Into the Millennium Tour
Encyclopedia
The Into the Millennium Tour was a world concert
tour by the Backstreet Boys
in support of their 1999 album, Millennium
. The tour comprised 115 sold-out shows in 84 cities spanning three legs. The North American legs featured concerts at arena
s and stadium
s and it became the fastest grossing tour of all time.
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) in 39 cities, scheduled to run from September 14 - December 2, 1999. The entire leg sold out on the August 14 onsale date; The reported 765,000 tickets grossed sales estimated at $30 million, with face values set at $28.50 and $38.50. 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. A majority of the tickets sold out within the first hour of the sale, and several venues set records for sell-out speed. 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.
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
. The second North American leg of the tour ran from February 11 - March 15, 2000. The concert at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, was the 5th most attended concert in American history and the most attended concert by a pop artist.
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.
al stage situated in the center of the venues, with a 360-degree in the round
audience design. The stage featured a pentagonal outer track with five ramps to a central 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; the ramps would adjust accordingly. 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, from where the "understage" could be accessed. Among those involved in designing the staging was Mark Rabbit.
The band began each show in a separate curtained-off enclosure elsewhere in the venue. At the start of each concert, the dancers would carry torches onto the stage to the prerecorded track of "The Imperial March
", which would then be left on the stage as part of the set. The band would then rise from the curtained enclosure to the main Star Wars
theme 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 their "futuristic/space" costumes for the first segment of the concert; these costumes were replaced partway through the tour. The original outfits featured blue checkerboard turtlenecks under padded blue vests. The later outfits featured moulded armour-like tops which were individually designed for each band member. As the press is typically only permitted to photograph concerts for the first several songs, these outfits became the most publicized costumes of the tour.
After the first three songs, each band member would separately introduce themselves to the audience and at the same time change from their space vests into dark trench coats for "As Long As You Love Me
", which was performed with the song's "chair routine". The backup dancers performed and extended routine and the band played an extended instrumental outro as the band changed into leather outfits for the next songs. For the outro of "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
", the band was again hooked up to harnesses and flown
over the crowd, each to a different side of the audience. They would also be given items by their crew to throw out to audience members. During the 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 several sets of mothers and daughters brought onstage. Following that, a grand piano was raised on 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.
to exclusively sell a set of three CDs and one VHS cassette featuring songs and video respectively from the tour. 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 all nine songs, as well as interviews and other footage from around the tour. The material comes mainly from the concert in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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.
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
tour by the Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
in support of their 1999 album, Millennium
Millennium (Backstreet Boys album)
Millennium is the third album by American boyband Backstreet Boys. It was a highly anticipated follow-up to both their United States debut album, and their second internationally released album. It was their first album to be released in both the U.S...
. The tour comprised 115 sold-out shows in 84 cities spanning three legs. The North American legs featured concerts at arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
s and stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
s and it became the fastest grossing tour of all time.
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) in 39 cities, scheduled to run from September 14 - December 2, 1999. The entire leg sold out on the August 14 onsale date; The reported 765,000 tickets grossed sales estimated at $30 million, with face values set at $28.50 and $38.50. 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. A majority of the tickets sold out within the first hour of the sale, and several venues set records for sell-out speed. After adding several additional shows, the leg ultimately comprised 56 shows with some venues hosting three consecutive shows. As a result of Hurricane Floyd
Hurricane Floyd
Hurricane Floyd was the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Floyd triggered the third largest evacuation in US history when 2.6 million coastal residents of five states were ordered from their homes as it approached...
, 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.
This leg (if not also the final leg) was officially titled "Sears Presents Backstreet Boys Into The Millennium Tour", as Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
sponsored at least the first North American leg, as did Polaroid
Polaroid Corporation
Polaroid Corporation is an American-based international consumer electronics and eyewear company, originally founded in 1937 by Edwin H. Land. It is most famous for its instant film cameras, which reached the market in 1948, and continued to be the company's flagship product line until the February...
. The second North American leg of the tour ran from February 11 - March 15, 2000. The concert at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, was the 5th most attended concert in American history and the most attended concert by a pop artist.
The tour was beaten by the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour
The Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour was a lengthy, top-grossing concert tour featuring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that took place over 1999 and 2000....
for the Pollstar Concert Industry Award for Major Tour of the Year for 1999, but won the award for Most Creative Stage Production.
Staging
The staging for the tour featured a pentagonPentagon
In geometry, a pentagon is any five-sided polygon. A pentagon may be simple or self-intersecting. The sum of the internal angles in a simple pentagon is 540°. A pentagram is an example of a self-intersecting pentagon.- Regular pentagons :In a regular pentagon, all sides are equal in length and...
al stage situated in the center of the venues, with a 360-degree in the round
Theatre in the round
Theatre-in-the-round or arena theatre is any theatre space in which the audience surrounds the stage area...
audience design. The stage featured a pentagonal outer track with five ramps to a central 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; the ramps would adjust accordingly. 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, from where the "understage" could be accessed. Among those involved in designing the staging was Mark Rabbit.
