“New York,” Carter shouted, as he took the stage dressed in a leather jacket, a tie and glasses. He opened his set with the uptempo and fun “Blow Your Mind,” which garnered a raucous applause from the New York audience.
He immediately broke into the explosive and uplifting “I’m Taking Off,” where the stage was graced in blue lights, and he had everybody clapping along. Towards the end, he incorporated a medley of Elton John’s “Rocket Man,” which resonated well with his fans.
Carter continued with the infectious “Horoscope” from his latest studio album, All American, where fuchsia lights dimmed on the stage. This song showcased his wide range as a recording artist since it was simultaneously rocking and soothing.
“You guys having fun so far?” he asked. “I’ve heard you’re the city that never sleeps. We have a hell of a show tonight,” he added. He described the title track “All American” as one of his favorite songs on the album, which he described as a “dedication to booty.” It was incorporated with a medley of Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl,” which had a retro 80s vibe to it, that everybody was singing along.
He went on to thank everybody for coming out tonight, and took off his leather jacket to take his fans on a trip down memory lane with an acoustic version of “As Long As You Love Me,” which he was able to dust off and he gave it a refreshing rendition and he displayed his impressive falsetto. “How many Backstreet Boys fans are in the house?” he asked, prior to stating that he is still a Backstreet Boy for life. He changed one of the final lyrics to “As long as you love me, New York,” which received a thunderous applause.
It was followed by the laid-back and sassy “One More Time,” his duet with Jordan Knight from New Kids of the Block. He noted that there were fans from all over the world gathered tonight at his show, and he expressed his gratitude and that it means a lot to him. As a result, his present to the crowd was his special version of “Just Want You To Know,” where he showed off the rock side of the Backstreet Boys.
For his acoustic version of “I Want It That Way,” everybody’s iPhones were held us in the air, and it featured a surprise appearance from fellow Backstreet Boy band-mate Brian Littrell, which was the highlight of the evening, as was their subsequent duet on the moving ballad “Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely.”
Other prime cuts from Carter’s new album included “I Will Wait” and the party anthem “Tijuana.” He also sang a few more Backstreet Boys tunes including “The Call” and the catchy “Larger Than Life.” The control he maintained over his vocals during his acoustic cover of Oasis’ “Wonderwall” was absolutely incredible.
He closed with the autobiographical “19 in 99” and “Get Over Me,” his collaboration with Avril Lavigne and returned for an encore of “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).”
The Verdict
Overall, Nick Carter was amazing at the PlayStation Theater in the heart of Times Square in New York City. He displayed tremendous stage presence, he interacted well with the audience and he was a charismatic live performer. There was a feeling of nostalgia in the venue as he performed his hits with the Backstreet Boys, as well as his original solo material. Nick Carter is definitely worth seeing live whenever he is in town, due to his high-energy performance. His live concert earned 5 out of 5 stars.
