Electrifying and incredible! The audience at the benefit concert Justin Timberlake & Friends at the Theater for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood on October 23, 2010 were on their feet throughout the 4-hour-plus evening for the superstar and superstars-in-the-making performances, and the general consensus was that music legend Elton John and hip-hop pioneers Salt-n-Pepa stole the show.

And that’s on top of thunderous applause for Christina Aguilera, Diddy and his duo Dirty Money, top-selling Lady Antebellum, Selena Gomez, T-Pain and new Memphis act Free Sol, whose music has been featured in Entourage. Justin performed throughout the evening with the artists and the onstage DJ, and his final acoustic guitar version of “Cry Me a River” was a vocal and evening highlight.

Contributing photographer Tom Donoghue said: “Each one of the star groups sang some four songs. But the electricity for Elton was so intense that he did more. He performed with his Red Piano for 45 minutes to close out the show. There’s no doubt that if he returns as a regular showman to Las Vegas, he’ll score another huge success. He simply brought the house down topping what had already been a rocking good time for everybody.”

Elton’s surreal set included “Saturday Night’s Alright (for Fighting),” “Levon,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Benny and the Jets” and “Rocket Man,” the latter an explosive and energetic extended version with Justin’s band that drew a thunderous ovation. Perhaps prophetically, he ended the evening with “The Bitch Is Back”!

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