The band enchanted on their summer tour stop in Music City
There are boy bands. And then there are pop bands made up of boys. Big Time Rush (BTR) proved why they qualify as the latter during their 90-minute set at Ascend Amphitheater Monday night (July 24th). Taking the stage around 9:30 pm sans openers due to a pop-up thunderstorm, hardly boys anymore, the four men proved their musical identity. Thanks, in part, to their first-ever independent LP, Another Life.
From Hollywood-formed Monkees for the 21st century, to a group that genuinely cares about their artistry, BTR’s journey has been singular.
For one, this concert featured a live band. Another point: What other boy band is confident enough in their talent to feature an acoustic set in the middle of their show? Exactly.
As discussed in a recent interview on The Music Universe Podcast, BTR is looking beyond their Nickelodeon fame to express themselves artistically outside a corporate machine. They succeed in this on their most recent trek.
For one, each member has strong vocals. James stunned with a roof-shattering falsetto on “Song For You.” Logan has similarly strong pipes, which took center stage as the group began “Waves,” off their latest effort.
Carlos brought energy and authenticity to his lead turns. Carlos kicked off “Ask You Tonight” with a smile. Stripping this number down to the acoustic set nakedly demonstrated the heartfelt songwriting behind the number.
Kendall, the erstwhile group leader in the Nick-verse, was the bounciest of the members. He bounded about the stage as his bright vocals brought a kinetic energy to songs like “Elevate” and “Invisible.”
The production on stage was engrossing but not overpowering. Here again, BTR and co. avoid another trapping of a stereotypical boy band show. It’s clear they are not hiding behind the theatrics. An angled square screen, three-tiered risers, and some nifty lasers were all there were on stage. Keeping videos minimal, the focus remained squarely on the four vocalists.
As for their artistry, their songs speak to universal themes of love, desire, and escapism. But they do so with a care for the quality of the music, rather than the calculation of what will sell in the pop machine. The strength of the connection between artist, music, and fan is proof of this.
Take the song “Paralyzed,” it is a wittily composed spin on the anxiety of seeing your crush walk in the room that clearly resonated with the hidden anxieties of everyone at Ascend.
As much as the crowd has embraced the new stuff, they were never louder than when the classics rang through the speakers at the downtown Nashville venue. The title theme from Big Time Rush caused the crowd—two-to-one female—to reach a fever pitch. With thousands of obsessed women screaming at the top of their lungs for a group they grew up with? The place shook.
The most-anticipated moment came during the band’s signature song “Worldwide.” The fangirls clamored to be each band member’s “Worldwide Girls.” Signs emblazoned with “Carlos WWG?” or “Logan can I be your WWG?” were in abundance. The result was an adorable moment between each member and an adoring fan.
Big Time Rush is the rare group that have transcended their own schtick. Once a group manufactured to bring ratings to a cable network, they have evolved into true artists. They know what their music means to people, and it is clear they have much more to say. For Big Time Rush, it truly is Another Life.
