Do you think the This is it concerts were gonna be great ?

[Svis]

I'm talking about the first one, the 10 that were originally planned, I know they would've been tiring for him but let's only talk about the first concerts.

Personally I think they're gonna be as good as the previous tours (especially since apparently he was gonna sing live more), even the Bad tour. I really like the opening and the effects and the choreography is amazing as always. I especially like how there's a bigger group now and it fills the stage more. The WBSS chorus is the best of any tour.

 

[mj_frenzy]

It has been said that Michael Jackson was going to perform on stage as little as possible due to his failing health at the time.

For that reason, the production team (reportedly) planned a lot of theatrics, visual effects and a lot of dancing from the backup dancers that would take place on stage, while the singer would rest backstage.

Also, Kenny Ortega revealed that Michael Jackson would lip-sync a lot, and that was the necessary route due to the singer's state of health at the time.

Note also that the 'This Is It' shows were residency concerts and this means that it was a downgrade for Michael Jackson, compared to his previous concerts that used to take place in bigger arenas or in huge stadiums which automatically also had a bigger impact.

 

[Svis]

It has been said that Michael Jackson was going to perform on stage as little as possible due to his failing health at the time.

For that reason, the production team (reportedly) planned a lot of theatrics, visual effects and a lot of dancing from the backup dancers that would take place on stage, while the singer would rest backstage.

Also, Kenny Ortega revealed that Michael Jackson would lip-sync a lot, and that was the necessary route due to the singer's state of health at the time.

Note also that the 'This Is It' shows were residency concerts and this means that it was a downgrade for Michael Jackson, compared to his previous concerts that used to take place in bigger arenas or in huge stadiums which automatically also had a bigger impact.

Oh then it's trash

 

[filmandmusic]

It would have ended up as the worst series of concerts an artists ever did. I simply refused to pay money for it which says enough how I viewed MJ as a live artist at that time.

 

[dam2040]

Are we all smoking crack?

I had my ticket front row, July 10th 2009 and couldn’t wait. Every day was a blessing counting down seeing Michael again.

The show was a spectacle. Magic, 3D content, fireworks, great setlist.. a healthy MJ delivering at least the opening night would’ve been a true masterpiece & firmly rooted him as the greatest entertainer to ever live.

Nothing to this day has come close, nor will it ever I don’t think. It’s such a shame.

 

[Svis]

Are we all smoking crack?

I had my ticket front row, July 10th 2009 and couldn’t wait. Every day was a blessing counting down seeing Michael again.

The show was a spectacle. Magic, 3D content, fireworks, great setlist.. a healthy MJ delivering at least the opening night would’ve been a true masterpiece & firmly rooted him as the greatest entertainer to ever live.

Nothing to this day has come close, nor will it ever I don’t think. It’s such a shame.

TII was described as "the greatest concerts that never happened"

 

[dam2040]

TII was described as "the greatest concerts that never happened"

That's exactly right. They would've been the greatest spectacle ever.

 

[analogue]

This was Michael's big comeback after the 2005 trial. He wasn't stupid and he knew all eyes would be on him and there were a lot of cynical people looking for the smallest thing to nitpick. So from that alone I think it would have motivated Michael to put on a great show.

He was going to show the world why he's the greatest entertainer of all time

 

[dam2040]

This was Michael's big comeback after the 2005 trial. He wasn't stupid and he knew all eyes would be on him and there were a lot of cynical people looking for the smallest thing to nitpick. So from that alone I think it would have motivated Michael to put on a great show.

He was going to show the world why he's the greatest entertainer of all time

Even with his health issues I think he could’ve done something special that opening night.

 

[filmandmusic]

Was there actually a warming up act planned? Or is this usually only on tour?

 

[dam2040]

Was there actually a warming up act planned? Or is this usually only on tour?

Lots of people pretended they were in the running. Diversity, Lady Gaga and a few others.

But, much like tour sponsors (they couldn’t get any) I doubt anything was seriously planned.

