'N Sync's PopOdyssey 2001 Tour Kicks Off Today (5/23/01, 10 a.m. ET) -- 'N Sync kicks off its PopOdyssey 2001 tour tonight (May 23) at 7:30 p.m. ET at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. British trio BBMak and 18-year-old Cuban-American pop singer Christina Milian are the night's opening acts. BBMak members Christian Burns and Ste McNally told LAUNCH that they looking forward to playing their first U.S. shows since their sold- out headlining club tour late last year in support of their album, Sooner Or Later.
"It's going to be a great chance for us to make a lot of new fans," Burns said. McNally added, "If we're doing like three or four gigs a week, you know, it's like 50-60,000 people hearing our songs. Even if 10 percent of them went and bought the album, we'd be really happy."
However, BBMak's Mark Barry and Burns explained that they would prefer not to be labeled as a "boy band." Barry explained, "You know, at the end of the day, we're three young lads and the fact that we play, we write our own material, and whenever we do sing, it's live on stage." Burns added, "And we don't dance. I think the only comparison that we have with a lot of boy bands is that we're young and we wear gel in our hair. That's it--that's as far as it goes, I think."
'N Sync (news - web sites)'s PopOdyssey Tour is considered by many in the music industry to be the biggest live concert production ever, requiring more than 80 trucks to transport the group's multilevel steel staging from venue to venue.
At each concert, one-time use cameras bearing the likeness of the 'N Sync members will be available for fans to purchase. During each show, the group will ask the audience to photograph them as they perform the title track from their upcoming album Celebrity (due July 24). The thousands of cameras flashing in unison will create a paparazzi effect as 'N Sync struts down a red carpet set-up on the stage. In addition, 20 lucky fans at each performance will be given the opportunity to join 'N Sync on stage and photograph them up close.
One dollar from every one-time-use camera sold will be donated to 'N Sync's Challenge For The Children Foundation. 'N Sync hopes to raise $1 million for their foundation, which provides financial support to children's programs and other charities around the country.
'N Sync has also promised fans a preview of several of the tracks from Celebrity, including the first single from the album, "Pop," which has already taken radio by storm. BBMak's Burns said they will share more than just hair gel in common with 'N Sync tonight. "I mean 'Pop' stands for popular, so hopefully the music will be popular," he said.
'N Sync is scheduled to perform "Pop" on The Rosie O'Donnell Show on June 5 and on NBC's The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (news - Y! TV) on July 23.
'N Sync PopOdyssey 2001 tour dates: (subject to change): May 23 - Jacksonville, FL - Alltel Stadium (w/BBMak)
May 26,28 - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium (w/BBMak)
May 31 - Foxboro, MA - Foxboro Stadium (w/BBMak)
June 1 - Foxboro, MA - Foxboro Stadium (w/BBMak)
June 3,4,5 - East Rutherford, NJ - Giants Stadium (w/BBMak)
June 8 - Cincinnati, OH - Cinergy Field
June 10 - Buffalo, NY - Ralph Wilson Stadium (w/BBMak)
June 13 - Philadelphia, PA - Veterans Stadium (w/BBMak)
June 16,17 - Chicago, IL - Soldier Field (w/BBMak)
June 19 - Toronto, ON - Toronto Skydome
June 21,22 - Cleveland, OH - Cleveland Browns Stadium
June 24 - Minneapolis, MN - HHH Metrodome
June 26 - Milwaukee, WI - Miller Park
June 29,30 - Detroit, MI - Comerica Park
July 2 - St. Louis, MO - Trans World Dome
July 4 - Little Rock, AR - War Memorial Stadium
July 6 - Houston, TX - Reliant Astrodome
July 8 - Dallas, TX - Texas Stadium
July 10 - Kansas City, MO - Arrowhead Stadium
July 13 - Denver, CO - Mile High Stadium
July 16 - San Diego, CA - Qualcomm Stadium
July 18 - Phoenix, AZ - Bank One Ballpark
July 21,22,24 - Oakland, CA - Network Associates Coliseum
July 27 - Las Vegas, NV - Sam Boyd Stadium
July 31 - Tampa, FL - Raymond James Stadium
August 2 - Miami, FL - Pro Player Stadium
August 5 - San Antonio, TX - Alamodome
August 7 - Birmingham, AL - Legion Field
August 9 - Louisville, KY - Cardinal Stadium
August 11 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia Dome
August 13 - Washington, DC - RFK Stadium
August 16 - Indianapolis, IN - RCA Dome
August 18 - Pittsburgh, PA - New Steeler Stadium
August 22 - New Orleans, LA - Louisiana Superdome
August 24 - Jackson, MS - Veterans Memorial Stadium
-- Jason Gelman, New York
