• Home
  • News
  • Shows
  • Playlist
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Shows
  • Playlist
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result

REVIEW: Justin Timberlake | 12.19.14 @ Bridgestone Arena [PHOTOS]

Philip Obenschain by Philip Obenschain
December 30, 2014
in Reviews, Shows
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

JustinTimberlake_Bridgestone-Header

Justin Timberlake
Bridgestone Arena; Nashville, TN
December 19, 2014

Review by Philip Obenschain (@pobenschain) & Mary-Beth Blankenship. Photos by Mary-Beth Blankenship.

A mere 13 months after his last Music City outing, the reigning king of pop, Justin Timberlake returned to Bridgestone Arena for yet another sold out, breathtaking performance to help us finish out our year on a high note. Now more than a year and a half into the release cycle of his Grammy nominated, critically and commercially beloved two part epic, The 20/20 Experience, the former *NSYNC singer has proven, once again, his ability to transform and adapt to musical trends, remaining relevant, and, beyond that, innovative. As immensely gifted as he is in recording, however, Justin is even more legendary live, and, despite the high bar set by his last Nashville date, Timberlake’s latest Bridgestone show, which marked one of the lengthy tour’s final dates, not only exceeded our expectations, but was, unequivocally, one of 2014’s best shows.

JustinTimberlake_Insert-1 Justin Timberlake. Photo by Mary-Beth Blankenship.

A performer with the star power and a natural knack for expert showmanship such as Justin Timberlake leaves no detail overlooked, especially not one as paramount as stage design. As soon as we entered the arena, his massive, detailed staging served as an early indication of the unforgettable show to come. Last time Justin passed through, he brought The Weeknd; this time, a DJ, whose name we didn’t catch, warmed up the crowd from the VIP section. The opener was short; fitting, because a singer with the star power of Justin Timberlake doesn’t really require a warmup. The crowd, largely 20 and 30 something women, were some of the most enthusiastic we’d ever witnessed, and their anticipation was almost uncontainable. As soon as JT stepped into the spotlight, erupting into “Pusher Love Girl,” the start of what would  be the evening’s first of two sets, we knew that we were in for an extra special night. Timberlake spent his childhood in Memphis (and now has a house in Franklin, according to the rumor mill), and is especially prideful of his Tennessee heritage, going so far as to dub his extensive backing band “The Tennessee Kids.” The Memphis heritage is evident in Justin’s soul and swagger, and, several times throughout the evening, he beamed especially bright when proclaiming how good it felt to be back in Tennessee (and in Nashville, which he referred to as “NashVegas” – don’t worry, he’ll figure it out). Though Timberlake’s star power was certainly a magnetic, charismatic, and deserved focal point of the show, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the skillful performance chops of The Tennessee Kids, who channeled the same soul and technical expertise, delivering blues solos, and, at times, even stealing the spotlight. Timberlake also employed the help of backing dancers, which, for better or for worse, is the closest he got to channeling a bit of ’90s nostalgia.

JustinTumberlake_Insert-2 Justin Timberlake. Photo by Mary-Beth Blankenship.

Though he has three (technically four) albums’ worth of solo material, Justin still managed to squeeze a few covers into his set, including cuts from Michael Jackson, Elvis, Bell Biv DeVoe, and more. The big surprise, of course, came when he began a cover of Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places” on acoustic guitar, before proclaiming “this doesn’t feel quite right,” which quickly turned into Brooks himself joining JT on stage and inviting the crowd to sing along. A touching and memorable turn also came when he asked the crowd to sing loud enough for Michael Jackson to hear, during a cover of “Human Nature.” Between ballads, acoustic renditions, and full-band soul tunes, the two-set performance soared with favorites like “Cry Me a River,” “Suit & Tie,” and “Tunnel Vision,” and, of course, a satisfying encore (after a super quick exit) of “SexyBack” and “Mirrors.” A true modern American musical legend, and, undoubtedly, one of history’s best pop singers, Justin Timberlake live is a transcendent, unbelievable, and unparalleled musical experience, and his latest Bridgestone show, likely the last for quite a few years, was one we won’t soon forget.

