Backstreet Boys Cancel World Tour One Day Before Kick-off
Pop Stuff Online – Staff Writer

In a move that has fans irate and worried, the popular boy band, the Backstreet Boys, has cancelled all 38 stops on their international New Beginning tour. The band, which has slowly risen to fame once more since splitting from old recording label, Jive Records, was supposed to begin the sold-out tour in New York City tomorrow night.

“We regret to announce that the tour is being called off,” announced ex-member, turned manager, Kevin Richardson this morning from the steps of the Boys’ hotel. “This was a very hard decision, but it was necessary. We feel bad for the fans, but sometimes there are circumstances outside of our control, which we must deal with.”

When asked why the band was backing out, though, Richardson had little to say. “While the reasons we have for cancelling are good, we do not wish to disclose them at this time. Once we have a little bit more information on the subject, we will do an official press release with the details,” he said.

“I’m upset that I won’t get to see the show, of course,” said a 24-year old fan, who waited in line for five hours to purchase the ticket to the concert. “But of course I’m more worried about the Boys. I mean, I’ve been a fan for fifteen years and I know they wouldn’t cancel the tour without a good reason. Especially now.”

The timing of the cancellation is, of course, extremely unfortunate. The Boys’ recent success has been comparable to that of the phenomenon of 1999, and this will be a major blow to their careers. “They’re losing a lot of money, and a lot of fan interest,” cautioned a music-industry expert. “This is the same situation that caused them to fall in 2001.”

This announcement does, of course, remind Backstreet Boys fans of another time in the band’s history when a tour was suddenly cancelled. In 2001, the Backstreet Boys cancelled their Black & Blue world tour in the wake of member A.J. McLean being admitted into a rehabilitation center for drugs and alcohol usage.

In fact, as speculation runs wild on the Internet, one of the many rumors blames the cancellation on a relapse, following recent candid photos of McLean drinking at a club in Los Angeles. Additional speculation revolves around the youngest member, Nick Carter, who went public with a heart condition several years ago in People Magazine.

Fans who had already purchased tickets to the shows will be fully reimbursed by the boy band, and the tickets will not be honored on any future Backstreet Boys tours. The band has posted a toll-free number on their official website, www.backstreetboys.com, for fans to call to claim their refund.