Tour: FutureSex/LoveShow News and Reviews

Justin Timberlake Brings ‘FutureSex’ to Madison Square Garden: Live Report
(8/16/07) Rolling Stone

Justin Timberlake was the toast of the town tonight in New York, and like any Southern gentleman would, he toasted back. “In the spirit of keeping it loose, New York – and because I like to drink – I’d like to share a toast.” The sold out crowd raised their plastic cups and bottles of beer. “So first of all, to the greatest city in the world,” said the 26 year-old, whose two nights of performances at Madison Square Garden for his FutureSex/LoveShow tour are being taped for an HBO special premiering on Labor Day at 9pm. “Kudos to HBO… They’re broadcasting live to the troops. Salute our troops!” Having already glided through “FutureSex/LoveSounds” and “My Love,” Justin’s suit jacket was off, his sleeves rolled up. “And last but not least, I just like to drink! Here’s to the Big Apple!” The crowd erupts, takes a collective swig, and Timberlake lets loose with the hit single “Senorita,” from his 2002 solo debut Justified.

“Do ‘Dick in a Box!’” a drunken frat boy-type accompanying his girlfriend calls out. But if he came for silly antics, the fan came to the wrong party— tonight was strictly grown and sexy.

Timberlake has got one of the tours of the year (it runs through November) and whole lot of other stuff on his plate right now—his hot new single “LoveStoned,” a highly anticipated new duet with Madonna, the hip hop hit “Ayo Technology” with 50 Cent and Timbaland, his new label Tennman Records (a joint venture with Interscope) and a new restaurant opening in Manhattan. There’s also those seven VMA nominations and that relationship with film hottie Jessica Biel. But he never looks like he’s forcing it: he squints with his hand across his forehead as if searching for someone special in the audience, while thousands of girls scream, convinced that it’s them that he’s looking for. Timberlake slid through a string of hits both new and old without sounding the slightest bit winded, as effortless as a kid sliding around in his socks on a slippery floor. JT’s gestures—smoothing his Mohawk, grabbing his crotch, tipping his fedora, tossing and twirling his mic—work seamlessly with his music. He popped, locked, and lept across the stage, played the guitar, piano, and keytar, flexed his falsetto, and flipped his middle finger to a handheld camcorder during a rocking, rousing rendition of “What Goes Around Comes Around.” The audience held up their end of the deal, and the squealing never stopped.

After a 20 minute intermission set DJed by producer extraordinaire Timbaland, a dapper Justin returned in khaki slacks and vest, a white button-down and sneakers, a fedora, and a handkerchief tucked in his back pocket. He and his matching back-up dancers looked like a hip hop version of Newsies as they performed “Rock Your Body,” “Last Night,” “”Damn Girl,” and “Summer Love” with choreography that was precise but loose. He dedicated the moving “Losing My Way” to “anybody who ever lost somebody they love” and beatboxed after an electrifying “Cry Me a River.” “If you’re freaky and you know it let me hear you make some noise!” Justin shouted as he opened the song of the moment, “LoveStoned” before sealing the deal with “SexyBack” amidst a lightning storm of laser lights. The screams were absolutely deafening when Timberlake returned for an encore. “I’m at a loss for words,” Justin said, sitting at the piano. “I’m so humbled by this moment. I can’t believe this is my job because this is so f***ing cool!” Then he stood and clapped for the crowd, before belting out the ballad “All Over Again (Another Song),” and saying “I love you guys, thank you, that’s all I’ve got!” during his bow. Timberlake may be all grown and sexy now, but the boy still has manners.

Justin Timberlake Announces Special Guests to His 2007 FutureSex/LoveShow World Tour: Fergie, Natasha Bedingfield, Kenna
(5/8/07) PR Newswire

Jive recording artist Justin Timberlake adds special guests to his 2007 FutureSex/LoveShow. Fergie, Natasha Bedingfield, and Kenna have been chosen to open on specific European dates of the wildly popular and critically well received 2007 FutureSex/LoveShow, which kicked off April 24 in Belfast, Ireland.

The 2007 FutureSex/LoveShow, which already includes an exceptional performance by mega-producer Timbaland, adds Kenna as the first of three special guests on May 8th in Birmingham. Kenna who arrived on the music scene with the highly praised album, New Sacred Cow, will open for Justin for six dates and finish his part of the tour on May 19th in Nottingham. Kenna is scheduled to release his latest effort, Make Sure They See My Face, later this summer. Natasha Bedingfield, who to date has sold over 6.1 million units worldwide of her #1 UK debut album Unwritten, takes over where Kenna left off and hits the stage for 21 dates. She will open up for Justin in Paris on May 22nd and will end her leg of the tour in Antwerp, Belgium on July 27th. Natasha's sophomore album N.B. was recently released in the UK. Rounding off the trio of hit making special guests is 3-time Grammy award winner and multi-platinum artist Fergie. Fergie's solo debut, The Dutchess, has spawned three #1 singles "Fergalicious", "London Bridge" and "Glamorous." Starting on July 1st in Dublin Fergie will take over opening duties for the tour and conclude on the final date of the 2007 FutureSex/LoveShow on July 10th in London.

Justin Timberlake has returned to perform in arenas in the UK and Europe. Justin Timberlake accompanied by a 14 piece band and back up dancers is performing in the round, bringing the intimate mood of his acclaimed Live Listening Sessions into the arena setting and essentially making every seat a great seat and creating the ultimate 360 degree multi-media viewing experience. All the latest tour information can be found at www.JustinTimberlakeFanClub.com.