Performance and show elements
The band was backed by both an instrumental band of six members, and as a complement of ten backup dancers (five male and five female) who backed up the mainly for group for the uptempo numbers when the band typically also danced. Due to the in-the-round nature of the stage, the band would sometimes split up and perform one member to each side or corner of the stage, but at other times would perform only to one side of the audience.The band began each show in a separate curtained-off enclosure elsewhere in the venue. At the start of each concert, the dancers would carry torches onto the stage to the prerecorded track of "The Imperial March
The Imperial March
"The Imperial March " is a musical theme present in the Star Wars franchise. It was composed by John Williams for the film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
", which would then be left on the stage as part of the set. The band would then rise from the curtained enclosure to the main Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
theme 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
Larger than Life (Backstreet Boys song)
"Larger than Life" is a song by the Backstreet Boys, released as the second single from their 1999 album, Millennium. It was written by Max Martin, Kristian Lundin and Brian Littrell and is mainly a tribute to the group's fans. The song broke the record for longest running #1 on MTV's Total Request...
".
The band used several costume changes during the show. They wore their "futuristic/space" costumes for the first segment of the concert; these costumes were replaced partway through the tour. The original outfits featured blue checkerboard turtlenecks under padded blue vests. The later outfits featured moulded armour-like tops which were individually designed for each band member. As the press is typically only permitted to photograph concerts for the first several songs, these outfits became the most publicized costumes of the tour.
After the first three songs, each band member would separately introduce themselves to the audience and at the same time change from their space vests into dark trench coats for "As Long As You Love Me
As Long as You Love Me
"As Long As You Love Me" is the second single by the Backstreet Boys from their debut album in the United States and the second single from Backstreet's Back internationally. It was released in September 1997 internationally and in October of the same year in the United States. It is one of the...
", which was performed with the song's "chair routine". The backup dancers performed and extended routine and the band played an extended instrumental outro as the band changed into leather outfits for the next songs. For the outro of "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
"Quit Playing Games " is the fourth single from the Backstreet Boys' international album. It was recorded in June 1995 in Stockholm, Sweden and released in 1996. It reached #1 in Switzerland and Austria, #2 in the United Kingdom, and #7 in the Netherlands. It was subsequently included on the band's...
", the band was again hooked up to harnesses and flown
Fly system
A fly system, flying system or theatrical rigging system, is a system of lines , blocks , counterweights and related devices within a theatre that enable a stage crew to quickly, quietly and safely fly components such as curtains, lights, scenery, stage effects and, sometimes, people...
over the crowd, each to a different side of the audience. They would also be given items by their crew to throw out to audience members. During the instrumental outro to that song, the band would again change into red and black motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
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 several sets of mothers and daughters brought onstage. Following that, a grand piano was raised on the central platform, and Kevin Richardson
Kevin Richardson (musician)
Kevin Scott Richardson is an American singer and a former member of the Backstreet Boys, model, actor, and composer. He was the oldest member of the band during his tenure.- Early years :...
played a piano duet with saxophonist Mindi Abair
Mindi Abair
Mindi Abair is an American smooth jazz saxophonist with a strong Top-40 pop music background. Mindi has toured and/or recorded with the Backstreet Boys, Duran Duran, Mandy Moore, Josh Groban, Adam Sandler, Keb' Mo', Lalah Hathaway, Lee Ritenour, Teena Marie, John Tesh, Bobby Lyle, Jonathan Butler,...
, leading into "Back To Your Heart", which Richardson co-wrote. Nick Carter
Nick Carter (musician)
Nickolas Gene "Nick" Carter is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, musician, entertainer and actor. He is best known as a member of the pop group, Backstreet Boys. He went on to release a solo album called Now Or Never during their hiatus. He has made occasional television appearances and...
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)
Everybody (Backstreet's Back)
"Everybody " is the first single from the Backstreet Boys' second international album Backstreet's Back in 1997, and the third single and fourth track from their debut US album in 1997. It is one of their signature songs. The US debut was originally released without the song, which references the...
", "We've Got It Goin' On
We've Got It Goin' On
"We've Got It Goin' On" was the first single released by the Backstreet Boys from their self titled debut album in September 1995; it was also their first single ever released. It was later included in the U.S. album and achieved success worldwide.-Recording:...
" and "That's The Way I Like It".
An instrumental jazz melody was used to allow the band to change into suits
Suit (clothing)
In clothing, a suit is a set of garments made from the same cloth, consisting of at least a jacket and trousers. Lounge suits are the most common style of Western suit, originating in the United Kingdom as country wear...
(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
All I Have To Give
"All I Have to Give" is a song by American pop group, The Backstreet Boys, produced and written by Full Force, released as the sixth and final single from their album Backstreet's Back and the seventh and final single from their US debut album. The single debuted at number 2 at the UK Singles Chart...
". "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely
Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely
"Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" is the third single off Backstreet Boys' 1999 album, Millennium. It is a significant hit, second only to the first single I Want It That Way from the same album, becoming one of the most successful singles of the boy band...
" 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
Encore (concert)
An encore is an additional performance added to the end of a concert, from the French "encore", which means "again", "some more"; multiple encores are not uncommon. Encores originated spontaneously, when audiences would continue to applaud and demand additional performance from the artist after the...
