Boyband nostalgia was at the center of The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands on August 3rd, 2023, as Big Time Rush rocked the stage, leaving fans with an unforgettable night. The band, made up of Kendall Schmidt, James Maslow, Carlos PenaVega, and Logan Henderson was originally formed in 2009 for their self-titled TV show, Big Time Rush. After taking an indefinite hiatus and reuniting in 2020, the former Nickelodeon stars hit the road on the “Can’t Get Enough Tour” celebrating their new album Another Life, hitting 39 cities only a year after their previous “Forever Tour”.

Opening the night was JAX and MAX, whose high-energy performances ignited the crowd. JAX made clear the message of her performance was female empowerment, through her use of encouraging lyrics. Her cover of “Teenage Dirtbag”, originally by Wheatus, was a personal favorite that showed off her grungy, rebel-pop sound. Concluding her set with the Billboard Hot 100 charting hit “Victoria’s Secret”, JAX invited a young girl from the audience to share the spotlight, showcasing her commitment to her fans.

Following suit, MAX, another former Nickelodeon star, took the stage with his platinum single “Love Me Less”, an upbeat, energetic and catchy tune. “Blueberry Eyes”, featuring Suga from BTS, had the audience moving along to its dreamy melodies and lyrics. Weaved throughout his set was dynamic choreography that highlighted MAX’s performance skills. His energy was amazing, and showed the true love he has for his fans, creating an electrifying performance.

Big Time Rush continued the night with a bang, performing their new single “Can’t Get Enough”, which emphasized their new mature and laid-back sound. Their performance was a diverse mix of classic oldies, brand new hits, and even some lesser-known songs exclusively from their TV show. It was a treat to see some songs performed acoustically, showcasing the pure musical talent this underrated boy band has. “Worldwide” was accompanied by Big Time Rush’s classic tradition of choosing a “Worldwide Girl”. Each member of the band went out into the audience and picked a special fan to sit and sing with them on stage while performing the romantic and heartfelt song.

One of the best parts of the night for me was the interlude of the show, where a sentimental video was shown with their new song “I Just Want To (Party All The Time)” playing in the background. The video was a compilation of moments following Big Time Rush’s journey from their childhood at Nickelodeon to their individual music careers and their eventual reunion. As a devoted “Rusher” who has been listening since I was 5 years old, seeing the band's growth filled me with emotion and definitely brought me close to tears.

Following the interlude, was a melody of songs that had particularly peaked on their Nickelodeon TV show. To my excitement, they even performed Shot In The Dark, a song that had never been officially released, but held a special place in my heart as one of my favorites. As a fitting finale, the boys ‘closed’ their show with their self-titled theme song, only to return moments later for an encore including their most popular hits “Windows Down”, “Boyfriend”, and “Till I Forget About You”.

The night was full of energy and excitement, as fans young and old all came together to enjoy the timeless appeal of a classic boyband. For me, this show held so much sentimental value and fulfilled a lifelong dream to photograph the band that was central to my upbringing. Seeing the evolution of one of my top artists, from childhood to present day, filled my heart with so much joy and love. As Big Time Rush continues to thrive in their new comeback era, I am excited to see what the future holds in store!