So . . . I always say I have been ridin’ with Justin Timberlake for a long time. “Gone” by N*Sync is still heavy in rotation over here! And, some of his hits have been the soundtrack to some really good moments in my life. So to say I was thrilled to check out the Man of the Woods Tour would be a huge understatement!

Now before I get into the meat of the show, I want to shout out Justin Timberlake and his awesome publicist, because when I decided to take the plunge and start my own blog after 20 years of covering entertainment, the first tour I covered as credentialed media was The 20/20 Experience Tour, so WHOOP! WHOOP! to them! Phashion Phish has been a labor of love at times, but the peaks like covering my favorite artists, totally trump the valleys. Now, back to the review!

A Justin Timberlake concert never disappoints. With this being my third time seeing him live, I’m always excited to see what new things he brings to his live performances, rather it’s a cool new stage, arrangement, or wardrobe.

Justin Timberlake performs at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI for the Man of the Woods Tour (Marissa Pierce/Phashion Phish).

The show starts with one of my favorites from the new album, “Filthy” and it sets the tone for a DANCE PAR-TAY! Justin goes through his extensive catalog pulling out hit after hit, and going all the way back to his first album Justified with “Rock Your Body”. On this journey Justin fully utilizes his stage that reminds me of a path in the woods, completely playing into the Man of the Woods theme, with decorative trees on the stage, and at one point a grassy area and campfire. The medley around the campfire with his backup singers may have been one of my favorite parts of the show, and was a great opportunity for the singers to showcase their skills with covers of “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, “Ex-Factor” by Lauryn Hill, “Come Together” by The Beatles, and “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” by John Denver.

Justin also digs deep into his catalog to perform fan favorites, “Suit & Tie”, “Cry Me a River”, and “Can’t Stop the Feeling”, accompanied by the dance moves he’s known for and I even found myself doing the choreography to “My Love” during the show!

Justin Timberlake NEVER disappoints and the Man of the Woods Tour is a must see for a JT fan and even a newbie. I saw a couple men in the audience that clearly were attending their first show, but they sang at the top of their lungs when “SexyBack” started up. That’s probably the most fun thing about concerts, the audience becomes one! And, for one night we get to all be Justin Timberlake’s back up singers!