(11/17/00, 3 p.m. ET) - The Backstreet Boys are launching their new album Black & Blue, due November 21, with a global tour dubbed Round The World In 100 Hours that will take the group to Stockholm, Sweden; Tokyo, Japan; Sydney, Australia; Cape Town, South Africa; Rio De Janeiro, Brazil; and New York City. The trek kicked off early Friday morning (November 17) as the group departed from Stockholm on what will essentially be a 26,000-mile flight around the world.
The Backstreet Boys chartered a 28-seat 737 jet that will have the quintet in the air for more than 55 hours, and on the ground for approximately 45. Group members Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean, and Kevin Richardson will visit local landmarks, hold press conferences, meet fans, and perform a short a cappella version of their new hit single "Shape of My Heart."
How important is it to the Backstreet Boys to maintain their worldwide fanbase? "It's very, very important to us," Littrell tells LAUNCH, adding that it has been quite some time since the Backstreet Boys have paid a personal visit to their many fans overseas.
"I remember five years ago we went on a promotional tour over in the Far East when our very first record came out, just self-titled Backstreet Boys," he said. "We broke all kinds of records the first week it came out--for an international artist, success-wise, over there--and we have never toured over there and sold tickets to have a show."
In fact, Littrell tells LAUNCH he believes this Round The World promotional trip is way overdue. "I think it's very important for us as a group to get back over there to do some promotion and to be there visibly. Because when you show up there physically in front of their faces, it has a better impact, I think. You know, we've had a lot of fans for a long time over there that have been loyal to us without ever seeing a live show," he added, "and I think it's important to us to go over there and perform for them live."
A tour announcement regarding the Backstreet Boys' 2001 tour in support of Black & Blue will be made at a press conference when the group lands at its final destination, New York City, Tuesday (November 21).
The Backstreet Boys' tentative arrival times are as follows (local times):
Nov 18 arrive Tokyo from Stockholm 8:55 a.m.
Nov 19 arrive Sydney from Tokyo 8:30 a.m.
Nov 20 arrive Cape Town from Sydney 6:30 a.m.
Nov 20 arrive Rio from Cape Town 4:00 p.m.
Nov 21 arrive New York from Rio 10:00 a.m.
-- Jason Gelman, New York, and Neal Weiss, Los Angeles