You Can Feel That Spark

Sometimes I go to shows because it’s a bucket-list act for me. Sometimes it’s because it’s a legacy act I feel like I only have one shot to see, and I want to cross it off my list before it’s too late. Sometimes I stumble into a show just because being at a show is so much better than sitting at home, and then there are nights when I’m going to see an act for the umpteenth time because I can not get enough of them. Then there are my novelty shows. These are the kinds of shows where I go just to hear that one song or just to see that one person. Tuesday night’s show at The Fine Line started as one of those novelty shows, but within a couple of songs from the headliner, I realized that it was so much more than that.

Before I tell you about the act that got me off the couch and out of the house on a cozy Tuesday night, let me tell you about the openers. The show started with a DJ. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch the DJ’s name or much of their set because the line for this show was long. I was even at this show a bit earlier than usual, but that was no match for the line that wrapped down the block and around the corner. I may not have made it into The Fine Line in time to see this DJ in action, but I could hear it from outside, and they absolutely understood the assignment of getting the audience hyped up for the night—my apologies to the DJ for not being inside in time to witness all of their glory.

Following the opening DJ set was a quick set from Matt Bloyd. I’ll be honest, I can’t find much online about this guy, but his voice spoke for itself. It was smooth and sensual in a beautiful way, but it also had this spark of energy that electrified the room. Kicking off his short time on stage with a Britney Spears cover, Matt knew what the audience wanted to hear, and that was some good ol’ fashion boy-band-style pop music, so that’s what he gave them. Matt worked the stage as much as he worked the audience, and although his overall sound felt painfully quiet against the roar of conversation, I felt like he held his own and definitely won some new fans in his short time on stage.

So what made Tuesday night a novelty show? The headliner: Alexander James. Okay, maybe that name doesn’t ring a bell. Truthfully, I almost skipped over this show because I didn’t recognize the name, but I saw the flyer and instantly knew who this was. Did you know AJ stands for Alexander James? AJ, as in AJ McLean. AJ McLean, as in one of the Backstreet Boys? That’s right: AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys was in town Tuesday night, playing the ultra-intimate Fine Line. This show wasn’t supposed to be at the Fine Line. When it was initially announced, it was at First Avenue’s iconic main room, but without much warning, they moved it. Maybe it was a lack of ticket sales (okay, I’m going to go ahead and assume that’s exactly what it was), but it worked to the benefit of hundreds of screaming women who were ready to see that one guy from that one band from back in the day.

Wow, that sounded harsh. Really, this is more than just that one guy from that one band. The Backstreet Boys were a phenomenon, to say the least, and AJ seemed to be one of the group’s more popular members after Nick Carter. If I had to pick a Backstreet Boy, AJ was my man, but really, I’m an NSYNC girl who was undercover on Tuesday night. Even though we can all agree that NSYNC was the better band to come out of this era (and 98 Degrees was even better than them), there’s no denying the Backstreet Boys’ star power and the lasting nostalgia that comes with them. On my worst days, the ones where nothing is going right and I start feeling a bit gloomier than usual, I often put on a nostalgic boy-band mix, and my ears and heart perk up every time I hear a Backstreet Boys song. These were all the reasons Tuesday night felt like a novelty show for me walking in, but as soon as Alexander James took the stage alongside his amazing band, that mood changed, and it turned into a show my heart needed.

Alexander James seems to be trying to distance himself from Backstreet Boys fame with this tour. The setlist focused on selections from his solo career. Songs from his 2010 solo debut album, ‘Have It All ‘, were split up by brand new tracks that will be on his new album, ‘Sex, Love & Music ‘, which is due out in two weeks and, although definitely not my normal cup of tea when it comes to style, I was here for it. Alexander James has such a smooth yet emotive voice. It has this aura of darkness and mystery behind it but, at the same time, definitely brings back the boy-band-style vibe. It was music for and from a simpler time, in a way, and when you paired his flawless voice with the incredibly tight band that was backing him, you were left with the perfect balance of nostalgia, freshness, sugar, spice, love, and angst. I really didn’t know what to expect from a solo show from Alexander James, but I know that what I got exceeded my expectations and then some.

Don’t worry, Alexander James turned back to AJ McLean and treated the audience to a few Backstreet Boys songs, but, truthfully, I feel like he didn’t need to do that. Don’t get me wrong, it was awesome and was definitely a highlight as far as singing to my nostalgia-seeking soul goes, but Tuesday night’s show proved that there is life for Alexander James about the Backstreet Boys, and although it may have taken him a hot minute to find his footing since the boy-band craze that he was the king of decades ago, I think Alexander James made it clear that he is here to stay.