Kitted out in black coats straight out of "The Matrix" and accompanied only by a few spare spotlights, Nick, Kevin, Howie, A.J., and Brian -- otherwise known as the Backstreet Boys -- hit the VMA stage to sing their colossal summer hit, "I Want It That Way."
But ballads can sometimes bring down a festive atmosphere, and the BSBs are not the types of guys to dampen the mood at a party. So after the first few bars, the Boys ripped off those long coats and jumped into the aptly-titled "Larger Than Life," the group's next single (and an ode to their millions of fans).
The guys welcomed a huge troupe of female and male dancers onstage for the number, showing off the stage chops they've developed during their recent tour of Europe as well as outfits which appeared to be made of patent leather, chain mail, and black nylon.
BSB fans in the audience cheered their heads off, and hopefully they remembered to set their VCRs at home so that they could memorize the guys' moves in time for their upcoming North American tour. Chris Rock, however, continued his BSB-chiding theme from his opening monologue, noting the guys' performance earned them the moniker "C.W.A." for "Crackers With Attitude."
-- Brian Ives,
with additional reporting by Kim Stitzel