The No Strings Attached Tour was the third concert tour by American
boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform Love song, love songs marketed towards girls and young ...
,
NSYNC
NSYNC (, ; also stylized as *NSYNC or 'N Sync) was an American boy band formed by Chris Kirkpatrick in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich. Their self-titled debut album was successfully released to European ...
. Primarily visiting North America, the tour supported the band's second studio album ''
No Strings Attached''. Beginning in May 2000, the tour sold out all dates within the first day of the ticket sale. Additional dates, also in North America, were added for the Fall of 2000. When the tour ended in December 2000, it became the second highest-grossing tour in North America, earning more than $70 million.
Background
The tour was initially mentioned during an
AOL
AOL (stylized as Aol., formerly a company known as AOL Inc. and originally known as America Online) is an American web portal and online service provider based in New York City. It is a brand marketed by the current incarnation of Yahoo (2017â ...
group chat in late 1999, when band member
JC Chasez
Joshua Scott "JC" Chasez (; born August 8, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, and occasional actor. He started out his career as a cast member on ''The Mickey Mouse Club'' before rising to stardom with NSYNC, and b ...
revealed the group was already planning for their next tour. It was officially announced on March 21, 2000, the same day as their
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
was released,
with rehearsals starting soon after. The tour outing was sponsored by MCY Music and
Nabisco
Nabisco (, abbreviated from the earlier name National Biscuit Company) is an American manufacturer of cookies and snacks headquartered in East Hanover, New Jersey. The company is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Mondelēz International.
Nabisco's ...
. It was also produced by
SFX Touring. The tour became an instant success, with all 50 initial dates being sold out, selling one million tickets within the first day. This was followed with the album selling over two million copies within the first week.
Several tickets for the concert at
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
and the
Staples Center
Crypto.com Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. The arena opened on October 17, 1999; it was ...
were auctioned off through
Yahoo! Auctions
Yahoo! Auctions is a service set up by the online search giant Yahoo! in 1998 to compete against eBay.
There are currently only two localizations of the service active iTaiwananJapan Yahoo! has already discontinued the service in the United State ...
. Proceeds went to the "Justin Timberlake Foundation" and the "Challenge for the Children Foundation".
Rehearsals began in April 2000 at the
Lakeland Center
The RP Funding Center (formerly the Lakeland Civic Center and the Lakeland Center) is a multipurpose entertainment complex in Lakeland, Florida, comprising a convention center, arena and theater. Currently, it is home to the Florida Tropics SC o ...
in
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is the most populous city in Polk County, Florida, part of the Tampa Bay Area, located along Interstate 4 east of Tampa. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal c ...
. Due to the closeness of their previous tour, the stage for this outing was very similar. However, the stage included new elements including
pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science and craft of creating such things as fireworks, safety matches, oxygen candles, explosive bolts and other fasteners, parts of automotive airbags, as well as gas-pressure blasting in mining, quarrying, and demolition. ...
,
stage lifts and
aerial suspension.
These elements were the reason why the band opted to perform in stadiums and arenas instead of outdoor
amphitheatre
An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...
s.
Describing the stage,
Lance Bass
James Lance Bass (; born May 4, 1979) is an American singer, dancer, actor, film, and television producer. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the bass singer for the American pop boy band NSYNC. NSYNC's success led Bass to work in film ...
stated, "It's amazing with the pyro and different things. I can't really reveal a lot of the gags that we are going to do, but it's going to be very entertaining and we are going to get very close to everybody in the audience".
Due to the limited number of dates performed, the stadium dates were centralized regionally, in order to give each fan a chance to see them.
During an appearance on
TRL TRL or trl may refer to:
Arts
* Temporary Residence Limited, a record label
* ''Total Request Live'', a former MTV show
* TRL Awards (''Total Request Live''), an Italian music award
Libraries
* Tampines Regional Library, a regional library in Ta ...
