Live Review: Justin Timberlake

19 September 2014 | 1:34 pm | Bryget Chrisfield

Justin Timberlake throws back the liquor and covers some of the greats in a slick show at Etihad Stadium.

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It’s always wise to allow a while to locate one’s seats at Etihad Stadium, even when in ‘intimate mode’ (which essentially means about half the stadium arena space is utilised).

Special “Sexy Back”-themed Long Island Iced Tea cocktails are sculled as DJ Freestyle Steve conducts a dancing comp inside the arena, claiming he needs to find “17 friends” to take with him to Justin Timberlake’s afterparty. The crowd becomes particularly animated during DJ Snake & Lil Jon’s Turn Down For What and, pleasingly, we see the DJ rock up in Level 2 (where the most enthusiastic dancers live) to select the 17 lucky winners during the break before our headliner.  

Justin Timberlake & The Tennessee Kids rise up, already at their musical stations (double the drum kits!), from under the stage. The crowd swoons when JT himself is illuminated sporting a beautifully tailored black suit with satin lapels (no tie) and previews his “Let me show you a few things” hip thrusting moves during opener Pusher Love Girl. And thank god for advanced hair straightening techniques! His back-up dancers are styled to mirror The Trousersnake’s look and white trainers all ‘round is a genius choice when highlighting fancy-footwork unison. When Timberlake leads an “Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!” call and response, we cringe. But all’s forgiven when he’s tryna “have [us] nekkid by the end of [the third] song”: Rock Your Body


 
JT has a way with his mic stand – pushing it away only to stop its trajectory with one white trainer. The intricacy of his movements, which accent beats that are at odds with his singing, is unparalleled. Couples chorey during My Love makes our hearts race and the awe-inspiring moves – with Timberlake effortlessly slipping in and out of formation as required – continue throughout TKO. In Summer Love, JT even makes a dance move that resembles limping across the full length of downstage look smokin’. It’s impossible to sit down to this music, even though many choose to in Level 2. The Tennessee Kids disappear into the stage and suddenly it’s Timberlake solo on white baby grand. Cry Me A River contains a few “bad bitch!” interjections that make us ponder what he thinks of Britney now. After the entire stage set disappears into the stage, a ten-minute intermission is announced.

The band rise up once more and a mad laser show and state-of the-art 3D imagery accompanies Only When I Walk Away (“DAMN, girl!”) Timberlake’s Southern drawl is endearing and he can refer to us as “y’all” any time. A fan holds up a banner claiming it’s her 21st birthday (she looks 30!) and JT falls for it, leading the crowd in a mass Happy Birthday sing-along. We would have preferred he conduct an ID check before lavishing such attention on her. Drink You Away sees Timberlake strapping on a guitar to demonstrate yet another of his talents and we all have Tunnel Vision for the star. Audience involvement in Señorita is approached with much enthusiasm: Guys, “It feels like something’s heatin’ up/Can I leave wit you?”/Ladies, “I don’t know what I’m thinkin’ ‘bout/Really leavin’ wit you!”

What!? The catwalk with steps on either side travels? Yes it does, and doesn’t stop until waaaaay toward the back of GA where there’s a VIP bar of some description. Timberlake steps on down and grabs a shot, toasting, “To Vegemite? No”, “Go, Hawks!” then, simply, “Here’s to you, Melbourne!” before knocking it back like a pro. Memphis being his hometown and all, it’s only fitting that JT performs an Elvis number: Heartbreak Hotel. We’re encouraged to thrust, “Two fingers in the air [a peace sign] for Elvis,” and then the same for Michael Jackson when Timberlake expertly covers Human Nature. His own What Goes Around... Comes Around then segues back into Human Nature before the catwalk structure glides smoothly back to the main stage during Take Back The Night, which is spectacular live with those shimmering horns – “And the horns say…”

There are a few more funky covers: segments of Kool & The Gang’s Jungle Boogie and Bell Biv DeVoe’s Poison (complete with the OG, side-shuffling dance moves from the video). An NSYNC medley wouldn’t feel out of place about now, but sadly isn’t incorporated. The syncopated rhythms JT explores through movement during Suit & Tie further impress and we ache for some time with him on the d-floor.  

Of course there will be an encore when we are yet to hear SexyBack! (Not that sexy ever went anywhere if you’re JT.) And when those teasing beats eventually fill the stadium, we’re mush: “Them other boys don’t know how to act” – no shit! The only thing that could be improved upon when it comes to Monsieur Timberlake is the shape of his eyebrows.