Pop 2000 Tour Review: A Must Attend For Boy Band Fans

The Pop 2000 Tour transports the audience back in time with a high energy show, jam packed with hits everyone knows the words to.

Some people were just born to make and perform music. It is very apparent when attending the Pop 2000 Tour that everyone on stage is one of those people. Growing up in the 1990s and early 2000s, I was a big boy band fan. Groups like *NSYNC, O-Town, LFO, and (Yes, I know) Backstreet Boys were a big part of my life. I had posters on my wall and I worked my High School job solely for money to support my concert going. 

To think that now, as I am entering my 40s, I would be able to see several of the bands that shaped who I am today is something I never expected to be able to do. I have had the pleasure of seeing O-Town perform live multiple times, but this was the first time I was able to see them since they un-broke up, and wow do they still have it. They might be the standout, but there are so many other reasons to go to the Pop 2000 Tour if it is coming near you. 

Pop 2000 Tour Review: A Must Attend For Boy Band Fans

With Chris Kirkpatrick from *NSYNC hosting, you never know who might show up. There were are a lot of boybands that were active in the early 2000s, so it is no surprise that certain members might walk out on stage to surprise fans. The show I attended, at the Garden Ampitheater in Garden Grove, CA, had a very special surprise guest – Mr. Lance Bass.

While he didn’t perform, he did introduce the show alongside bandmate Chris, and teased an *NSYNC reunion tour that had all of us screaming our heads off. Please guys, please make this happen. 

The show kicked off with Ryan Cabrera, who put on a great show. The man has a great stage presence and even joked about how his 2015 release, House of Fire, only did okay until it was remixed and then that version hit number one on the charts. He makes sure to sing a lot of the old stuff that we all remember, but mixes in a few of his new hits.

He also covers songs from other singers / bands of the era, something that each group does to spice things up a little bit. This move only solidifies just how vocally talented they all are.

Next up was BBMak. They made the trek from across the pond and this crowd really appreciated it, myself included. While they don’t move around on stage too much, they mostly stick by their mic stands, they still deliver an energy that is easily felt in the audience. These three have a brotherhood after being in a band together for so long, and is a complete joy to watch the way they interact with each other throughout the show. 

Another perfect blend of their songs throughout the eras – hit singles and hidden gems. Their voices are just as sharp as they were years ago, if not more seasoned and settled into it now. As someone who, admittedly, knows BBMak songs but had never seen them live, this was an experience I won’t ever forget. Heck, I wouldn’t mind getting the chance to watch them perform live again (and again), either.

Then it was time for the main act. O-Town. Thankfully this group decided to get back together and grace fans with new music, as well as more live shows. They might be missing one original member but, and this might sound harsh, the audience won’t be missing him when these four hit the stage.

That isn’t to say that Ashley Parker Angel wouldn’t put on a great show, but he isn’t needed as these four have the vocal, and dance, talent to keep your mind off the missing member. These guys are good at what they do.

I’ve seen O-Town many times, at a variety of different size venues, and they never ever disappoint. But this was the first time in a while and it immediately transported me back to those teenage years when I was saving my hard earned money to get to see them live.

Having had two albums as a group of five, and two as a group of four, there was a lot of ground to cover here. Their setlist selection for the Pop 2000 Tour in 2024 is pretty darn perfect (although I will always fight for From The Damage as it is a favorite of mine). O-Town runs on stage, with high energy right out of the gate – and they never slow down.

Of course they come out to the first song on their first album, Liquid Dreams, which is quite the innuendo. We can all relate. Don’t lie. They are bopping around the stage, showing off that they are still in shape and they have those dance moves mastered.

The crowd is going wild, rightfully so, and many of us feel young again. The words to the songs immediately find their way out of their hiding spaces in the back of your mind, and you sing along to every. single. word. I blasted O2 on the drive way home and I can guarantee you that O-Town albums will be in heavy rotation for the coming months.

