Vector Arena was treated to some impressive southern hospitality last night, with Tennessee kid Justin Timberlake playing his first show of three.
The new king of pop had a deceptively simple, classic stage set-up which had his 15-piece band rising up like a small castle of instruments behind hexagonal band stands, echoing the entertainers of old - except for the mega-wide, beehive-inspired black-and-white backdrop screen.
This made Vector feel more intimate than usual, and kept attention firmly where it belonged - on JT and his crew.
From the lush orchestrated opening of Pusher Love Girl, Timberlake's vocal performance was smooth and snappy, his a capella phrases leaving no doubt about his prowess with a microphone.
The band did an impressive job of delivering his complex arrangements, the guitarists deserving a special mention for their many prodigious solos, and the backing vocalists and horns for their party-starting dance skills during Senorita, which saw JT showing off on the Rhodes piano.
