Backstreet Boy Nick Carter will kick off a solo tour in support of his first full-length release, Now or Never, on February 17th. The seventeen-date U.S. tour will wrap up in San Francisco in early March.

Carter's solo release has been the source of much turmoil for the Backstreet Boys, prompting a $75 million suit against Zomba Recording Corporation with all five of the Boys listed as plaintiffs. The group alleges that the parent company of Jive Records prevented Carter from fulfilling his contractual obligation to the Backstreet Boys by demanding that he release a solo effort, which further held up the release of the group's fourth album, the follow-up to 2001's Black and Blue.

Nick Carter tour dates:

2/17: Pittston, PA, the Staircase
2/18: Plainview, NY, the Vanderbilt
2/19: Boston, Avalon
2/20: Sayreville, NJ, Hunka Bunka Ballroom
2/22: San Juan, PR, Tito Puente Ampitheater
2/23: Philadelphia, Theatre of Living Arts
2/25: Pittsburgh, Rock Jungle
2/26: Toronto, Kool Haus
2/27: Pontiac, MI, Clutch Cargo
2/28: Chicago, House of Blues
3/01: Milwaukee, The Rave/Eagles Ballroom
3/03: Denver, Paramount Theater
3/05: Phoenix, Alice Coopers'town
3/06: West Hollywood, CA, House of Blues
3/07: Las Vegas, House of Blues
3/08: Anaheim, CA, House of Blues
3/09: San Francisco, The Fillmore

LAUREN HARRIS
(January 8, 2003)