Now in the 23rd year of his solo career, Justin Timberlake has released just five albums (or six if you count part two of “The 20/20 Experience”) and headlined local arenas just six times (two nights in a row, last time he was here in 2018).
But when the 44-year-old does deign to hit the road, he pulls out all the stops as he did Monday night at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center. Backed by his sprawling band the Tennessee Kids and a phalanx of dancers, Timberlake performed on a massive, tricked-out stage, a portion of which detached and floated above the players below. A second, satellite stage sat at the other end of the arena floor, where Timberlake played eight numbers for thrilled fans that crowded around the perimeter.
Timberlake has always fancied himself as an all-encompassing song and dance man a la Michael Jackson and Prince. As such, he peppered the show with intricate choreography sequences that allowed him to hoof it up with his dancers and, at times, his horn section. Toss in state-of-the-art lighting and video and it was clear Timberlake’s team spared no expense in staging Monday night’s spectacle, which was originally scheduled for Halloween, but was one of a half dozen shows postponed due to bronchitis and laryngitis. (He apologized to the audience for the delay not once, but twice.)
The problem, however, is that for whatever reason, JT often makes it tough to actually see what he’s doing up there, particularly for those in the cheap seats. The whole point of large screens is to help bring a sense of intimacy to big old hockey arenas. But Timberlake prefers to perform in murky lighting, with the live footage shown in a distorted manner and/or projected over other images.
A perfect example Monday night was his first big hit, 2002’s “Cry Me a River.” It featured some of the most rousing dancing of the evening along with an infectious plea for audience participation. Yet only dramatic shots of water falling filled the screens behind him, with nary a shot of the main attraction to be seen.
Timberlake’s tours have always suffered from this puzzling artistic decision that steals some of the thunder from the rest of the show. Another longtime bug for JT’s live show is the bass-heavy sound mix that can bury him in the mix.
Even worse for Timberlake is that, for the first time in his career, he’s no longer bulletproof. His latest album, “Everything I Thought It Was,” flopped so hard, it barely registered to anyone beyond his hardcore fan base. Given that his early career coincided with the CD era at its peak, all of his records are too long and heavy on filler and dead ends. But even stinkers like 2018’s “Man of the Woods” managed to squeak out a memorable song or two. Not this time.
And yet, Timberlake played nearly all of “Everything I Thought It Was,” with most of the new songs receiving a muted reception from the crowd which, in another first for JT, was not sold out. (There were banks of empty seats in the club and 200 levels.)
Numbers like “Technicolor,” “Sanctified” and (eek) “Infinity Sex” felt as they were constructed on mere vibes without much actual substance. The only newbie that landed was “My Favorite Drug,” a Daft Punk-style disco stomper that, predictably, overstayed its welcome.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Timberlake’s June 2024 DWI arrest. His mugshot and unintentional catchphrase “this is going to ruin the tour” earned the former boy bander more attention over the past year than anything else he’s done. (I would also be remiss if I didn’t add that the cop didn’t know who JT is and asked, “What tour?” Timberlake’s response: “The world tour.”)
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