Watch a quick overview video on Instagram.
Nick Carter turned 46 on January 28, and on Friday, February 6, he celebrated in true throwback fashion: by skating with fans at Crystal Palace Skating Rink in North Las Vegas.
Nick announced he’d be throwing an ’80s-style roller rink birthday party with a few hundred of his “closest friends,” and honestly, my initial reaction was not great.
When the event was first announced (barely a week before it happened), my immediate thought was: Why would I want to fall flat on my ass on roller skates I haven’t worn in over 20 years…in front of Nick Carter? The mental image of clinging to the rink wall while Nick effortlessly whizzed past me was…not appealing. But as it turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Time with Nick and my girls? Absolutely worth it.
Of course, no Backstreet Boys–adjacent event is complete without a little chaos.
Timelines were loose thanks to good old “Backstreet Time,” and Nick was (predictably) fashionably late to his own birthday party. Because of that, the event team had to adjust on the fly. Tier 1 guests were originally promised a private welcome, a private skate with Nick, a signed personal item, and the same meet-and-greet photo op Tier 2 received.
Instead, all attendees were collectively waiting for Nick to arrive. The organizers did their best to preserve the Tier 1 experience, which ultimately meant Tier 1 guests skated with Nick while everyone else watched. Intimidating? Absolutely.
Skating after a 20-year hiatus is scary enough without hundreds of people watching…and Nick Carter skating alongside you. Still, it was a genuinely fun experience.
Let’s talk about the theme for a moment. I’m usually not the person who goes all-out for themed events. Sure, I’ll stick to Millennium blue and white for Sphere shows, but beyond that, I’m typically the one who looks slightly out of place. Not this time. I fully committed, and it was so fun. My neon shirt glowed under the black lights, my BSB leggings popped with hot pinks, greens, and purples, and my leg warmers tied it all together. The cassette-tape earrings were my favorite touch. Add a half-up, half-down scrunchie hairstyle and I was ready.
Nick, meanwhile, kept it casual in an A’s sweatshirt and jeans, but I can’t judge, since that’s usually me.
Once Nick arrived, he signed personal items and took photos with tier 1 guests before hitting the rink for the private skate session. While skating, he shared that he wanted this birthday celebration to reflect his childhood: roller rink parties, nostalgia, and simple fun.
The playlist leaned heavily into ’80s classics (which he shared was straight from the TV show “The Goldbergs”), with a few ’90s tracks sprinkled in, which perfectly set the mood. And yes, Nick skated. He admitted it had been at least 20 years since he’d worn skates, which made me feel marginally better about my own lack of balance. Unsurprisingly, his athleticism kicked in quickly, while I spent a good amount of time just trying to stay upright.
Thankfully, I didn’t fall in front of him-an absolute win. Nick skated, sang, chatted with fans, and worked the rink for a solid 30 minutes.
By the end, though, my legs were definitely feeling my age. After a brief attempt (and eventual surrender) to learn how to turn properly on skates, Nick exited the rink and spent time taking photos with remaining guests. Then, in true Nick fashion, he climbed onto a table and announced he’d be playing video games with fans. Three lucky fans joined him for a round of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Naturally, he reminded us he’s a huge TMNT fan and that Leonardo is his favorite…a point on which I have to agree. Nick then returned to the “stage” (still the table) to perform three songs.
While Tier 1 guests were meant to be up front, Tier 2 guests were allowed to fill in around the table, pushing some of us farther back than expected. It was disappointing given how the tiers were sold, but it didn’t take away from the performance itself. I was pleasantly surprised that all three songs came from Nick’s most recent solo album, “Love, Life, Tragedy”.
It’s rare to attend a solo BSBer’s event without at least one Backstreet Boys song sneaking in, but this time we got “Nothing Without Your Love,” “Hey Kid,” and the reimagined, ’80s-inspired version of “Help Me.” One of the things I love most about Nick at these events is how casually he interacts with fans. When he got on stage, he actually asked us for the opening lyrics to the first song. Once we proved we knew them, he was off.
“Nothing Without Your Love” was a highlight. It’s arguably the best track on the album, upbeat and fun, and Nick sounded fantastic. “Hey Kid” followed, a song that may sound sad at first but carries an uplifting message underneath. When Nick announced it, the crowd collectively went “awww,” which he acknowledged before singing it anyway. He wrapped up with “Help Me,” perfectly fitting the retro theme. While on stage, Nick also shared a few tidbits. He’s working on another single, also titled “Love, Life, Tragedy”, which he described as the thematic centerpiece of the album. Is it finished? Not yet. Will it be released on Valentine’s Day? Maybe. Or soon. Or not at all. He was…very clear on the plan.
He also played a preview of “Boyband Song,” recorded prior to this album, and asked for fan feedback. The response was loud and clear…we want it. Nick later mentioned on social media that he hopes to release it once he gets more boyband “royalty” involved. So, naturally, it’ll be out “soon”…or not at all.
And what’s a birthday party without cake? The event ended with the crowd singing “Happy Birthday” to Nick in front of three beautiful Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cakes and cupcakes. Nick blew out the candles, shared cake with fans, and yes, it was really good. He thanked everyone, wished us well, and headed out. All in all, it was a genuinely fun experience. Seeing Nick enjoying the atmosphere, connecting with fans, and celebrating his music is always a win. And for the record, I didn’t fall once. I’ll absolutely take that.
A Final Note on Fan Events- Fan events should be exactly that: events for fans. Too often, they double as social gatherings for celebrities and their personal circles, which can feel disrespectful to fans who paid significant money and made major accommodations to attend. When an event is advertised as an opportunity to mingle with the artist, but the artist spends most or even much of their time in VIP sections with friends or guests, it leads to frustration and disappointment. I truly appreciated that, although a few people Nick personally knew were present, he devoted his time and attention to the fans throughout this event.
With only a week’s notice, many of us went out of our way to be there and celebrate his birthday. Nick meeting that effort with genuine engagement meant a lot, and made the event all the more memorable.
Video #1: “Nothing Without Your Love” https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUcPjw0jrVJ/
Video #2: “Help Me (80s version)” https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUb5BVPDmcB/