Into the Millennium Tour

Into the Millennium Tour

Tour by Backstreet Boys
Tour programme
Associated album	Millennium
Start date	June 2, 1999
End date	March 15, 2000
Legs	3
No. of shows	47 in Europe 76 in North America 123 Total
Backstreet Boys concert chronology

The Into the Millennium Tour was a world concert tour by the Backstreet Boys in support of their 1999 album, Millennium. The tour comprised 123 in 84 cities spanning three legs.^[1] The North American legs featured concerts at arenas and stadiums and it became the fastest grossing tour of all time. The tour was beaten by the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour for the Pollstar Concert Industry Award for Major Tour of the Year for 1999, but won the award for Most Creative Stage Production.^[2]

Background

Performing during the tour

Before the tour commenced, the group filmed a Disney Channel concert special on May 11, 1999 from the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City. The first leg of the tour was a European leg, which ran from June 2–August 7, 1999 and featured more than 40 concerts in over 30 cities and 13 countries. The first leg of the North American tour initially sold 53 dates (40 announced and 13 added due to demand)^[3] in 39 cities, scheduled to run from September 14–December 2, 1999.^[4][5] The entire leg sold out on the August 14 onsale date.^[6] The reported 765,000 tickets grossed sales estimated at $30 million, with face values set at $28.50 and $38.50.^[5][7] putting the entire tour onsale on one morning was an unusual sales method which allowed the onsale to become an event and resulted in broken sales records.^[8] A majority of the tickets sold out within the first hour of the sale, and several venues set records for sell-out speed.^[8][9] After adding several additional shows, the leg ultimately comprised 56 shows with some venues hosting three consecutive shows. As a result of Hurricane Floyd, which was approaching Florida, the band was forced to postpone the first two tour dates from September 14 and 15 to December 5 and 6.^[10]

This leg (if not also the final leg) was officially titled "Sears Presents Backstreet Boys Into The Millennium Tour", as Sears sponsored at least the first North American leg, as did Polaroid.^[11] The second North American leg of the tour ran from February 11–March 15, 2000.^[1] The concert at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, was the 5th most attended concert in American history and the most attended concert by a pop artist.^[12]

Ticket controversy

There was some controversy over the distribution of tickets at the Denver show of the first tour leg by promoter House of Blues Concerts. It was alleged that House of Blues had reserved a large number of tickets not purchased by season-ticket holders to private brokers, instead of offering them to the public. The brokers then resold the tickets for well above face value. The band subsequently requested that House of Blues donate $75,000 to a Columbine High School scholarship fund as compensation for their actions. The promoter agreed to make the donation to Columbine victims, but said it would offer the donation to a group of its own choosing, claiming the Columbine College Fund, chosen by the band's management, might not have been legitimate.^[13][14]

Development

Staging

The staging for the tour featured a pentagonal stage which situated in the center of the audience, with a 360-degree in the round design.^[15]

The stage featured a pentagonal outer track with five ramps to a central circular platform. This platform would normally be higher than the rest of the stage, but could be lowered down below the stage to allow the band to enter from or exit to the "understage" area (equivalent to "backstage"); the ramps would adjust accordingly. The platform and ramps could also be positioned flat at the level of stage the with the rest of the stage, creating a flat stage with only a slight step-up from the outer track to the center area.

The instrumental band was situated in the space between the outer track and the central platform, with band members separated from each other by the ramps. The stage was also accessible by stairways down off the outer edge of the stage to the venue floor, from where the "understage" could also be accessed. Among those involved in designing the staging was Mark Rabbit.^[15]

Performance and show elements

The band was backed by both an six-member instrumental band and a complement of ten backup dancers (five male and five female).^[15] The band would sometimes split up and perform with one member to each side or corner of the stage, but for much of the show, they performed to one side at a time, circling the stage (often as part of the choreographed dancing) throughout each song. The backup dancers sometimes performed for opposite side of the stage as the band. A video feed of the show was shown on video screens circling the overhead lighting rig.

The band began each show in a separate curtained-off enclosure elsewhere on the floor of the venue. The dancers would carry torches onto the stage to the prerecorded track of "The Imperial March". The band would then rise from the curtained enclosure to the Star Wars theme song and ride to the stage on "hovering" surfboards by means of wire harnesses. They would circle the stage and present themselves to each side of the audience before starting the first song, "Larger than Life".

The band used several costume changes during the show. They wore "futuristic/space" costumes for the first segment of the concert. Two versions of these costumes were built: The original outfits featured blue checkerboard turtlenecks under padded blue vests. The later outfits (introduced no later than as of February 17 on the third leg of the tour). featured moulded armour-like tops which were individually designed for each member. Both costumes featured plain black pants. As the press is typically only permitted to photograph concerts for the first several songs, most press photos of the tour were of the band in their "space" costumes.

