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Members from some of the most popular boy bands of the 2000s made dreams come true for fans in New Jersey with a performance at Westfield's Garden State Plaza Saturday, June 29.
Chris Kirkpatrick, of NSYNC, BBMak , O-Town, Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees, Brad Fischetti, the sole surviving member of LFO, Ryan Cabrera, and DJ Skribble put on a legendary show in the parking lot of the Paramus mall for the POP 2000s Tour.
Hundreds of fans turned out, belting out the lyrics to songs that would become the soundtrack to their teenage years like "Summer Girls," "All Or Nothing," "Back Here," "Bye Bye Bye," and more.
Ryan Cabrera tells Daily Voice the concert felt like a full circle moment reminiscent of mall tours in the early days.
"Twenty years ago was my first tour as a headlining artist," Cabrera said. "It was a mall tour so it does feel like things are coming full circle.
Members of BBMak, an English pop-rock band, said they still remember their big break.
"We had success in Europe and Asia but America is a whole different level," Stephen McNally tells Daily Voice.
McNally, Christian Burns, and Mark Barry said they remember performing at the malls and seeing people swinging from steal beams and screaming.
"It's fun doing malls again," Burns said about the POP 2000s Tour. "This whole tour is fun... everywhere we go we never know what to expect. It's great to hear stories about how long someone has been a fan, or random encounters."
Chris Kirkpatrick said he feels blessed to be able to has a career so fulfilling.
"The saying is so true: 'You never work a day in your life if you love what you do,'" he said. "It's not life or death but it's fun, making people happy."
Kirkpatrick said the most gratifying part for him is meeting that fans who credit him or NSYNC with saving their life. He said sometimes, fans will hand him a note. He knows when he opens it later, it brings him to tears.
Kirkpatrick recalled one fan who told him she tried to end her life twice but then she listened to the Christmas Special. She decided to live.
Fischetti of LFO, a Mahwah native, performed on stage with sneakers honoring his former bandmates, Rich Cronin and Devin Lima, both after battling cancer. He had backup from O-Town in performing some of LFO's greatest hits including "Summer Girls" and "Girl on TV."
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