Aaron Carter is still the flyest kid on the block, as he proved to a small but energetic crowd at the Fillmore on Oct. 20 as part of “The After Party Tour.”
The Y2K heartthrob, now 25, made his comeback—perhaps not better than ever, but pretty remarkably for his first tour since 2004. While his fanbase has grown up significantly since then, not a person in the audience could help but squeal like a tween when he ran on stage. As he opened the show with “I Want Candy” in his Lion King muscle tee, Carter let his fans know that he would not dissociate himself from the 13-year-old pop star we all fell in love with. Instead, he recognized that the crowd was there for nostalgia more than current talent, and he ran with it.
“I’ve been waiting 12 years to come get it,” said Sydney Gore, a junior in the School of Communications who attended the show, “watching Aaron Carter perform live was the experience of a lifetime.”
Carter took a moment to thank his band, who has played with him for the past 12 years. The band contributed to Carter’s new sound, which layered funk and R&B vibes over his millennium teen pop roots. They varied up the set list with a mashup of “Blurred Lines”, “Treasure” and “Get Lucky” that electrified the crowd. He busted out boy band dance moves and even a few backflips, proving that Aaron’s party is still popping.
The most unforgettable part of the show occurred when Carter changed into a Lakers jersey with the number 34 on the back—Shaquille O’Neal’s. “They don’t even print these anymore,” he joked, before launching into a dynamic rendition of “That’s How I Beat Shaq”. The crowd rapped along to every word.
Carter enthusiastically interacted with his fans, doling out winks, air kisses, and “I see you’s” galore. You could tell that no one was there halfheartedly—everyone in attendance was a diehard, unapologetic fan. A young woman near me in the crowd even told me how she defends Carter “from his haters on Twitter” and casually reeled off a large amount of his family history.
Carter closed the show with “Aaron’s Party,” as well as a new song that has yet to be released. It was a short but sweet set that covered everything from his top singles to deep cuts. Even over a decade later, Carter brought the house down. He threw what was certainly not the party of the month, but the part of the year, and made it clear he is far from a has-been.
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