O-Town - Lines & Circles 10th Anniversary Show
Date: October 28, 2024
Location: Boston, MA
O-Town’s Line and Circles 10th Anniversary tour was my 2nd O-Town show of this year. I previously saw them at the Cape this past summer on the Pop2000 tour. Unlike the Pop2000 tour, this was a full O-Town show with just LFO as their special guest. The concert took place at City Winery in Boston where I previously saw BBMAK and Age of Madness.
VIP with O-Town
If you have the time, I highly recommend O-Town’s Pre-Show VIP. I have done their VIP last year on the Pop2000 in Hampton Beach, Indian Ranch and Portland. Their VIP is definitely worth the extra money. It’s not just a short photo opp, but also an extra show with some fan interaction.
Prior to the main show, O-Town treats the VIP to an intimate acoustic concert session. Dan plays the piano and Jacob plays the guitar. They sing a small selection of songs. It was very relaxed and organic where the guys can let their hair down and not be afraid to mess up on the songs. They would just start again! Despite some hiccups, the guys still sounded beautiful. Their voices blended perfectly together and each guy’s voice was able to shine during the solo parts especially during “Love Should Be A Crime”. Their acoustic session also included “Over” and “Baby I Would”.
Moreover, the O-Town boys can also freely talk and joke with the fans in between songs. Eric talked about possibly releasing a Live album.
After the acoustic session, the fans each got to take a group photo with Jacob, Eric, Dan and Trevor. When it was my turn, I was happy the guys willingly posed boyband style with me. I tried to have a serious face in the picture but started laughing midway.
I also appreciated the fact that Joel the manager took photos using the fans’ own cell phone cameras rather than hiring a professional photographer. That way Joel can take multiple photos and I can control the output of the photos and it’s already in my hands.
The Concert
The show started at 7:30 with the opening act, Neely Luna. At 8 pm, O-Town entered the stage singing their debut single, “Liquid Dreams”. Since getting to know the band, I learned that O-Town actually despise singing “Liquid Dreams”. They just perform the song to hype up the fans’ energy and get it over with.
The setlist included other fan favorites “All For Love” and “All Or Nothing”. They also covered Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl”, Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk You Up”, and a mashup of Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River” and Bryan Adams’ “Heaven”. Nevertheless, the majority of the songs performed came from the “Lines and Circles” album since this concert was the 10th anniversary celebration of its release.
O-Town continued to amplify the crowd’s energy with their upbeat song, “Chasin” with their on point choreography. O-Town is one of the few boybands who can still effortlessly dance and sing (with a microphone) at the same time. Their setlist also consisted of “Right Kind of Wrong”, “Buried Alive” and “Playing With Fire”.
One major highlight was their performance of “Rewind”. An absolute banger of a song. Jacob’s raspy vocals really stood out in the song. During the song, Eric also proved himself as not only a talented singer but also a talented rapper.
My favorite performance was “SkyDive”. The performance evoked so much passion and intensity. Considering this was their first single since they reunited as a group, the boys clearly put a lot of soul and heart into the song. They continued to wear their hearts on their sleeves during their performances of “I Won’t Lose” and the title song “Lines and Circles”. You could definitely feel their raw emotions in the room.
I also really enjoyed their performances of “I Got To Go” and “Sometimes Love Ain’t Enough”. Dan, Jacob, Trevor and Eric each got to showcase their vocal ability. I was amazed at how high their voices can go. It was also the first time I saw O-Town at such a vulnerable stage.
Honoring LFO with Brad Fischetti
During the show, O-Town brought on their Pop2000 Tour mate, Brad Fischetti to honor his group, LFO and the passing of his bandmates Rich Cronin and Devin Lima. Brad toured with them early this year at the Cape. I also saw Brad last year at his own solo show, the LFO Story.
When they just started, O-Town saw LFO as their “big brother” boyband who showed them the ropes as a group. Regrettably, O-Town never got to tour with LFO as a full band. To make up for it, O-Town often invites Brad to join them on their shows.
The LFO setlist included the major hit “Summer Girls” as well as “Can’t Have You”, “Westside Story” and “Every Other Time”.
My favorite was definitely “Girl On TV”. The song always brings the early 2000s nostalgia of the MTV TRL days. “Girl On TV” is one of the major boyband ballads of all time. It’s a beautiful song. Brad admitted that whenever he hears the beginning of the song and Devin’s soulful voice, a chill goes up his spine. During the show, Jacob, Dan and Erik do a great job singing Devin’s parts of the song. Jacob actually looked right at me when he was singing! O-Town’s voices blend well with Brad’s. If you did not know the history of O-Town and LFO, you would think Brad is part of O-Town.
The Verdict
Overall, I enjoyed the “Lines and Circles” 10th Anniversary show. The concert definitely made me appreciate the album more. I thought the show truly enhanced and uplifted O-Town as a vocally talented group. While their previous shows brought on so much high energy, I felt this show was calmer, more sentimental and went at a slower pace. This allowed the boys to show off their vocal range as singers and artists. I hope O-Town sings more of these songs at future concerts.
I also want to point out that O-Town really appreciate their fans, the Townies. They make an effort to deliver a great show for them. And take the time to meet with the Townies before and after the show. They recognize that the Townies don’t just go to one show but multiple concerts, sometimes in different cities.
