Janet Jackson resumes tour after bout of vertigo
Janet Jackson performs in the first concert of her "Rock Witchu" tour since her recent illness, in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
(Jacquelyn Martin - AP)
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By BRETT ZONGKER
The Associated Press
Thursday, October 16, 2008; 7:38 AM
WASHINGTON -- Janet Jackson took the stage to exploding fireworks, clouds of smoke and the sounds of some early hits Wednesday in her first concert since she was sidelined for two weeks by a bout of vertigo.
Sporting a huge mohawk and light-colored body suit, the Grammy-winning performer opened with "Pleasure Principle," followed by "What Have You Done for Me Lately" from her 1986 album "Control." Soon after, she sang her latest single, "Feedback."
"It feels so good to be back after being down just a little bit," Jackson told the crowd at the less-than-full Verizon Center.
The two-hour, high-energy show went smoothly, but Jackson did appear winded at times. At one point, she paused to admire her backup dancers, and the audience roared with approval.
"She was perfect. If she was sick, she's not sick anymore," said Maurice Bell, 28, of Washington. "She can still do it at 42."
At the end of the show, a teary-eyed Jackson told the crowd: "I love you D.C. so much."
Jackson's publicist said Wednesday she has been suffering from migraine-associated vertigo, which led to her canceling a string of shows. She is being treated for the illness, which is characterized by dizziness, imbalance and other symptoms.
"She's a world-class entertainer and needs to be at the top of her game to give her fans the show they expect," Jackson's manager, Kenneth Crear, said in a release. "She's feeling much better and is ready to hit the road again to finish the tour."
Crear said Jackson is feeling better and ready to continue her first North American tour in seven years. Upcoming stops include Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, New York and East Rutherford, N.J.
Janet returns in top form
Rock Witchu Tour features non-stop hits
By KEVIN NAFF, Washington Blade | Oct 16, 2:59 PM
After postponing a string of shows due to illness, Janet Jackson returned in top form Wednesday night to her Rock Witchu Tour at Washington’s Verizon Center.
If she was suffering any lingering effects of the migraines and vertigo that plagued her over the past two weeks, it wasn’t apparent Wednesday night, as Jackson danced her way through nearly two-and-a-half hours of hits and their accompanying energetic, complex choreography.
Opening act LL Cool J was a no-show, but he was forgotten as soon as Jackson came to the stage in a blaze of pyrotechnics and smoke, a diva-worthy entrance if ever there was one. She opened with a medley of Control-era hits — “Pleasure Principal,” “What Have You Done for Me Lately” and “Control” — before segueing into the recent hit “Feedback.”
And the hits kept coming, reminding the packed house of Jackson’s long record of producing memorable and lasting hit singles. She went as far back as 1982, performing three songs from her pre-“Control” albums “Janet Jackson” and “Dream Street,” including “Don’t Stand Another Chance” and “Young Love.” It’s hard to believe it’s been more than a quarter century since she burst onto the American Bandstand stage with those numbers.
Taking a break from the high-energy dance tracks for which she’s best known, Jackson worked in a string of ballads, including “Never Letchu Go,” “Come Back to Me” and the crowd-favorite “Again,” which landed her an Oscar nomination 15 years ago. Her reemergence onstage in a glittering red, floor-length Versace gown atop an elevated podium high above the stage provided one of the more dramatic images of the night. Despite all the speculation about her use of recorded vocals, Jackson performed the ballads live — and powerfully.
In addition to six tracks from this year’s “Discipline” CD, Jackson seemed to perform every song she’s ever recorded. “That’s the Way Love Goes?” Check. “Nasty?” Check. “Alright,” “Runaway,” “Miss You Much?” Check, check and check. The section of the show that generated the most noise from the crowd was a killer three-song medley of “Black Cat,” “If” and “Rhythm Nation,” all of which were performed in their entirety and with a rock edge that was a hallmark of the show.
Previous Jackson tours — the last was in 2001 — exuded a carefree and fun innocence and featured whimsical props and costumes. Those days are over and Jackson brought a very modern, edgy and sometimes dark sensibility to the production. From punk-inspired costumes to the S&M-themed “Discipline” that involved an audience member being strapped into a sling and groped, this is an unapologetic and cutting-edge Janet.
The missteps? There were two. First, there were several video interludes played during costume changes that featured images of a good and evil Janet battling it out for … something. The purpose of the clips was never made clear and the audio for those bits couldn’t be deciphered over the crowd noise. Second, Jackson should engage the crowd more. At times, she seemed preoccupied with getting through all the numbers rather than enjoying herself and the audience that worshipped her. A few more spontaneous moments with the audience would give the production more of a concert feel and less the sense that you’re watching a Broadway show that doesn’t change from night to night.
But those are minor quibbles. Janet quite literally grew up on stage, performing before live audiences since she was 7. There is no one performing today — not even Madonna — who can touch her live act. She is one of those rare performers you simply can’t take your eyes off of.
Whether she’s surrounded by a troupe of dancers with pyrotechnics blasting all around or simply standing alone with a microphone, Jackson’s stage presence is irresistible and undeniable. There are many top pop acts that are a mainstay of MTV and radio airplay that can’t translate that success to the stage (think Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez to name just two). Janet is the rare modern pop star who is at her best on a stage before a live audience.
If only the mainstream media would cut her a break. After the concert postponements (not cancellations, as widely reported), many media outlets, DJs and bloggers piled on, accusing Jackson of faking the illness or being pregnant or bumping shows due to LTS — low ticket sales. If only entertainment writers would take a minute to do a little research. Jackson’s Vegas show, for example, grossed more than $1 million and sold 8,065 tickets of 8,168 available. The D.C. show wasn’t a sell-out, but the only empty seats appeared to be in the rafters and this was a mid-week show. But bloggers and the mainstream media no longer let facts get in the way of a good character assassination. How sad that Americans revel so in the hardships of others — building up celebrities only to gleefully try to tear them down.
Commercial radio may have turned its back on Janet after the Super Bowl fiasco, but she continues to thrive and innovate onstage. Let’s hope she doesn’t let another seven years pass before the next tour.
