Justin Timberlake Defies Gravity with Stellar Performance at The Forum

On Nov. 24, Justin Timberlake performed at The Forum in Inglewood. With an electric performance and an interactive stage, it’s no surprise he was able to fill a venue made to accommodate 17,000.

With a widely diverse crowd of all ages flocking into the tall Grecian architecture of The Forum, the evening began in celebration. The doors opened hours before Timberlake’s set time, and fans encroached the red walls of the Coliseum-like structure to eat, drink and prepare for the night ahead. With VIP packages ranging up to $1500, concertgoers knew they were in for an unforgettable event.

As seats filled up and the time neared for the concert to begin, piercing screams permeated the stadium once the clock struck the hour. Along with a massive stage at the front, was a floor-to-ceiling projection screen displaying the opening credits of the concert. Numbers counting down from 10 in large, red letters were accompanied by fans’ verbal shrieks of each number. Nearing the end of the countdown, the unbearable tension of the room rose to a near-silent state. Justin Timberlake’s body then projected on the screen as he conducted his band through the introduction of his first song. With a bombastic crack, Timberlake appeared alone on the stage. After a solid minute of symbiotic praise between himself and the audience, Timberlake began “Pusher Love Girl.” With an immensity of sound seemingly coming from nowhere, his over 12-piece band then ascended from underneath the floorboards.

Walking in full swag up to the front, he entered his own personal podium, which was thrust into the first few rows of audience. Bedecked in a white t-shirt underneath a black, slick suit, Timberlake glided on the floor with his microphone. Behind him, his entire brass section swayed in unison, highlighting the perfection and precision behind the “20/20 Experience.” Timberlake capped the end of the song by turning his back on the audience and conducting the crowd through the end. With an abrupt finale, the crowd took this silence from the stage as an opportunity to expose their pent-up excitement with uproarious cheers. However, Timberlake can’t be denied the last word in any performance and used this cheering to segue into the second half of the song; indeed, it was not over. Timberlake’s jubilation was more than apparent as he ‘broke it down’ and slide along the floor as if it were ice.

The escalation continued as back up dancers clad in tight fitting black suits emerged from the floors, echoing Timberlake’s every move. With the button of Timberlake’s first song, the crowd lost all function. The stage blinked to black and transitioned to the projection of four Justin Timberlake’s singing an a capella intro of his 2002 staple, “Rock Your Body.” As the lights rose, he straddled his microphone stand and unleashed his agile Millennial movements with his backup dancers. As his brass section held off from accompaniment, they would twirl their instruments in synchronized circles like batons.

Justin Timberlake is more than a musician; he is a master performer. His skills in dance are further justified when he follows with his wide-range riffing, ornamenting his visual appeal. His performance in each song would escalate from simple solos to full-force background vocals ending with hydraulic dancers circling around him.

With audience members doubtful there could be more surprises, those thoughts were put to rest with “Let the Groove Get In.” The skinny walkway Timberlake and his dancers had been leaping down all-night, illuminated and rose from the ground. Timberlake and his backup quartet mounted above a stadium ignited with cell phones, resembling a star-lit night sky. Once the walkway rose high above the audience, the entire strip advanced over the crowd. Timberlake took this opportunity to get more personal with the fans he couldn’t see from his stage podium. The walkway stopped above a VIP bar area in the back end of the stadium’s floor, with stairs slowly emerging from the ground. Timberlake and his singers snapped and swayed their way down the stairs and into the audience for “That Girl.”

The concert continued from the opposite side of where it started, culminating the fans awareness and excitement. Someone from the bar handed Timberlake a shot, which he proudly took with the toast, “Here’s to you, California!” Completing his set before returning to the original stage, he paid homage to his Tennessee idol, Elvis Presley, with “Heartbreak Hotel.” Taking back the night (and the band) to the stage, he graciously climbed the stairs to his walkway and brought the concert back to the front of the stadium with “Take Back the Night.” Timberlake finished the evening with an encore of “Sexyback” and “Mirrors.”

Timberlake’s appeal is undeniable. With a full-fledged and meticulously planned evening, “Experience 20/20” broke the barriers of what a concert is supposed to be. His use of heavy percussion and brass, polished choreography, liberal graphics and his own vocal skills made this experience larger than life, with or without your glasses.

Justin Timberlake performed at The Forum on Nov. 24.