Stray Observations:

-We spotted momma Timberlake hanging in the VIP section. How sweet!
-The moving stage was definitely one of the coolest setups we’ve seen at Bridgestone.
-The group of women holding signs that read “Our Husbands Think We’re Shopping #MILFmafia,” who managed to grab JT’s attention, were equal parts funny and embarrassing.
-The fact that Justin was hanging at the 500-cap Mercy Lounge one night prior has us excited to have him spending time around Nashville in the near future.

_

Setlist:

Pusher Love Girl
Gimme What I Don’t Know (I Want) (snippet)
Rock Your Body
Don’t Hold the Wall (snippet)
FutureSex/LoveSound
Like I Love You
My Love
TKO
Summer Love
LoveStoned
Until the End of Time
Holy Grail (Jay-Z cover)
Cry Me a River

Only When I Walk Away
Friends in Low Places (Garth Brooks cover)
Drink You Away
Tunnel Vision
Señorita
Let the Groove Get In
Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley cover)
Not a Bad Thing
Human Nature (Michael Jackson cover)
What Goes Around… Comes Around
Take Back the Night
Jungle Boogie (Kool & The Gang cover)
Murder
Poison (Bell Biv DeVoe cover)
Suit & Tie

SexyBack
Mirrors

_

 

1 of 10
- +

1. Justin Timberlake @ Bridgestone Arena – 12.19.14 // Photo by Mary-Beth Blankenship

2. Justin Timberlake @ Bridgestone Arena – 12.19.14 // Photo by Mary-Beth Blankenship

3. Justin Timberlake @ Bridgestone Arena – 12.19.14 // Photo by Mary-Beth Blankenship

4. Justin Timberlake @ Bridgestone Arena – 12.19.14 // Photo by Mary-Beth Blankenship

5. Justin Timberlake @ Bridgestone Arena – 12.19.14 // Photo by Mary-Beth Blankenship

6. Justin Timberlake @ Bridgestone Arena – 12.19.14 // Photo by Mary-Beth Blankenship

7. Justin Timberlake @ Bridgestone Arena – 12.19.14 // Photo by Mary-Beth Blankenship

8. Justin Timberlake @ Bridgestone Arena – 12.19.14 // Photo by Mary-Beth Blankenship

9. Justin Timberlake @ Bridgestone Arena – 12.19.14 // Photo by Mary-Beth Blankenship

10. Justin Timberlake @ Bridgestone Arena – 12.19.14 // Photo by Mary-Beth Blankenship

Tags: Bridgestone ArenaConcert ReviewJustin TimberlakeNashville Music Blog

Related Posts

[TICKET GIVEAWAY] Diplo Presents: Thomas Wesley w/ Paul Cauthen | March 13 @ Wildhorse Saloon
Contests

[TICKET GIVEAWAY] Diplo Presents: Thomas Wesley w/ Paul Cauthen | March 13 @ Wildhorse Saloon

Inarguably one of the most prolific and influential DJs and producers of the last 20 years, Diplo has credits...

by Philip Obenschain
January 18, 2023
Kendrick Lamar, Odesza, Foo Fighters, Paramore, & More to Play Bonnaroo 2023
News

Kendrick Lamar, Odesza, Foo Fighters, Paramore, & More to Play Bonnaroo 2023

After two years of pandemic and weather related postponements and cancellations, the region's preeminent music festival, Bonnaroo, made its...

by Philip Obenschain
January 10, 2023
Paramore Announce New Album ‘This Is Why,’ Debut Title Track
News

Paramore to Play Grand Ole Opry House Feb. 6 in Celebration of New LP ‘This Is Why’

It's only been a couple months since Paramore gave us their first new music in nearly five years, the...

by Philip Obenschain
December 6, 2022
[TICKET GIVEAWAY] Julian Lage w/ Margaret Glaspy | Dec. 11 @ Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
Contests

[TICKET GIVEAWAY] Julian Lage w/ Margaret Glaspy | Dec. 11 @ Brooklyn Bowl Nashville

One of the preeminent and most acclaimed guitarists in modern jazz music, Julian Lage first captured attention in the...

by Philip Obenschain
December 6, 2022
Next Post

No Country's Best Nashville Albums of 2014

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

We cover the best of Music City's local and touring artists. All Nashville and no country.

Get No Country In Your Inbox

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Shows
  • Playlist