Central Iowa was thirsty for some dirty pop.

Screaming droves of mainly teenage girls swarmed into Hilton Coliseum Wednesday night to see ‘N Sync’s 2002 Celebrity Tour, showing cleavage they didn’t have and hips that didn’t exist.

Sarah Crouse and best friend Kim Wernimont, both 15, drove an hour from Carroll with Sarah’s mom Dee and little brother Austin, 8.

So what were their reasons for coming?

“Just to see them,” both girls said in sync, “the way they connect with their fans.”

Anything else?

“And they’re hot.”

With a set that spanned 24 songs and five outfit changes ranging from bleached denim ’80s style to a Chippendale prom look, Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick, J.C. Chasez and Lance Bass ignited a nonstop response from the nearly sold-out venue.

“This crowd is the loudest crowd we’ve had on the tour yet,” Timberlake said to intense screams.

Though the stage setup was mostly simple, the “Total Request Live” favorites had a few tricks up their sleeves. The guys slid down silver poles, ran up onto a catwalk that descended mid-show from the ceiling and swung out over the crowd on massive ropes.

Playing favorites from all their albums, ‘N Sync closed with its latest singles, ending with a powerful version of “Pop.”

In honor of some of their influences, and perhaps to please some of the parents in the audience, ‘N Sync also had a slight surprise – a set of classic pop songs, from a soulful “Hey Jude” to the Motown moves of “My Girl.”

“Let the Beatles sing their own songs,” said Josh Mayes, sophomore in horticulture. “But it was cool to see a band pay tribute to their songs.”

Kirkpatrick committed a slight faux pas, donning a University of Iowa hat thrown to him by a fan, but for the most part, the crowd didn’t seem to care.

They just wanted their celebrities.