Review: Nick Carter’s “Who I Am” Tour (Karah’s Version)

Seeing Nick Carter solo in concert is one of my favorite things. There is nothing like hearing him belt out lyrics to songs that have touched me.

My first solo Nick Carter concert was his first solo concert back in October 2002 in Tampa, Florida. I have seen every solo tour he has done multiple times, so I knew I would be going when he announced the “Who I Am” tour.

This tour was different. He wasn’t going to be singing, just his solo material. He would be covering songs that he grew up on, that we grew up on. Being the same age as Nick, we like many of the same things, which could be one of our connections.

See, Nick wanted to do this tour for people to remember who he is. People have tried to tear him down with lawsuits, lies, and more, but he has continued to stand tall through it all and will come out stronger on the other side.

This tour was the first step in doing that.

While it was a small first leg of the tour across mostly the north and southeast United States (with two shows in Canada just across the country line), it served its purpose.

Those who didn’t remember certainly remember who Nick Carter is.

Soundcheck & VIP

The first show on this tour for me was Wilmington, North Carolina. I’d never been there, but it would be a special show. My best friend from high school would be seeing and meeting Nick for the first time.

Soundcheck is one of my favorite parts of the VIP experience, so I was glad it returned. I have this habit of always asking questions. Maybe it’s the former journalist in me. It’s an ongoing joke with Nick because he knows I will ask something. He’s even told me before that he expects it out of me.

In Wilmington, I asked how his songwriting had matured or changed since he started writing songs with the Backstreet Boys up to his most recent piece, “Made For Us.”

In Boston, I asked if he could star in any ’80s movie, what would it be? Then gave him my suggestions which ended up with me telling him he’s hot.

In Bethesda, I asked about his comment on rerecording “Now or Never,” and if he did, would he be like Taylor and add songs that didn’t make the album, such as “Not Like You,” a song that he performed on his “Now or Never” tour, but never released a real recorded version of. He remembered the music to my amazement and was eager to get this done.

Soundcheck is just fun because not only do we get to hear him sing songs that aren’t in the show, such as my fave, “Lovesong” by The Cure, which I told him he should perform back at ’90s Con, and even “White Wedding,” which has its backstory that I can’t write about on this blog.

It’s also another way to connect with an artist. For example, in Boston, Nick walked out on stage, looked at me, and said, “Hey Karaaaah,” and shocked me a little. I wasn’t expecting that.

Opening Acts

Nick is known for having opening acts for his shows, and “Who I Am” was no different. Although this may have been the best set of opening acts he has ever had for a tour.

Caldwell, a country/pop/rock artist who is being produced by Nick’s producer Vic “Billboardkiller” Martin, was on the entire tour and made a hit with the audiences.

On the first leg, American Idol winner Maddie Poppe performed acoustically. She performed original songs and explained to the audience what each was about. She also had a wicked sense of humor.

On the tour’s second leg, Carly Waddell, who was on Season 19 of “The Bachelor” and Season 3 of “Bachelor in Paradise,” performed acoustically. She stood out among the opening acts with a mix of her music and covers. One of the highlights was her merge of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s hit “It’s Your Love” with Taylor Swift’s “Tim McGraw.” Can you say perfection?

The Show

As I started this post, seeing solo Nick is my favorite thing besides cats in clothes and extra cheese on pizza.

The music Nick picked to perform couldn’t have been more perfect, not only because they are songs I love but because they showcased his voice. From the low tones of “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” to hitting the high notes on “19 in ’99” to the raspy, rock feel of “You Shook Me All Night Long,” Nick showcased his voice perfectly, just like us fans have known he could do forever.

Besides performing some of my favorite ’80s songs, he performed my top two favorite Backstreet Boys songs – “Just Want You To Know” and “Shape of My Heart.” That made this fangirl extremely happy.

For the last two shows I saw, Boston and Bethesda, he added in rock versions of “Show Me The Meaning (Of Being Lonely)” and “We’ve Got It Goin’ On,” which, let’s face it, rocked. There’s nothing the man can do that I would hate, but those new versions are excellent.

The one thing I appreciated on this tour was that Nick performed more songs from “Now or Never.” It’s an album that, in the past, he seemed as if he was a bit embarrassed by, but it’s a work of art. Now he’s performing songs such as “Do I Have To Cry For You?,” “Help Me,” “Blow Your Mind,” and even music that he performed on the “Now or Never” tour – “Just What I Needed.” It takes me back to when we were younger.

One of the highlights of the show was when Nick performed some of his new songs, such as “80s Movie,” which is perfect for this tour, “Hurts To Love You,” and “Superman.” But let’s face it, the highlight is really “Made For Us,” a song that Nick says is for the fans. Some of the lyrics sound a little naughty, and I even pointed that out to Nick a few months back when he first posted a clip of the song, and he sang the lyrics to me, face to face. I could have died.

But “Hurts to Love You,” especially the performance in Bethesda, was possibly the most passionate that I have ever seen Nick sing a song. He put his entire heart and soul into it and you could tell he was feeling the lyrics. The first time I heard him perform it, in Wilmington, I was in tears. Aaron died two weeks after my Mom, so a lot of what Nick has been feeling, I’ve been feeling at the same time. And I could feel that in that performance.

Another highlight? Having a real band. I miss the days when the Backstreet Boys had a backing band, so Nick’s band on stage with him makes him perform better. Don’t get me wrong, I love acoustic Nick, but having a band brings something unique to Nick. He has people to play off of.

Conclusion

The “Who I Am” tour is Nick Carter’s best solo tour to date. And I’m not saying that because everything he does is perfect. It’s just that this tour is pure Nick from top to bottom – from the songs to outfits to the excitement he brings to songs that we’ve heard our entire lives.

Yes, he could sing the phone book and sound perfect, but this tour is unique. He’s one of the few artists that actually cares about fans, what they think, how they are feeling about what he is doing, and likes to be in touch with them. In my life, I’ve loved a lot of artists and he is one, just like Taylor Swift, that stays in contact with fans as if they are a member of the family.

And he’s always been like that – from his old school Nick’s Corner videos to his livestreams during COVID. This tour is an extension of that. It wasn’t about selling out arenas or being flashy. This tour was about an artist who loves to perform.

And that’s who Nick is.