, the band announced
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Houston, Texas. After years of limited ...
would join them on tour, however the R&B group backed out and joined
Christina Aguilera
Christina MarÃa Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
on her
debut tour
The Debut Tour was the first tour by Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk, and it mainly focused on her album ''Debut (Björk album), Debut''. She toured from 1993 to 1994. The tour was released on VHS and DVD as ''Vessel (DVD), Vessel''. A separate ...
. Later in the tour,
Sisqó
Mark Althavan Andrews (born November 9, 1978), known professionally as Sisqó (stylized as SisQó), is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. He is most prominently known for "Thong Song", his membership in Dru Hill, ...
dropped out of the tour to film his role in the film ''
Get Over It''. When the tour kicked off,
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
received his
high school diploma
A high school diploma or high school degree is a North American academic school leaving qualification awarded upon high school graduation. The high school diploma is typically obtained after a course of study lasting four years, from grade 9 to gra ...
onstage at the
Pyramid Arena
The Memphis Pyramid, formerly known as the Great American Pyramid and the Pyramid Arena, is a building located in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, United States, at the banks of the Mississippi River. Built in 1991 as a 20,142-seat arena, the facilit ...
. Another honor was received when the band were given the
key to the city
The Freedom of the City (or Borough in some parts of the UK) is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. Arising from the medieval practice of granting respected ...
by
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
mayor
Glenda Hood
Glenda Evans Hood (born March 10, 1950) is an American politician, who was Secretary of State of Florida, from 2003 to 2005, and the first woman to serve as Mayor of Orlando (1992–2003).
A Republican, Hood served as a district commissioner ...
. The band also opened a
Ronald McDonald House
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is an independent American nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to create, find, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children.
RMHC has a global network of c ...
, where a room was named in their honor.
The success of the tour prompted the band to add an additional leg of dates in the United States. In response to the additional dates,
Joey Fatone
Joseph Anthony Fatone Jr. (born January 28, 1977) is an American singer, dancer, actor, and television personality. He is best known as a member of the boyband NSYNC, in which he sang baritone. In 2007, he came in second place on the ABC realit ...
stated,
"We’re real excited about that. But I think we’re just going to do a great show again. You know, a lot of people have seen some of the show. But you know, every show that we do is different. We add little things here and there to change it up and make it an original show, so hopefully everybody will enjoy it."
The band had earlier announced they would join
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
on a co-headlining tour of Europe in October.
However, a co-headlining tour did not materialize and Spears toured the region solo. As the second North American leg came to a close, the band announced they would star in their first feature
concert film
A concert film, or concert movie, is a film that showcases a live performance from the perspective of a concert goer, the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert by either a musician or a stand-up comedian.
Early history
The ...
. The film was released exclusively through
IMAX
IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating.
Graeme F ...
theaters for six months. Additionally, the band partnered with
MSN
MSN (meaning Microsoft Network) is a web portal and related collection of Internet services and apps for Windows and mobile devices, provided by Microsoft and launched on August 24, 1995, alongside the release of Windows 95.
The Microsoft Net ...
to give fans exclusive access to newsletters, photos and video footage. Known as "NSYNC@MSN", the service provided web and email access along with
MSN Messenger
MSN Messenger (also known colloquially simply as "Messenger"), later rebranded as Windows Live Messenger, was a cross-platform instant messaging client, instant-messaging client developed by Microsoft. It connected to the Microsoft Messenger ser ...
and
Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player (WMP) is the first media player and media library application that was developed by Microsoft for playing audio, video and viewing images on personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as on ...
.
Concert synopsis
The show begins with *NSYNC as marionettes dropping 40 feet above the stage with a small sample of “
I’ve Got No Strings.†When they land, the group cuts the strings and unhooks themselves before heading into two dance-oriented performances of “No Strings Attached†and
“I Want You Backâ€. This is followed by Lance Bass welcoming the crowd before slowing things down with a performance of “
(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time on You
"(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time on You" is a song by American boy band NSYNC. It was released as the third single from their self-titled debut album in the U.S. While some of the previous singles were released in Europe, this one was ...
