MUSIC

Aaron Carter at Lee’s Palace – September 22, 2013

Photographs by Sarah Rix

Even as a small child I could appreciate Aaron Carter’s camp value. The rap rhyming, the dance moves, the bad hair, the songs about teenage partying… Through my adolescent worldview and as a child of the 90s, the junior Backstreet Boy didn’t hold much musical heft. So, needless to say (though I’m going to say it anyway in case a future employer or husband decides to Google me) I wasn’t walking into Carter’s show at Lee’s Palace with the highest of expectations.

But there’s something to be said for having a good time.

Excitement was high amongst the fan girls lined up outside to see Carter on his “After Party Tour”. The promise of an intimate setting for a teenage idol tends to run that way – and nostalgia undoubtedly helps. But maybe most surprising was the sense of genuine fan appreciation. People weren’t there out of irony. (Okay, I was there out of irony, but I’m a hardened music writer so please forgive me.) People were there because they owned all of Carter’s music and probably had a poster of him holding a puppy plastered on their walls at some point in their life.

Fans – gathered in line far before scheduled door times – held fluorescent signs, excitedly chattering about their favourite song, their other childhood crushes, and Carter’s career so far (see: music making, House of CartersDancing with the Stars, his relationship with Hilary Duff, etc.)

Catching the YTV Hit List spotlight in the 90s owed, in large part, to his status as the younger brother of Nick, the blonded Backstreet Boy heartthrob. Because of the connection, catchy singles were churned out and Aaron danced his way into the hearts of many a preteen. He’s had his problems and tragedies though – including accusations of hard drug abuse (which he says are unfounded) and the death of his older sister, Leslie. He also hasn’t exactly been a huge name in pop music for the last little while.

Truthfully: it’s hard to fathom a comeback, or at least Carter reaching the popularity he held in the early oughts. But to his credit the boy (or, err, now 25 year-old) puts on one entertaining show. Yes. In his first visit back to Toronto in a decade, Aaron Carter impressed me. He also made me laugh.

There’s something to be said for a guy that can dance around in loud black-and-white pants singing “I Want Candy” with a whole lot of confidence. And it helped that he had the almost entirely female crowd in the palm of his hand. No, Lee’s Palace wasn’t sold out for the affair – and you could tell most of the people there had never to been to the primarily indie rock club before – but the excitement made up for it.

Hands were raised, grasping for Carter’s limbs as the crowd sang along to everything from 2000’s “That’s How I Beat Shaq” to 2002’s “Another Earthquake” and “To All The Girls”. Carter doled out his fair share of kisses to the front row and also managed three outfit changes over the course of the night (four if you count him removing a shirt, much to the high-pitched squealing of the Toronto crowd.) He was joined on stage by a three-piece band of older men and his stage banter ranged between overwhelming appreciation for his fans and an anecdote about him cheating on his girlfriend back in the day and his regrets about it. No secret there that he was referring to his relationship with Hilary Duff.

“We tried to meet up again, but by that time she was married to a hockey player and had a kid,” Carter explained as an introduction to “Let Go”. He continued: “The lesson there is: don’t be a cheater.”

One particular highlight came with one of my favourite Aaron songs – I speak, of course, about 2001 Oh Aaron classic “Not Too Young, Not Too Old”. Carter changed it up a bit, removing some of the dated references (including my preferred line about hitting him on his pager) and it certainly worked as an energy-rousing party jam. He donned a Lakers jersey for his final couple of numbers – a one-two punch of “That’s How I Beat Shaq” and the still amazing “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It)”

It also wasn’t just the Aaron Carter “hits” that we were treated to either. Carter (who changed into a white suit and a fedora at one point) also tried his hand at Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines”, Bruno Mars’ “Treasure”, and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky”.

He returned for an encore shirtless and with his new single: the very 90s sounding “Where Do We Go?” It’s a good question, and probably something Carter’s considered many times as he’s mapped out his career. What is clear is that he loves performing and appreciates what he does. So as much as you can mock him (because really – charging $50 at your merch table for a meet and greet?) and laugh at the insane camp value attached to his name and music – I will say this: Aaron Carter puts on a really great show to satisfy all those adolescent memories. Thanks for the invite to your party, Aaron.

About author

Former Music Editor & Concert Photographer at Live in Limbo. Sarah was born in Toronto. She's worked at some places that you've heard of (like NXNE) and some that you haven't. She is an Academy Delegate at the JUNOs (CARAS). You can usually find Sarah at a concert, on Twitter @beets, or on Instagram @sarahrix. She also likes dogs and cheeseburgers.