Reviews: Harry Styles, Justin Timberlake, TLC & More

This week, for your reading enjoyment, we have compiled critical reviews of live performances from Harry Styles in Manchester, England; Justin Timberlake in Montreal, Quebec; TLC in Miami; Bill Murray in Schenectady, N.Y.; Roy Orbison: In Dreams (Hologram Tour) in Cardiff, Wales; and Victor Wooten Trio in Reading, Penn.

Handout / Helene Marie Pambrun via Getty Images – Harry Styles
Harry Styles makes a stop at AccorHotels Arena in Paris March 13.

Harry Styles @ Manchester Arena in Manchester, England, April 9 – “At the end of an emotional homecoming concert for Harry Styles at the Manchester Arena, the superstar singer asks his young fans: ‘Do you know The Beatles?’ There comes an ear-piercing scream, much as there is for everything the heartthrob says or does.

“While Harry’s fans display all the traits of those caught up in Beatlemania in the swinging sixties, screaming at his every utterance and move, Harry is beginning to more easily fit into the shoes of rock ‘n’ roll icon himself.” – Dianne Bourne / Manchester Evening News

Justin Timberlake @ Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, April 9 – “On stage, the show’s energy noticeably spiked when he trotted out the aughts hits — which did not receive new Appalachian arrangements, outside of the prescient ‘Drink You Away’ — and there was apprehension mixed with modest approval when he dropped a few new ones in succession. Montreal is generally cool with kitsch, so it was perhaps unsurprising that Timberlake bestowed the honour of ‘lit-est and loudest’ audience of the tour on Sunday’s crowd.” – Erik Leijon / Montreal Gazette

TLC @ Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition in Miami, Fla., April 6 – “A quarter-century into their career, it’s easy to see why the TLC formula still works. Each member has confidently settled into the performative role she plays onstage. While Chilli hopped in and out of choreography with their backup dancers comfortably, T-Boz did not appear pressed to do so. Instead, she stood tall at the risers, letting her vocals do most of the work.” – Celia Almeida / Miami New Times

Heather Rousseau / The Roanoke Times via AP – TLC
TLC serenades the crowd during the “I Love The 90s Tour” at Salem Civic Center in Virginia Sept. 8.

Bill Murray @ The Main Stage at Proctors in Schenectady, N.Y., April 9 – “It’s an intriguing project for the comic legend and beloved actor. Monday night at Proctors, Murray and Vogler, accompanied by Mira Wang on violin and pianist Vanessa Perez, brought it to life with a deft touch for a consistently entertaining two-hour performance that showcased the versatility of all performers and their thematic interconnectivity.” – Jim Shahen Jr. / Times Union

Roy Orbison: In Dreams (Hologram Tour) @ Motorpoint Arena Cardiff in Cardiff, Wales, April 8 – “After ascending through the stage floor, virtual Roy strummed away at a red guitar, nodded to the orchestra repeatedly and even tersely thanked the audience between songs. The uncanny effect was distracting at first, like an animated waxwork. Yet any visual sleight-of-hand soon faded into normality, rendered incidental by the towering melodrama of all-time classic weepies including ‘Running Scared,’ ‘Crying’ and ‘It’s Over.’” – Stephen Dalton / The Times

Victor Wooten Trio @ Miller Center For The Arts in Reading, Penn., April 7 – “The trio interconnected perfectly, Wooten and Franceschini taking leads or locking in to incredibly intricate runs at warp speed, while the deceptively understated Chambers kept everything from flying off into space.” – Jon Fassnacht / Reading Eagle