The 6 million worldwide selling album, FutureSex/LoveSounds co-written and co-produced by Justin Timberlake, hit #1 on the Billboard charts in the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Australia, Singapore, Korea, and Malaysia and broke all digital album sales records. The fourth single, LoveStoned, is set to go to radio later this summer. Additional producers on the album include JAWBreakers, Timbaland and Rick Rubin.

Justin Timberlake Announces 2nd U.S. Leg of His 2007 FutureSex/LoveShow World Tour Kicking Off in His Hometown of 
Memphis, Tennessee
(3/27/07)

NEW YORK, March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Jive recording artist Justin
Timberlake has added additional dates to his critically lauded 2007
FutureSex/LoveShow. The tour powered by Verizon Wireless and sponsored in
part by Dell will return to North America with an additional 15 dates. The
2nd leg of the North American tour will kick off August 6th in Justin's
home state of Tennessee.

The 2nd leg of the North American tour is being promoted by AEG Live
and includes a special appearance by super producer Timbaland.

Those lucky to attend the show have been completely won over and the
critics agree.

The Los Angeles Times " ... The most supremely confident entertainer of
his generation ... "

    Entertainment Weekly "B+"

    Rolling Stone "****1/2"
    The Hollywood Reporter " ... Timberlake not only brought sexy back, he
brought it back with the promise of a bright future."
    Blender "***1/2"
    Billboard " ... 'FutureSex/LoveSounds' solidified his mega status. ...
Timberlake's a star."
    The Washington Post " ... last night at Verizon Center, it's anything
but quiet. We scream and we scream and we scream. ... It's the sound of the
crowd venerating a star at his zenith."
    The NY Daily News " ... At the Garden, the focus fell on the singer to
use his fluid vocals, forceful persona and fine dancing to carry the day.
He brought off all three ... "
    Up-close and personal Justin Timberlake accompanied by a 14 piece band
and back up dancers performs in the round and creates the ultimate 360
degree multi-media viewing experience. Further information and all the
latest tour details can be found at http://www.JustinTimberlakeFanClub.com.
    On-sale dates will be announced locally in each market and show dates are
as follows:

       Date              City                   Venue
     August-6         Memphis, TN             FedExForum
     August-7         Atlanta, GA              Gwinnett Center
     August-10        Boston, MA              TD Banknorth Garden
     August-13        East Rutherford, NJ   Continental Airlines Arena
     August-15        New York, NY           Madison Square Garden
     August-18        Montreal                  Bell Centre
     August-20        Toronto                   Air Canada Centre
     August-25        Winnipeg                  MTS Centre
     September-1     Las Vegas, NV          Mandalay Bay
     September-5     Vancouver               GM Place
     September-7     Portland, OR             Rose Garden
     September-8     Tacoma, WA            Tacoma Dome
     September-10    Sacramento, CA       ARCO Arena
     September-12    San Jose, CA           HP Pavilion
     September-16    Los Angeles, CA       Staples Center


    * All dates are subject to change.
    FutureSex/LoveSounds, co-written and co-produced by Justin Timberlake,
debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts and broke all digital album sales
records. To date it has sold close to six million copies worldwide.
Currently his FutureSex/LoveShow tour will end its initial North American
leg on March 29th at the Continental Arena in New Jersey. The European leg
of the tour begins on April 24 at Belfast, Ireland. U.S. fans can also
catch Justin on TV when he takes on hosting duties for the upcoming Kids
Choice Awards on March 31st.
    About AEG LIVE
    AEG LIVE, the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG, is
dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring
for a variety of programming and multi-media production. AEG LIVE, the
nation's second largest concert promotion and touring company is comprised
of special event, broadcast and exhibition divisions, eight regional
offices and numerous state of the art venues nationwide. The company's
national promotion arm is currently producing tours and productions
including Celine Dion A New Day ... Presented By Chrysler now appearing at
the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and "Tutankhamun and the
Golden Age of the Pharaohs," an international tour of the artifacts of King
Tut. Recent and upcoming promoted concert tours have included artists such
as Justin Timberlake, Bon Jovi, Prince, Christina Aguilera, Usher, Kenny
Chesney, Rod Stewart, Paul McCartney, Dixie Chicks, American Idols Live and
So You Think You Can Dance. Goldenvoice, the company's southern
California-based regional promotion division created and operates the award
winning annual Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. The company operates
Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie (Texas) and the Nokia Theatre Times Square,
a 2,100-seat concert venue in Times Square.

Justin's After-Party!
(3/18/07) Steph

Justin Timberlake mentioned at his sold out show that it’s been too long since he was in Nashville and that he would make it up to us. He did more than just that, at a late night after party!

Word must have spread that some of J.T.’s crew was heading to Layla Rul after the show, because the line stretched around the building (about a hundred deep). If you did get in, then you had to fight your way upstairs and for good reason!

Famed producer Timbaland took over the DJ booth, playing a slew of his finely crafted songs. Justin Timberlake made his way into the booth, that’s connected to the small VIP area. After observing the crowd for a few songs, he bashfully made his way to the mic while biting on a yellow cup. JT busted into My Love and Sexy Back. It was awesome!