''â€,'' in which the group rises 30 feet above the stage on 5 small platforms.
After the group leaves the stage, a video interlude hosted by television persona
Ananda Lewis
Ananda Lewis (born March 21, 1973) is an American television host, carpenter, former model, and social activist. She was an MTV veejay from the late 1990s until 2001, when she left the network to host her own broadcast syndicated television tal ...
called ''Total *NSYNC Live'' plays (parodying the show ''
Total Request Live
''Total Request Live'' (known commonly as ''TRL'') was an American television program broadcast on MTV that premiered on September 14, 1998. TRL featured popular music videos played during its countdown, and was also used as a promotion tool by ...
''), announcing fans are given 4 selections of possible songs that *NSYNC would sing next. The first 3-song choices (“
Yankee Doodle Dandy
''Yankee Doodle Dandy'' is a 1942 American biographical musical film about George M. Cohan, known as "The Man Who Owned Broadway". It stars James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, and Richard Whorf, and features Irene Manning, George Tobias, Ro ...
â€, “
Three Blind Mice
"Three Blind Mice" is an English-language nursery rhyme and musical round.I. Opie and P. Opie, ''The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1951, 2nd edn., 1997), p. 306. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number o ...
â€, and “
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is a popular English lullaby. The lyrics are from an early-19th-century English poem written by Jane Taylor, "The Star". The poem, which is in couplet form, was first published in 1806 in '' Rhymes for the Nurser ...
â€) end up with jeers and laughs from the crowd. By the time Lewis says the fourth option “
Tearin' Up My Heart
"Tearin' Up My Heart" is a song by American boy band NSYNC, from their eponymous debut studio album, N Sync'' (1997). The song was written by Max Martin and the producer Kristian Lundin. It was released by BMG Ariola in Germany on February 1 ...
â€, the crowd goes wild, it gets selected as the chosen song, and the group returns to the stage dressed in freestyle clothing (almost like their previous wardrobe from their last tour) to perform the song.
The show continues with Justin Timberlake returning to the stage showcasing some of his freestyle
Beatbox
Beatboxing (also beat boxing) is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of mimicking drum machines (typically a TR-808), using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. skills before the group's drummer begins to upstage him and calls him out. Timberlake challenges the drummer to a battle which ends in victory for Timberlake. The rest of the group returns to the stage in urban attire to perform “
It's Gonna Be Me
"It's Gonna Be Me" is a song by American boy band NSYNC. It was released through Jive Records, as the second single from their second studio album '' No Strings Attached'' (2000) in the United States, and as the third single from the internatio ...
â€. This is followed by the group putting together a living room setting to slow things down again with two ballads, “
I Drive Myself Crazy
"Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)" (titled "I Drive Myself Crazy" in the United States), is a song by American boy band NSYNC. It was released on February 22, 1999 as the seventh single in the German market and the fourth single from 'N Sy ...
†and “I Thought She Knewâ€.
After the group leaves the stage again, another interlude is shown featuring the group heading into their quick-change room featuring circus people, an arcade, and a movie theatre (which includes the group watching Lance Bass in the finals of ''
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' (often informally called ''Millionaire'') is an international television game show franchise of British origin, created by David Briggs, Mike Whitehill and Steven Knight. In its format, currently owned and ...
'' where he fictionally wins $1 million). They then return to the stage dressed in club attire all designed with money on it for a performance of "
Just Got Paid". During the song, fans selected before the show go up on stage and dance with the group with confetti dropping everywhere. They also introduce their band members before all leave the stage again.
