Michael Jackson's 3rd show for Sultan of Brunei (New York, mid 1999)?

[MJJExpert]

Some years ago, a very trusted source (I've seen many, still, unreleased things at his home) told me Michael performed a "very private" show around mid of 1999 for Sultan of Brunei's son, maybe for a birthday, in New York. All was taped on VHS.

He didn't share any further details, but he said to me it was a show "in the way of a little performance around tables, during dinner". So Michael could have sang 2 or 3 songs "unplugged", maybe as he did on his mother's birthday. Nothing more, considering no MJ's crew was there (except, maybe, Omer Bhatti).

Rumor seems to be confirmed here:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/new...ectid=12219919

"He paid Michael Jackson $25.8 million to perform at three concerts to mark the occasion".

What do you think? Maybe we can trace MJ's trips during 1998-1999 in order to locate, at least, one a probable date.
All together we can do some research.

[Thriller_MJ]

This is the first I have heard of this. I'm aware there is footage floating around of a filmed HOB Speical in the mid 90s which was later shelved. I've not heard of any show from 1999.

[JichaelMackson]

Please, let this be true!

[Hulkamaniac]

Yes, I think it was shadowgames who talked about this some years ago. I dunno if he's a trustable source though. He said that there was another, very private show in Brunei.

[Rocketeer]

The setlist should consist of songs like Billie Jean or Man In The Mirror because I cant imagine Michael singing Dangerous or Black Or White at an event like this

[Snek]

Are the first two concerts that the article talks about supposed to be the July 16 and December 31, 1996 shows?

Is there any precedent of MJ doing a private show like this? Apart from for his own mother of course, who I’m sure didn’t pay him tens of millions of dollars for it.

Anyway, if it is true, mid 1999 is around the same time as the short MJ and Friends tour. Maybe there is someone who was with him a lot around that time we could reach out to on Twitter that can confirm this?

I’d love for this to be true and to see possible footage, MJ’s live voice was a rarity around this time.

This is the first I have heard of this. I'm aware there is footage floating around of a filmed HOB Speical in the mid 90s which was later shelved. I've not heard of any show from 1999.

There exists footage of the HBO special? I thought MJ collapsed before filming could start?

[Rocketeer]

There exists footage of the HBO special? I thought MJ collapsed before filming could start?

Yeah the special sadly didn’t happen, but the rehearsals (with Michael) were filmed, and do exist, well, they did, until the tapes were lost

However, LaVelle published highlights of the rehearsals (Thriller, Bad, Dangerous) back in 2017 (which he showed at a larger quantity at his seminars), but without Michael as those took place after Michael collapsed, so rehearsals for the show with Michael are lost (not even the Estate may have them, but then again, I cannot exactly confirm that), albeit ones without Michael are in the possession of LaVelle

[Serious Effect]

[mj_frenzy]

Some years ago, a very trusted source (I've seen many, still, unreleased things at his home) told me Michael performed a "very private" show around mid of 1999 for Sultan of Brunei's son, maybe for a birthday, in New York. All was taped on VHS.

He didn't share any further details, but he said to me it was a show "in the way of a little performance around tables, during dinner". So Michael could have sang 2 or 3 songs "unplugged", maybe as he did on his mother's birthday. Nothing more, considering no MJ's crew was there (except, maybe, Omer Bhatti).

Rumor seems to be confirmed here:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/new...ectid=12219919

"He paid Michael Jackson $25.8 million to perform at three concerts to mark the occasion".

What do you think? Maybe we can trace MJ's trips during 1998-1999 in order to locate, at least, one a probable date.
All together we can do some research.

The rumour that Michael Jackson performed a “very private” show around mid-1999 for Sultan of Brunei in New York is definitely not true.

These three, free concerts that Michael Jackson was paid in order to perform for Sultan of Brunei were all scheduled to take place at the Jerudong Park Amphitheatre (in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei), and none of them were “private shows in the way of a little performance around tables, during dinner”.

Also, Adrian Grant (in his ‘Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary’ book, where he chronicles events from Michael Jackson’s life and career) does not mention that “very private” show around mid-1999 for Sultan of Brunei in New York.

If that “very private” show around mid-1999 for Sultan of Brunei had actually taken place, Adrian Grant would have mentioned it in the ‘1999’ timeline section of events in his book.

