By: Kayla Middleton
Neon lights and nostalgia overtook the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion on August 3rd, 2023 as headlining boy band Big Time Rush rocked the stage for this stop on their ‘Can’t Get Enough’ tour with openers Jax and Max. The band composed of James Maslow, Kendall Schmidt, Carlos PenaVega, and Logan Henderson gained traction on their Nickelodeon hit TV show, Big Time Rush. The group went on hiatus around 2014 but to every Rusher’s delight, the boys made an official return to music and touring in 2021. Since then, the band has released a plethora of singles and an album titled Another Life.
As I prepared for the show to begin, I took a look around at all the fans around me. This show held a large audience of all ages dressed in shirts with Logan, Kendall, Carlos, and James’ faces on them and I knew the energy for the entire night was going to be through the roof. The crowd did not disappoint as the boys hit the stage. The quad rose from the stage with spotlights on them and the sea of fans with “I Heart BTR” shirts went wild. Big Time Rush opened the set with Can’t Get Enough off their recently released album Another Life followed by old hits such as Elevate and Song For You. Their energy onstage lit up the pavilion from the choreography to the lively visuals, I couldn’t take my eyes off the stage.
Their performance was also interwoven with many playful moments between the boys. It truly felt like we were watching best friends have so much fun while they live their dreams, it was a very personal touch to the show that I enjoyed. Big Time Rush’s mix of past hits and recent work rocked the next portion of the setlist. Songs such as Any Kind of Guy and Forget You Now had the crowd dancing like no other. While attending this concert you will notice the amount of signs and posters and how plentiful they are.
A very common phrase on the fans’ signs is them asking to be a certain member’s “Worldwide Girl.” In this section of the show, the boys sang their classic hit Worldwide and each member chose a girl to bring on stage. They state that they do this in appreciation of their fans and thank them for taking this journey with them. During the song, each member sings to the girl they chose and they each share a very special moment on stage. As the night continues, a sort of intermission video plays depicting them during their Nickelodeon days and reflects on their start as a band which leads into a melody section of their old fan favorites such as Famous, City Is Ours, Big Night, and even Shot In The Dark. Confetti falls perfectly during Confetti Falling and their official theme song Big Time Rush plays as the band exits the stage.
The crowd roared for more music and soon after the boys took the stage for three more songs, or so we thought. As the lights come up for the encore, Logan and Carlos are seen running through the venue and crowd to the banger Windows Down. Fans rush to get as close as possible and Logan and Carlos even stop for selfies and photos throughout the crowd. The night concludes with Boyfriend and Til I Forget About You.
Overall, the show was amazing! I was dancing all night to the songs that rocked my childhood and a new sound that suited the band very well. Their vocal ability was displayed marvelously throughout the show and I was blown away by their effortless harmonies and solo high notes. Big Time Rush is seen as this nostalgic band that you listened to as a kid but, their sound has matured and evolved along with its members and I’m ready for them to break into the mainstream music lexicon again.
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