More than a decade after they first sang about living it “big time”, Big Time Rush are doing exactly that. The four-piece — Kendall Schmidt, Logan Henderson, Carlos PenaVega and James Maslow — are returning to the UK this winter for a run that feels equal parts reunion, celebration and time capsule.
Their In Real Life world tour will see them perform every song from every episode of their hit Nickelodeon series, many of them live for the first time. It’s a mammoth undertaking that has already played to more than 200,000 fans across the United States.
For Maslow, the band’s lead vocalist who also played James Diamond in the original TV series, rediscovering those old tracks has been a thrill.
“It’s so cool now to look back and, more than a decade and a half later, still have audiences singing every word,” he told the Standard. “We joked about it back then, how crazy it would be to still be performing these songs, but it’s incredible that it’s actually happening.”
When the band first appeared on screens in 2009, they were four fictional Minnesota teens chasing fame in Los Angeles. The show became a global hit, spawning real-life tours, platinum singles and legions of fans who grew up alongside them.
Now those same fans are back, some with their own children in tow. “There’s something so nostalgic about this tour,” Maslow says. “Seeing fans who grew up with us now bringing their own kids or friends is remarkable. We’re one of the only bands in the world that had a TV show. Now that it’s streaming again, we’re seeing new generations discover it too. It’s wild looking out and seeing OG fans singing next to people who just found us.”
The In Real Life run, which hits London’s OVO Arena Wembley on December 11, is the group’s most ambitious yet. It also includes two familiar faces from the original series: Katelyn Tarver, who played Jo, and Stephen Kramer Glickman, better known as Gustavo.
“It’s a full-circle moment,” Maslow says. “We always knew fans would love it, so we saved that card for the right time. This is the time. The show blends the TV world with the live one in a way we’ve never done before, and having Katelyn and Stephen with us makes it that much more special. Steven’s such a big emotional teddy bear, and also the easiest person in the world to make fun of. He knows it and loves it. It’s good sport all round.”
Each member of Big Time Rush has carved their own path since the show ended in 2013, from acting and solo albums to family life and business ventures. Coming back together has felt surprisingly natural, but also more grounded.
“We’ve all had a chance to live real life, to travel, to grow up, to fall in love and to fail a bit, and that changes everything,” he says. “We came back with more perspective, more respect for what we get to do, and a lot more gratitude. The energy between us is better than ever.”
That maturity has shaped how they now view fame and success.
“If I could go back and talk to my younger self, I’d say learn to enjoy the parts you don’t enjoy,” he smiles. “I love performing, but the travel and exhaustion can be tough. Bring your pillow, make it ‘me time’. And I’d tell myself that fame isn’t something to chase. It’s the by-product of being good and lucky. Do it because you love it, not because you want to be recognised.”
The industry, he says, has changed beyond recognition.
“Social media, bar none,” he explains. “We started before artists had to create their own content, but now you have to come up with the idea, film it, edit it, post it, and hope it takes off. If it does, that’s when everyone else jumps on board. Labels used to invest first; now you have to start the fire yourself and then they’ll pour gas on it. It forces you to be creative, but it’s a lot.”
Despite the pace, reconnecting with fans has made it worthwhile. “European audiences in particular are incredible,” he says. “There’s this mix of enthusiasm and etiquette. They listen, they sing, they know every lyric, but they’re also really present. It feels like a shared celebration.”
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The band will fly home on December 23, just in time for the holidays. “My fiancée Caitlin and I celebrate Christmaska,” Maslow says. “I’ve got to get the tree up before I leave. We’ll be in Nashville with both our families this year, building new traditions. I’m looking forward to having a house full of people I love, and maybe one day a few little ones running around. But that’s a couple of years down the line.”
If Carlos PenaVega gets his way, the festivities will start early. “Carlos is 100 per cent the biggest Christmas fanatic,” Maslow laughs. “He and his wife have the matching PJs, the themed parties, everything. The rest of us try to keep up.”
As for New Year’s resolutions, he keeps them simple. “I have a few personal ones, but I try to work on those year-round,” he says. “For the band, my goal is to get us writing together more. We all have so many other projects, but when we’re in a room together there’s something magic. I want to build on that and discover what the next era of Big Time Rush sounds like.”
And that next era might just begin at Wembley. “Expect the biggest and best show we’ve ever done,” he says. “We’re blending the TV nostalgia with the live show. There are skits, screens, and songs that have never been performed before. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience. For us, it’s not just about revisiting the past, it’s about celebrating how far we’ve come and how much more there is to look forward to.”
