The B-52′s have been hailed as the world’s best party band, and they lived up to the billing tonight. The tour was a double bill with The Pretenders but the B-52′s were slotted last. They were promoting a greatest hits set (the band’s latest studio effort was 1995′s Good Stuff which is already on the bargain shelf). Cyndi Wilson is back sharing harmonies with Kate Pierson, which is a good thing. Their particular vocal chemistry makes a huge difference, along with Keith Strickland’s guitar licks and whatever the hell Fred Schneider does.

The band invited a handful of fans to dance and bop on stage with them. Most of the stuff sounded like it came straight from the studio, but a off kilter version of Roam left a bad taste in my mouth, quickly vanquished by such classic tunes as Channel Z and Private Idaho. The two new tracks, Debbie and Hallucinating Pluto, fit right in.

Chrissie Hynde said at one point during the show that the audience was only there for the B-52′s. But whether it was true or not, the Pretenders put on an amazing gig anyway. It was easily the best show I have ever seen. Heavy on the radio hits, they closed by refusing to get off stage and instead played Brass in Pocket even through their time had run over.

08.07.1998 Backstreet Boys MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

Openers: Jimmy Ray
Soap
Aaron Carter
Laugh if you must. The tickets to this show were purchased in conjunction with my friend Laura’s visit for the weekend, which also included coming back the next night for the Pretenders. She and I went with Mike Malloy, who really didn’t enjoy himself because he couldn’t be seen enjoying himself.

What I will say about this show was that for an adult, it was high camp. Imagine an arena filled to the brim with screaming pre-teen girls and decibel levels that put hockey games to shame. (In case you’re wondering, they have a decibel measure that was supposed to fire people up during Thunder games, encouraging the crowd to reach a certain decibel. Apparently it was never turned off, at least until the Thunder went under.) The energy from the audience crackled like a forest fire, not so much from the stage. The Backstreet Boys had that “proving we are legit” attitude that required the band to hand off instruments to the Boys for a whole song (N’Sync did the same thing.) They also each took turns solo, which wasn’t really the highlight. But as they finished up with their strongest radio stuff, it was a bonus for me because I actually recognized the songs.

The novelty was worth the money. The show probably was not.

Jimmy Ray wasn’t even popular enough to be called a one-hit wonder. His “hit” Are You Jimmy Ray? made the rounds on the radio, but its popularity was more of a novelty tune the likes of I’m Too Sexy. The guy himself, though supposedly in his late twenties, looked like a 13-year old who was given an air guitar for his birthday. Not sure if he actually sang the songs but I’m damn sure he didn’t play a lick of guitar.

Teen bubble pop girl group Soap opened for the Backstreet Boys with a couple of generic dance tracks. If Danity Kane were 12-years old and practicing in front of the mirror for auditions, you would approximately find yourself in the same place with Soap.

While I’m know I sat through it, pre-pubescent Aaron Carter (riding the coattails of his brother’s “fame”) made zero impression. When Jimmy Ray outshines you, time to beef up your act.