The set list for each show on Joey Fatone and Alex “AJ” McLean’s “A Legendary Night” tour is determined, in part, by a roll of the dice.
No, seriously.
During each concert, the ’90s boy band veterans throw a giant, inflatable die into the audience. When one lucky fan holds up the die, the number facing the stage determines the selection from a list of songs, including everything from Blackstreet’s “No Diggity” to Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
That brand of whimsy and interactivity is a hallmark of the joint tour, which, of course, includes plenty of classic *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys tunes backed by a live band. Launched in March, the tour has been met with so much success that the duo added dates, including a Saturday show at The Salt Shed in Chicago.
McLean said fans have been wanting to see the two groups collaborate for years, and he acknowledged the fresh buzz around *NSYNC, which recently recorded new songs “Better Place” and “Paradise,” and performed live at Justin Timberlake’s Los Angeles concert in March.
While fans continue to demand more official reunions, Fatone and McLean are excited to play *NSYNC’s hits alongside the Backstreet Boys’ jams.
“Joey and I are very much two peas in a pod,” said McLean, 46, of the Backstreet Boys. “We’re both girl dads. We’re both kind of free-spirited. We’re both hams. There’s just a certain connection that we have that really translates during the show. Everyone’s like, ‘I can’t wait to see it again.’”
Fatone, 47, also praised the duo’s chemistry in the show, where they also tell stories and invite fans onto the stage to sit on a couch while they perform.
“This is a [way] to say, ‘Hey, thanks for being both of our fans from Backstreet and *NSYNC for all these years,” Fatone said.
The joint tour is the latest in a series of ventures for Fatone, who has tapped into the nostalgia market with shows featuring other artists. “Joey Fatone and Friends” at Walt Disney World’s Epcot has included Ryan Cabrera, *NSYNC member Chris Kirkpatrick and Boyz II Men singer Nathan Morris. “The After Party” show in Las Vegas has included Boyz II Men’s Wanyá Morris, as well as McLean and his Backstreet Boys bandmate Nick Carter. Fatone has also recruited McLean, Dee Snider, Bret Michaels and Creed’s Scott Stapp for corporate events.
“I’ve been really hands-on with doing all of this stuff,” said Fatone, who lives in Orlando. “Back in the day when I was younger, I didn’t know about touring, and I was doing the stadiums and not paying attention to the [speakers and amps] and production. This is fun.”
When it comes to “A Legendary Night,” attendees can expect to see some of the classic *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys choreography.
“He’s done a little bit of ‘Bye Bye Bye’ with me,” Fatone said. “I’m waiting for him to teach me the chair dance that they do [for ‘As Long As You Love Me’]. And then maybe a little bit of ‘Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).’ ... He hasn’t taught me anything yet.”
McLean admitted he hasn’t gotten around to showing Fatone the moves, including the hat routine for “All I Have to Give.”
“I’m pretty sure he could learn it,” said McLean, who lives in Hidden Hills. “And look, if he gets it 75%, that’s fine. The crowd’s going to eat it up. Obviously, the one thing in that dance routine you don’t want to do is drop the hat. But if he does, it makes it more fun.”
Fans will also get to hear McLean sing Go West’s “King of Wishful Thinking” and Fatone take the lead on Patrick Swayze’s “She’s Like the Wind.”
“I didn’t think ‘She’s Like the Wind’ was going to go over well,” Fatone said. “Usually, I’m not a ballad singer. And they’re like, ‘Oh, wow, you can actually sing it.’ ”
During the show, McLean also performs his new solo material, including “Arizona,” a song he wrote about his experience in group therapy at an intensive outpatient program. Over the years, McLean has been transparent about his struggle with addiction.
And he describes mental health challenges as “an epidemic.”
“So, to be able to share my story with people every night all throughout this tour, I’m doing my part to let everybody know that we’re not alone,” he said. “And that loving yourself is what is truly going to change the world.”
While McLean prepares for a new solo project, Fatone is not sure if he’ll be preparing for an *NSYNC reunion.
“We honestly have not had a conversation about whether things are a hundred percent going to go down,” Fatone said. "[But] I think it’s coming down to that final wire. It’s either yes or no.”
As a fan himself, McLean said he is rooting for *NSYNC to reunite.
“I will say, when I saw them get back together with Justin at the Wiltern [in LA], I kind of got the feels for them,” he said. “It’s like they never skipped a beat. So, I do hope that they do something. Just do it for the fans.”
