I saw Michael Jackson in concert once

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I saw Michael Jackson in concert once

POSTED: Friday, June 26, 2009, 3:19 PM

Filed Under: Music | Show Blast from the Past

Mama-se, mama-sa, mama-coo-sa

I saw Michael Jackson perform at JFK Stadium, back in September of 1984, as part of the Jacksons Victory Tour. At the time I hadn't heard of the Jackson Five. I certainly hadn't heard of the mysterious sixth brother, Jackie Jackson. All I knew was 'Billie Jean' and 'Beat It' kinda stuff. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" might've been my favorite. And that it was supposed to be the concert of the century. Now I can't seem to remember much. Here's what I got:

My whole immediately family went, including my Aunt Maryanne. I'm not sure how we could afford the tickets, even for nosebleed seats, but my sister could be very persuasive when it came to these things. I remember the way a family vacation in Boston turned into a night when my dad and brother and I went to see Problem Child while my sister and mom went to see the New Kids. Problem Child is a bad movie.
My brother also won a pair of tickets from Shop 'n' Bag in some huge promotional raffle kind of thing. But then we lost one, we think, because it fell through a hole in the glove compartment of our big green Chevy.
The opening act was a guy who juggled grapefruit-sized disco balls.
The Jacksons were dressed as monsters at some point? Is that right? Why would that be? I remember being scared.
I think there was a spotlight specifically assigned to the glitter glove.
There was a lot of girlish shrieking, and not just from the stage. I remember seeing one lady get taken away on a stretcher and thinking she was probably dead.
Oh yeah, we got one of those official tour programs, that probably cost like 50 bucks. It was just a lot of huge glossy pictures of Michael, Marlon, Randy, Tito and Jermaine in, like, motorcycle gear and standing next to Lamborghinis and stuff. That's what was cool back then.

Posted 2009-06-28 03:05:13

i have tickets to michael jacksons final tour. I do not want my tickets to be refunded. The concerts should go ahead as a tribute towards michael and play all his music where all fans still attend and sing and dance to his music in remembrance and pay their respects. I would still fly to London for this show.

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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