The show continues with a futuristic interlude which includes a laser light show and the face of the virtual ''No Strings Attached'' clown mascot (with a robot voice) giving the audience riddles. NSYNC then rises out of the floor dressed in midwestern futuristic attire for a performance of “Space Cowboy†featuring an extended dance break. At the end of the song, the group goes back down into the ground with the band playing an extended instrumental interlude of the chorus. It ends abruptly with the sound of a car crashing, a woman screaming, a man yelling "Someone's hurt", and the sound of an ambulance siren. NSYNC returns to the stage in a brief hospital skit dressed in medical coats taking care of an injured Timberlake before heading into “It Makes Me Illâ€. This is followed by the group bringing out stools to slow things down for another song. However, Chasez says he wants to get closer to the crowd. The stage piece (on a track) elevates and brings the members out to the center of the arena, and the guys sing “
This I Promise You
"This I Promise You" is a ballad by American boy band NSYNC. It was released in September 2000 as the third and final single in the United States and the fourth and final single in Europe from their second studio album, '' No Strings Attached'', ...
†as they get close to the crowds''.'' After the song, the stage piece goes back to where it was, the group takes their bows and leaves the stage.
The show continues with a large video screen that says "*NSYNC" and the band, dressed in futuristic outfits, perform “Digital Get Downâ€. The show concludes the encore set with “
Bye Bye Bye
"Bye Bye Bye" is a song by the American boy band NSYNC. It was released on January 17, 2000, as the lead single from their third studio album '' No Strings Attached''. The song was written and produced by Kristian Lundin and Jake Schulze, with a ...
â€. The guys walk over the main stage and give thanks, once again introducing their musicians. The group then disappears through a geyser as fireworks go off at the same time.
Occurrences
Despite the success of the tour, it faced a few bumps in the road. The bands were targets for assassination by a male teenager. His mother discovered a notebook that contained a detailed plan to kill all five members of the band during their show in Atlanta. The plan (called "Operation Deathstrike") featured the teen robbing a local gun store to obtain the weapons and money to carry out his plan. She informed the local authorities and her son was detained at the
Sumner County Juvenile Detention Center. He was later admitted to a
psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociative ...
, although the authorities felt he lacked any true intentions to executing his plan. Extra security precautions were taken during both of the
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
shows.
Before performing in
Joliet, Illinois
Joliet ( ) is a city in Will County, Illinois, Will and Kendall County, Illinois, Kendall counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the cit ...
, the stage was destroyed by a
tornado
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, altho ...
at the
Route 66 Raceway
Route 66 Raceway is a motorsports facility located in Joliet, Illinois, United States, which consists of a dragstrip and a dirt oval racetrack. The facility is owned and operated by NASCAR and is located adjacent to Chicagoland Speedway.
Hi ...
. The date was rescheduled for August. For the rescheduled show, many parents attempted to sue the band and SFX Touring for being unable to attend the show due to traffic. An hour before their show in
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte and Raleigh, the 69th-most populous city in the Un ...
, a
bomb threat
A bomb threat or bomb scare is a threat, usually verbal or written, to detonate an explosive or incendiary device to cause property damage, death, injuries, and/or incite fear, whether or not such a device actually exists.
History
Bomb threat ...
was phoned in.
Although the band members were evacuated, audiences were not informed of the threat. Coliseum officials claimed they did not want to cause panic among the estimated crowds of 15,000 people by informing them of the bomb threat.
After the authorities determined there was no threat, the concert resumed an hour after its original start time. In November 2000, the band and their manager were sued by
Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures, Inc. (the team behind ''
H.R. Pufnstuf
''H.R. Pufnstuf'' is a children's television series produced by Sid and Marty Krofft in the United States. It was the first Krofft live-action, life-sized-puppet program (not including their previous work with the Hanna-Barbera program ''The Ba ...
'', ''
Land of the Lost Land of the Lost may refer to:
* Land of the Lost (1974 TV series), ''Land of the Lost'' (1974 TV series), the original 1974 children's television series
* Land of the Lost (1991 TV series), ''Land of the Lost'' (1991 TV series), the 1991 remake of ...
'' and ''
The Bugaloos
''The Bugaloos'' is an American children's television series, produced by brothers Sid and Marty Krofft, that aired on NBC on Saturday mornings from 1970 to 1972. Reruns of the show aired in daily syndication from 1978 to 1985 as part of the "Krof ...
