The boys are back The once unstoppable Backstreet Boys hit town a bruised and battered boy band

By MIKE BELL -- Calgary Sun
Black & Blue.
Not only is it the name of the Backstreet Boys' latest album and current tour, it's also an apt description of how they must be feeling.

When the tour stops at the Saddledome for shows on Wednesday and Thursday night, it will be a battered and bruised Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell and A.J. McLean who take the stage.

The past few months have been trying ones for the Florida-based quintet. The act that defiantly claimed it would outlast the curse of the boy band is losing its grip on the title of most popular musical group in the world.

The act's latest album, while still having sold around 300,000 copies in Canada -- an impressive number in itself -- is notably down from previous album sales.

The band also finds itself being overshadowed by others in the genre, most notably rivals *NSYNC.

As an example, *NSYNC received a handful of trophies at this year's MTV Video Awards and performed during the show, while the Boys were relegated to handing out an award and went home empty-handed.

And finally, the current Canadian tour, while still selling respectively, is by no means breaking the records originally predicted. Yesterday, pairs of excellent floor seats were still available for both Calgary dates, as well as for the Edmonton and Vancouver shows.

What's behind the Boys' recent decline?

Well, the biggest blow came June 9, when the world tour they were in the midst of was being put on hold while McLean checked himself into rehab for what was reported to be alcohol abuse.

Not only did tickets sales for rescheduled shows take a hit -- the original Calgary date of Aug. 2 had been virtually sold out at the time of postponement -- but so, too, did their squeaky-clean family-oriented image.

Rehab was what happened to rockers, not boy bands, and the Backstreet Boys young fans were left with shattered illusions.

The bad press continued when, after resuming the tour and making their way up to Toronto, they were one of only a few stars to perform the night after the terrorist attacks.

This was seen as bad form by some, especially considering tour crew member, Daniel Lee, had been on board one of the planes that slammed into the World Trade Center, while enroute to see his pregnant wife.

As that furor died down, Richardson found himself in hot water and having to issue apologies for comments he'd made to MuchMusic over the Sept. 11 terrorist incidents.

"I just think we are a little bit of an arrogant nation and maybe this is a little bit of a humbling experience," Richardson had said.

"What has our government done to provoke this action, that we don't know about?"

Now, with the tour winding down and a greatest hits album tentatively titled Chapter One due in stores Oct. 23, Backstreet Boys find themselves at the crossroads.

Fast approaching a decade together they've already surpassed the lifespan most critics had predicted and, again, the declining album and ticket sales is a relative thing, disappointing only compared to their past accomplishments.

But the question remains, and only the coming months will yield the answer, will the Backstreet Boys make it to a Chapter Two?