In the increasingly crowded field of so-called boy bands, being No. 3 means you have to try harder.
Not that that's such a bad thing for 98°, which brings its tour to town on Tuesday, May 1, in the Delta Center. Band members Nick and Drew Lachey, Jeff Timmons and Justin Jeffre make up what is arguably the most popular group of its kind — after 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys, of course — which is good enough to have sold somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 million CDs to date.
They're touring in support of their most recent release, "Revelation," which, after a somewhat slow start, has gone double platinum.
Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. concert are $25 and $35 and are available at the Delta Center ticket office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Charge-By-Phone and SFX.com.
The group is known more for its ballads than the kind of pop associated with Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync, with hits like "Because of You," "The Hardest Thing" and "I Do (Cherish You)." But 98° also has its uptempo hits, including "True to Your Heart" (the song from the "Mulan" soundtrack that the band performed with Stevie Wonder," and "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)," from their current release.
And 98° has managed to make some headlines of its own. Nick Lachey's high-profile relationship with pop teen-queen Jessica Simpson has generated plenty of ink, not to mention the duet "Where You Are."
The group even performed at President Bush's inaugural celebration — reportedly at the request of Bush's daughters. And 98° is embroiled in a lawsuit with former managers — a turn of events that almost seems de rigueur for vocal groups these days.
While 98° is headlining this tour, there's no lack of opening acts — a total of four at last count (leaving open the question of how much time the headliners will actually spend on stage).
And there are Grammy-winners among those opening acts. The Baha Men (natives of the Bahamas, of course) took home music's biggest prize last month, winning Best Dance Recording for the group's omnipresent "Who Let the Dogs Out" (and beating fellow nominees Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias, Eiffel 65 and Moby).
The other three opening acts have also made some noise of late. Debelah Morgan's hit single and album "Dance With Me" climbed the charts (Billboard called the album "a dreamy mix of pop and R&B that perfectly highlights Morgan's amazing range").
Girl-group Wild Orchid is a late addition, replacing the previously announced Dream on the bill. The trio has its roots in television — its members (Renee Sandstrom, Stefanie Ridel and Stacy Ferguson) met when they appeared on the series "Kids Incorporated," and their career includes recording the theme song for the 1995-96 NBC sitcom "Hope & Gloria."
And 14-year-old newcomer Brooke Allison's single "The Kiss Off (Goodbye)" is gaining attention, particularly among the younger set — the accompanying video is being playing on the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon (and her album is slated for release on June 19).
As for the older crowd, the Delta Center is once again setting aside a free "parents room" where adults can "relax, watch some television, enjoy a free massage, get a tour of the building, have some light refreshments and wait for the children" until the concert is over. No reservations are necessary.
E-mail: pierce@desnews.com