I never thought I’d get to see Justin Timberlake’s shapely posterior from a distance of six feet but on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, the good folks of section 104 got one hell of a surprise.
Halfway through the second set, the samba best of “Let The Groove Get In” saw Timberlake and his six dancers begin to move across one end of the arena to the other atop a giant platform. As it came to rest in mid-air, JT moved to each side and for the (mostly) screaming women positioned underneath, it was a view they’ll probably treasure well into the afterlife.
It’s safe to say that Timberlake can still make hearts race and feet move. His appeal doesn’t seem to have waned even after a year of near constant exposure. Not only has he been pushing two volumes of “The 20/20 Experience,” he also embarked on a stadium tour with Jay Z, made small but much-discussed roles in major movies and spent weeks at a time on the talk show circuit. Just about the only thing he didn’t do in the name of publicity is co-host the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.
But watching the 33 year old perform puts paid to any symptoms of fatigue. For two and half hours (divided by just one 10 minute intermission), the boy from Memphis and his band the Tennessee Kids waltzed through an impeccable set.
The hits came at the sold out crowd in a blur as Timberlake opened with the stoned soul of “Pusher Love Girl” before unleashing an uninterrupted 20-minute segment featuring smash hit singles like “Rock Your Body” and “Like I Love You.” Decked out in his trademark suit and tie, Timberlake made the choreography look like second nature and he showed very few signs of the ill health that forced him to postpone Wednesday night’s gig just minutes before doors opened.
The second half of the show was where Timberlake’s variety act kicked in and if anything, it was even more entertaining. Padding the show with covers is usually the work of an amateur but Timberlake handled Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel” and Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature” with love and care before moving back to his own crowd pleasers.
Having worked every inch of the arena and brought every member of the crowd to their feet, “Suit & Tie,” “Sexy Back” and the still incomparable R & B of “Mirrors” rounded off the night in a way that was faultless. Familiarity usually breeds contempt but when watching this, it’s hard to feel anything other than awe and excitement.
Wednesday’s postponed performance has been rescheduled for Friday 21st. If you have tickets then know this: the seats at the back are probably the best ones in the house. Make sure those camera phones are charged.