Backstreet Boys move, groove, rise and freeze in Sphere premiere

A quarter-century ago the Backstreet Boys gazed into the future with “Millennium,” The future hypothesized by the beloved boy band at the turn of the century is now blossoming in Las Vegas.

BSB’s “Into The Millennium” at Sphere filled with thousands of fans in “Millennium White,” and “Millennium Blue,” the band dancing on an a stage elevated some 70 feet above the audience. The quintet perform in the round, but couldn’t have envisioned 25 years ago “in the round” would be a giant orb were any wild idea is possible.

BSB’s original lineup of Kevin Richardson, Nick Carter, A.J. McLean, Brian Littrell and Howie Dorough. hosted an intergalactic nostalgia voyage Friday night. The Millennium spacecraft ushered in the band, with a distinct “2001: A Space Odyssey” impact.

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The “Millennium” album inspires the theme and is played all the way through. But not in its listed order (full set list is below). “Larger Than Life” kicks it off, a reminder of BSB’s boffo residency at Axis Theater/Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood from March 1, 2017-April 27, 2019.

They managed a new song, “Hey,” from the just-released “Millennium 2.0” album, remastered and reissued a night before the premiere.

But the set list did not follow the expected “Millennium” blueprint. That was fine with the masses. As has been the case in previous residencies by U2, Phish, The Eagles, Dead & Company and Kenny Chesney, every song is a production odyssey.

A vertigo-inducing moment was “Siberia,” a deep-cut from “Never Gone.” The audience soared through a snow-capped mountain range, with the band’s frozen faces chiseled in the terrain (ice cycles forming on their eyebrows, even). The images thaw just enough to allow the effigies to sing the tune.

It was Backstreet Boys shown as five, wintry, Mount Rushmore-styled images. The production meeting must have been wild, “We need add our faces! Frozen! In the mountains!”

This was a signature element developed and created by Sphere Studios in Burbank, which creates all content exclusively for Sphere, including headlining productions, theatrical experiences and such special events as the NHL Draft.

“Into The Millennium” is a collaboration between Sphere Studios, and Baz Halpin and his team at Silent House. The entertainment company conceives many touring and production shows, and has designed “Play” by Katy Perry at Resorts World, “Awakening” at Wynn Las Vegas, and Usher’s Super Bowl 59 halftime performance at Allegiant Stadium.

The result for BSB is multiple shows within the same production. Fans in the GA section observed the intimacy of the Planet Hollywood residency. Upstairs, the projected images and accompanying video was a theatrical journey. From the upper regions, the live performers seem no larger than action figures. Sphere headliners need to become accustomed to the crowd looking up or straight ahead, and not at them directly. Chesney noted this during his just-completed residency.

The band members used the enveloping video tech to display dozens of photos of their mothers during “Perfect Fan.” The guys were genuinely choked up at seeing their scrapbook shots displayed in such grandeur. Richardson was shown near tears. Dorough shouted to his 91-year-old mom, Paula Flores-Dorough, in the crowd.

That wasn’t the only, um, uplifting moment. During “I Want it That Way” and Get Down,” the stage rose from its “Millennium”-album design some 70 feet, hoisted by four nearly invisible winch lines. Littrell, in the middle of the lineup at this point, kept his feet planted, the choreo to a minimum and held tight to the stage frame.

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(The segment was one of at least two “firsts” at Sphere in the BSB opener. “The Wave,” attempted pre-show, was the other and why we’re returning this exercise in event disturbance in this millennium is a mystery. The ritual has also been exhumed at Allegiant Stadium before Coldplay and Kendrick Lamar shows this year.)

When you watch such scenes overtake the production, you might forget that no live musicians perform in this show. BSB sings and dances live, to wondrous effect — choreography team Rich + Tone (stage directors Rich and Tone Talauega) have nailed the numbers.

But every note you hear is tracked. Carter, who lives in Las Vegas explained the vision in February.

“I know the entertainers, and there’s so much great entertainment in Las Vegas. There’s so many great venues,” Carter said. “I’ve seen so many shows. There’s the Cirque du Soleil shows, so many great things. I think this is the pinnacle. I think what they have done with the Sphere has raised the bar and created an opportunity for artists to elevate their their shows and in in a way that’s never been experienced before.”

Which, in “Into The Millennium,” is to create is the first and only dance-centric production in Sphere. I would love to see Carter play some guitar, or Richardson take to the piano for a few moments. I want it that way, as they say, but I seem in the minority.

With several walk-off songs in their arsenal, BSB sent the crowd gyrating home with “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back”). The fans from the ’90s are bringing their kids now, selfies being shot in great abundance, and a spectacle that literally rises to the level of its hype. The Backstreet Boys might occasionally trek to Siberia, but at Sphere they are not frozen in time.

Brrrr … Pass the muffler … @backstreetboys @neonlasvegas @SphereVegas pic.twitter.com/xldhsfzLfI

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) July 12, 2025

Cool Hang Alert

The latest fan experience has opened alongside “Into The Millennium.” The Backstreet Boys Terminal at The Venetian has opened, a Vibee partnership with an airport theme paying tribute to “Millennium.” The approach is to invoke BSB’s global journey to boy-band iconography. The space is open 11 a.m.—7 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays during show weeks (go to backstreetboys.vibee.com for intel).

The set reminds of a VIP area at Denver International Airport, LAX or here at Harry Reid International (without the slot machines). vintage videos and photos are displayed, a fuselage is among the photo-ops. The requisite merch shop, with Madenworm, Anti social Social Club and others selling limited-edition items (including branded workout pants, hello).

My favorite is the replica MTV Total Request Live studio. How young we all were! And still young enough to hold a sign saying “I (Heart) You” next to a cutout of the boys and Carson Daly.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.