''). The lawsuit cited copyright infringement and breach of contract with the company. The company was hired to replicate life-sized puppets the mimicked the image of the band members. The puppets were to be utilized for their performance of "
Bye Bye Bye
"Bye Bye Bye" is a song by the American boy band NSYNC. It was released on January 17, 2000, as the lead single from their third studio album '' No Strings Attached''. The song was written and produced by Kristian Lundin and Jake Schulze, with a ...
" on tour and at the
American Music Awards
The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Produc ...
. The duo were told they would receive a cut of merchandise profits related to the use of the puppets. When asked for payment, they were informed by
Johnny Wright they were not entitled to any funds. The lawsuit was dismissed in November 2000.
The band faced another lawsuit in December 2000 filled by a
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
teenager. The young girl alleged that she was verbally assaulted by
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
. After waiting for the band at the Chase Park Plaza in
Central West End, St. Louis, the teenager states she was "snubbed" by Timberlake, who refused to give her an autograph. She then yelled, "I think JC is better anyway. He's cuter." The teen says this was followed with Timberlake shoving her into a wall and shouting
profanities
Profanity, also known as cursing, cussing, swearing, bad language, foul language, obscenities, expletives or vulgarism, is a socially offensive use of language. Accordingly, profanity is language use that is sometimes deemed impolite, ru ...
at her. A reporter for
KSDK
KSDK (channel 5) is a television station in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Tegna Inc. The station's studios are located on Market Street in Downtown St. Louis, and its transmitter is located in Shrewsbury, Mi ...
claimed to be a witness to the incident. The teen would end up dropping the suit before it could reach court.
Opening acts
*
Pink
Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
(North America—Leg 1)
*
Sisqó
Mark Althavan Andrews (born November 9, 1978), known professionally as Sisqó (stylized as SisQó), is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. He is most prominently known for "Thong Song", his membership in Dru Hill, ...
(North America—Leg 1, select dates)
*
Boyz N Girlz United
Boyz N Girlz United, also known for Boyz n Girlz, was an American pop group consisting of members (two male, two female) Robbie Carrico (born November 13, 1981), Daniel Dix (born May 11, 1980), Rina Mayo (born April 25, 1981) and Criss Ruiz (bo ...
(Denver)
*
Innosense
Innosense was an American girl group that were together from 1997 to 2003.
History
The band was managed by Lou Pearlman and Lynn Harless (mother of Justin Timberlake). The original members were Danay Ferrer, Britney Spears, Mandy Ashford, Nikki ...
(Pittsburgh, Joliet, Foxborough)[
*Ron Irizarry (Austin, Joliet)
*]Lil' Bow Wow
Shad Gregory Moss (born March 9, 1987), better known by his stage name Bow Wow (formerly Lil' Bow Wow), is an American rapper and actor. His career began upon being discovered by rapper Snoop Dogg in the late 1990s, eventually being brought ...
(North America—Leg 2, select dates)
* Meredith Edwards (North America—Leg 2, select dates)
*Baha Men
The Baha Men are a Bahamian junkanoo band formed in New Providence, Bahamas in 1977. They are best known for their Grammy Award-winning hit song "Who Let the Dogs Out".
History
Early years
The Baha Men formed in 1977 as High Voltage, initia ...
(Las Vegas)
*Dream
A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Humans spend about two hours dreaming per night, and each dream lasts around 5 to 20 minutes, althou ...
(Los Angeles—November 2000)
*soulDecision
soulDecision was a Canadian pop band active from 1993 to 2005. They are best known for the single, " Faded", which hit number-one in Canada in 2000, and " Ooh It's Kinda Crazy" which became a hit as well the following year in early 2001.
Caree ...
(North America—Leg 2, select dates)
*The Sugarhill Gang
The Sugarhill Gang is an American hip hop trio. Their 1979 hit "Rapper's Delight" was the first rap single to become a top 40 hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100; reaching a peak position of number 36 on January 12, 1980. This was the trio's only ...
