It finally happened.
After all the rumors and cryptic memes last fall that led to an appearance at the MTV VMAs and a group photo on the red carpet thanks to *NSYNC's new song about Trolls Band Together soundtrack, fans were left desperate for a live performance from the boy band. After all, they were a band that made their name with performance music videos, blockbuster stadium tours, and iconic choreography, so when fans think “*NSYNC,” they think performance. Fans were clamoring for a full tour, sure, but they really would have settled for the band singing live together once more.
Well, on Wednesday night (March 13), we got it once again. More than a decade after they last appeared together at the 2013 Video Music Awards as part of Justin Timberlake's VMA Vanguard Award, they hit the JT stage again, this time for a one-night-only concert at The Wiltern in Los Angeles before from the Friday (March 15) release of his sixth solo album, Everything I thought it was.
It all started with a trip down memory lane when DJ Andrew Hypes played a series of Timberlake hits including Timbaland's “Give It to Me,” Jay-Z's “Holy Grail” and “Ayo Technology” by 50 Cent. Justin had included this segment in his other two pre-release shows, his hometown concert at Memphis' Orpheum Theater on January 19th and his show at New York's Irving Plaza on January 31st. Hypes had also played a handful of *NSYNC songs at those shows, but Wednesday night, when he dropped the first *NSYNC song — 'Gone' since the 2000s Celebrity — the curtains opened behind Timberlake to reveal his four bandmates singing harmony on the chorus.
“Ear piercing” doesn't quite describe the intensity of the fan's reaction to the room. Maybe the drum breaks. Or “make an appointment with your ENT to investigate the possibility of hearing loss caused by screaming.” That was 15 songs into an already epic concert that included three of Timberlake's five Billboard Hot 100 solo No. 1 hits and just about every other song that comes to mind when you think of Justin. But there was really a before and after concert spot from that moment.
“I don't know what to do after this,” Timberlake admitted when left alone on stage again, before saying, “But this,” and giving us one last song (what more could this crowd ask for?), ending the night with 2013's “Mirrors.”
So let's take a step back and look at all the highlights from this concert, lest it go down in history as an *NSYNC reunion and nothing more. In fact, there were two other surprise guests who appeared during the nearly two-hour show and a number of other special moments. Below, find all the best moments – yes, including the reunion, of course – from Advertising signadvantage as a lucky member of the crowd at the history-making show.
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Tobe Nwigwe is the first surprise guest
Looking all the way back to the night's first song, Timberlake kicked things off with “Sanctified” — the Everything I thought it was track he performed with Tobe Nwigwe Saturday night live in January. While JT also kicked off his Irving Plaza show with “Sanctified,” this crowd didn't get a cameo from the Nigerian-American rapper, and it was amazing to see his electric dynamic up close. While we now have two performances of the holy scroll duo, fans are still waiting to hear the recording of the song when the album arrives on Friday, as it has yet to be released commercially.
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“VIP (Go to 'Head Be Gone With It)'”
Timberlake gave a shout-out to his A-list pals in the crowd with a particular verse on “SexyBack,” which was the second song of the night — and you know you're in for exclusive hits when “SexyBack” is second. “VIP (go 'head be gone with it),” he sang, pointing to the balcony, where John Legend and Chrissy Teigen sat in the front row among his other famous friends and family. Before the show, Advertising sign spotted the couple on the balcony singing and dancing to DMX's “Ruff Ryders Anthem.” (Later in the evening, Teigen made sure to upgrade to the floor for the *NSYNC surprise, posting Instagram Stories right outside the pit with the caption “Oh my god @justintimberlake” and simple “dead.”)
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JT's advice for Son Silas
Timberlake is notoriously private about his family life, especially when it comes to his two children — 8-year-old Silas and 3-year-old Phineas — and JT and his wife, Jessica Biel, keep their boys' faces out of the media social media and away from the public eye. But the proud papa let the crowd know between songs that Silas was attending Wednesday night's concert. “It's also a very special night: my son is here,” Timberlake announced to supportive cheers. “He's with his friend, his friend. My other [Phineas] he is very young. Can not. it is on the bed. Son, I just want you to know how much I love you. I want you to – and this is for everyone here: Always dare to dream. Because you never know where you might end up.”
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“No Angels” in concert for the first time
While Timberlake performed “No Angels” during his performance on Monday night Jimmy Kimmel Live!, this was the first concert given with the still unreleased track. And his clubby beat was a perfect match for The Wiltern, where the general admission floor is standing room only and always leads to dancefloor vibes. “Ain't no angels here on the dance floor,” Timberlake sings on the chorus, suggesting in the lyrics that all good girls should “take off your wings” for the night and let them go. And judging by the carefree dancing of the night, the good girls obliged.
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Coco Jones does her best Beyoncé as the next surprise guest
Recent Grammy winner Coco Jones took the stage at the end of Timberlake's “Until the End of Time,” which was released as a duet with Beyoncé in 2007, and added just a taste of Queen Bey's vocal runs to wrap up the song. . After sharing a hug onstage, Timberlake prompted the crowd: “You know about that voice up here? Don't act like you don't know about that voice!' That led to the first live performance of Jones' “ICU” remix with Timberlake—yet another privilege for a crowd that still didn't know how lucky they were.
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A Backstreet Boy supporting *NSYNC
The first inkling that something special might be happening came when Backstreet Boys' AJ McLean materialized right behind the pit and climbed up to get a clear view of the stage during the DJ set. Much was made of the rivalry between BSB and *NSYNC in their heyday, but in the decades since, they've spoken very highly of each other, worked together, and basically just elevated their band brothers. So it was sweet to see McLean front and center for this piece TRL– worthy story.
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“Ladies and Gentlemen, we are *NSYNC”
Timberlake said the touching words after the quintet DJed tracks of “Gone” and “Girlfriend” before giving mini-performances of arguably their most enduring hits: “Bye Bye Bye” and “It's Gonna Be Me.” But that was only the beginning.
“That's how we did these,” JC Chasez said of the four classics. “But you have an album coming out tomorrow. And in this album, there is a song…”
“… With *NSYNC,” Timberlake said to finish his sentence.
“We've been practicing the song,” Chasez said, to which Timberlake added, “You wanna hear the new song?”
The new song was the glowing ballad 'Paradise' and it made its world debut on Wednesday night at The Wiltern, following a snippet posted on Timberlake's socials earlier in the day. The chorus couldn't have had more fitting lyrics for fans hoping for this very show: 'Cause I've been waiting/ I've been waiting forever/ Here for this moment/ Between you and me/ It's all happened/ It's just what I imagined/ I imagined it would feel like/ Heaven.'
“I love you guys so much,” Timberlake said as he hugged his bandmates as they walked offstage.
Who knows what the future holds for the blockbuster boy band, but one thing's for sure: It's now Good aware of how much they've been missed since going on hiatus over 20 years ago. Will this lead to a new album? Guided tour? We'll just have to make do with this little slice of 'Paradise' for now.
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Complete Setlist
Sanctified (with Tobe Nwigwe)
SexyBack
LoveStoned
Like I love you
My love
No Angels
Selfish
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
Miss
Summer love
Shake your Body
Suit and tie
Until the End of Time (with Coco Jones)
ICU Remix (featuring Coco Jones)
Cry Me a RiverDJ set
-Holy Grail (Jay-Z)
-Carry Out (Timbaland)
-Give it to me (Timbaland)
-Ayo Technology (50 Cent)*NSYNC set
-Lost
-Girlfriend
-Bye Bye
– It'll be me
-ParadiseMirrors
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/nsync-reunion-justin-timberlake-la-concert-recap-wiltern/