After the first three songs, each band member would separately introduce themselves to the audience as the others changed into their next costume. Initially this change involved removing the padded vests and wearing dark trench coats over the checkerboard turtlenecks from the space costumes. Later in the tour, the group donned black V-neck undershirts with the trenchcoats. They performed "As Long As You Love Me" with the song's signature "chair routine". The backup dancers performed an extended chair routine and the band played an extended instrumental outro as the band changed into leather outfits for the next songs "Don't Wanna Lose You Now" and "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)", during which the band was again hooked up to wire harnesses and flown over the crowd (each to a different side of the audience) during the song's outro. They would throw stuffed animals out to audience members from the air. During the extended instrumental outro to that song, the band would again change into red and black motocross racing deflectors (plastic upper body armor) on top of black shirts and pants. Metal ladders were added to the corners of the stage for the band to climb and hang on during the next song, "Don't Want You Back".

They removed the deflectors for the next song, "The Perfect Fan", which they performed with five sets of mothers and daughters from the audience brought onstage. Following that, a grand piano was lowered onto the central platform, and Kevin Richardson played a piano duet with saxophonist Mindi Abair, leading into "Back To Your Heart", which Richardson co-wrote. Nick Carter also played drums at some of the later concerts. After another costume change into white outfits and an extended intro, the band performed an up-tempo medley of "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)", "We've Got It Goin' On" and "That's The Way I Like It".

An instrumental jazz melody was used to allow the band to change into suits (initially pink, but replaced with dark pin-striped suits later in the tour). They were raised on the central platform with stools and mic stands to sing a string of ballads. They added matching fedoras for the "hat-dance" routine in "All I Have To Give". "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" featured five of the female dancers slow-dancing on the outer track while the band remains on the upper platform until after the bridge when the band members came down to the track to slow-dance with a dancer. They returned to the platform and were lowered under the stage to end the song, and ostensibly end the concert.

As an encore, the band returned to the stage in street clothes to perform "It's Gotta Be You" with a break in the song to introduce each of the dancers and allow each pair of a male and female dancer to do a brief routine. They then introduced each instrumental band member and gave them each a solo. Finally, they circled the stage to bow to each side of the audience under a blast of confetti and ended the song, and again, ostensibly, the concert.

The band finally returned once more with the final encore, "I Want It That Way", often adding a local sports jersey to their previous street clothes. After ending the song, an instrumental outro was played as the band said its final goodnights, fooled around, shook hands with the audience members, and had a sing-along with the crowd to the final choruses of the song.

Merchandising

The Backstreet Boys agreed to a merchandising tie-in with Burger King to exclusively sell a set of three CDs and one VHS cassette featuring songs and video respectively from the tour.^[13] Each For The Fans CD contained three live tracks from the tour, as well as three studio-recorded tracks, and enhanced computer content. The video contained footage of five songs, as well as interviews and other footage from around the tour. The material comes mainly from the concert in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Pre-Tour Disney Channel Concert setlist

1. "Larger than Life"
2. "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)"
3. "As Long as You Love Me"
4. "All I Have to Give"
5. "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely"
6. "I'll Never Break Your Heart"
7. "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)"
8. "I Want It That Way"
9. "The Perfect Fan" (featuring The Boys Choir of Harlem)

Tour Set list

1. "Larger than Life"
2. "Get Down (You're the One For Me)"
3. "The One"
4. "As Long as You Love Me"
5. "Don't Wanna Lose You Now"
6. "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)"
7. "Don't Want You Back"
8. "The Perfect Fan"
9. "Back to Your Heart" (preceded by Kevin Richardson's piano solo)
10. "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)"
11. "We've Got It Goin' On"
12. "That's the Way I Like It"
13. "Spanish Eyes"
14. "I'll Never Break Your Heart"
15. "No One Else Comes Close"
16. "All I Have to Give"
17. "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely"

Encores

1. "It's Gotta Be You"
2. "I Want It That Way"

