Backstreet Boys star to hit his pitch at Aviators game

Nick Carter can sing and dance. He knows when to call the hit-and-run, too.

Las Vegas’ own Backstreet Boy coaches his 9-year-old son, Odin’s, baseball team in the Sin City Thunder youth league. Odin is 9. He plays outfield. So far, all of the outfield.

Coach Carter wore a No. 8 Athletics jersey when he, Brian Littrell and AJ McLean repped BSB during the band’s shrunken head ceremony at The Golden Tiki on July 27.

Carter knows his way around the game, is the point. Thursday night he’s singing the national anthem at the Aviators-Tacoma Rainiers PCL tilt at Las Vegas Ballpark. Carter is a nine-year Las Vegas resident. But he has never sung the anthem at any Las Vegas sporting event.

Longtime Aviators (and earlier, 51s) Media Relations Director Jim Gemma says Carter is the biggest star ever to perform the anthem at LV Ballpark or Cashman Field. The Sphere production has blasted Carter to the top of that list, like a rocket ship, and I feel I’ve seen that scene somewhere.

Erik Eisenberg, the team’s vice-president of ticket sales, booked Carter for the appearance. Crater and Odin recently took in batting practice at the ballpark.

Carter’s appearance lands during Backstreet Boys’ “Into The Millennium” series at Sphere. It is also the centerpiece of ’90s Night at the ballpark. Maybe Elvee will be brought out of retirement …

Flavor Flav! And also Babyface

Clock-bearing, lightning-rod-for-attention rap star Flavor Flav showed up at BSB’s Sphere performance Saturday, and also the band’s post-party at Voltaire at The Venetian. He was dressed in the all-white theme (with clock), looking like “The 6th Backstreet Boy,” which is what he titled himself on Instagram.

Flav had just learned that Backstreet Boys are not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (but he is), and is launching a campaign to have them honored. Flav says, “This is the greatest boy BAND of all time.”

On Sunday, Grammy-collecting recording star Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds attended the BSB show.

This was another triumphant weekend for BSB at Sphere. The band has checked all the boxes, and also created some new boxes and checked those, too. They’re having too good a time, and selling too many tickets, not to at least consider another run next year.

Planning for VegasVille

Monday brought some compelling on-sale announcements. Such as:

— Wynnona Judd at The Venetian Theatre. The country favorite lands during National Finals Rodeo week, Dec. 5-6. The “Tell Me Why” headliner is on sale 10 a.m. Pacific time Friday

— Chance the Rapper at BleauLive Theatre at Fontaineblue. The hip-hop star brings his “And We Back Tour” to the Strip on Oct. 18. Tickets on sale 10 a.m. Pacific time Friday.

— Martin Lawrence at Resorts World Theatre. The veteran stand-up headlines Nov. 13, tickets on sale 10 a.m. Pacific time Friday. Lawrence is starring in “Y’all Still Know What It Is,” his first headlining tour in eight years. Impress your friends, or not, by knowing that Lawrence is the first comic to play the theater after its summer renovation. Janet Jackson reopens the venue Sept. 10-20.

Timing is everything

It’s about time that The Composers Showcase of Las Vegas moves to prime time. Wednesday’s show at Myron’s is the final to start at 9:30 p.m. Series co-founder (and proud wine connoisseur) Keith Thompson announced the monthly shows are moving to 7 p.m. on Sept. 10. Tickets starting at $25 go on sale Wednesday at thesmithcenter.com.

TCS has for years has kicked off at 9:30 p.m., sometimes 10 p.m., often spilling into Thursday morning. But the later start was necessary to ensure those composers who were in residency productions could come in after their shows.

There are fewer such shows today, a sad reality. But still many talented composers.

“We’re excited to offer this new, earlier start time to hopefully reach new and larger audiences who are enthusiastic about original music. That’s what we’re here to do with our platform of presenting local and visiting songwriters and composers while also showcasing incredible singers and musicians,” said Thompson, also the TCS’s producer and host since its’ May 2006 debut. “We hope this change will bring new supporters of our nonprofit mission, which provides scholarships to college students and emergency relief funds to local entertainment community members impacted by ongoing economic challenges.”

Tickets for the fall Showcases scheduled for Oct. 8, Nov. 5 and Dec. 3 will go on sale at a later date.

May We Recommend …

Skye Dee Miles in “The Joy Love Experience,” a mix of music, community and cuisine at 3 p.m. (doors), 3:30 p.m. (meet and eat), and 4:30 p.m. (showtime) Sunday at The Space. Miles, as is her custom, leads the choir and takes us to church. Bryce Krausman, late of DW Bistro, leads local chefs in creating a small-bite menu. All ages, go to thespacelv.com for intel.

Cool Hang Alert

Staying in the performance-food theme, “Punk Rock Brunch: Hits from the 90’s & Y2K” plays The Composers Room at Historic Commercial Center at 10 a.m. Saturday. It’s waffles, mimosas and power chords at Damian Costa’s haunt, where the theme is, “Our Vegas, Our Way.” Go to thecomposersroom.com for intel.

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