(Greesboro, East Rutherford)
* i5 (East Rutherfold—November 2000)
Personnel
NSYNC
*JC Chasez
Joshua Scott "JC" Chasez (; born August 8, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, and occasional actor. He started out his career as a cast member on ''The Mickey Mouse Club'' before rising to stardom with NSYNC, and b ...
– Lead Tenor Vocals
*Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
– Lead Tenor Vocals
*Chris Kirkpatrick
Christopher Alan Kirkpatrick (born October 17, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, music producer, and occasional actor, who is best known for his work as the founding member of the pop group NSYNC, in which he sang countertenor. He ...
– Backing Countertenor Vocals
*Lance Bass
James Lance Bass (; born May 4, 1979) is an American singer, dancer, actor, film, and television producer. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the bass singer for the American pop boy band NSYNC. NSYNC's success led Bass to work in film ...
– Backing Bass Vocals
*Joey Fatone
Joseph Anthony Fatone Jr. (born January 28, 1977) is an American singer, dancer, actor, and television personality. He is best known as a member of the boyband NSYNC, in which he sang baritone. In 2007, he came in second place on the ABC realit ...
– Backing Baritone Vocals
Band
Throughout their concerts, the five were accompanied by the following instrumentalists on this tour:
*Kevin Antunes – Music Director, Keyboards
*Troy Antunes – Bass
*Billy Ashbaugh – Drums, Percussion
*Ruben Ruiz – Guitar, Keyboards
*David Cook – Keyboards
*Paul Howards – Saxophone, Percussion, Keyboards
Set list
#"Intro" (contains excerpts from "I've Got No Strings
"I've Got No Strings" (also known as "I Got No Strings") is a song from Walt Disney's animated film ''Pinocchio'' (1940), sung by Dickie Jones as Pinocchio. The music was written by Leigh Harline, the lyrics were written by Ned Washington. The re ...
" along with elements of "Digital Get Down" and "I'll Never Stop
"I'll Never Stop" is a song by American boy band NSYNC. It was released through Jive Records as the second single from the international edition of their second studio album, '' No Strings Attached'' (2000) on May 30, 2000. The song was written ...
") (dance introduction)
#"No Strings Attached" (contains elements of "Prologue
A prologue or prolog (from Greek Ï€Ïόλογος ''prólogos'', from Ï€ÏÏŒ ''pró'', "before" and λόγος ''lógos'', "word") is an opening to a story that establishes the context and gives background details, often some earlier story that ...
" from ''West Side Story
''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents.
Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid-1 ...
'')
#"I Want You Back
"I Want You Back" is the first national single by the Jackson 5. It was released by Motown on October 6, 1969, and became the first number-one hit for the band on January 31, 1970. It was performed on the band's first television appearances, on ...
"
#"(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time on You
"(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time on You" is a song by American boy band NSYNC. It was released as the third single from their self-titled debut album in the U.S. While some of the previous singles were released in Europe, this one was ...
"
#"TNL: Total NSYNC Live" (featuring Ananda Lewis
Ananda Lewis (born March 21, 1973) is an American television host, carpenter, former model, and social activist. She was an MTV veejay from the late 1990s until 2001, when she left the network to host her own broadcast syndicated television tal ...
) (video interlude)
#"Tearin' Up My Heart
"Tearin' Up My Heart" is a song by American boy band NSYNC, from their eponymous debut studio album, N Sync'' (1997). The song was written by Max Martin and the producer Kristian Lundin. It was released by BMG Ariola in Germany on February 1 ...
"
#"Justin's Beat Box" (contains elements of " It Ain't My Fault") (performance interlude)
#"It's Gonna Be Me
"It's Gonna Be Me" is a song by American boy band NSYNC. It was released through Jive Records, as the second single from their second studio album '' No Strings Attached'' (2000) in the United States, and as the third single from the internatio ...
