Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for Live Nation
Justin Timberlake performs on a floating stage during “The Forget Tomorrow” world tour’s opening night, April 29, 2024, at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. Timberlake brought his tour to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Friday and Saturday, May 10 and 11, 2024.
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 | 2 a.m.
Performing high above the crowd isn’t a new phenomenon on the concert circuit, and certainly not in Las Vegas.
Pink has made doing aerial stunts while singing an integral part of her concerts.
At his residency at Resorts World Theater, Luke Bryan performed his finale on an elevated catwalk that rises high enough that fans sitting in the top level of the venue can almost look him in the eye.
At her concert last October at T-Mobile Arena, Sza took to a lifeboat that “sailed” above the arena floor for part of her show.
And way back in 2016, Kanye West performed during his “St. Pablo Tour” on a one-of-a-kind stage that hovered above the audience at T-Mobile.
But this weekend, Justin Timberlake literally topped them all during his “The Forget Tomorrow” world tour with his “floating” stage in performance Friday and Saturday at T-Mobile.
The floating stage literally was a show-stopper. The singer-songwriter-actor, whose foray in the entertainment business began as an 11-year-old on the old “Star Search” television show, appeared on the stage above the sold-out audience during his 28th and final song of the night, “Mirrors.” During the ode to his grandparents’ love for each other and his love for his wife, Jessica Biel, Timberlake — held safe by wires attached to a harness at his waist and feet secured by straps to the deck — rode the stage as it progressed above the crowd, turning from side to side in the arena. Toward the end of the song, as if bowing to the audience below, the stage angled forward in a way that tipped Timberlake — his head extended well in front of his feet — almost onto the audience below.
The monolithic slab — maybe four stories tall and 20 feet wide — began the night as part of the main backdrop on stage. It later moved out from its original position just behind the singer at center stage, displaying various graphic designs and images of the singer. Later, it was lowered to where it hovered over Timberlake and his coterie of dancers as they moved through a song.
As splendiferous as the final act was, the rest of the show was equal to the task.
Timberlake — he of “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” “Saturday Night Live” and Super Bowl halftime fame, along with being a key former member of the 1990s’ boy band NSYNC — energized the audience throughout the evening. He sang and danced through 11 songs, including the dance-friendly “Infinity Sex” and lovelorn “Drown,” off of his sixth and latest studio album, “Everything I Thought It Was,” which he released in March.
He also performed a slew of his older hits, including “Sexy Back,” “Cry Me A River,” and “Senorita.”
Midway through the concert he made his way through the audience to a smaller stage at the back of the arena floor, where he performed eight songs, including acoustic versions of “Selfish,” the debut single off “Everything I Thought It Was,” and “What Goes Around … Comes Around” from his “FutureSex/LoveSounds” album released in 2006.
Of course, the night also included “Can’t Stop the Feeling!/Good Times,” which the younger crowd best knows from the hit “Trolls” movie franchise.
Timberlake awed the crowd when he gave a shoutout and belated happy birthday wish to his former NSYNC mate Lance Bass, who was in the audience Friday with his husband.
While rumors of an NSYNC reunion continue to gather steam, these nights are all about Timberlake. And he was over the top.
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