Justin Timberlake kicks off “Man of the Woods” tour in Toronto

The Memphis-born Justin Timberlake is a Man Of the Woods on his 2018 album of the same name.

But on Tuesday night, as Timberlake launched his latest tour with the first of two nights at the Air Canada Centre, the 37-year-old singer-songwriter-producer was more like a man of the catwalk.

The Man Of The Woods Tour, Toronto, ON, Canadá +58 images

Make that a long, winding, snake-like all-black catwalk decorated with a few trees that extended from the main stage at one end of the arena all the way to the back of the floor at the other end.

It was where Timberlake, his six dancers and massive Tennessee Kids band spent the majority of their time over the course of a slick, dance-happy, two-hour show, much to the delight of the people on the floor.

For those of us in the stands, it also made the cavernous ACC seem more intimate.

Sadly, given all that time spent there, it was dark and dimly lit, but Timberlake mostly made up for that with gorgeous visuals projected on scrims that descended from above him all night long onto which woods, a starry sky with a crescent moon, and the handsome, charismatic singer himself were seen in all their glory.

Timberlake seemed particularly stoked to be launching his latest trek in “The 6ix” or “The North” as he alternately called Toronto to big cheers, while handing out shots on a tray to his crew on the catwalk mid-show to celebrate opening night.

“Here’s to mf Drake!” he added during his toast, to even more screams from the crowd.

“We are thrilled to be here with the first night of our Man of the Woods tour!”

Opening the evening with the new song Filthy, Timberlake stood out best when he delved further back in his catalogue that now covers five solo albums starting with SexyBack and continuing with Senorita, Suit & Tie, Cry Me A River (with those scrims lighting up with beautiful, flowing light effects), Mirrors and Drink You Away.

Then it was time to slow things down a bit and literally sing around the campfire at the back of the catwalk.

Timberlake strummed an acoustic guitar and let his backup singers handle lead vocals on such covers as Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams, Lauryn Hill’s Ex-factor, The Beatles’ Come Together and John Denver’s Thank God I’m A Country Boy.

I enjoyed his generosity and then it was time to break out the dance moves again for What Goes Around … Comes Around, highlight the two best new songs Say Something and Montana, and end the show with such older crowd-pleasers as Rock Your Body and Can’t Stop The Feeling!

Timberlake returns for a second night at the ACC on Thursday night and has added a third show on Oct. 9.

RATING: **** (four outta five)

• Filthy
• Midnight Summer Jam
• LoveStoned
• SexyBack
• Man of the Woods
• Higher Higher
• Senorita
• Suit & Tie
• My Love
• Cry Me a River
• Mirrors
• Drink You Away
• Flannel
• Until the End of Time
• Dreams / Ex-Factor / Come Together / Thank God I’m a Country Boy (covers)
• Morning Light
• What Goes Around…Comes Around
• Say Something
• Montana
• Summer Love
• Rock Your Body
• Supplies
• Can’t Stop the Feeling!

Toronto Sun