After an almost eight-year hiatus, Big Time Rush is back. Band member Kendall Schmidt said he is excited to be performing and recording new music with his bandmates again.
“That’s the goal of the [reunion],” Schmidt told The Columbia Chronicle. “I want to be on stage with the guys again. It’s been long enough.”
The boy band, best known for its hit Nickelodeon sitcom of the same name, is reuniting for two performances — in Chicago on Dec. 15 at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., and in New York City on Dec. 18 at the Hammerstein Ballroom.
Schmidt said he started talks of a reunion with bandmates Logan Henderson, James Maslow and Carlos PenaVega at the end of 2019, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, they had to change their plans. Instead of performing, the band members posted several videos to their social media pages filmed remotely in the second half of 2020 to reach out to fans: “A Message from Big Time Rush,” an acoustic cover of their song “Worldwide” and a Christmas video that featured one of their holiday singles, “Beautiful Christmas.”
“We knew how dark of a time it was for people in general,” Schmidt said. “We figured if it could bring anybody joy, it would be nice to do those video[s].”
On July 19, the band was finally able to announce their reunion through an Instagram video, which poked fun at the band members with lighthearted references to the Nickelodeon TV show.
At one point, Maslow is referred to as “Bandana Man,” his character’s superhero alter ego who makes recurring appearances on the show. His response: “What did you call me?”
Schmidt said the bandmates wrote the script for the comeback video together with the intention of making a distinction between the band’s music and the television show.
“We weren’t really talking about doing a [TV] show again. We were talking about doing music. We wanted to make it clear that the band aspect of Big Time Rush was coming back,” Schmidt said. “We didn’t want anyone to get confused about that, so it seemed like a funny way to do it.”
Tickets for both dates went on sale on July 21. Both performances sold out within minutes of release on Ticketmaster. The current resale ticket prices for the Chicago date range anywhere from $350 to more than $2,300 for pit seats.
In the time since the announcement, Big Time Rush has been working on new music. On Sept. 22, the band shared a 28-second snippet of a new song on their social media platforms.
According to Schmidt, this time around, they have “100% creative control” of their sound — even if they are still trying to figure out what that means in 2021.
“Now, we have to make all the decisions. ‘Does this song encompass what the new Big Time Rush sounds like?’” Schmidt said. “’What does that sound like?’ ‘What does that sound like in 2021, compared to what did that sound like in 2010?’”
With the performances less than six weeks away, Schmidt is gearing up for a hectic month.
“There’s a lot of busy days coming up. It’s been very relaxed so far, besides working very hard on the music,” Schmidt said. “I’m curious to see what the next month is going to be like. It’s going to be very interesting.”
Schmidt could not reveal much about what rehearsals for the month leading up to the concert will look like. However, the band plans to expand beyond the choreography, costumes and set design from their previous tours to create a new look and feel for Big Time Rush.
“We need to advance. We have to advance,” Schmidt said. “We want to be more exciting than just, ‘It’s good to see Big Time Rush again.'”
The members of the band have discussed possible setlist ideas for the performances, but Schmidt said there may be room for some improvisation, as well.
“It would be fun to have a few audible songs. If it’s like, ‘Hey, let’s play this [song,]’ let’s switch it up. Let’s decide to do something different,” Schmidt said.
While much may change for Big Time Rush in the next few months, one thing has always remained consistent in their 12 years together: their love and appreciation for their fans.
“I can only speak for myself, but I know this about the guys: Everybody in the band is so grateful for the response, grateful for all of the stories that people have told us and grateful for the fact that people even still care,” Schmidt said.
To stay up to date with all things Big Time Rush, follow them on Instagram and Twitter and visit their website.
From E! News:
Inside Big Time Rush's Reunion 8 Years in the Making: "It's Our Time to Run the Show"
Carlos PenaVega, James Maslow, Logan Henderson and Kendall Schmidt are back together with new music and special concerts for loyal fans.
Congratulations! You just scored a backstage pass to the hottest tickets in town.
[...]