People swarmed the dance floor with their camera phones. Justin began ducking down behind the DJ booth, making it hard to see him while singing. After his 10 minutes or so on the mic, Justin went back to his corner spot in the VIP. His crew, mostly his back-up dancers, was in tow. Justin even stood and danced a bit. Not your typical JT dance, but a little shaking of his shoulders to the beats.

I watched several girls leap over the VIP trying to get as close as possible to the sexy singer. It was crazy! A little fight broke out close-by. Through all the madness I saw John Rich, of Big & Rich, hanging in the VIP and eventually country singer Trent Tomlinson made his way over as well. A club employee said Sara Evans and a member of Rascal Flatts also tried to hang in the roped off area.

By three the club finally cleared out, but VIP stayed open an extra hour or so for Justin. About 20 of us hung until after 4 in the morning. I still feel like it was all a dream.

I heard he was headed in the studio today with Reba.

Nashville loves you Justin!

Lovesexy
(3/14/07) Nashville Scene thanks to Susan!

There’s no real trick in the centrifugal force of teen pop: catch the wave and hang on. But when the tide ebbs, the jagged rocks of the washout can provide a painful and inevitable awakening. When it’s over—even for the talented—usually the ride is done. But that’s what sets Justin Timberlake, a teen idol who evoked Michael Jackson’s moves and sweet R&B, apart.

Timberlake has done anything but. In a world of indulged excess, he refused to accept what could be easy, holding out for something more credible. In keeping with cultural kinetics, he emerges as sexy—back, front and center.

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
(3/7/07)  Star-Telegram 

Red-hot Justin Timberlake woos the crowd

DALLAS -- Love was for sale Monday night at the American Airlines Center.

It wasn't the only thing being bought and sold, of course. Kiosks hawked laptops and glowing necklaces, posters and T-shirts. Justin Timberlake is a one-man orgy of marketing, synergy and cross-promotion.

Ceaseless shilling is a comfortable fit for Timberlake, whose FutureSex/LoveShow tour is less about delivering the hits and more about creating and sustaining a mood, which in this case was something like hanging out in a mall that looks and feels an awful lot like an exclusive club.

There was an undeniable hormonal charge in the air, as thousands of desperate housewives (and their daughters) crammed the arena, hoping to glimpse Timberlake's grinning, limber frame popping and locking all over the circular stage. It was an awkward attempt on Timberlake's part to bring as much of the audience as close as he could; the rising and falling scrims didn't heighten the drama so much as they obscured the view.

But that voice: Piercing, soaring and darting around hits new (What Goes Around ... Comes Around; My Love) and old (Senorita, Like I Love You), Timberlake played the role of good-time guy, downing shots of Patron, giving shout-outs to his family and racing around the stage like an athletic Casanova. So involved and frenzied was the crowd that if he had suggested secession, the roaring fans probably would have set up shop inside the arena.

Sizzling-hot producer-of-the-moment Timbaland swung by to spin some tunes during the 20-minute "intermission." Most of his selections consisted of chopped-up Top 40 hits (Over My Head, Since U Been Gone) and smashes in which he has had a hand (Say It Right, Promiscuous). Interesting, sure, but a definite momentum-killer that sapped the Timberlake-generated mania.

Pink's opening set revealed soul that is all too often obscured by sass in her studio work; from the oh-so-ironic Stupid Girls to the genuinely penetrating Dear Mr. President, this punk-pop descendant of Pat Benatar indulged in a little introspection but mostly kept the energy level high during her too-brief stay.

GRADE: B+

Timberlake sheds boy-band fluff
(2/19/07) The Buffalo News (Thanks Susan!)

Justin Timberlake made a name for himself as leader of a boy-band. Since fleeing *NSYNC, he's been trying to re-create himself as a serious modern R&B artist, his own generation's Prince.

Sunday evening, before an ecstatic HSBC Arena crowd, Timberlake made some serious strides toward the credibility often denied to former teen sensations. His performance, and that of his incredible band, was astounding, on both musical and sheer entertainment levels.

Newsflash: Timberlake is a hit with the ladies - regardless of their age, apparently. Sunday's show found everyone from preteens to middle-aged moms joining in the screaming.

The men seemed to dig it too, and teen boys dressed like their idol - sweater, tie, cocked fedora, well-maintained razor-stubble - acquiescent husbands, and even a few members of the Buffalo Sabres, succumbed to Timberlake's charm. Most of the beautifully choreographed show - presented in the round - revolved around Timberlake's "FutureSex/LoveSounds" record.

Unlike so many of his top 40 hip-hop/pop/R&B contemporaries, Timberlake has surrounded himself with some serious players and singers, and every ounce of soul that emanated from the estimable PA was fully earned, played and sung in real-time.

Timberlake is a great dancer, whose moves, happily, display a levity and sense of humor that makes them much more enjoyable than the narcissistic burlesque of much modern hip-hop.

But he's a singer first and foremost, and he sang the hell out of the "FutureSex" material Sunday, whether indulging in rapid-fire hip-hop phrasing, luxuriating in an incredible falsetto, or massaging the long, liquid notes during some quite well-composed ballads.

The show opened with an audio montage of "FutureSex/LoveSounds," and while Timberlake and band appeared as shadows behind magnificent scrims, the crowd's anticipatory screaming sounded like a jet taking off. When the screens dropped, Timberlake dove headlong into his performance, mixing choreographed moves performed in tandem with his dancers, and impromptu dashes from one side of the stage to the other, all the while singing strongly, perfectly in tune, and with considerable soul.

