By caroline mimms | july 15, 2025
If you were a tween in the early 2010s, there’s a good chance Big Time Rush was part of your world. Whether you were dancing to “Boyfriend” in your bedroom or tuning in to every episode on Nickelodeon, BTR was the soundtrack of a very specific moment in time. So when they took the stage at Ameris Bank Amphitheatre in Alpharetta, Georgia, it felt like stepping into a time machine—in the absolute best way.
As someone who was 12 when the show first aired, this concert was a full-circle moment for me. The second the lights dimmed and the intro music hit, I was instantly transported back to sleepovers, posters on the wall, and singing along to “Til I Forget About You” with my middle school besties. Except this time, I was surrounded by thousands of other fans, which mostly seemed to be millennials now.
The night kicked off with a surprise appearance from none other than Stephen Glickman—yes, Gustavo Rocque himself. He played their overly intense manager—and was just as funny and larger-than-life as we remembered from the show. He came out to roaring applause and had the whole crowd cracking up. When Big Time Rush later performed the song they wrote about his character, ‘The Giant Turd Song’, everyone in the crowd was singing it.
Next up was Katelyn Tarver, known to many of us as Jo from the show (aka Kendall’s love interest). She’s come into her own as a singer-songwriter, and her set was a beautiful blend of heartfelt lyrics and confident vocals. Watching her on stage felt like catching up with an old friend you haven’t seen since middle school—but who’s absolutely thriving now.
Finally, Big Time Rush hit the stage—and they did not disappoint. The energy was electric, the choreography was tight, and their vocals still had the same charm we all fell in love with years ago. They ran through all the classics—“Boyfriend,” “Worldwide,” “Music Sounds Better with U”—with a few surprises and updated twists that made the experience feel both nostalgic and fresh.
From start to finish, the concert was a love letter to the fans who stuck around—and to the goofy, golden days of BTR’s TV stardom. I really loved how they incorporated other cast from the show, making it truly feel full circle.
Caroline Mimms is a freelance photojournalist for Majestic Music Magazine. See more of her work here
