Big Time Rush is on Tour! What can we expect from it, and what guests did they bring with them? That’s what we’re here to talk about.
The Openers
The In Real Life Tour started on July 9, 2025, and will end on December 22. The four boys brought the nostalgia back to Tinley Park, IL. They are millennials themselves, and they really knew how to work the crowd. Starting with the opening acts, Stephen Kramer Glickman and Kaytelyn Tarver. Glickman sang covers of songs such as “Bad Guy,” “Pink Pony Club,” and “Drivers License.” He wooed the crowd as his character Gustavo wasn’t a singer on the show and played the producer. Tarver sang her songs, such as her popular 2017 song “You Don’t Know.”
The Show Begins
The opening vocals rang out, which is the intro to their Nickelodeon show of the same name as the band. The premise of the show was that four Minnesota hockey players are recruited to form a boy band in LA. We follow the boys through their adventures while featuring their original music. Reality and the show mirror each other as the group gained real-life recognition.
With chart-topping singles as well as three studio albums. They had their first tour BTR in 2010. The band consists of Kendall Schmidt, James Maslow, Carlos PenaVega, and Logan Henderson. They created hits while also keeping it fun, incorporating typical boy band clichés.
How They Shined
Their entrance was met with piercing screams and whoops. Each member showcased their vocals in a different song. It’s something the band has always done, never having a frontman for the group. Yet enjoying it all together. They have mastered the art of pouring emotion into party pop hits. Schmidt gave a beautiful vocal in “Cover Girl,” Henderson in “All Over Again,” PenaVega in “You’re Not Alone,” and Maslow in “We Are.”
They sang fan favorites such as “Windows Down.” This song was made to fit the woo-hoo line from Blur’s Song 2. There was a constant reminder of the past with screens showing bits from the episodes. They brought Glickman back out for a fun skit where they first had him play a song that further showcased each vocalist. It was then Maslow’s turn on the piano. Inspired by Glickman, they played a skit song that comes from the first episode, which goes like this.
“Oh, you’re such a turd,
Yeah, a giant turd,
And you look like a turd, and you smell like a turd.”
It brought many laughs and got the crowd singing once again. It’s the song that kick-started it all for the Nickelodeon show.
Half-Time
They used the half-point to play a prerecorded video of them in robes and an elevator. This is to give the band a quick break and a quick change. It begins by playing “24/Seven.” They talked about how great the crowd is. First they ducked down to change into the orange, white, and black hockey jerseys from the show. They did the same, changing into all white. Which is a call out to the Backstreet Boys. One final time, they changed into iconic costumes from the show.
Henderson in a tree hat, PenaVega wearing his character’s helmet, which is shown many times in the show. Maslow, as Bandana Man, where the whole costume is created using bandanas with a black shirt and pants. Finally, Schmidt is in a leather jacket as the bad boy. They chose his character to be the bad boy of the band in one episode. Because every band needs one, right?
Audience Interactions
The night got even better when it came to audience interactions. Each band member brought up a girl to sit on a stool. They were then serenaded with “Worldwide.” It is a charming song about being in a long-distance relationship. That no matter how far I am and all the people I meet, you’ll always be my number one.
The dancing throughout the show was engaging. It felt reminiscent of the 2010s and not too modern. They pulled it off, though, and it didn’t feel silly at all to see that choreography. Even the snapping fingers during “Crazy For You.”
Coming to a Close
As the concert came to what seemed an end, the audience chanted “Boyfriend!” It was a classic song that they had not played yet. Finally, they came back out and gave a tremendous performance of the song. Phones in the air were a constant at this concert, with flashlights on. The audience sang along with them as a goodbye and thank you to the band.
Thanking them for being a part of their childhood. For keeping the magic alive. Even though most of their fans could have their own families now. It was two hours of being a kid or tween again for many. Big Time Rush proves that their formula of a band still works in the modern era. The songs and boys are timeless and refuse to age.
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