"Like I Love You" and "My Love" followed, and the wonderful funk-soul blend of Timberlake's band became apparent. This was not the soulless, plastic, prefabricated computer-funk that permeates modern R&B, but rather, a fluid, organic and dynamic performance blending old-school funk, straight radio pop and dance music.

Timberlake fully invests himself in ballads, and "Until the End of Time," which found him seated at the piano - yes, he was really playing it, not employing it as a mere prop, and he could be heard clearly in the mix, which was excellent throughout the show - was a highlight of the evening.

"What Goes Around," an epic pop ballad/kiss-off, was pretty close to transcendent, Timberlake's piano figure and the lush, layered harmony vocals conspiring to create a baroque slab of pop music.

Pink opened the show with a well-received set of punk-edged pop tunes, and she too was excellent.

Like Timberlake, Pink surrounded herself with a top-notch band, and freely crossed genre-lines throughout her show. There was jittery punk-pop ("Trouble"), a folk protest song (the excellent, incisive "Dear Mr. President"), grandiose rock balladry ("Family Portrait"), and straight-up club jams (the "Get the Party Started/Sweet Dreams Are Made of This" medley, during which Pink performed a sort of trapeze act dangling high above the stage).

The whole evening suggested that contemporary top 40 pop need not be redundant, soulless and lacking in imagination. Timberlake and Pink both celebrated the timeless art of the sugary pop song - catchy, not too deep, but delivered with real passion.

Both their performances also acknowledged the benefit of working with fantastic musicians and singers, avoiding lip-synching and relying too heavily on preprogrammed beats, and letting the soul shine through.

A wonderful night, from start to finish.

Timberlake brings some substance to the spectacle
(2/7/07) The Boston Globe

While the rest of the world was wondering how Justin Timberlake would ever choose between Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Biel, Timberlake was making every effort to persuade 18,135 fans in Boston that he deserved the tabloid attention.

Grand spectacle was the goal and classy was the guiding principle last night: Timberlake wore a three-piece suit, and his male singers dressed in similar Cotton Club attire. The female vocalists were draped in cocktail dresses and a small army of dancers -- they came, brilliantly, in all sizes and shapes -- were tasteful to a T.

Timberlake's was arguably the most elaborate concert set ever erected at the Garden. A winding series of performance spaces connected by staircases filled much of the arena floor, with band members situated on both sides of the structure. Massive, semi-circular scrims encased pieces of the stage, doubling as gauzy video screens during the two-and-a-half-hour show.

In concept, the production was exceptionally artful and inventive. In reality, for big chunks of the performance, the star was half-hidden by his own image, blown up on a screen.

At first, the concert's size and scope was thrilling. After a while though, the absence of a focal point and the endless relocating became a distraction. The minute you got Timberlake in your sights, he was gone.

It was a classic case of overkill, and it's too bad because Timberlake never quite had the chance to command the stage with his gorgeous, fluid dancing and spotless singing. Still, he careened valiantly through every song on last year's "FutureSex/LoveSounds," several tracks from his 2002 solo debut "Justified," and half of an 'N Sync tune ("Gone") for old time's sake.

Realizing there was no chance of transposing the wicked sharp edges and complicated layers of the studio recordings to the stage, Timberlake -- who proved himself a capable guitarist and pianist -- and a large stable of support players substituted a rumbling, gargantuan sound mix.

Timberlake made another conceptual misstep bringing his producer Timbaland on tour. It sounds great on paper and no one can blame the behind-the-scenes superstar for craving a corner of the spotlight, but Timbaland's heavy-handed, 20-minute DJ set was a mid-concert buzz kill.

By contrast, Pink opened the show with a smart, funny, joyful handful of pop-rock tunes -- and a memorable lesson in just how gratifying a simple song and dance can be.

Air Canada Centre, Toronto
(1/31/07) Jane Stevenson for the Toronto Sun

TORONTO - Justin Timberlake brought sexy back last night, and then some, during a sold-out show at the Air Canada Centre.

The former member of ’90s boy band NSYNC, who has carved out a formidable solo career which apexed last year with the omniprescent hit, SexyBack, thrilled more than 19,000 screaming, mostly female, fans with a dance-happy, at times sexy, two-hour-plus performance.

The boy — actually he turns 26 years old today — can move, and like a modern-day Fred Astaire no less.

Timberlake first appeared on his enormous, in-the-round stage behind semi-circular transparent white screens that eventually rolled up to fully reveal him dressed in a black suit, tie and sneakers.

“I guess I don’t have to tell you this is our first FutureSex/Love Sounds show in Canada,” said Timberlake, after discarding his blazer and rolling up his sleeves to play keyboards on the fourth song of the night, Senorita, from his 2002 solo debut, Justified.

Timberlake then further endeared himself to his already smitten fans by singing the opening of the Canadian national anthem, before downing a shot of tequila with his band.

“Please don’t try that at home,” he said, laughing.

The multi-talented pop star — he has already proven he can act in the drama Alpha Dog currently in theatres, and is a deft comedian for anyone who saw him host Saturday Night Live and perform the boy band sendup music video, D--k In A Box, which became a YouTube.com phenomenon — is clearly at the top of his game.