 

[Zeus 7]

Lots of people pretended they were in the running. Diversity, Lady Gaga and a few others.

But, much like tour sponsors (they couldn’t get any) I doubt anything was seriously planned.

I'm sure after a million tickets were sold a sponsor would have appeared

 

[mj_frenzy]

One has to simply take a look at these emails that were presented in the trials regarding Michael Jackson's death in order to understand what was really going on behind the scenes.

For example, according to one of these emails (that was published in the Los Angeles Times) the singer was not in shape enough yet to sing his songs live and dance at the same time.

According to another email, music supervisor Michael Bearden told Kenny Ortega that he planned using Michael Jackson's studio material for those shows (for lip-syncing).

According to another email, Kenny Ortega expressed his fears that the singer may be unable to rise to the occasion due to real emotional stuff.

Or, according to another email, Kenny Ortega told Randy Phillips that Michael Jackson was not ready (for the shows).

Michael Jackson seemed to be even unable to make that very brief announcement of his upcoming 'This Is It' shows.

As Randy Phillips testified, he had to slap and scream at the singer, and (according to him) it was a miracle that a drunk and despondent Michael Jackson finally appeared at the London event and made that announcement.

 

[Robbsaber01]

If we are talking about 1-10 shows if healthy then yes. The this is not it thread really shows how bad things were behind the scenes. I highly doubt he was capable of doing all 50. I dont think they would have been "The worst shows any artist has ever done" though.

 

[dam2040]

I'm sure after a million tickets were sold a sponsor would have appeared

Nothing revealed itself in the months of March - June, which is pretty close to show time.

 

[Mister_Jay_Tee]

I'm pretty sure in Hollywood, child molestation is an immediate hard pass.

Not because of the guilt or not even, to hide the secret offenders behind the scenes.

 

[Prince Of Pop]

In all honesty, no I don't think so. Even if Michael had survived what Murray put him through, I think much like the Millennium concerts he was going to do and the 1996 NYC concert he was going to do, I think This Is It would eventually have been postponed or cancelled due to health reasons.

I think he was forced into doing the shows due to $$$ issues.

 

[filmandmusic]

The fact that everyone puts “if healthy” in their sentence says enough that there was not a lot of trust in a good outcome

 

[Mister_Jay_Tee]

The fact that everyone puts “if healthy” in their sentence says enough that there was not a lot of trust in a good outcome

MJ looked absolutely fine in March, certainly had a much healthier weight on him. We'd have to assume if they stuck to 10 concerts only then maybe his mental health wouldn't have deteriorated, leading to better health physically as well.

 

[filmandmusic]

MJ looked absolutely fine in March, certainly had a much healthier weight on him. We'd have to assume if they stuck to 10 concerts only then maybe his mental health wouldn't have deteriorated, leading to better health physically as well.

Yeah I remember I was getting lowkey angry when they announced more and more dates. I could not believe my ears, so irresponsible from everyone involved. Money talks

 

[Robbsaber01]

Yeah I remember I was getting lowkey angry when they announced more and more dates. I could not believe my ears, so irresponsible from everyone involved. Money talks

Yep.The AEG exec emails say it all. "Too bad he died but we are going to make a fortune!" (Paraphrased) ...Makes me sick how he was surrounded by greedy enablers/opportunists.

 

[zinniabooklover]

Yep.The AEG exec emails say it all. "Too bad he died but we are going to make a fortune!" ...Makes me sick how he was surrounded by greedy enablers/opportunists.

jfc!

I thought I'd seen all the emails but I don't remember this one. Unless my brain just flat out blocked it.

Beyond disgusting. 🤮

 

[Robbsaber01]

jfc!

I thought I'd seen all the emails but I don't remember this one. Unless my brain just flat out blocked it.

Beyond disgusting. 🤮

To be clear I was paraphrasing but that's how it came across to me at least. It was mentioned in that TMZ special..

