Justin Timberlake: Off the charts

Singer Justin Timberlake. Photo / Getty Images

With Justin Timberlake in town this weekend, TimeOut takes a look at his illustrious career from Mickey Mouse Club to mega-star.

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The Guardian called Justin Timberlake's world tour "an evening of relentless class" and, in the 12 months since he embarked on the first show of his world tour, 33-year-old Justin Timberlake seems to have brought the house down with a snappy performance of Memphis-flavoured funk, pop, and RnB, night after night.

It seems he may have ditched the bow tie and Victorian-ish black and white spat-styled dance shoes since his appearance in Britain but the new-look effect is still that of a rock 'n' roll tuxedo.

He wears black pants and jacket with untucked white shirt adorned with lightning bolts, all designed by Neil Barrett, a scruff of facial hair, and white sneakers. It's a look that fits perfectly with the casual but swanky vibe of his 15-piece swing band - which includes four backing vocalists and four horn players - and his six stylish dancers.

It seems to be truly a "song and dance" show. There won't be any confetti cannons or fireworks. Instead, the focus is on a perfectly choreographed blend of hip swings, hand flourishes, leg flicks, winks, head tilts, and finger snaps, with rippling lights, lasers, an impressive visual effects screen made up of hexagonal shapes, made to look like a futuristic beehive, and some key stage hydraulics. All in time with his sweet falsetto, crooning tenor, and lively rap-speak complete with southern twang of course.

In Australia, where he's currently playing, Timberlake has been performing two sets, with 29 songs in total, including covers of Elvis, Michael Jackson, and Kool and The Gang, along with tinkling the ivories on a white grand piano and strumming his own guitar.

Songs from all his solo albums (Justified, FutureSex/LoveSounds, The 20/20 Experience Part I and Part II) are included, and by all accounts, he really is there to rock the party, blending a suave 1930s vibe with futuristic energy.

JT isn't really about delving into the deep, dark, howling corners of blues and soul.

Instead he likes to skim, light-footed, across the top, and it seems highly likely that a live concert setting is going to be the ultimate place to hear him play with those recent tracks like Pusher Love Girl and Mirrors that stretch over seven minutes.

Timberlake was the first star to play three nights at Vector Arena back in 2007, not long after it first opened, when he was busy "bringin' sexy back", and though he's been somewhat preoccupied with his acting career in the interim, his world tour looks to be a slightly more mature - but just as smooth - follow-up.

Who: Justin Timberlake
What: The World Tour, with support from Californian-based Pacific four-piece Common Kings, who blend rock, reggae, RnB, and soul.
Where and when: Sunday, October 12, Monday, October 13, Wednesday, October 15 at Vector Arena.
Set times: Common Kings 7.30pm, Justin Timberlake 8.30pm, show finishes approximately 11pm.

Justin Timberlake features on the cover of this week's TimeOut

- TimeOut