Timberlake’s sophomore solo effort, 2006’s FutureSex/LoveSounds, has been nominated for four Grammys, including best album, and he’ll also perform on the Feb. 11 show in L.A. with a yet-to-be named contest winner.

Last night, he was joined by as many as a dozen dancers during the second song, Like I Love You, from Justified, and the emphasis was on super-glossy high production throughout the night with those transparent white screens often descending to act as projection screens for various images and laser lights.

But it was when the spotlight shone solely on Timberlake — like when he got down on his knees during a portable keyboard solo in the middle of Sexy Ladies, played an upright piano during the ballads Until The End Of Time, What Goes Around and the show ending (Another Song) All Over Again, or sang his heart out during the Britney breakup song, Cry Me A River, that the singer truly excelled.

He also took a 10-minute intermission for a quick change into some grey pants, a black fedora and white runners, allowing his FutureSex/LoveSounds producer Timbaland to spin some tunes — including a couple by Canadian NellyFurtado. Timbaland also joined Timberlake for Chop Me Up in the show’s first half and SexyBack in the second half.

Opening last night for Timberlake was fellow top-notch pop purveyor Pink, who played to a much smaller crowd when she headlined her own sold-out show at Kool Haus last July.

The 27-year-old, big-voiced singer with the eye-catching short blond hair, black-and-gold, gladiator-inspired mini-dress and black suede boots, kicked off her 45-minute set with Cuz’ I Can from her 2006 album, I’m Not Dead.

A rambunctious performer, Pink took full advantage of Timberlake’s stadium-size stage running back and forth while playing up her 2006 hit, Stupid Girlz, with her two female singers and two female dancers dressed up as Hollywood bimbos a la Paris Hilton.

Other highlights included new songs like Who Knew, You And Your Hand, Dear Mr. President and older tunes Just Like A Pill, Family Portrait, and Don’t Let Me Get Me, the latter three from her 2001 breakthrough disc, M!zunderstood.

But it was her hit from that album, Get The Party Started, which morphed into The Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams about halfway through, that was the biggest crowd-pleaser.

Pink — a former gymnast — stripped down to a gold-trimmed black bathing suit and dangled upside down and twirled around on a pink swing like an old Cirque du Soleil pro.

Smooth operator shines
(1/18/06) Kevin W. Smith for Arizona Daily Star

GLENDALE — If every generation gets the pop idol it deserves, 2007 could do a lot worse than Justin Timberlake.

The yuppie King of Pop enthralls Glendale crowd with catchy tunes, flashy sets and sexy showmanship.

With his cheesy boy-band days in the rearview, Timberlake is now the yuppie King of Pop: Dressed in designer suits, he makes incredibly catchy and digestible tunes for those in their 20s and 30s with disposable income.

Which was largely the kind of audience that spent up to $150 to attend his FutureSex/LoveShow Sunday night at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, though predictably skewed toward the female demographic.

When giant, transparent video screens dropped down from the ceiling and surrounded the center-positioned stage, fans exploded like thousands of cheerleaders with the championship on the line.

Soon, Timberlake, dressed in a gray three-piece suit, black shirt, white tie and shoes, appeared alone at the microphone like a major-label messiah for the opener "FutureSex/ LoveSound."

The audience's enthusiasm was, well, justified. This wasn't just a concert; it was an event. Homemade signs and T-shirts with lyrics and clever phrases like "Sexy never left" could be seen in the crowd, and mere in-between-song banter from Timberlake left many only able to respond with deafening, Beatle-mania shrieks.

"Did you come to have a good time tonight?" Timberlake coyly asked to ear-devouring screams from the 17,000 or so fans on hand.

That's the reaction you receive, apparently, when you're a 25-year-old recent bachelor who begins many song verses with the word "girl" and who can manage intricate dance routines with the same level of concentration many of us use to make a pot of coffee in the morning.

Impressive and silky-voiced, Timberlake spent most of the show's first half firing off hits from his triple-platinum debut album, "Justified," and 2006's "FutureSex/LoveSound," accompanied by a live band and 15 or so dancers and backup singers.

Of his new material, "My Love" and "Sexy Ladies" were early highlights, but the show skyrocketed when hip-hop super-producer Timbaland — basically half the genius behind Timberlake's music — came out to perform his verse during "Chop Me Up."

When the song was over, Timberlake left the stage, and Timbaland, with a friend and a DJ, entranced the audience with an intermission extravaganza that turned the arena into the largest dance club in the state. There were video clips ranging from cartoon monkeys to horror movies set to a soundtrack consisting of a mix of organ-driven instrumental on-the-spot beats and well-known Timbaland-produced hits like Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin' " and Missy Elliot's "Work It."

Timberlake came back out to run and dance around the stage among multicolored lasers, fog and outstretched arms to smashes like "Rock Your Body" and "Cry Me a River."

Just prior to the undeniable closer "Sexy Back," though, Timberlake's lesser-known material seemed to be wearing thin. Luckily, songs like "Damn Girl" were dressed up well with large, choreographed dance numbers and girls in lingerie.

Likewise, music is only part of what makes a true pop star.

Sunday night, Timberlake proved you also need looks, personality, moves, the ability to jam out on guitar, piano and Keytar, and the appeal to effortlessly pull thousands into an arena in Glendale.

"That's all I got," Timberlake said modestly, motioning his hands apart after the encore "(Another Song) All Over Again."

A show like this means you don't need a famous girlfriend
(1/13/07) Aidin Viziri for San Francisco Chronicle (Thanks Susan!!)