"
#"Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)
"Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)" (titled "I Drive Myself Crazy" in the United States), is a song by American boy band NSYNC. It was released on February 22, 1999 as the seventh single in the German market and the fourth single from the ...
"
#"I Thought She Knew"
#"NTV: 'NSYNC TV" (contains elements of " Frolic" and "It's Gonna Be Me") (video interlude)
#"Just Got Paid"
#"Space Circus Clown" (video interlude)
#"Space Cowboy (Yippie-Yi-Yay)"
#"It Makes Me Ill" (contains elements of " Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk)
#"This I Promise You
"This I Promise You" is a ballad by American boy band NSYNC. It was released in September 2000 as the third and final single in the United States and the fourth and final single in Europe from their second studio album, '' No Strings Attached'', ...
"
;Encore:
#"Video Interlude"
#"Digital Get Down"
#"Bye Bye Bye
"Bye Bye Bye" is a song by the American boy band NSYNC. It was released on January 17, 2000, as the lead single from their third studio album '' No Strings Attached''. The song was written and produced by Kristian Lundin and Jake Schulze, with a ...
"
#"Outro" (contains elements of "Tom Sawyer
Thomas Sawyer () is the titular character of the Mark Twain novel ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' (1876). He appears in three other novels by Twain: ''Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1884), ''Tom Sawyer Abroad'' (1894), and ''Tom Sawyer, Dete ...
")
Tour dates
;Music festivals and other miscellaneous performances
:This concert was a part of " Wango Tango"
:This concert was a part of "McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
Summer Music Event"
:This concert was a part of the "Riverfest"
:This concert was a part of "Summer Music Mania"
;Cancellations and rescheduled shows
Box office score data
Broadcasts and recordings
The tour was first documented on the MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
series, ''Making the Tour''. The documentary followed the band's process from song selection, wardrobe and rehearsals. A full length performance of "Space Cowboy (Yippie-Yi-Yay)" at the Tacoma Dome was shown during the show. The episode aired on July 16, 2000. A feature length VHS and DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
followed in February 2001. The expanded edition contained more planning and backstage footage, performances of "Bye Bye Bye" and "This I Promise You", along with the music videos from their current album. The video was certified platinum by the RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
on March 9, 2001. The concerts at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
were filmed for a HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
special. The special attracted over six million viewers, becoming one of the highest rated concert specials on the network. The concert aired on July 27, 2000. The concerts were released on VHS and DVD on November 21, 2000. The DVD featured an interactive gallery containing pictures of the band during recording sessions, rehearsals and performing on stage. The video was certified three times platinum by the RIAA on December 18, 2000. The HBO special was nominated for "Music Special of the Year" at the TV Guide Award.
In August 2000, Iwerks Entertainment announced they were in talks with the band to release a full length concert film
A concert film, or concert movie, is a film that showcases a live performance from the perspective of a concert goer, the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert by either a musician or a stand-up comedian.
Early history
The ...
in 2001. The film, entitled "*NSYNC: Bigger Than Live", was released exclusively to IMAX theaters in select cities in the United States and the United Kingdom. Filmed at the Pontiac Silverdome
The Pontiac Silverdome (also known simply as the Silverdome) was a stadium in Pontiac, Michigan. It opened in 1975 and sat on 199 acres (51 ha) of land. When the stadium opened, it featured a fiberglass fabric roof held up by air pressure, ...
in Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac ( ') is a city in and the county seat of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 61,606. A northern suburb of Metro Detroit, Pontiac is about northwest of Detroit.
Founde ...
, the 90 minute concert was edited down to 47 minutes, removing all of the interludes and performances of "I Drive Myself Crazy", "Just Got Paid and "It Makes Me Ill". The film opened on February 23, 2001. The film remained in theaters for ten months and grossed over one million dollars. In September, the band's performance at the "Summer Music Mania" aired on Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
on September 15, 2001. The performances of "No Strings Attached", "Digital Get Down" and the medley were edited out.
