A FIVE HOUR CONCERT - Justin Timberlake and Friends Old School Jam...

Unlike a three hour tour, we did get to go home at the end of it all...channeling my younger days when we would sit at Grateful Dead concerts and begin to wonder if they were ever going to leave the stage (even though we loved them), this past Saturday night, for us, was "off the hook"!

Ginger, Mary Ann, and I were lucky enough to take in the Justin Timberlake and Friends Old School Jam, at Planet Hollywood...raising money for Shriner's Children's Hospital.  Five...yes, FIVE...incredible hours of some of the best Old School Hip Hop and Funk performers from my youth - ahhh...heavy sigh (I remember those evenings on the dance floor).  These were performers who had influenced Justin Timberlake as a kid (a lot younger than my youth) - ahhhh...even heavier sigh!

An outstanding line-up that was hosted by Justin, and comedian Wayne Brady, we were treated to lengthy performances by TURBO B (of Snap); COLOR ME BADD ("I Want to Sex You Up); SUGAR HILL GANG ("Rapper's Delight"); SISTER SLEDGE ("We Are Family"); CHARLIE WILSON (formerly of The Gap Band, and probably my favorite performer of the evening!); EARTH, WIND & FIRE (how do you choose their biggest hit?!); VANILLA ICE ("Ice, Ice Baby"); and THE COMMODORES (ditto, EW&F).  SO great, that we never looked at our watches until the 4-hour mark, and then realized just how long we had been enjoying ourselves.  No gaps longer than a few minutes in between performances - just one smooth production, from start to finish!

Halfway through Charlie Wilson's set, we were treated to this..."Doo Wah Diddy/Blow That Thing".  Our view was better (though a bit back from the stage...dead center, second row balcony - GREAT seats), but when you're too chicken to pirate videos from actual events, you have to rely on others posting to You Tube...and you're thankful for it!  VERY cool, just the same - turn up your volume.

And there was this little A-cappella number that Color Me Badd threw in, in addition to their biggest hits.  Thank you to Justin, Shriner's Hospital, and Planet Hollywood for one of the most spectacular concert evenings we have happily sat through - definitely the longest...I think Mrs. Howell would have even enjoyed it!  "Word to your mother!"