Tour dates

Date	City	Country	Venue
Europe[16][17]
June 2, 1999	Ghent	Belgium	Flanders Expo
June 3, 1999
June 4, 1999	Frankfurt	Germany	Festhalle Frankfurt
June 5, 1999	Amsterdam	Netherlands	Amsterdam Arena
June 7, 1999	Cologne	Germany	Kölnarena
June 8, 1999	Paris	France	Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
June 10, 1999	Manchester	England	Manchester Evening News Arena
June 11, 1999	Newcastle		Telewest Arena
June 13, 1999	Birmingham		NEC Arena
June 14, 1999
June 16, 1999	London		Earls Court Exhibition Centre
June 17, 1999
June 20, 1999	Mannheim	Germany	Maimarkthalle
June 21, 1999	Bielefeld		Seidensticker Halle
June 22, 1999	Oberhausen		König Pilsener Arena
June 24, 1999	Münster		Muensterlandhalle
June 25, 1999	Stuttgart		Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle
June 26, 1999	Munich		Olympiahalle
June 27, 1999	Zürich	Switzerland	Hallenstadion
June 29, 1999	Rome	Italy	Stadio Olimpico
July 1, 1999	Milan		Forum di Assago
July 2, 1999
July 3, 1999
July 5, 1999	Vienna	Austria	Wiener Stadthalle
July 6, 1999	Rieden	Germany	Ostbayernhalle
July 7, 1999	Friedrichshafen		Messehalle Friedrichshafen
July 9, 1999	Viareggio	Italy	Stadio dei Pini
July 11, 1999	San Sebastián	Spain	Velódromo de Anoeta
July 12, 1999	Zaragoza		Pabellón Príncipe Felipe
July 13, 1999	Barcelona		Palau Sant Jordi
July 14, 1999
July 16, 1999	Madrid		La Peineta
July 18, 1999	Gijón		Hipódromo Municipal Las Mestas
July 21, 1999	Bremen	Germany	Stadthalle Bremen
July 22, 1999	Leipzig		Messehalle 7
July 23, 1999	Berlin		Velodrom
July 24, 1999
July 26, 1999	Rotterdam	Netherlands	Sportpaleis van Ahoy
July 27, 1999
July 29, 1999	Copenhagen	Denmark	Club Danmark Hallen
July 30, 1999	Oslo	Norway	Oslo Spektrum
July 31, 1999
August 2, 1999	Helsinki	Finland	Hartwall Areena
August 3, 1999
August 5, 1999	Gothenburg	Sweden	Scandinavium
August 6, 1999	Stockholm		Stockholm Globe Arena
August 7, 1999
North America[18][19]
September 17, 1999	Charlotte	United States	Charlotte Coliseum
September 18, 1999	Washington, D.C.		MCI Center
September 19, 1999
September 21, 1999	Boston		FleetCenter
September 22, 1999
September 23, 1999	East Rutherford		Continental Airlines Arena
September 24, 1999
September 26, 1999	Uniondale		Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
September 27, 1999
September 29, 1999	Philadelphia		First Union Center
September 30, 1999
October 2, 1999	New York City		Madison Square Garden
October 4, 1999	Columbus		Value City Arena
October 5, 1999	Rosemont		Allstate Arena
October 6, 1999
October 7, 1999
October 9, 1999	Minneapolis		Target Center
October 12, 1999	Phoenix		America West Arena
October 14, 1999	Anaheim		Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim
October 15, 1999
October 16, 1999	Las Vegas		MGM Grand Garden Arena
October 17, 1999
October 19, 1999	Inglewood		Great Western Forum
October 20, 1999
October 21, 1999	San Jose		San Jose Arena
October 22, 1999
October 25, 1999	Portland		Rose Garden Arena
October 26, 1999	Tacoma		Tacoma Dome
October 28, 1999	Salt Lake City		Delta Center
October 29, 1999
October 31, 1999	Denver		Pepsi Center
November 2, 1999	Iowa City		Carver–Hawkeye Arena
November 3, 1999	Madison		Kohl Center
November 4, 1999	Milwaukee		Bradley Center
November 6, 1999	Auburn Hills		The Palace of Auburn Hills
November 7, 1999
November 8, 1999
November 10, 1999	Montreal	Canada	Molson Centre
November 11, 1999	Toronto		SkyDome
November 12, 1999	Ottawa		Corel Centre
November 14, 1999	Buffalo	United States	Marine Midland Arena
November 15, 1999	Cincinnati		Firstar Arena
November 17, 1999	St. Louis		Kiel Center
November 18, 1999	Kansas City		Kemper Arena
November 20, 1999	New Orleans		New Orleans Arena
November 21, 1999	Memphis		Pyramid Arena
November 23, 1999	Birmingham		BJCC Arena
November 24, 1999	Atlanta		Philips Arena
November 26, 1999	Lexington		Rupp Arena
November 28, 1999	Knoxville		Thompson–Boling Arena
November 29, 1999	Nashville		Gaylord Entertainment Center
December 1, 1999	Orlando		Orlando Arena
December 2, 1999	Tampa		Ice Palace
December 5, 1999	Sunrise		National Car Rental Center
December 6, 1999
February 11, 2000	University Park	United States	Bryce Jordan Center
February 12, 2000
February 14, 2000	Albany		Pepsi Arena
February 15, 2000
February 17, 2000	Charlotte		Charlotte Coliseum
February 18, 2000	Raleigh		Raleigh Entertainment & Sports Arena
February 19, 2000	Atlanta		Georgia Dome
February 20, 2000	Greensboro		Greensboro Coliseum
February 22, 2000	Greenville		BI-LO Center
February 24, 2000	St. Petersburg		Tropicana Field
February 26, 2000	New Orleans		Louisiana Superdome
February 28, 2000	Houston		Compaq Center
February 29, 2000
March 1, 2000	San Antonio		Alamodome
March 3, 2000	Dallas		Reunion Arena
March 4, 2000
March 5, 2000	Austin		Frank Erwin Center
March 7, 2000	St. Louis		Trans World Dome
March 9, 2000	Cleveland		Gund Arena
March 10, 2000	Indianapolis		Conseco Fieldhouse
March 11, 2000
March 13, 2000	East Lansing		Breslin Student Events Center
March 14, 2000	Hamilton	Canada	Copps Coliseum
March 15, 2000	Toronto		SkyDome

