I’ve been looking forward to see Justin Timberlake again for months. I knew that the show would be one of the concert highlights this year. I didn’t want to see, read or hear anything about it and I was right to do it. The show blew me away!
Justin Timberlake performed at the Super Bowl Half time show this year so I knew a tour was soon to be announced. Little did I know that it would already be in August this year that I get to see him again. Unfortunately due to the high ticket prices the show wasn’t sold out unlike in any other country so he only performed once in Zurich and enjoyed his free time golfing π
But first things first. Justin Timberlake is smart. He wants the people to have a great time at his gig and he wants them to be in a party mood before he even comes on. So he’s got a DJ with him who’s warming up the crowd! I loved the song choices especially when Ed Sheeran‘s “Shape of you” came on. Soooo many memories haha The party cooled down a little while his support Bazzi took the stage – a Justin-wannabe in the making… But hey, you kinda need a break before the big party starts right?! Because you don’t want to be pulling a hamstring while you go low low low low π
Let’s get this party started
I had this vision of Justin Timberlake’s show and I was sooo excited to see if I was right or not. To me “Filthy” was the best way to start the Man of the Woods tour and luckily Justin agreed π The lights were out and the stage including some trees which was sneaking its way all across the Hallenstadion was dimly lit. It felt like you were in the woods. Then there was this white light and one by one the Tennessee Kids emerged until Justin Timberlake himself started with a bang which happened to be exactly how I imagined it! The dancing was on point and he and his dancers were making their way towards the back of the Hallenstadion on this awesome stage!
“Midnight Summer Jam” was next and I was hoping he would mix it up with “Let the groove get in” but he didn’t. But hey you can’t have everything π Slowly people started to get antsy on their seats… It really was time to dance but I knew I had a mission so I waited. One of my usual concert buddies – a huge JT fan – couldn’t be there so she told me to record song No. 3. Notice how she didn’t tell me what song it was? She really knows me too well π I was ready and so I happened to catch Justin’s cute tribute to Aretha Franklin who unfortunately died on that day. He started “LoveStoned” with a little “Respect” π I was super happy because it is also one of my fav songs. At the end he did this cool thing were his face is all blurry on the big curtain screens just like in the video!
Time to dance!
Mission accomplished. Time to dance! 1 beat was enough and I was up on my feet. Justin Timberlake brought “Sexy back” and a lot of people were dancing with me. I was so glad because honestly how can you stay seated?? It was already such a great atmosphere you don’t usually get until way at the end. What I loved about this show and Justin Timberlake he was literally everywhere and he was involving every person in the building. Up on the sides, down at the back (or was is the front? :D) and of course the standing area – everyone felt included. Then one of my fav tracks on the new record “Man of the Woods” came on and I was soaking it all in so I would remember when I would listen it in my car. That Justin really IS a southern man we got to experience a little bit later in the show.
It was super hot and I already felt really warm so it was nice to quickly chill for “Higher Higher” until the keyboard popped up and Justin addressed us.
Are you ready to dance? So I need everybody to stand up!
And the WHOLE Hallenstadion stood up from song 7 until the end! Tell me when was the last time that happened? We were dancing to “SeΓ±orita” until Justin Timberlake said:
So I want to try this with you. The guys sing with me:
“It feels like something’s heating up, can I leave with you?”
and the ladies sing:
“I don’t know what I’m thinking bout, really leaving with you”
And yes, there were some guys who actually helped him sing the guys’ part π You just have to love concerts where you know every song and can sing a long to. Within two weeks I got to enjoy Ed Sheeran and Justin Timberlake and both shows were completely different both were so amazing at the same time. I can’t tell you how lucky I am that I got to make this incredible memories.
From “SeΓ±orita” to “Suit & Tie” Justin quickly changed into a suit jacket where showed off his dancing skills during a little laser show. It was impressive!! The keyboard was replaced by that same buttons pad you see at the beginning of the “Say Something” video. I was already excited to hear this awesome tune but Justin Timberlake wanted to play a little. So he put on some parts of his newest song “Soulmate” until he pressed some buttons which turned into “My Love” – my least favourite song haha
Let’s make it rain
The pad thingy stood on top of the main stage behind the musicians and from there the fog started to roll in. From the rows up top the stage looked like it was shooting lightnings down the front. This show looked different from every angle and you felt like you were part of it. Justin Timberlake started the first beats of “Cry me a River” and the curtain screens turned into falling rain. You didn’t know where to look! This didn’t change when Justin stood on the middle stage with the curtain screen above him showing his reflection about 20 times! And yes, obviously the song was called “Mirrors”. It hit me like a deja vu. This was the last song on the 20/20 experience!! Like in 2014 the whole Hallenstadion was on their feet singing and clapping to the song. It gave me goose-bumps!
