Remember when NSYNC played at the Metrodome in 2001?
by Jay Gabler
February 04, 2018
Watching Justin Timberlake play the halftime show at Super Bowl LII tonight in Minneapolis, some of us will be reminiscing about seeing him perform in the exact same spot — back when it was home to the Metrodome instead of U.S. Bank Stadium, and back when he was still a member of NSYNC.
The boy band played their penultimate Minnesota show on June 24, 2001, as part of their PopOdyssey tour. I was there, along with a 42,000 more screaming fans of all ages. Both kids (especially girls) and parents (especially moms) tended to come in posses, with handmade shirts specifying each one's favorite band members. In one case, there was a fivesome of four kids and one mom, who of course wore the JOEY shirt.
In the days before social media, fans didn't get the memo that posters wouldn't be permitted inside the stadium, and there were huge piles of signs outside each of the Dome's entrances. They'd all be delivered to the guys after the show, we were assured. No doubt.
How was the show? It was great, of course. Each dude had his chance to shine; I particularly remember Chris Kirkpatrick's little runway dance as a winning moment. The band earned approximately $1 million for their effort, the Star Tribune reported. The next year, they returned to Minneapolis to play Target Center.
One fan posted a picture of her ticket ($65.50), as well as the band disembarking their bus, on (of course) Angelfire.
"Interesting things I can remember about the concert," she wrote: "Well, during Chris's 'striptease' he grabbed a pink feather boa from an audience member and danced with it. Then when he fell he sat up and was spitting out pink feathers! It was so cute! When he finished all the boys made fun of him. JC said: 'You look good in pink.' and Chris just stared at him because he was wearing his 'This I Promise You' outfit which has bright pink patches on it. What a dork."
Setlist
Pop
Tearin' Up My Heart/I Want You Back
(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time On You
The Two of Us
Space Cowboy (Yippie-Yi-Yay)
This I Promise You
Gone
It's Gonna Be Me
See Right Through You
Up Against the Wall
Celebrity
Something Like You/Falling/Selfish
No Strings Attached
Encore
The Game Is Over
Bye Bye Bye