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Will you respect me less if i told you i love JT?
Friday, January 19, 2007
I used to hate Justin Timberlake - well, maybe not hate, but i was NOT into him and his pop music.
I never liked N’sync. I never thought Justin was “oh-so-cute” and i thought those little girls who bought those boy band posters were pathetic. And now look at me - how the mighty have fallen. I...i went to a Justin Timberlake concert on Wednesday night!
It was just a favor! A friend got stuck with tickets at the last minute, so i relieved him of his burden. So Jay and I headed to Staples Center to see what happens at concerts with major pop stars. I’d never been to that kind of concert. Mostly i’ve been to concerts of people that i know but not that well. I pretty much learn the music right before i get to the concert. I’ve been to rock concerts like Aerosmith, Kid Rock (can’t believe i’m admitting that), Dave Matthews Band, Van Halen, and Dream Theater. I’ve been to jazz concerts, like Diana Krall, Jon Pizzarelli, and Harry Connick, Jr. Been to the Live 8 and seen tons of artists all in one place. But i’ve never been to a concert where the music itself wasn’t the focus. Usually the musicians will jump around the stage and rile up the crowd, but dance routines and coordinated movement has never been part of my concert-going experience.
This time, i knew the music (they only play it 24/7 on all the radio stations). And it was so much more than the normal jumping around, screaming to get people hyped. With JT, the choreography was so much of the show! And the stage, lighting and projection setup was awesome. I can’t even begin to imagine how much planning, practicing and $$ it takes to put on a show like that. Then again, the whole stadium was completely sold out plus about 500+ people on the court itself, each paying an excess of $50 each - that probably makes up for the expenses. I gotta say that I loved the dancing. They were all so together and in sync (n’sync?). Everything worked together well, from the shape of the stage to the lighting and effect.
Having been to the Staples Center only to watch basketball before, i wasn’t prepared for the kind of noise that a different kind of audience could make in that arena. I’m used to tons of yelling and screaming, but when the audience is primarily female, it changes things. The screams were so shrill that it made your head throb, very much like how i imagine a banshee’s scream might affect me. Yeek. There was no doubt that the ladies love JT.
I also never knew that Justin plays so many instruments. He played keyboard and guitar and maybe even drums during the concert. Somehow, that makes me feel like he’s actually a real musician. I mean, I just don’t *really* believe that pop stars and icons, people who are sold for their looks and maybe their voice (i.e. Mrs. Ex-Federline) can play instruments. I was pleasantly surprised. AND he has great stage presence and is an excellent performer/entertainer.
So there you have it. All that girly stuff that i never did as a kid, like going to pop concerts and screaming over a cute guy that can dance, is catching up. Just watch, i’m going to put a big poster of JT up on my wall in my apartment and become president of his official fan club. LOL.
...You know i’m kidding right?
Do check out his album though. It’s pretty good.