Strolling into the room shortly earlier than Justin Timberlake took our cramped stage, I overheard somebody on his staff questioning aloud if this was to be essentially the most densely populated Tiny Desk live performance in historical past — which is to say, essentially the most musicians we have ever slot in a single body. It isn’t, however we do not usually discover a strategy to cram on this many human beings (15 in all) and this a lot gear. Timberlake has by no means been one to offer partial effort, however it is a manufacturing befitting the event: specifically, a set timed to drop concurrently with the discharge of his new album, Every part I Thought It Was. Eschewing the rootsier really feel of its predecessor, 2018’s Man of the Woods, the brand new document is a throwback, an epic and a blowout — and so’s this lavish set, which scales the Timberlake expertise right down to 25 minutes of maximalist celebration and, when the second requires it, chiller vibes.
Backed by his band The Tennessee Youngsters, Timberlake’s Tiny Desk debut leans closely on his early solo catalog, as he kicks it off with two songs from 2002’s traditional Justified and weaves in three extra from 2006’s magnificent FutureSex/LoveSounds — together with a set-closing “SexyBack,” which finds the singer trotting out a megaphone in a very meme-worthy second. By the way in which, in case you are questioning, the all-time document for musicians behind the Tiny Desk is a whopping 23, a feat pulled off by the implausible Mucca Pazza in 2015. However Timberlake and firm rival that traditional efficiency’s power — in each circumstances, the true triumph lies not within the Tetris of all of it, however in the way in which that many individuals nonetheless discover methods to maneuver, buoyantly and as one mighty organism. SET LIST “Señorita” “Rock Your Physique” “Pusher Love Lady” “Till The Finish Of Time” “Egocentric” “What Goes Round” “SexyBack” MUSICIANS Justin Timberlake: lead vocals, guitar, keys RaVaughn Brown: vocals Camry: vocals Erin Stevenson: vocals Kenyon Dixon: vocals Justin Gilbert: keys Mike Reid: drums Elliot Ives: guitar Derrick Ray: bass Leon Silva: saxophone Kevin Williams: trombone, flute Dontae Winslow: trumpet Sean Erick: trumpet Adam Blackstone: keys, percussion, music course Andrew Hypes: DJ TINY DESK TEAM Producer: Bobby Carter Director/Editor: Maia Stern Audio Technical Director: Neil Tevault Videographers: Maia Stern, Kara Body, Joshua Bryant, Alanté Serene, Elizabeth Gillis Audio Engineers: Kwesi Lee, Adam Blackstone, Danny Cheung Manufacturing Assistant: Ashley Pointer Photographer: Estefania Mitre Tiny Desk Copy Editor: Hazel Cills Govt Producer: Suraya Mohamed Collection Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins