T'CHA DUNLEVY, The Gazette
Published: Thursday, February 01, 2007
The singing started after just a few songs. It built in waves as the crowd showered him with cheers.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you."
Justin Timberlake celebrated his 26th birthday with more than 19,600 fans last night at the Bell Centre.
"What did you say?" he asked coyly, before summoning his entourage for a round of tequila shots.
"Don't try this at home," he joked.
The party was already well under way. Rolling into town with the kind of big-show bells and whistles we haven't seen since Madonna played here last summer, Timberlake delivered a nearly two-and-a-half-hour tour de force of song, dance and some of the funkiest beats in pop music.
A seven-piece band gave him the sonic oomph. Four backup singers helped with the harmonies. Eight dancers offered constant visual stimulation. But it was Timberlake who ruled the proceedings.
They don't call him the king of pop for nothing. Relaxed, giddy and with rhythm in his bones, he sang with soul, flair and effortless precision.
Opening with the Prince-ly shuffle of the title track to his new album FutureSex/LoveSounds, and playing every song on it by show's end - plus a few from his solo debut, Justified - he proved that his talent goes beyond anything that video and studio trickery could provide.
He received frequent applause for his dancing, and rightfully so. He never missed a step. He couldn't even saunter across the stage or jump down the stairs without landing on the beat.
A word here about the staging: "In the round," they call it - a matrix of circular catwalks at centre-ice, with Timberlake alternating between the centre and playful jaunts around the perimeter to visit his fans on all sides of the room.
And for the most part, he made it seem like one big jam. Even a romantic ditty like My Love, early on, turned into a singalong dance party. Another, Until the End of Time, was sappier, but still had swing. The upbeat numbers - Sexy Ladies, Chop Me Up, Damn Girl - needed no assistance.
As rumoured, there was a cameo by super-producer Timbaland, who gives the new album much of its edge. But at a full half-hour, his intermission "beaterator" jam went on far too long, breaking the flow of the night - nothing Timberlake couldn't fix upon his return. SexyBack was on the set list near show's end, but by that time, this reporter was already writing for deadline.
Pink opened the night with a surprisingly engaging set. Her husky singing voice, spunky charm and unpretentious demeanour would have provided stiff competition were Timberlake not already so on top of his game.