Big Time Rush reuniting is nothing short of a big deal.
Back in 2009, Carlos PenaVega, James Maslow, Logan Henderson and Kendall Schmidt became household names when they appeared on Nickelodeon's television series Big Time Rush.
The show resulted in the group launching sold-out tours, successful albums and plenty of No. 1 hits like "Boyfriend" and "Worldwide." While the group decided to go their separate ways in 2013, each member has remained close. And nearly eight years later, the boys are back and ready to rock on their own terms.
"Big Time Rush was a big time whirlwind adventure for us back in the day," Kendall exclusively shared with E! News. "We were young guys. We all became fast friends. We are best friends and I just think now it was sort of like, you know what, I think we know what we're doing."
Carlos added, "For me, the icing on the cake is that now it's our time to run the show. Nickelodeon and Sony did a great job and we're so thankful for their support. This time, we get to do it as the four of us. We get to make all those decisions. We get to decide exactly what songs are going to go out. Exactly what color the lights are going to be on the tour. The creative process this time around is just so much more fulfilling because this is our baby."
In just the past week, Big Time Rush has released a new song titled "Call It Like I See It." They took the stage at iHeartRadio's Jingle Ball in Philadelphia and the Chicago Theater in Illinois. The group will end the week with a sold-out concert at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom on Dec. 18.
"People are going to be really happy," Carlos teased to E! News about their upcoming music. "I don't know how else to explain it. I was a huge fan of what we did back in the day. It had such a fun energy that I know we all didn't want to lose. And I think our new stuff definitely has that energy, but it's a lot more current…Music has evolved and I think that we did a great job still keeping the Big Time Rush DNA but making it a lot more current."
While the reunion may have sneaked up on some music fans, the group said it was a frequent conversation over the years. Ultimately, the coronavirus pandemic proved to have an influence on their decision to come together and make even more memories as a group.
"We've all had multiple conversations with each other over the years and a big part of the reason we hadn't got together before, is just scheduling," James shared. "Everybody's got their own projects: film, TV, music."
Kendall added, "I think we all knew at some point we'd get back together. It was just a matter of timing…The pandemic hit, which affected everybody and so we were like, 'Well, let's take the time to really figure it out.'"
Lucky for fans, the fun may just be beginning. Keep scrolling to get exclusive details on the group's big reunion.
The Boys Are Back
In December 2021, Big Time Rush reunited for three special concerts and the release of a new song called "Call It Like I See It."
Bros Forever
Before returning to the stage at iHeartRadio's Jingle Ball, Big Time Rush attended rehearsals where they felt like no time had passed. "We've been friends for so long," Logan Henderson told E! News. "So that was also something where it's like you see each other again and you pick up where you left off, which has been really a blessing for all of us. We've been through a lot of stuff together."
Lookin' Fresh
"Just for the fans, everybody's still as handsome if not more handsome than before," James Maslow joked when teasing the band's upcoming shows. "We're still Looking very dapper."
Dudes Just Wanna Have Fun
"We're trying to have some fun again, and I think it shows up in the music we are making now and the music we've made in the past," Logan said. "There's a lot of new music, coming so I think it's gonna be great to have everyone together."
Bringing the Love
What makes Big Time Rush different from other boy bands? Kendall Schmidt has a theory. "The four of us are from very different backgrounds, very different lives, very different interests and passions and all that kind of stuff," he explained. "In a time in the world where it seems like things have been kind of rough, we really want to bring people together and show them four distinct individuals can come together and spread the love."
Kid Approved
Carlos PenaVega is proud to say his kids with wife Alexa PenaVega totally approve of dad's new gig. "We had my kids at rehearsal and for me, just having them there, I thought, ‘This is going to be insane,'" he shared. "We're doing it again and I think we keep having that moment with each other during rehearsal. We're just turning our heads saying, ‘It's happening again?!'"
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Big Time Rush is available to stream on Paramount+ and Netflix.
More Nick: Big Time Rush Announces Reunion Tour!
Originally published: November 06, 2021.
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