By the time fans leave Mershon Auditorium Friday night, AJ McLean hopes their faces hurt.
Whether smiling, laughing, singing or shouting, McLean said he hopes fans who come to see him and Joey Fatone perform will have two hours to forget the world.
“I want their bodies to just be invigorated. I want them to leave on cloud nine,” McLean said.
McLean, 46, and Fatone, 47, members of the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, respectively, are touring together, stopping at Mershon Auditorium, 1871 N. High St., Friday night for their “A Legendary Night” tour.
The show includes songs from both iconic bands’ discographies, as well as several solo songs from McLean’s upcoming solo album.
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“It’s a great launching pad to establish myself as an individual,” McLean said. “I’m doing this under my real name, Alexander James. AJ is a character and a Backstreet Boy, but I want the world to meet Alex.”
McLean has spoken about his struggles with sobriety and mental health, particularly early in the group’s success. Her song “Arizona,” which is featured in the series, addresses these issues head-on by “tugging at the heartstrings.”
Each show on the tour also features plenty of comedy, audience interaction, and of course, hits.
“It’s literally for the fans, by the fans and we keep adding more dates because the fans want it. We hope we can keep doing this for as long as possible until both guys get busy again “, did he declare.
McLean said it still feels surreal after more than 30 years of the Backstreet Boys to have fans singing the lyrics to him – and to have fans of *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys – singing along, making new ones. memories and new friends in the process.
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“Being able to have music that transcends generations is huge. I have a lot of friends who have a 5-year-old or a 25-year-old and they’re both fans. Either they start young or they Gen Z looks at us like we were vintage, it’s really cool,” he said.
“I still pinch myself when I hear us on the radio or you look out in the audience and you see fans of both bands singing the other bands’ songs and coexisting and making new friendships, it’s really, really cool. “
While *NSYNC recently reunited and released new music earlier this year, the Backstreet Boys are taking a break after wrapping up their “DNA World Tour.” However, McLean teased a “massive” announcement from the group towards the end of 2024 that was “seven years in the making” for who else but the fans.
“We really love doing what we do. There’s five of us hams, we’re in our element and even we forget what we’re facing in our lives five minutes before the show. And we really, really love it. We’re closer than we never were,” McLean said.
But for now, McLean and Fatone are enjoying each other’s company (McLean said the rivalry fomented by the music industry when the two groups rose to fame was largely a facade) as girl dads and with shared life experiences.
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“You never know what you’re going to get at the show,” he said. “We’re going to take you back in time. This is for the ladies, you can have a great ladies night and leave your man at home or you can bring your man and he’ll have a great night too.”
In one look
Fans are advised to arrive early to the show, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. for a 7:30 p.m. start. Tickets are still available, starting at $55, through Ticketmaster.