From the very first moment it was announced, the “Legends Of Summer” tour featuring Justin Timberlake and Jay Z always looked like a guaranteed home run. But as the duo arrived at Yankee Stadium last night, the true scale of their combined slugging power revealed itself to be more exciting and exhausting than anyone could have imagined.
For nearly 2 1/2 solid hours, they delivered hits on the scale of Derek Jeter, and the 60,000-strong crowd soaked it all in on the hot, sultry night.
Hitting the stage just after 9:20 p.m., the opening set saw the pair tossing the mic back and forth, seamlessly melding Timberlake tracks like “Rock Your Body” and “Like I Love You” with Jay’s “On To The Next One” and “Big Pimpin’ ” into one giant blur of brilliance. And that was just the first 45 minutes.
With the first act dispensed with, the newly de-hyphenated Jay Z was first to step up into the limelight with a lean and lithe solo set. Even though his latest album, “Magna Carta . . . Holy Grail,” felt like a phoned-in anticlimax, his prowess on stage remains unarguable as the quicksilver delivery on “Jigga What, Jigga Who” emphatically demonstrated.
But even during Jay Z’s solo stint, it was Timberlake who was subtly revealing himself to be the star of the show. During “99 Problems,” in particular, the former ’N Sync star supplied the brutal guitar stabs, threw in the riff to Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” and even managed to play the part of the track’s infamous racist cop. Between the two of them, they turned a bonafide rap classic turned into a little piece of theater.
For his stint, Timberlake took things down a much-needed notch to show off the soul boy tropes from his “20/20 Experience” album. Even with the 90-degree heat causing the sweat to visibly pour off his face, he never missed one note, one move or even one sultry glance toward the front row.
On any normal night, the sight of Alicia Keys guesting on “Empire State Of Mind” would have been the perfect way to end proceedings, but in the end, she was merely a footnote. Jay and Justin used the star’s appearance as a springboard for their final flurry of jams. First, Jay laid out “Run This Town,” then Justin followed with a sensational version of “Mirrors” and a Timbaland-aided “SexyBack” before they both finally folded with a suave take on “Suit & Tie” and “Young Forever” dedicated to Trayvon Martin.
The Bronx has seen many a bro-down over the years, but when these two get together, it produces a level of kinship that is truly unique. It’s something you can (and should) witness for yourself when the “Legends Of Summer” tour makes a repeat performance at Yankee Stadium tonight.