Sunday Afternoons, LA + Justin Timberlake
A couple Sunday afternoons ago, my coworker/friend and I went to the Justin Timberlake "Man of the Woods" show at Staples Center in Los Angeles. We were supposed to see him in November, but he had to cancel due to a cyst on his vocal cord. Sarah picked me up around noon and off we went, listening to JT as we went along. We were also totally twinning with our red flannel shirts. It was very "MOTW" of us.
The weather has been a little strange lately, and we weren't sure whether we'd hit snow. So we left in plenty of time and had more than enough time to explore downtown LA. Upon arrival, we found a parking lot nearby and walked over to the LA Live area. We had a later lunch at Lawry's to hold us over until the concert, then went to the Grammy Museum.
I've been a few times over the years, but Sarah had never been. Like most museums, they switch out the exhibits fairly often, so there's always something new to explore. This time, they had a new Dolly Parton exhibit, featuring costumes from stage and screen, as well as some of her instruments in complete Dolly fashion. There was also a new Johnny Cash exhibit that I'd never seen before with one of his outfits, handwritten song lyrics and photos of him. There were even gowns from this year's Grammy Awards on display.
I'm always so fascinated by the legacy behind the glass cases. The awards. The costumes. The lyrics. The dreams and the art that people poured themselves into. Some that are still alive and others who took their art with them, like Whitney Houston. These are the things that people dream of and work towards their entire lives, hoping that just ONE person will listen to their music or hear the story they're trying to tell. And sometimes the dream kills them.
There's something for everyone at the museum. Something from every genre. I learn so much every time I go, whether it's a new artist or having a newfound appreciation for someone I already admired.
After the museum, we still had a couple hours. We went over to Starbucks and got something to drink and sat outside for a few minutes, trying to decide what our next move was. I told her about the Fashion Institute, which usually holds exhibits with costumes surrounding the Emmy Awards or the Oscars. Currently, they're featuring some of the Oscar nominated films, like "Black Panther" and others.
Unfortunately, after walking a couple blocks up, we realized they were closed, since it was Sunday. But, it's in a really nice location with a small park and playground which has been used for TV and film. It was around "The magic hour" as they call it in Hollywood and it was the perfect time of evening, as the sun went just behind the buildings. Though we didn't get to stay for long. Just as we sat down to hang out for awhile, a security guard walked up to us and let us know that the park was closing.
We decided to walk back, but there wasn't anything else left to do, so we just waited near Staples Center for the doors to open. While waiting, I did see Kenny Ortega, choreographer for "High School Musical," as well as many other concert productions and shows, like Michael Jackson's "This is It" and "Dirty Dancing." He's done it all.
They opened the doors at 7 and we were all ready to go! Sarah and I stopped at the merch stand to buy shirts (and I got a program), then had dinner before heading to our seats. They were clear up in the nosebleeds. But, it didn't matter. The atmosphere was fun and lively with a DJ as soon as we entered. He played for a long time, then had a quick opening act. Finally, at 10 p.m., Justin came out. It was well worth the wait (from November and just that night).
People are always shocked when I say Justin Timberlake has been my favorite concert (over Taylor Swift). I know, I know. But, a Justin concert is a full experience from start to finish, as are Taylor's. His energy is unmatched. Seeing him is like how I imagine some people felt about Michael Jackson, like you're in the presence of a true legend. It was something I kept thinking about as he floated across the stage with his fancy footwork, smooth voice and intricate production. He always has the most unique stage setups. This one being no different, as it followed the theme of "Man of the Woods" and ran like the course of a river through the bottom level. In the middle was a circular stage with an open bar for those in the "pit" and at the end was another small stage where he later turned it into a "campfire" area and slowed things down.
He sang most of my favorite songs, including the hits and a few from the latest album and the tour's namesake and closed out with "Can't Stop the Feeling," which such a fun, positive note to end on. Everyone was dancing and forgetting their struggles and the fact that the next day was Monday. For that moment, we were just hanging out with our pal, JT, and that was all that mattered. Before the show was even over, I was already mentally preparing and ready for the next one.
The concert ended close to midnight and we still had to drive home. It took longer to get out of Staples this time around. We made it back to the car and got on the road quickly, blasting Justin on the drive home and gabbing about the show, of course.
Sarah and I had a blast at the show, singing at the top of our lungs and getting a chance to catch up outside of our office duties or just a quick lunch or dinner. It might sound cheesy, but I do cherish all of the time I get to spend with my coworkers and love even more that most of them have turned into close friends I can count on...Or go to concerts with, on occasion.
We made it home close to 2 a.m. and I fell asleep by 3 a.m...Once again, it was worth it. If you ever get a chance to see him live...DO IT.
That's all for now,
Shelby