(information taken from the Official Backstreet Boys Web Site)
Singers come to rescue with tickets for Toronto Girls.
January 19th 1998 Toronto Sun Cheryl Waugh
The Spice Girls left their Canadian fans out in the cold, but the Backstreet Boys warmed the hearts of some Toronto fans in Detriot Saturday night. The Boys came to the rescue of two fans who were left without tickets to their concert at the Fox Theatre. Torontonian Alex Hogendoorn drove his daughter Heather and her friend Kristina Kahl to Detriot Saturday morning expecting to be able to buy tickets.
"We called the Fox (Theatre) box office a few days before and they said there would be some going on sale" on Saturday, Alex Hogendoorn said. None did. Disappointed the threesome tried other means to get tickets. All failed, but they did learn which door the Boys would use to enter the theatre.
When the band finally arrived, Alex Hogendoorn got Backstreet Boys Brian's attention and told him how they had come down from Toronto to see the band. He showed Brian his Ontario driver's license to prove it. "I told him, it's not for me. I don't care. It's for the kids" he said. Brian said he would see what he could do and about an hour later, came back with VIP backstage passes and fourth row centre tickets for the two girls. While backstage the two got autographs, took pictures, and met privately with the Boys for about 20 minutes.
"I was ecstatic, shocked" said Heather Hogendoorn.
"I couldn't believe that he (Brian) would actually do that."
Kahl, also 15 admitted she cried a little when she saw the Boys get off the bus at the theatre, even though both girls had just seen the group when they were in Toronto two weeks ago.
"Brian did not have to do this." Alex Hogendoorn said. "They went way out of their way for nobody."
