Five reasons you must be at Backstreet Boys concert this weekend

Dubai - The popular boyband is heading to Dubai for the Blended Music Festival on Friday.

Nostalgia trip
They are a constant and colourful reminder of the 90s, an era that saw us barely scraping through college, idolising Kurt Cobain and still rocking those high-waisted denims from the 80s as we sang along to ubiquitous BSB hits like Quit Playin' Games With My Heart and We've Got It Going On.


Catchy tunes
90s gems like I Want It That Way and Everybody still get us all excited at karaoke sessions and when we're feeling down we love indulging in romantic tunes like As Long As You Love Me and I'll Never Break Your Heart. What we love about the boys is that they have a song to suit every mood.
Enduring icons
It's amazing that despite being formed all the way back in 1996 (that's 22 years, peeps, and yes, we do feel a bit long in the tooth) BSB still know how to put on a spectacular stage performance. We can't get enough of this boyband phenomenon and post tomorrow's gig at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre, we're thinking of checking out their exclusive Las Vegas residency show, 'Backstreet Boys: Larger Than Life' (performances run from July-Oct) if we happen to head down to Sin City later in the year!


Most loved 'boy'
Who is your favourite Backstreet Boy? We've had a soft spot for Brian Littrell right from the beginning! Born on February 20, 1975, in Lexington, Kentucky, Brian joined BSB at the age of 18 (after an unexpected invitation to audition by his cousin, fellow band member Kevin Richardson). Brian, who was born with a congenital heart condition and has battled health issues and successfully undergone open heart surgery in 1998, is renowned not only for his BSB heritage but also some inspirational spiritual tunes!

AJ goes country?
While BSB are known for their poptastic tunes, band member AJ McLean seems all set to try out a new musical direction. The 40-year-old singer, who was spotted at the American Country Music Awards recently, told Entertainment Tonight that country was one of his favourite genres and he's been working on a solo project for quite some time now. We can't wait, especially considering we love the band's collaborative hit with Florida Georgia Line, God, Your Mama, and Me! 
enid@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai