I'mma put the fact that I'm a fan aside for a minute to tell you WHY this tribute was so epic! This was a dance tribute to a man known for his impeccable dance skills. This tribute was directed by Janet Jackson's longtime creative collaborator, dancer and choreographer Gil Duldulao. Then, the entire team alongside Janet - those aren't just ordinary dancers. Those are some of the top choreographers IN THE WORLD, including Tina Landon, Tyce Diorio, Laurie Ann Gibson, Chris Judd, Wade Robson, Nick Bass, and Misha Gabriel among others. The emotional part of all this is how Janet got to dance with her brother in front of the world one more time. We all miss Michael, and this tribute was fit for a king - long live the KING.

On tonight's Mindstream Radio, the topic for the night was scorned women and revenge. So check out the video countdown for the evening submitted by all my Twitter followers. These videos represent (from the least extreme to the most) the emotions of a woman feeling the need for revenge.

I made it through the whole night, but this is the moment that brought me to tears. What hurts the most for me is that all throughout my childhood and adult life, I felt attached to Michael Jackson. It takes a lot of strength, in a time like this, to stand in front of a room full of people and deliver the few words that Janet did. My prayers and the prayers of the Sound-Savvy community go out to the Jackson family in this difficult time. The entire world feels their loss and we all mourn and celebrate together.

Artist: Janet Jackson
Venue: Philips Arena
Date: 10.19.08

On a nice cool October evening in Atlanta, thousands of adoring fans watched as Janet Jackson and her team of dancers took the stage at Philips Arena for a stop on the critically acclaimed Rock Witchu tour. For two-and-a-half hours, the entire arena was rocked to 25 years worth of hits, while the sight of Miss Jackson’s signature moves mesmerized the crowd. From behind two metallic J’s that alternated sides of the stage, she emerged sporting a mohawk and began the ride of the night with a solo performance of Pleasure Principle. The dancers rejoined her as she took Control and the energy level rose even higher when they performed her recent smash Feedback.

Considering a catalog of 10 studio albums, it was amazingly impressive that she was able to perform hits from each one, totaling 37 songs and giving fans rush after rush as they screamed lyrics to the tops of their lungs and affectionately formed Janet’s signature “heart” symbol with their hands. “I was 15…” Janet confesses as the music switches from one of her first-ever singles Young Love into the fan favorite Say You Do from her self-titled debut, which preceded the Control album. The hits came non-stop, and were accompanied by acrobatic dance moves, and action from all areas of Janet’s trendsetting catwalk stage. Fans in the arena knew every word to every song, and most new at least a few dance moves, especially the infamous breakdown to If. Miss Jackson’s live vocals soared with emotion and elegance during her ballad section featuring Come Back To Me and Never Gonna Letchu Go from her latest project, among other classics. Shouts to Derrick, the lucky guy who was featured on Discipline, despite a few issues in the contraption and losing his glasses in Janet’s boobs! My personal favorite song was performed in full, Doesn’t Really Matter complete with the dance breakdown. I found (while talking with them) that the dancers all love the All For You routine which switches between doubled-off and individual routines to synchronized movements in an instant.

When it comes to dancing, who does it better than the queen? As her personal assistant told us on the exclusive backstage tour, each dancer is at the top in their field. Shouts to Gil Duldulao (a really cool down-to-earth guy to meet!), Cassidy, Teddy, Nick, Jillian, EMO!, Laurel and all the other dancers I met on the backstage tour! That headspin = off the chain!! Also shouts to Joey and Tommy who were also really cool members of Janet’s personal security, and Lil Jon Roberts (amazing drummer and great guy to meet also!). Also, a special shout to the tour manager Flo, she was really nice and started working for Janet straight out of college, she has an impressive resume!

The thing that’s most admirable about Janet, the kids and her band (which includes Lil Jon on drums!!) is something that I haven’t seen in any other stage show, even the ones that imitate hers: its effortless appearance. Not to discredit the large amounts of work that go into a production so huge, but they have a visible connection that shines onstage, making each night of the show look like total fun! It doesn’t even look like they’re working onstage and that says something about the caliber of the artist and the character of her team. There is laughter, moments of interaction, improvisations, but what tops it all is the display of family unity, in their moves and their eyes.

There aren’t many artists who can perform a show that’s over 2 hours long, either for fatigue or lack of content. It’s an amazing thing to see an icon in her element, totally at home on the stage and loving every moment of it. There’s a reason she’s as great as she is, and it is shown on every night of the Rock Witchu tour. Since my last Janet show seven years ago on the All For You tour, I have been to over 50 different concerts by different artists and I have yet to see an artist reach her caliber in performances. Forget the Ringling Brothers folks, this here is truly the greatest show on earth!

Related Posts:
Rock Witchu Tour: DC Show Review
Twisted Elegance: A Look at 'Discipline'
All Janet-Related Posts

-Mack-

P.S. A very very special shout to Josh and Yen who were sitting next to me, and all the fanclub members I got to meet, you guys are the best: enjoythevision, thicksational, Cas, thatdarrell, gdm, mkozik and if I forgot you, please hit me up so I can add your name in, I already know I forgot a few of you. Much LUV!

Unexpectedly, I went to see Sex And The City today, and I'm actually just leavin the theater. Having never watched an episode of the show, I was a bit skeptical, but it was a surprisingly decent flick. The Soundtrack is what really caught my ears. I heard cuts from Ciara, India Arie, Fergie, Janet and Jennifer Hudson, just to name a few. The movie closes with Fergie's take on the 'Sex' theme song. Normally I'm not a fan of soundtracks but my ears couldn't deny this one is sexy and worth a listen. Chalk one up for the chicks with this one...well done Carrie and Company...

-MackN2U of SoundSavvy-
www.sound-savvy.com
A community for true fans of real music.

Aight ya'll... I tried to hold out as long as I possibly could on this... Those of you who know me are probably shocked it took me this long to post this. So just to answer any and all questions:

- Yes I am going.
- Yes I am getting a VIP package.
- Yes all the Sound-Savvy readers will get the scoop

Here's a hint: She's one of the only artists to sellout on her debut tour, which she headlined. Keep in mind that her debut tour came after only her second album, and still holds the record for the HIGHEST SELLING DEBUT TOUR IN HISTORY. If you STILL don't know who I'm talking about...

So I'm in the car goin to work, thinkin of how I can test out my newly enabled mobile blogging feature. Thank you to Brotha Fred's AM Mayhem for playin the perfect Friday jam: Janet Jackson's 'Escapade'. So if your mind's tired from workin so hard all week, save your troubles for another day, cause its the weekend! Happy Friday folks!

-MackN2U-

Title: Discipline
Artist: Janet Jackson
Release Date: 2.26.08

It's classic me, with a modern twist... -Janet

A new deal, a new label, and a team of new producers were the ingredients Janet Jackson put together to formulate her newest concoction: Discipline. After nearly 2 decades as one of the top hit makers on Virgin Records, Miss Jackson signed a new deal in August 2007 with Island Def Jam, following longtime beau Jermaine Dupri in a similar move. There she aligned herself with producers Rodney Jerkins, Ne-yo, The Dream, Tricky Stewart and Dupri for what appears to be one of her best albums in years.

Although Discipline comes with a more modern sound, it’s a classic Janet formula: heavy bass-thumping dance tracks, smooth ballads, mellow mids, and a signature baby-maker or two for good measure. It’s laced with playful and futuristic interludes that narrate the albums concepts. The album opens with the smash urban single ‘Feedback’, produced by Jerkins and follows into ‘Luv’ a metaphoric car wreck resulting in an open heart. If you’re ready to dance, skip ahead to the house-infused ‘Rock With U’, produced by Jermaine Dupri and it’s following number ‘2Nite’. The latter features 80’s synth beats and a funky groove. The ballads on this album are a clear departure from Janet’s cooing and whispering which plagued some of her previous albums and feature many layered vocal harmonies.

If there was ever a song to raise an eyebrow, it’s definitely “Greatest Ex Ever”. And yeah, it’s exactly what it sounds like: a memory ridden walk down the aisles of time to the best lost one of all. The album’s most sensual cut is the Ne-yo produced title track that, as only Janet can, transports you to the most enticing S&M fest your ears can handle without auditory overload: Blindfold me daddy, it’s better when I don’t know what to expect… I need some discipline tonight (Daddy make me cry…). ‘Can’t Be Good’ was also produced by Ne-yo and has a mid-tempo feel as does the album’s closer ‘Curtains’, a nod to the dozens of fans that have had the opportunity to be a part of Janet’s live performances around the globe. This track delves into fantasies beyond the close of the curtains for a more intimate show. The only guest appearance is by Missy Elliott on the hip-hop/dance track ‘The One’, where Janet’s harmonies sit atop an infectious beat, served up with a side of Missy’s raps. We can only hope for an equally impressive video from this creative duo (Son of a Gun anyone?).

Overall, Discipline is a great opportunity for Janet to once again dominate the airwaves. For longtime fans, there’s not much new content lyrically, but there’s definitely a new sound and bigger, better vocals. New fans will find themselves buying her ‘classics’ without a doubt and anticipating her next step. She’s designed over two decades since she first took control and, with that kind of discipline, one thing is clear: Janet Jackson isn’t going anywhere.

-MackN2U-