As I was preparing to cover the Justin Timberlake concert on July 4 at Hersheypark Stadium, I began to wonder what the audience would be like.
Not the size of the crowd - I expected the stadium to sell nearly all of the available seats, and it looked like they came awfully close to doing just that. I was wondering more about the age of those attending.
Timberlake’s rise as the breakout member of the pop group NSYNC happened back when I was in high school. But is he still relevant as a pop star for young people in a world with Harry Styles and Bruno Mars? Or was Timberlake now more of a throwback act for millennials to enjoy?
The answer I found those questions was, in a word, “yes.” There were plenty of Gen Z audience members too, and even Gen Alpha kids - I saw one young lady posing for photos with a “In My 1st Concert Era” poster,
And when Timberlake made his entrance at the top of the show with “No Angels,” the crowd exploded.
READ MORE: Justin Timberlake to perform in Hershey despite arrest, controversy. Here’s the latest
He proceeded put on a show that millennial fans - “day ones” who grew up with his music - would come to expect from one of pop music’s crown princes. His Michael Jackson-style crotch grab during “Like I Love You” got just as many cheers as his fawning bows to the audience in appreciation.
Heck, even when he made a heart shape with his hands, he did it both the traditional way and the Gen Z way. (If you don’t know the difference, ask your kids.)
Timberlake’s performance was energetic and fast-moving, and he delivered a tight two-hour set filled with plenty of dance breaks that his fans have come to expect from over two decades of music videos.
While we had fortunately dodged a thunderstorm, it was still quite a humid night, so it wasn’t long before the singer was drenched in sweat.
“It’s hot,” Timberlake said, wiping at his brow. “Whoo, it’s hot! But y’all look good tonight! Ready to celebrate this weekend?”
Anyone who can manage to sing and dance like he did is already an impressive showman. But being able to do all that on a muggy July night, and also stay personable and charming throughout, is why Timberlake became a star in the first place.
And it was a pleasant surprise to find that his backing band, the Tennessee Kids, were a big part of the show. Dancing is common in pop music, but there’s nothing like dancing to a live brass band. And their presence, along with the backup dancers, gave the show surprisingly relaxed and friendly feel - far less prurient than I might have thought, considering that Timberlake is known for songs like “SexyBack” from the album “FutureSex/LoveSounds.”
But of course, love the subject matter of pretty much all of Timberlake’s work.
“Where all my singles at?” he asked the crowd, before dedicating her performance of “Sanctified” to the couples in attendance. “Yeah? The night is young. You never know! you might find love tonight.”
Another of Timberlake’s strengths is in deftly transitioning from pure dance-pop to tracks infused with a bit of funk, gospel or disco. He was just as comfortable strutting and dancing during “Summer Love” as he was picking up a guitar for a mellow rendition of “Selfish.”
But whatever your preference of style or genre, there’s no denying that songs like “Suit & Tie” and “Can’t Fight the Feeling!” are just fun to listen to, and nearly impossible to not dance along with. That’s why Justin Timberlake is still selling out stadiums, to audiences of all ages.
In addition to pausing the show and thanking veterans between songs, the pop star closed out his show with “Mirrors,” complete with fireworks from behind the stage for the full Independence Day experience.
“Thank you Hershey!” he said on his way out. “Love you so much!”
from "sexy" - Google News https://ift.tt/2uAOB9c
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment