What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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6 WHAT'S UP! JULY 24-30, 2022 The Boys Are Back Big Time Rush grows into touring band MONICA HOOPER NWA Democrat-Gazette S tarting as actors on a sitcom, Kendall Schmidt, James Maslow, Carlos Peña Vega and Logan Henderson — the men behind Big Time Rush — admit that it takes an investment to stay together as long as they have. "It does take some work. We are four very different guys. We're four different work partners," says Kendall Schmidt. "And I think we found even this kind of second time around that communication is so key for us to be upfront honest and having years in between [tours] to kind of age and to grow up a little bit and let go some ego … We all respect each other, and we all we all laugh a lot. And that's also been really the key to our band and also within our relationship to keep laughing." "Yeah, I would say our humor is definitely the thing that binds us together for sure," adds Logan Henderson. The boy band and show Big Time Rush began as a Nickelodeon sitcom back in 2009 and lasted until 2013. The four actors signed with Columbia/ Epic Label Group as musicians and then created three studio albums — "BTR," "Elevate" and "24/Seven" — and did five tours from 2009 to 2014. In 2012, the boys came out with a movie called the "Big Time Movie" in which they traveled to London for their world tour but ended up having to save the world. Soon after, they took a break, but started releasing music again in 2021. "We were talking about it before the world kind of went into crisis mode, but I think it really just kind of helped reaffirm us getting back together," Henderson explains. "It felt like such a time that people needed a little bit of fun, a little bit of laughter, a little bit of camaraderie. And we realized that life is so short. So we're going to make the best of it. Have a good time while we're here!" Schmidt says that the time between the TV show and the tours has just made the band better. "We've all evolved as performers," he says. "We all got much better at singing — we were all great singers before, but I think you really have come into your own." "We're all a little more achy after the show," quips Henderson. "The bones hurt a little more than usual," agrees Schmidt. "Each one of us has had our own adventures into our own personal careers, successes, failures, and we have learned lessons. We are just really pooling our collective experience together now to put on the best show we can. We've got a lot of big plans." "We really try to constantly outdo ourselves and kind of push the envelope," Henderson adds. "This [tour] is a little different from what people saw years ago. And we're just looking to keep on expanding." The group shared "Honey" on June 30, and so far it's doing well. "Personally it's one of my favorite songs to perform," says Henderson. "The choreography that we have with it really just goes perfectly with it. It's definitely one of my favorites." "I think the response has been great," adds Schmidt. "When we released music before, it was mostly tied to the television show in one way or another. So now we're really focusing as being recording artists and touring artists. We're really pleasantly surprised to see how excited people are to hear our new music." "The only reason that we're able to do this is because of the fans. I mean, it's really just such a testament to the band and the longevity of the band that fans have been with us for years. And I think that they see the evolution. They've grown up with us," Henderson concludes. "They're able to continue the journey with us, so to speak, and that's been the best part about doing this whole thing over again." "We all respect each other, and we all we all laugh a lot. And that's also been really the key to our band and also within our relationship — to keep laughing," says Kendall Schmidt of Big Time Rush. The group will perform at the Walmart AMP at 8 p.m. Aug. 2. (Courtesy Photo) ROGERS FYI Big Time Rush WHAT — After a lengthy hiatus, Big Time Rush have returned to the stage with new music and old favorites for the Forever Tour with Spenser Sutherland. WHEN — 8 p.m. Aug. 2 WHERE — Walmart AMP, 5079 W. Northgate Road, Rogers TICKETS — $30 & up INFO — waltonartscenter.org/ AMP