Backstreet Boys singer Howie Dorough is looking forward to the band’s Las Vegas residency, because it’s “healthier” on the singer’s bodies now they’re middle-aged.
The boyband kick off their show, entitled Backstreet Boys: Larger Than Life, at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on 1 March (17).
Despite the fact that the group still have millions of fans worldwide, Howie admits that the five-piece have sometimes struggled with the pace of touring now they’re older, so he’s keen to see how they cope in Vegas.
“Vegas is the place that everyone wants to be at. I think it’s because in the last 10 years, people like Celine Dion, Elton John – even the younger generation of Britney Spears, J. Lo (Jennifer Lopez) – they made Vegas a hot desirable place that artists want to go to instead of just in and out on tour,” Howie told Billboard magazine. “We used to always have fun when we go there for a couple of days, but to think of being one place… for us, now, in our career, it makes a lot of sense. I think it’s a little bit healthier for us, on the bodies. As well as the fact that we now have families, we can bring them out there if they want to visit.”
Howie is now 43, while bandmates Kevin Richardson is 45, Brian Littrell is 42, A.J. McLean is 39 and Nick Carter is 37. And despite their advancing age, Howie promises the boys are “pulling out all the stops” to ensure the residency is an epic success.
“We want to put on a show that truly is larger than life,” he smiled. “When people come to Vegas, they expect a show that’s over the top. So we’re gonna do it — we’re gonna pull out all the hits. The fact that we’re not having to spend the money on travelling around the world, taking the stage up and down, all the extra business… we’re putting more money into the show. It’s going to be a huge show — us, dancers, great video content, lights, an amazing stage we put together. We’re very proud of it.
“I think it’s going to be something that people will talk about.”
