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Backstreet Boys bring the nostalgia – and the tears – during emotional London concert

THE Backstreet Boys played potentially one of the toughest gigs of their careers at London’s O2 Arena on Sunday night. 

Their DNA Tour arrived back in the UK less than 24 hours after Nick Carter's younger brother Aaron died aged 34. 

The Backstreet Boys played an emotional concert on Sunday at London's O2 Arena
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The Backstreet Boys played an emotional concert on Sunday at London's O2 ArenaCredit: The Mega Agency
Nick Carter performed just hours after the death of his younger brother Aaron
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Nick Carter performed just hours after the death of his younger brother AaronCredit: Splash
The band paid an emotional tribute to Aaron midway through the show
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The band paid an emotional tribute to Aaron midway through the showCredit: The Mega Agency

After 30 plus years in the business, the boys - or men as they are now - took to the stage like pros as they opened with Everyone/I Want to be With You, complete with classic boyband choreography. 

The female-heavy crowd screamed just as loud as they did back in the 90s, with Nick receiving the biggest cheers every time he had a verse.

However, the 42-year-old struggled to contain his emotions during Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely and Incomplete, before the band paid a touching tribute to Aaron after No Place and before a stripped down version of Breathe. 

The “heavy hearts” Kevin Richardson mentioned in his tribute could be felt throughout most of the evening as the boys sang their biggest ballads.

Read More on Aaron Carter

But overall the band still managed to deliver a “party like it’s 1999” for their adoring fans, complete with AJ and Kevin getting changed on stage and throwing their boxers into the audience at one point. 

With an extensive back catalogue of pop hits, the crowd were treated to energetic performances of Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), The One and final track Larger Than Life. 

While this is likely to be a concert Nick would prefer to forget, their fans will no doubt hold it close to their hearts before the band’s next visit for a trip down memory lane. 

The Backstreet Boys will perform at Manchester's AO Arena tonight, Tuesday, November 8.

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