 

[Mister_Jay_Tee]

I mean, I remember that MJ looked so skinny at certain points people were convinced they had put body doubles in the film.

But compare that to here

He looks pretty great. This is Press Conference Days?

 

[Salami]

I don’t think 10 was ever really the plan. That was their “just in case” statement if demand wasn’t there. Obviously it was and everyone involved bit off more than they could chew. Even at the time, I had tickets to an August date and I knew it would never happen.

 

[dam2040]

I mean, I remember that MJ looked so skinny at certain points people were convinced they had put body doubles in the film.

But compare that to here

He looks pretty great. This is Press Conference Days?

This is on the way to the 02 for the press conference.

 

[zinniabooklover]

I don’t think 10 was ever really the plan.

IIRC, the contract actually stated that as many as 30 shows could be scheduled. Can't remember the details but I'm sure there was a clause that to that effect. 20 shows? 30 shows? Can't remember but it was def more than 10 although I didn't know that at the time.

That was their “just in case” statement if demand wasn’t there.

I think you're right. 10 shows is what the media reported, presumably based on what AEG wanted them to believe.

Do I think TII would have been great? Don't know about Michael's performance but the show itself, as seen on the film, looked gorgeous, imo. Production values were high, some great creativity on display. Not so sure about Zaldy outfits. But the overall design and execution? Looked fabulous to me. Best performance of Thriller, imo.

I do have mixed feelings about this.

 

[mj_frenzy]

I don’t think 10 was ever really the plan. That was their “just in case” statement if demand wasn’t there. Obviously it was and everyone involved bit off more than they could chew. Even at the time, I had tickets to an August date and I knew it would never happen.

IIRC, the contract actually stated that as many as 30 shows could be scheduled. Can't remember the details but I'm sure there was a clause that to that effect. 20 shows? 30 shows? Can't remember but it was def more than 10 although I didn't know that at the time.


I think you're right. 10 shows is what the media reported, presumably based on what AEG wanted them to believe.

Do I think TII would have been great? Don't know about Michael's performance but the show itself, as seen on the film, looked gorgeous, imo. Production values were high, some great creativity on display. Not so sure about Zaldy outfits. But the overall design and execution? Looked fabulous to me. Best performance of Thriller, imo.

I do have mixed feelings about this.

The AEG Live contract stipulated that Michael Jackson had to perform at least 31 'This Is It' shows (the contract is available on the Internet).

But initially, AEG Live announced 10 shows in order to test the demand (note, the singer had not properly performed for nearly a decade and they were not really sure how tickets would sell).

When the demand was getting bigger and bigger, and tickets were selling like hot cakes, then they increased that number to 31 shows, and then to 50 shows.

Michael Jackson never agreed to do 50 shows, and he specifically said that to some fans that he met outside a Los Angeles studio (where he was rehearsing).

 

[Victorious]

The amount of lip-syncing on the History Tour was ridiculous (should have been cancelled due to the laryngitis imho) and I am convinced 'This Is It' would not be any better in that aspect.. No amount of special effects, explosions and dancers would have made it a good show to me unfortunately without him singing live most of the show

 

[SmoothGangsta]

IIRC, the contract actually stated that as many as 30 shows could be scheduled. Can't remember the details but I'm sure there was a clause that to that effect. 20 shows? 30 shows? Can't remember but it was def more than 10 although I didn't know that at the time.


I think you're right. 10 shows is what the media reported, presumably based on what AEG wanted them to believe.

Do I think TII would have been great? Don't know about Michael's performance but the show itself, as seen on the film, looked gorgeous, imo. Production values were high, some great creativity on display. Not so sure about Zaldy outfits. But the overall design and execution? Looked fabulous to me. Best performance of Thriller, imo.

I do have mixed feelings about this.

Yeah MJ agreed to do more than ten, and he also planned to take the tour elsewhere around the world according to Michael Prince. It seems the limited show thing was purely to build hype only for them to reveal more later.