[JichaelMackson]

That clip of him singing for his mother was so good. I love the jazz instrumentation and relaxed atmosphere. He felt totally comfortable in this setting. I would have totally dug an album full of those tunes! Sounds classy and it would have gone well with music critics.

The closest thing we got to this was the song "smile".

[kai]

Off-Topic.

But when i bought a bunch of VHS tapes.. like 80 tapes (there is a thread about it in the forum, but i resold the tapes) from a germany guy,
he told me he had the rehearsals of the Royal Brunei Show but he sold it already so i couldn't get it.
I don't see why this guy should lie.. so those rehearsals are out there in some fans hands.

[MJJExpert]

The rumour that Michael Jackson performed a “very private” show around mid-1999 for Sultan of Brunei in New York is definitely not true.

These three, free concerts that Michael Jackson was paid in order to perform for Sultan of Brunei were all scheduled to take place at the Jerudong Park Amphitheatre (in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei), and none of them were “private shows in the way of a little performance around tables, during dinner”.

Also, Adrian Grant (in his ‘Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary’ book, where he chronicles events from Michael Jackson’s life and career) does not mention that “very private” show around mid-1999 for Sultan of Brunei in New York.

If that “very private” show around mid-1999 for Sultan of Brunei had actually taken place, Adrian Grant would have mentioned it in the ‘1999’ timeline section of events in his book.

Adrian Grant is a very trusted source BUT he can't assume to know all what happened in MJ's life.

Yes, I think it was shadowgames who talked about this some years ago. I dunno if he's a trustable source though. He said that there was another, very private show in Brunei.

That's the point. Thank you. I can confirm my source is NOT shadowgames and he never talked to him.
But it's interesting this rumor was circulating all over...that's why I'm asking your support to find out something more.

p.s. Brunei Royal show rehearsals could have been recorded (many photos were shot and published on MJJMagazine)

[Serious Effect]

MJJExpert, why didn't this "trustable source" impart anymore information to you about this "private show"? Like, if they hold valuable info about it, info that can prove or dispel this rumor, why not share it with you? I understand the "extra privacy" of this "private show", thus your source would have hesitation to share information about it, but then again, they have pretty much acknowledged its existence, nearly compromising the privacy of this " very private show" now that we know about it. That's where my doubt emerges. Also, why would Michael perform for the Sultan's son in the USA? I don't know the geographic location of Brunei, but I have never heard of such a city, country, or state being in the USA. Was his son vacationing in the USA? Was the whole family there? Why would they be there? Additionally, I will assume that photos should have been taken if it was recorded onto VHS, though why have none of these photos leaked, or even just a little clip of this show? Again, I know this was a "very private" show, but realize that this Michael Jackson we're talking about. At this point in 1999, Michael had almost no privacy from the media and the world (expressed in the song "Privacy" on the Invincible album, right?), so I think we would know much more about this "private show", no matter how much Michael tried to keep it a secret. I mean come on, New York is quite a colossal city, and if Michael Jackson pops up, people will flock, and later, may account that experience, none I have heard yet. Wasn't Michael also working on the Invincible album at this time?

Many questions here, alongside my dubiety, about this whole "private show".

[mj_frenzy]

Adrian Grant is a very trusted source BUT he can't assume to know all what happened in MJ's life.

Adrian Grant would have included in his book that "very private" show (for the Sultan of Brunei in 1999) if it had had happened.

I mean, he included in his book far less important events from Michael Jackson’s life and career.

Michael Jackson visited indeed New York (Manhattan) around mid-1999, but he did that only for one very specific purpose: to attend a private screening of ‘The Matrix’ film (starring Keanu Reeves) because he desperately wanted to watch that science fiction action film.

Also, why would Michael perform for the Sultan's son in the USA? I don't know the geographic location of Brunei, but I have never heard of such a city, country, or state being in the USA. Was his son vacationing in the USA? Was the whole family there? Why would they be there?

Michael Jackson did not perform for the Sultan’s son in the USA in 1999.

[Serious Effect]

Michael Jackson did not perform for the Sultan’s son in the USA in 1999.

According to MJJExpert, mentioned in the first paragraph of their post, this "private show" was held not for the Sultan of Brunei, as were the two in 1996, but for his son, in New York, which is a country in the USA, in 1999. But yeah, I am doubtful.