Critical response
The tour received positive to mixed reviews from music critics and fans who praised the band’s energy, vocal talents, and onstage persona. Scott Mervis of the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the first newspaper published west of the All ...
'' wrote, “ SYNCwere no boy bland. Far from it. They bounded around the stage like five Ricky Martins, and stayed choreographically in sync even at 60 yards apart…But the soul is in the voices—and 'N Sync's got 'em…If you weren't convinced they could sing, the a capella doo-wop of ‘I Thought She Knew’ led by hometown boy Chris Kirkpatrick
Christopher Alan Kirkpatrick (born October 17, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, music producer, and occasional actor, who is best known for his work as the founding member of the pop group NSYNC, in which he sang countertenor. He ...
was final proofâ€. Many reviews expressed the sentiment that with this tour, NSYNC effectively established themselves as outside of the shadow of rival boy band the Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys (often abbreviated as BSB) are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson. Lou Pearlman formed the group in 1993 in Orlando, Florida.
The gr ...
. ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' noted, "from the opening notes it was apparent that the teen-pop quintet was aptly seasoned from its warm-up arena dates, as well as from virtually nonstop touring from the past two years. The group’s sizable vocal chops were very much in place, and the choreography was extended and elaborate. Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
appeared to take a more prominent role than on previous tours, but group members Joey Fatone Jr., Lance Bass
James Lance Bass (; born May 4, 1979) is an American singer, dancer, actor, film, and television producer. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the bass singer for the American pop boy band NSYNC. NSYNC's success led Bass to work in film ...
, Chris Kirkpatrick, and JC Chasez
Joshua Scott "JC" Chasez (; born August 8, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, and occasional actor. He started out his career as a cast member on ''The Mickey Mouse Club'' before rising to stardom with NSYNC, and b ...
all had a chance to shine individually and as part of the group."
Writing for the ''Orlando Sentinel
The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is the primary newspaper of Orlando, Florida, and the Central Florida region. It was founded in 1876 and is currently owned by Tribune Publishing Company.
The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is owned by parent company, '' Tribune P ...
'', Jim Abbott said the band "made the crowd feel at home" during the concert at the TD Waterhouse Centre. He continued, "But the power of this concert was in its impeccable production. It was an assault on the senses from the moment the five singers were lowered to the stage as human marionettes for the opening ‘No Strings Attached’â€.
Some critics felt the theatrics of the concert took away from the artistry of the band and felt gimmicky. Some critical reviews, similar to reviews of NSYNC’s previous tour
Tour or Tours may refer to:
Travel
* Tourism, travel for pleasure
* Tour of duty, a period of time spent in military service
* Campus tour, a journey through a college or university's campus
* Guided tour, a journey through a location, directed ...
, questioned the band’s cachet because of their classification as bubblegum pop and the band having an audience mostly of tweens and teenage girls. “'N Sync is about theater and idolatry and the soap opera of a homeroom crush. The little girls, it seems, understand,†wrote David Segal (''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'').
Jim Farber (''New York Daily News
The New York ''Daily News'', officially titled the ''Daily News'', is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, NJ. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in ta ...
'') felt the shows at Madison Square Garden were "cliché and contrived". He explains, "In fact, Tuesday's show proved there certainly are strings attached, though the tugging on NSYNC's post-adolescent limbs is coming not from unseen handlers but from a more insidious force. Namely: the guys' own need to please. That they have an overwhelming desire to placate their youngest fans seemed obvious, since the show conformed to the most worn clichés of current teen-pop". However, Farber praised the group’s vocals and charm, saying, “Their five-part harmonies really sparkle in the ballads…And their ace a cappella work on ‘I Thought She Knew’ puts them in the tradition of pop's most pleasing harmonizers, from the barbershop quartets through the doo-woppersâ€.
External links
'N Sync's Official Website
*
References
{{'N Sync
NSYNC concert tours
2000 concert tours