Cancellations and rescheduled shows

September 14, 1999	Sunrise, Florida	National Car Rental Center	Rescheduled to December 5, 1999
September 15, 1999	Sunrise, Florida	National Car Rental Center	Rescheduled to December 6, 1999
February 22, 2000	Greenville, South Carolina	BI-LO Center	Cancelled
March 5, 2000	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma	Myriad Convention Center Arena	Cancelled

References

1. "Backstreet Boys Wrap Up Sold-out World Tour". World Beat. NYRock. 2000-03-24. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
2. Lewis, Mark (2000-02-07). "Springsteen, Backstreet Boys Win Pollstar Concert Industry Awards". liveDaily. Archived from the original on January 7, 2010. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
3. Waddell, Ray (1999-08-17). "Backstreet Boys Sell Out 53 Shows In One Day". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
4. "They want it that way: Boys tour sells out in hours". The Hollywood Reporter. 1999-08-17. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
5. "Backstreet Boys Tickets Prompt Box Office Gold Rush". MTV. 1999-08-17. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
6. Nailen, Dan (1999-10-23). "Backstreet Boys Take Success 'Into the Millennium'". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
7. Boehlert, Eric (1999-08-17). "Backstreet Boys Sell Out 53 Dates in One Day". Rolling Stone.
8. Evans, Rob (1999-08-19). "Backstreet Boys Cash In On Unorthodox Ticket Sales Plan". LiveDaily. Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
9. "Palace press release on Into the Millennium Tour sell-out record". Backstreet.net. 1993-10-23. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
10. Evans, Rob (1999-09-12). "Backstreet Boys Postpone Tour Launch To Sidestep Hurricane". SoundSpike. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
11. "Polaroid and The Backstreet Boys Create a Picture-Perfect Partnership; Polaroid Inks Sponsorship Deal for Into The Millennium Tour" (Press release). Cambridge, Massachusetts: PR Newswire. September 1, 1999. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
12. Bob, By (2009-10-30). "U2's Rose Bowl Show Breaks Attendance Record". Billboard.biz. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
13. Lewis, Mark (1999-12-02). "Tour Accountants Raise New Allegations In Backstreet Boys Ticket Controversy". liveDaily. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
14. Lewis, Mark (1999-11-28). "Backstreet Boys, House Of Blues Concerts Square Off Over Scalping Fiasco". liveDaily. Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
15. Sakamoto, John (1999-05-22). "Backstreet Boys talk about tour". Jam!. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
16. Grassi, Giovanna; Cesarale, Sandra (June 30, 1999). "Backstreet Boys, supershow da fantascienza" [Backstreet Boys, super sci-fi show]. Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved December 8, 2013.
17. Cubillo, Igor (July 12, 1999). "Backstreet Boys no llena Anoeta en su primer concierto en España" [Backstreet Boys does not fill Anoeta in their first concert in Spain]. El País (in Italian). Retrieved December 8, 2013.
18. Schneider, Mitch; Rondan, Marcee; Brodginski, Todd (December 23, 2000). "BACKSTREET BOYS PREPARE FOR 2000 TOUR ON THE HEELS OF FOUR BILLBOARD AWARDS" (Press release). Los Angeles: Mitch Schneider Organization. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
19. Schneider, Mitch; Rondan, Marcee; Brodginski, Todd (December 23, 1999). "HISTORY-MAKING BACKSTREET BOYS COMPLETELY RE-DEFINE THE CONCERT INDUSTRY" (Press release). Los Angeles: Mitch Schneider Organization. Retrieved December 8, 2013.