‘N Sync
Frank Erwin Center, May 29
So what can you buy after selling more albums faster than anyone else in music history? Certainly not an ounce of good taste, judging from the ragtag spectacle that was ‘N Sync’s No Strings Attached extravaganza. From the pirate-inspired costumes they wore as they descended to the stage on marionette strings to the heartbreaking sacrifice of Justin Timberlake’s goldilocks curls for a set of lightning-bolt cornrows, the boys put on a sexless, predictable show that was far more funny than fun. That’s not to say, of course, that the Formulaic Five weren’t especially entertaining. Ask any of the thousands of swooning girls who were there, and they’ll say that their hearts skipped a beat when Justin got his dirty thing on by dry-humping a video camera for a scant few seconds. Or ask the kids piled into the festively decorated ‘N Sync-mobile in the parking lot, and see if you can make anything out amid all the dog-whistle whooping. Hell, even I shrieked just a bit when J.C. Chasez (my fave) sang the opening lines of his sweet ballad, “God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You.” Every last step was a tickle, every fake tear so close-touching. But the real problem with the show is that ‘N Sync apparently have no idea who they want to be as a group. That they invited Sisqo along as their opening act was a telling move: He is, after all, the master behind the year’s best radio song thus far (“Thong Song”). He also stands somewhere between the worlds of hip-hop and pop, sliding between both with seduction. Sadly, the same cannot be said for ‘N Sync, who made lame attempts at street cred throughout the show, from Justin’s tiresome beatboxing to a funked-up, bass-heavy version of “Tearin’ Up My Heart.” Add to the mix Lance Bass’ recent announcement that he will start a country & western record label called Free Lance Records, and what you have is a group of boys whose hearts are following sorely straying paths. This unsettled flavor made for a difficult show. The stage design went from a spaceship to a living room and back again, while the video screen kept returning to its puppet-and-circus theme. At one point during the video portion, Lance won the jackpot in a fantasy version of ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Confetti and fake money were air-blasted into the audience and J.C., ever the lithe little hunk, pranced onto the stage in a sleeveless yellow shirt that read “Paid.” True, nobody gets paid more or laid more than the ‘N Sync boys these days, but as sugary sweet as they are, these days are bound to end soon.This article appears in June 9 • 2000.