I am sooo glad Justin Timberlake left “Drink You Away” in the set. It was one of my fav moments on the last tour and this time he made everyone lift a glass for the incredible soul diva that Aretha Franklin was – because that’s what you do in the South. Again a nice little tribute to her. Unfortunately not a lot of people know “Drink you Away” but it didn’t keep me from fully enjoying it! After this song it went dark and it looked like a little break because they had to fire up the bonfire! π
Campfire atmosphere with 13k people
Justin Timberlake took his guitar and his musician friends from the Tennessee Kids band and sat around a little fire on the 3rd stage surrounded by trees and grass. The curtain screens showed a moon and we were literally transferred into the woods even more. He asked us to put our phone lights up for “Until the end of time” and this turned the Hallenstadion into a flood of lights. WOW – just beautiful. It was the let the Tennessee Kids including the backing singers Zenya, Nicole and Cowboy Jack with covers from amazing musicians. First up was Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” and a beautiful rendition of Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor” and my favourite cover by John Denver “Thank God I am a country boy”. Cowboy Jack has an amazing voice and it is crazy to think he’s only singing in the back ground!
The very cool campfire section ended with “Morning Light”. Justin Timberlake surprised me by singing the very old “What Goes Around… Comes Around”. It’s been one of my motto’s before he sang that song and it got even a bigger meaning when he sang it. I was sooo happy! He performed it on the middle stage right where my friends from Loads of Music stood. I was screaming for them when he got close to them and even wished one of their friends Happy Birthday! How cool is that?! His show might be super planned down to the minute but Justin Timberlake’s still got time for a little spontaneous gesture π
The end came closer with every song
FINALLY the first chords of “Say Something” resonated through the Hallenstadion and I couldn’t contain myself anymore. I was overjoyed! Thanks to the song being in the radios a lot the audience also knew the song. However this was the first time I got really disappointed. My vision of the show was that Chris Stapleton would show up on the curtain screens and sing his part. He didn’t in fact the 2nd verse was completely left out. I was so sad for a 2nd and really mad haha I couldn’t believe he just cut out Chris Stapleton. How dare he? π And since I’m already complaining I might add that the sound was really bad at some points. The sound check should have been done a bit better. But hey let’s focus on the good things again π
Another song “Montana” to sway from side to side and catch your breath while I was back dancing for “Summer Love”. Those old songs just bring back so many memories. I love gigs where you know every song and connect them with special memories. For “Rock Your Body” the Hallenstadion was turned into a dance floor. The screen curtains were turned into the same colours as in the video clip. And suddenly a proper dance floor with square lights showed up in front of the middle stage down in the party pit! How cool?! Justin Timberlake was actually dancing in the middle of his fans π
I told Shirley of Loads of Music before that I will be thinking of her when Justin Timberlake’s gonna before “Supplies” because she totally “ruined” the song for me. All I hear now is EI EI EI which in German means Egg… I cannot stop laughing during the song. It will hold a special place in my heart π From super new to super old. JT’s first solo single “Like I love you” was performed on the 3rd stage with the exact same moves he did in the clip. Me in the little space I got remembered almost every move and tried to dance like JT π Oh well, I tried π
After two hours I knew the end was near and with Dance Dance Dance aka “Can’t stop the Feeling!” the show ended but not before you saw the whole venue dance and sing and clap. It was an incredible feeling seeing everyone having a great time enjoying themselves. I can only imagine how this must feel for the artist. I loved the end of the show! I couldn’t have wished for a better one. First the Tennessee Kids left the stage and only Justin Timberlake was left to sing the last chorus with us. We were sent into the night with:
Thank you! Ich liebe euch! Good Night!
Even a few days after gig everything is still vivid and I wished I could have seen it another time to find out other things about this incredible show.
So it’s your turn! What did you find out? What made the show so special for you?? π
