How a man of the woods inspired me to be a better performer

It’s no secret. If you’re a DJ, you’ve played a Justin Timberlake track at least once in your career. He’s become a staple in the music industry for now nearly 30 years. He’s enjoyed similar success as the king of pop, Michael Jackson as an international superstar. From his time at the mickey mouse club all the way to Madison Square Garden, and appearing in films and doing voice over work, there’s no aspect of the entertainment industry he hasn’t had a hand in.

It is this kind of drive and determination that inspires. He is the driving force behind the music in every song and every stadium he peforms. He is creative, adgile, talented, funny, and from what we see, an all around good guy. This is a great formula for success. But along with all of these amazing attributes that contribute to his global success, it all boils down to the performance.

3 weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending Madison Square Garden for his Man of the Woods tour. Let me tell you, it was by far one of THE BEST shows I have seen in decades. The stage spanned the entire rink at the garden and there was not a bad seat in the house. For 2 and a half hours, he engaged with and performed for 20,000 screaming fans. His energy was infectious. There was not a low point in the show.

One of the highlights that I found to be both unexpected and entertaining was when he stripped his performance down to the basics with a campfire, acoustic guitars, and performances by several of his bandmates singing some of their favorites. This spoke to me especially as a DJ because often times, we always think bigger is better. But in the midst of organized chaos that was probably the event production from hell for the tech crew, this small moment enveloped the audience and gave them a very intimate moment with Justin.

The show spoke to many generations, spanned across several genres, and kept the audience engaged. And THAT is the goal with every event I do. I felt inspired on the ride home and began thinking to myself, how can I push myself even harder to bring the best performance possible to my clients and guests? How can I push the envelope and leave my guests wanting more.

The Man of the Woods gave me a challenge. To work harder, leave no stone unturned, and perform like your life depended on it. That will be the theme for Pryme Tyme moving forward.