Justin Timberlake picked a great week to let the world know that he kicked his girlfriend of three years to the curb. With the launch of his extensive "FutureSex/LoveSounds" tour and release of his feature film, "Alpha Dog," he's got all the action he can handle.

Better still, as the former boy-band star belted out all his great tear-jerking love songs, like "Losing My Way" and "Cry Me a River," to a packed house at the HP Pavilion in San Jose on Thursday, he came face-to-face with something like 15,000 women (and men) who appeared more than willing to offer up personal consolation.

In entertainment terms, the two-hour-plus show was basically flawless. Timberlake could have walked out wearing an eye patch with a hobo sack hanging over his left shoulder and still knocked everyone out with that seductive falsetto and those perfectly choreographed knee bends.

But he left nothing to chance. There was an enormous in-the-round stage with lasers shooting out of it, half-naked dancers hanging off all corners, dueling live bands on either side, burly back-up singers hovering over the crowd, even a virtual orchestra and gospel choir beamed onto the massive curtains suspended above his head. All that was missing was a unicorn pulling a golden chariot full of rose petals.

Just in case that didn't cover it, Timberlake proved the law of physics that a superstar in motion stays in motion. Sprinting from one end of the floor to the other, he was a tireless showman, pausing only for impressive stints behind the piano, guitar and, yes, the wildly maligned keytar. He even sang a snippet of the Commodores' "Easy" to make all the parents checking their watches in the back jump up and down for a little bit.

Dressed in a gray three-piece suit, Timberlake knocked out an extraordinary procession of hits early in the evening ("Like I Love You," "My Love," "Senorita") and seemed to have plenty more to dish out after he slipped into something a little more comfortable ("Rock Your Body," "Damn Girl," 'N Sync's "Gone"). It was kind of hard to believe he covered so much ground with just two solo albums. Then again, anyone smart enough to take what Prince, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder were doing back in the day and put a modern twist on it is bound to surprise (and sell billions).

When he needed a breather midway through the night, he trotted out hip-hop producer Timbaland, who for 15 minutes turned the whole place into a bumping nightclub by cutting up hits by Coldplay and Nelly Furtado before returning at the end of the set to join Timberlake for a triumphant version of "SexyBack."

Every beat came with a ridiculously awesome dance move. Every hip gyration was inevitably met with a crush of hands reaching up from the foot of whichever side of the stage Timberlake happened to float toward. Every lyric was drowned out by shrieks of "Justin! Justin! Justin!"

Yeah, it's going to take him about 17 nanoseconds to get over Cameron.

Justin Timberlake cribs from Prince, Jackson
Paul Gargano for Yahoo! News (Thanks to Susan for JFEorg)

ANAHEIM, California (Hollywood Reporter) - Somewhere between 'N Sync and this week's launch of his 2007 FutureSex/LoveShow tour, Justin Timberlake made the transition from boy band to a man with his own band, paying homage as a fan. Judging from the second stop on the world tour Tuesday night in Anaheim, it's an evolution that serves him well, and one that his fans don't seem to mind one bit.

That is, if the bulk of the sold-out Honda Center even realized that most of what their hero delivered has been done before, most notably -- and often obviously -- by the likes of Prince and Michael Jackson.

Early in the 140-minute set, "Sexy Ladies" and "Until the End of Time" were strung back-to-back like an homage to "Gett Off" and the title track from Prince's 1991 release "Diamonds and Pearls." While it's easy to run aground when following so close to the heels of a legend, Timberlake delivered the duo respectfully. Rather than play to ego, he played to the seven-piece band that accompanied him throughout the night -- his answer to the Purple One's New Power Generation -- and was joined by nine dancers and four backing singers. Solo superstar that he has become, Timberlake was never alone in the spotlight for too long, and the conservative approach played to his strengths.

His falsetto never hit the shrieking wail that much of the predominantly suburban crowd unleashed during the night, but its touch still didn't help "My Love." Instead, the set's high points came when JT let his smooth Southern soul mingle with the colorful hues of rhythm and blues.

"Losing My Way" and "Cry Me a River" were successive ballads offered with an epic flair, the first featuring Timberlake alone at a piano at the center of the in-the-round stage. Canopied for the song, the curtains that surrounded him featured video footage of an orchestra and gospel choir, a subtle touch that spoke volumes: Timberlake's not afraid to let the songs shine brighter than his star.

The dancers returned on "River," the choreography as tasteful as it was throughout the night, while still adding significantly to the show. While it was easy to see splashes of Jackson's moves on "Rock Your Body" and "Summer Love," they never stole the focus, as Timberlake's dancing was never more than an accent. The vocal highlight of the night came in a medley, his former band's "Gone" blending into the soft, soothing croon of "Take it From Here," allowing for a brief segue through the Commodores' "Easy" and into the Stevie Wonder-sounding "Last Night."

But it was new album "FutureSex/LoveSounds" that made the biggest impact, played in its entirety throughout the night. Rapper-producer Timbaland joined Timberlake for "Chop Me Up," then stayed onstage for a 30-minute DJ set/mash-up (accompanied by Timberlake on keyboards) that featured a bevy of today's hits and classic tracks.

The obvious highlight, though, was "SexyBack," which closed the main set and showed the potential of Timberlake's future, melding his suave confidence and soulful style with a techno pulse and steady backbeat that -- along with the new album's title track, which opened the set, and "Love Stoned" -- demonstrated that there might be more to this former boy band standout than meets the eye.

