Justin Timberlake at Hallenstadion. It’s a long, long time since the “FutureSex/LoveShow” tour. Back then I had seen two concerts in Dublin.
Now he’s back in Zurich again (like in 2003 already). The tickets weren’t exactly cheap – so normal standing had to do it. Back then at the start of presale early entry tickets were pretty much tempting, but weren’t financially possible. Since Monday I got to say though that the early entry tickets would have been a waste of money. There you pay about CHF 230, CHf 100 more than a normal standing ticket. You can go inside a bit earlier, but you are neither in a separated section (like Golden Circle) nor do you really profit from anything more. You may even stand next to someone with a normal ticket, as much squeezed in as all the others, but paid a lot more money. For pretty much nothing?!
So, around 3.30 pm I arrived at the Hallenstadion and immediately went to the east entrance, where usually there are less people queuing than at the west one. And compared to the west entrance there was really no one queuing. Maybe 20 people were at the east entrance. Ha, good for me. Or good for us. Two acquaintances arrived after 4 pm. Even with the queue-jumpers and the stagnant entrance at our door (there wasn’t even a separated ticketcorner member entrance. Why do I actually pay the CHF 50 a year?) we were really standing well. 10-15th row or so. Quick argueuing with two queue-jumpers, what calmed down quickly though and we were waiting for the start of the show.
It was only 6.40 pm and the show should start at 8 pm. The DJ, that was playing in the back of the arena standing on his platform, tried to fire up the audience. But the mood kept raising only shortly before 8 pm, when he announced that in about 30mins Justin would enter stage. No more support act then. But with 28 songs on the setlist, there seemed no room for any support anyway and wasn’t necessary.
It was 8 pm and the seats were still pretty empty. The DJ disappeared and finally, half an hour later at 8.30 pm the lights went off, the show started. My thoughts, when he was standing at the edge of the stage for the first time – wow, we are so close! The first part of the show contained loads of dancing and a extensive laser light show. Rock your body, Furture.Sex./Lovesound, Like I love you, My love, Cry me a river – one hit after the other followed. It was really good, but I just didn’t really get hooked. Somehow the first hour was rattled through so quickly. At the beginning there was almost only screaming around me and the songs difficult to hear.
SETLIST Part 1
1. Pusher Love Girl
2. Gimme What I Don’t Know
3. Rock Your Body
4. FutureSex/LoveSound
5. Like I Love You
6. My Love
7. TKO
8. Summer Love
9. Lovestoned
10. Until The End Of Time
11. Holy Grail (Jay Z Cover)
12. Cry Me A River
In the middle of the show there was a 10 mins break then. Ok, on the one side understandable with all the action on stage. On the other side it was somehow pretty strange and weird. But possibly it was needed. The second part I liked so much better then and finally I got hooked.
Justin stood at the edge of the stage with a guitare and started to talk to the audience. He was reading banners, didn’t understand the one though as it was in German. “I barely speak proper English, not to mention any other language”, he said. “I want a child of you” – when the audience shouted at him what it meant and he finally understood. Huge laughter! The whole conversation was so likable and you got the impression, there was a human standing and not just a dancing machine.
He played “Seniorita” on the keyboard. And when I finally realized during “Let the groove get in” that the raised bridge was moving towards the audience and went over the heads of the spectactors to the other end, I was kinda speechless for a moment – simply incredible! On the level of the VIP area the bridge stopped then and he perfomed on a small mini-stage “Heartbreak hotel” by Elvis Presley, “Not A Bad Thing”, “Human Nature” by Michael Jackson and an incredibly great version of “What goes around… comes around”, before he went back to the main stage on the bridge.
SETLIST Part 2
13. Only When I Walk Away
14. Drink You Away
15. Tunnel Vision
16. Señorita
17. Let The Groove Get In
18. Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley Cover)
19. Not A Bad Thing
20. Human Nature (Michael Jackson Cover)
21. What Goes Around… Comes Around
22. Take Back The Night
23. Jungle Boogie (Kool & The Gang Cover)
24. Murder
25. Poison (Bell Biv DeVoe Cover)
26. Suit & TieENCORE:
27. Sexyback
28. Mirrors
The show ended after almost 2,5 hours with “Sexyback” and “Mirrors”. He finally said his detailed thank yous and goodbye. Very likable, this Mrs Timberlake and definitively a huge talent, an incredible dancer. Some thought it was one of the best or even the best show, they have ever seen. It wasn’t for me now, but it sure was super genious. Next tour I am in again – at least I hope so 😉