, 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
Confetti
Confetti is a multitude of pieces of paper, mylar or metallic material which is usually thrown at parades and celebrations, especially weddings . Confetti is made in a variety of colors, and commercially available confetti is available in imaginative shapes...
, and ended the song, and again, ostensibly, the concert.
The band finally returned once more with the final encore, "I Want It That Way
I Want It That Way
"I Want It That Way" is a song by the Backstreet Boys, and their first single from their 1999 album Millennium. It was written by Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson along with other producers. The song was highly played on the radio and the video, directed by Wayne Isham, was well played on television...
", 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
Backstreet Boys agreed to a merchandising tie-in with Burger KingBurger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
to exclusively sell a set of three CDs and one VHS cassette featuring songs and video respectively from the tour. 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 all nine songs, as well as interviews and other footage from around the tour. The material comes mainly from the concert in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Set list
The entire Millennium album was performed each night, other than Nick Carter's solo song, "I Need You Tonight".- "Larger Than LifeLarger than Life (Backstreet Boys song)"Larger than Life" is a song by the Backstreet Boys, released as the second single from their 1999 album, Millennium. It was written by Max Martin, Kristian Lundin and Brian Littrell and is mainly a tribute to the group's fans. The song broke the record for longest running #1 on MTV's Total Request...
" - "Get Down (You're the One For Me)Get Down (You're the One for Me)"Get Down " is the third single released by the Backstreet Boys from their international self-titled debut album. It was later included on their US debut album as well. In some countries "Get Down" was released as their debut single. The song features a rap with the first verse by Smooth T. of the...
" - "The OneThe One (Backstreet Boys song)"The One" was the fourth single from the Backstreet Boys' hit album Millennium. This song was also used as the opening song in the shōnen anime Hanada Shōnen-shi....
" - Group monologues
- "As Long As You Love MeAs Long as You Love Me"As Long As You Love Me" is the second single by the Backstreet Boys from their debut album in the United States and the second single from Backstreet's Back internationally. It was released in September 1997 internationally and in October of the same year in the United States. It is one of the...
" - "Don't Wanna Lose You Now"
- "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)"Quit Playing Games " is the fourth single from the Backstreet Boys' international album. It was recorded in June 1995 in Stockholm, Sweden and released in 1996. It reached #1 in Switzerland and Austria, #2 in the United Kingdom, and #7 in the Netherlands. It was subsequently included on the band's...
" - "Don't Want You Back"
- "The Perfect Fan"
- "Back To Your Heart" (preceded by Kevin Richardson's piano solo)
- "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)Everybody (Backstreet's Back)"Everybody " is the first single from the Backstreet Boys' second international album Backstreet's Back in 1997, and the third single and fourth track from their debut US album in 1997. It is one of their signature songs. The US debut was originally released without the song, which references the...
"/"We've Got It Goin' OnWe've Got It Goin' On"We've Got It Goin' On" was the first single released by the Backstreet Boys from their self titled debut album in September 1995; it was also their first single ever released. It was later included in the U.S. album and achieved success worldwide.-Recording:...
"/"That's The Way I Like It" medley - "Spanish Eyes"
- "I'll Never Break Your HeartI'll Never Break Your Heart"I'll Never Break Your Heart" is a song written by singer-songwriters Eugene Wilde & Albert Manno and was the second single by the Backstreet Boys from their self-titled debut album...
" - "No One Else Comes Close"
- "All I Have To GiveAll I Have To Give"All I Have to Give" is a song by American pop group, The Backstreet Boys, produced and written by Full Force, released as the sixth and final single from their album Backstreet's Back and the seventh and final single from their US debut album. The single debuted at number 2 at the UK Singles Chart...
" - "Show Me the Meaning of Being LonelyShow Me the Meaning of Being Lonely"Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" is the third single off Backstreet Boys' 1999 album, Millennium. It is a significant hit, second only to the first single I Want It That Way from the same album, becoming one of the most successful singles of the boy band...
" (dedicated to the memory of Denniz PoPDenniz PopDag Krister Volle , better known under the artistic name Denniz Pop , was a Swedish DJ, music producer and songwriter....
) - "It's Gotta Be You" (first encore - dancer and band introductions)
- "I Want It That WayI Want It That Way"I Want It That Way" is a song by the Backstreet Boys, and their first single from their 1999 album Millennium. It was written by Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson along with other producers. The song was highly played on the radio and the video, directed by Wayne Isham, was well played on television...
" (second encore)
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 resoldTicket resale
Ticket resale is the act of reselling tickets for admission to events. Tickets are bought from licensed sellers and are then sold for a price determined by the individual or company in possession of the tickets. Tickets sold through secondary sources may be sold for less or more than their face...
the tickets for well above face value. The band subsequently requested that House of Blues donate $75,000 to a Columbine High School
Columbine High School
Columbine High School or CHS is a high school in unincorporated Jefferson County, Colorado, United States.- History :Columbine High School opened in the fall of 1973. There was no senior class in its first year. The school's first graduating class was the class of 1975...
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.