Timberlake not only brought sexy back, he brought it back with the promise of a bright future.

Justin Timberlake rocks his body at the Honda Center
Ann Powers for the LA Times (Thanks to Susan for JFEorg)

A Justin Timberlake fan displayed inappropriate behavior Tuesday at the Honda Center in Anaheim. During the "SexyBack" singer's new arena show, which hits Staples Center next week, she tossed a cowboy hat onstage. Timberlake, grooving and popping his way through his 2003 hit "Rock Your Body," glanced sideways at the chapeau — and kept on dancing. Bono or Kelly Clarkson or even Timberlake's pal Timbaland might have donned the hat, to the screaming delight of fans. But Timberlake is not that kind of pop star.

The most supremely confident entertainer of his generation, Timberlake reaffirmed his focus with this musical decathlon. It's all about gesture: Timberlake's perfect vocabulary of shrugs, hip shakes and sneaky turns form a language of passion and pleasure that parallels music's own transcendent expressiveness. Dressed in a Broadway hoofer's unstuffy suit and loose tie, he sang beautifully throughout Tuesday's very long show, and played guitar and keyboards. But mostly, he danced. And his body's eloquence was boundless.

After a set by Pink in which the gutsy singer displayed some high-flying Cirque du Soleil-style moves of her own, Timberlake, surrounded by his band and a loose troupe of dancers, offered a quick hello and set forth into perpetual motion. Alone onstage during "My Love," he moved his arms and head rhythmically, creating a physical image of the human beatbox sounds he loves to make; then he jerked his torso as if he were a turntable manipulated by a scratching DJ. Instead of dancing just to bump up the energy of his show or to display his hot physique, he aligns dance and music so closely that they become a full-body art.

Like the tap dancers and soft-shoe masters he emulates, Timberlake feels music deep in his limbs: seeing him perform most of the tracks from the nervy 2006 album "FutureSex / LoveSounds" in ever-shifting tableaux of dancers (and dancing band members) reinforced how much these rhythmically dense, incantatory songs are born from Timberlake's impulse to move.

For him, emotion is physical first, then it emanates to his voice, and he approaches all aspects of his art with economy and great care. It's no coincidence that he's obsessed with the percussive vocal technique of beatboxing. Even when playing keyboards, which he often did, Timberlake swayed and tapped the keys with a light, percussive touch that propelled his singing.

A circular stage with several trapdoors and a revolving center kept Timberlake circulating even when he sat down to play or stood still to focus on a ballad. Laser lights shot into the crowd; rising and falling scrims captured video images, sometimes enclosing Timberlake and his band entirely so they seemed to be projections themselves. (A screen orchestra "accompanied" Timberlake on one song; during another, he taped himself with a tiny handheld camera, the scrims filling with his huge, distorted mug.) The constant motion was in startling contrast to the usual tired skits and costume changes of arena pop. Sometimes a plot line would surface, as when two showgirls teased Timberlake while he sang "Damn Girl," but the main focus — grace, both musical and corporeal — always returned.

For all of its star's suppleness, the show had some flab. Timbaland, the production mastermind behind Timberlake's best music, made some cameos and helmed a bumping DJ set, but it lasted too long. Following it with a subdued medley of older hits, Timberlake dampened the mood. Only the undeniable "Cry Me a River" resuscitated the evening.

Timberlake could refine these excesses, or he might find that audiences like the overkill. In Anaheim, the fans turned a sterile arena into a nightclub, showing off their own best gestures. They weren't quite up to Timberlake's level, but a few could really shake their hips.

Some love for the ladies
(1/9/07) Ben Wener for OC Register, via JFEorg

Review: The men don't know but the little girls understand: Justin Timberlake is a supreme entertainer.

Three hours from Fullerton to San Diego in rush-hour traffic on Elvis' birthday, and from a passing femme-stuffed SUV with its windows down the first thing we hear when we step out of our car is this: "Are those guys really going to this show?"

Yes. Yes, we are.

I'm the one in the Midnight Diablo shirt with skulls on it. Desert Jeff is in a custom-made navy-blue job that screams: "DOWN FOR WHATEVA."

When we enter the ipayOne Center at the Sports Arena – where a little more than an hour later Justin Timberlake will unveil his hotly anticipated, hugely entertaining new pop spectacle before a squealing capacity crowd – we realize that the ratio of women to men here is at least 25-to-1.

That figure may be a gross underestimate, actually. The only other guys we spot, rare like polar bears in Hawaii, seem to fall into two groups. There are those dragged here by girlfriends or wives, all of whom surely stopped paying attention to them once the real object of their desire emerged. And there are those who are very openly gay, like the overcome man-fan directly across the arena from me, whose homemade white T declared "I {hearts} JT."

Just how many women were here? Once the line to get into the ladies' room after Pink's acrobatic opening set snaked back some 75 dolled-up hotties of every age, those at the end of the queue realized they were standing at the entrance of the men's room. So they simply claimed those stalls, too.

A clear indication that Justin Timberlake is nothing more than the '00s reigning heartthrob, right? Maybe.

But his new tour – which plays Honda Center in Anaheim tonight and stops at Staples Center in L.A. on Jan. 16 – is proof that the guy is also a supreme entertainer. His show is one of the most enticing, infectious doses of live joy a male pop performer has unleashed on wide-eyed and wanton women since the '80s heyday of Prince, Michael Jackson and George Michael.

