This is obviously a very, very, VERY old article if you’re reading it in 2023.
Back in March – just after Michael Jackson announced his marathon Summer tour – I commented that I couldn’t really see someone as fragile as him managing to complete such a punishing schedule. I mean: 50 years old, 50 dates, not toured in donkey’s years, not a full shilling? Come on!
Well, it’s started already!
One betting company is already giving odds on him cancelling more gigs than he performs. And there is this story which suggests he can’t actually perform that many gigs for contractual reasons. There are already health concerns, and he has been advised not to go ahead with the tour (or at least not all of it: he has 50 nights planned).
But this week, alleged problems with the venue have caused some dates to be postponed.
Fans are spitting feathers! Typical fans of Michael Jackson weren’t apparently at the front of the queue when brains were handed out, and those who sat for hours and hours by the phone in order to get tickets suddenly find themselves being mucked about. This is a particular issue for those fans who live on the other side of the world and who have booked flights and accommodation for the first gigs. Airline companies tend to be a little unforgiving when it comes to changing flights, so these fans are likely to end up out of pocket. And, of course, those who would have been able to boast of seeing Jacko first now won’t be seeing him until well into the proposed schedule (assuming either he or they are able to turn up on those rescheduled dates).