Towards the begining of the O-Town Pop 2000 Tour set, Brad Fischetti from LFO is welcomed on to stage. Sadly two members of LFO are no longer with us. Both Rich Cronin and Devin Lima have passed on, but that hasn’t stopped Brad Fischetti from still performing their beloved music and honoring them in a very special way.

It is impossible to not tear up as two pairs of sneakers are hung from a mic stand at center stage, and as O-Town members sing along with Brad. 

They sing the big LFO hits, and as someone who was lucky enough to see all three of them perfrom live together a handful of times, it was quite the emotional experience. Lyrics are slightly altered during Summer Girls from “When I met you, I said my name was Rich, You look like a girl from Abercrombie & Fitch” to “he said his name was Rich” and most audience members will feel a pain in their heart when they realize. 

At the same time, I made eye contact with Jacob during this part of the show, and so it did take my mind off the heartache for a second. There is even a moment where they play Rich’s voice, and if you don’t feel that in your soul, who even are you?

Brad bravely tells the story of losing his two best friends and bandmates, but the O-Town guys help him through it. I cannot imagine it is easy to get on stage and perform the songs you used to with two dear friends you have lost, but Brad does it in a way that honors them both. It sure is special getting the chance to still see these bops performed live.

After Brad exits the stage, O-Town continues their set. They also weave in popular songs from the era, switching things up so that you really don’t know what could be coming next unless you looked up the setlist ahead of time. It really feels as if we are back in the days of radio, just waiting to see what comes on next, and having no control over it.

Again, they showcase their incredible vocals that have only gotten better with time, proving they can sing just about any dang thing they want to and it will sound incredible. At the same time, their crowd work is impeccable. They are running all over the stage, which must be exhausting, but they never show it.

Jumping up and down, grabbing hands of a lucky few, and even taking cellphones to record special memories for some fans during a key part in the show. These men give their performance every single thing that they have, and we as the audience just eat it up. It is impossible not find yourself on your feet, belting the words to every single song when O-Town is on stage. They know how to put on a show, this has always been true.

All four members – Dan Miller, Jacob Underwood, Erik-Michael Estrada, and Trevor Penick – split their time in different areas of the stage so that everyone can get a good view of them. And when you see how they transition their way across the stage more often than not, it is clear they are all performers. Performers that are having the times of their lives, doing what they do best. 

Chris Kirkpatrick isn’t there just to host though, that would be a waste of his talents. He joins O-Town on stage to sing several of *NSYNC’s hit songs – complete with some of the famous dance moves. 

It is important to note that in the case of O-Town joining in on songs they did not initially perform, they know exactly which member should take on which part. This solidifies how well they know their own vocal ranges, almost guaranteeing that there is not one person in the group who is the diva, wanting to take the best verses and lines. They share equally while also being sure to do justice to the original sound of the song.

For those of you that also know Eminem songs, there is one in particular with a jab at Chris Kirkpatrick. Trevor from O-Town raps this part and it is one of the most hilarious parts in the show. Of course Chris knows it is coming, but that doesn’t make it any less entertaining. 

O-Town puts on a high energy, well thought out show. They still have the dance moves, and the stamina to pull it all off. They are the headliners of the Pop 2000 Tour, but they allow their fellow bands their time to shine. In fact, the final song is All or Nothing, but towards the end they bring everyone out on stage to sing with them – a truly special moment.

The show itself is over three hours long, but you won’t feel the time. It rushes by and in the end you will think, how the heck was that a full show? For those who have the time and money, each artist offers an after concert meet and greet. Unfortunately my phone battery was dead, and so there was no way I could stay to take a photo with the guys or, trust me, I would have. Learn from my mistakes and bring a battery bank.

If the Pop 2000 Tour is coming to a town near you, go. It will be one of the most memorable nights of your life. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t trying to find a future show I can attend. This is the must see concert of 2024.

Good news, the Pop 2000 Tour has been going on for years, although the lineup slighty changes. If the show they put on is any indication, they are showing no signs of stopping, or slowing down, anytime soon. 

NEXT: Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Movie Review