The boys of Big Time Rush are still living their pop star dreams as they officially closed out the Arizona State Fair Coliseum Concert Series on Friday night. The quartet is going strong after reuniting in 2020 and fans of all ages stormed the fairgrounds to see Kendall, James, Logan and Carlos perform all the hits- and some newer gems for good measure.
Confirming with their opening number that it was indeed going to be a “Big Night”, the guys jumped into a hugely energetic 90 minutes that kept the fans hyped up the entire time. They’ve embraced the goofy nature of being a boy band, adding in fun choreography for “Windows Down”- backflips included- and jumping with gusto to get the crowd moving.
Real Rushers know the classic songs from their TV show era but they also know that BTR released an album in 2023. Another Life got its own spotlight in the middle of the set with the addition of “Waves” and “Weekends”, along with the group’s latest single, “Only One”. The stage was covered in LED-screened platforms depicting colorful graphics to go along with the songs and even the throwback music video when it was time for “Any Kind of Guy”.
For the acoustic portion, a fan’s meet and greet request turned into wish fulfillment with “Stuck” before the longstanding tradition of each member choosing their Worldwide Girl for the fan favorite song. Each lucky lady was serenaded by her chosen member, with each really matching the energy and personality of their partner- a delight to watch as the fans continue to grow up alongside the group. The band loves to be close to their fans and took that to the extreme by jumping into the audience for “Paralyzed”, another tradition that had everyone running for the front to sing along.
The main set ended with “If I Ruled the World” but the piercing screams of the fans brought the band back out for a three song encore that also included birthday wishes for Kendall and one final dance to “Boyfriend”. The State Fair concert series picked winning performances this year and BTR was visibly delighted to come home from a lengthy overseas tour to shake off their jetlag with such an enthusiastic reception from their Arizona Rushers- we’ll be ready to party again when they return in 2025.
