worthy classics like “As Long as You Love Me” and “All I Have to Give.” Nick Carter’s boyish lilt has remained untouched, and McLean will forever sound fierce and resonant on tracks like “Don’t Want You Back.”

The band fully closed the distance between their music and fans with an intimate medley of deep cuts. Howie Dorough led with “Spanish Eyes,” showcasing his vocal range and amazing skin care routine—the man never ages—while McLean huddled the group for a snap-worthy rendition of “No One Else Comes Close.” You could sense the brotherhood from a mile away, and fans ate it up with appreciative eyes and hands over hearts.

Of course, no song came close to the finale of “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).” No one gains immunity from it. It’s genetically wired into us to go mad for it—and mad they went. Even as the Sphere wind-blasted its best and biggest intense graphics, fans kept their attention riveted to the moment and to the music. After 30 years of performing, the Backstreet Boys have certainly earned that kind of devotion.

BACKSTREET BOYS July 18-20, 25-27, August 1-5, 8-10, 15-17 & 22, 8 p.m., $298+. Sphere, ticketmaster.com.

Setlist:

“Larger Than Life”

“It’s Gotta Be You”

“As Long As You Love Me”

“More Than That”

“I Need You Tonight”

“Siberia”

“Don’t Want You Back”

“Get Another Boyfriend”

“Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely”

“Don’t Want to Lose You Now”