To be sure, it ain't Prince circa "Purple Rain," even if the buzz in the air at the Sports Arena felt the same as what I remember of the Forum in '84. It isn't the equivalent of Jacko's prime, either, if only because this sprawl isn't so groundbreaking; Timberlake has an arsenal of slippery-sharp moves at his disposal, but just as his marvelously soulful falsetto is learned from MJ (and Prince), so are many of his dance steps.

That said, he's got much more to offer than George Michael did at the time of "Faith" – for starters, his tunes are far more robust and danceable. After a while, I found myself clapping and unself-consciously grooving – something that has never happened when I've witnessed JT contemporaries like Usher and Maroon 5.

Partly what makes Timberlake so winning, of course, is his charm and charisma, and how skillfully, sometimes unsuspectingly he unleashes both on his audience. Working his way across every inch of a magnificent in-the-round stage that grants an up-close experience for those positioned either at center ice or at the goal-ends of the arena, Timberlake was positively commanding from the opening "FutureSex/LoveSound" through the closing "SexyBack."

It was difficult to take your eyes off him, clad first in an all-white three-piece suit, in black uptown-noir get-up for the show's second half and all class throughout – no cheap shirt-removing, abs-flexing maneuvers here. Even when he wasn't in motion, however, plopped instead center-stage at an upright piano and bringing his superb band of urban-soul experts in tight for ballads or the furious acoustic-guitar strum of "Like I Love You," he remained a compelling presence.

He exhibited the masterly control of a seasoned pro – which in some regards he is. And he was easily capable of achieving that difficult feat of capturing intimacy in such a vast space.

What's more, his tunes – and the organic execution of them live – are a cut above other pop ditties these days. It was highly satisfying to discover that the lessons learned during JT's eye-opening club tour last year haven't been discarded. Clearly that was just a means of honing his and his band's chops, to get these jams in the pocket before adding a team of dancers to shimmy through them. (And about those quick-steppers: How refreshing to see curvaceous female performers, not the buffed-up size-1 sticks that have become the norm.)

The show, I must say, is not perfect. Every cut from "FutureSex/LoveSounds" – and he tackled nearly all of 'em – sounded stronger than it did on record, with "Love Stoned" and the Prince-ly "Damn Girl" wowing most. But Timberlake still doesn't have enough first-rate material to justify a two-hour-plus extravaganza, no matter how dazzlingly presented.

And though it's nice he has Timbaland along for cameos, giving the producer 20 minutes to doodle as an intermission quickly grew intolerable. A swifter package would have cut Timba's time in half, kept him to a medley of his biggest hits (including much more Missy Elliott), excised two or three JT tunes and had the show clock in at about 100 minutes.

I also wonder if at times some attendees found the gargantuan skrims raised and lowered throughout the set to be a nuisance. At center-ice, they were wonderful accoutrements, with JT's babyface plastered across them. From other angles, however, it appeared that they blotted out the real thing.

But those are minor quibbles about an otherwise consummate entertainment, one of the best pop displays this decade, with only Madonna's more thought-provoking grandiosities topping it. It's a shame, frankly, that so many stereotypical guys can't see past the girlishness of digging Timberlake and enjoy him for more than a (great) crude joke on "Saturday Night Live."

With this album and show, he's leapt to a whole new level of excitement that goes far beyond gender lines. This is the tour that will solidify his reputation as one of his generation's greats.

And, really, if a single guy can't score at one of his gigs, well, he's just not trying.

JT Concert: Behind The Scenes
(1/7/07) Susan for JFEorg, NBC San Diego

What's Hot in San Diego went behind-the-scenes as crews built the stage for "FutureSexLoveShow". It's the first time Timberlake's fans get to see the stage for the singer's world tour.

The show is scheduled to begin 7:30 p.m. Monday at the iPayOne Center at Sports Arena.

Johnny Wright, Timberlake's music manager and one of the tour's producers met What's Hot at the arena Friday and gave us an inside look at preps.

Wright said the planning for the tour started several months ago.

"Justin did a handful of shows in small intimate clubs over the summer," said Wright. "We needed to figure out a way to make the shows intimate but keep the big production value."

The stage setup includes a new style of stage-side seats giving some audience members the chance to get close enough to touch Timberlake.

"People want to be in the center of the action," said Wright. "Wey've created true nightclub bars where people can sit and get a drink. It's one of the hottest tickets if you want to be close to the action."

Wright even hinted about the performance expected Monday night.

"Justin might even decide to do a little dance across the bar," said Wright.

The "FutureSexLoveShow" includes a 14-piece band and 9 dancers but the stage is also part of the act. "The stage itself does movement," said Wright. "The stage itself is a performer."

Wright said the stage design originally eliminated some seats. Now that the stage is in, some seats that were previously not available went on sale Friday afternoon.

The singer and crew are excited about launch.

"It's the first time we've been on an arena tour in 4 years. The last time that we toured was on the "Justified Stripped Tour" which was a co-headlining tour with Christina Aguilera," said Wright. "So this is the first time Justin actually has mounted his own arena tour."

"It's 100 shows around the world and it's selling like crazy," he said.

Pink is Timberlake's special guest Monday night.

Tickets are $85 - $95 at the iPayOne Center at Sports Arena box office.