Justin dances back with a masterclass
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE arrived in London with a point to prove. February’s Man Of The Woods album recast the ex ’N Sync hunk as a country boy, but it was a patchy affair that left him lagging behind younger rivals.
The Memphis boy clearly enjoys being onstage, though, and this two-hour show amply reiterated his credentials.
Backed by his 15-piece band, the Tennessee Kids, he played a sold-out arena as if it were an intimate club. A walkway zig-zagged from the main stage to a podium at the back of the hall, bringing fans close to the action.
Old hits SexyBack and Mirrors were a backdrop to some fleet-footed dance moves. A jazzy Suit & Tie saw the singer, 37, transformed into a latter-day Fred Astaire. And he raised a glass to the England football team during Drink You Away.
The more dance-orientated numbers from Man Of The Woods also fared well. A jazzfunk take on Midnight Summer Jam was a reminder that Justin was once seen as a natural successor to Michael Jackson, while Say Something is a single as potent as anything on his solo debut Justified. A campfire singalong on the second stage was patchier. With a lumberjack-shirted Timberlake strumming an acoustic guitar, Flannel and Morning Light were sweetly sung, but dented the show’s party mood.
The night ended with a slinky Rock Your Body and an electrifying Can’t Stop The Feeling! He might be encroaching on pop’s middle age, but he is still undeniably the dance master.
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE plays Arena Birmingham on August 27 and Manchester Arena on August 29 (livenation.co.uk).