Jackson's hits still resonate in concert
BY KEVIN C. JOHNSON > POST-DISPATCH POP MUSIC CRITIC . kjohnson@post-dispatch.comkjohnson@post-dispatch.com > > 314-340-8191 Janet Jackson in concert March 31 at the Fox Theatre/Photo by LB PhotographyLoading…
BY KEVIN C. JOHNSON > POST-DISPATCH POP MUSIC CRITIC . kjohnson@post-dispatch.comkjohnson@post-dispatch.com > > 314-340-8191 Janet Jackson in concert March 31 at the Fox Theatre/Photo by LB Photography
BY KEVIN C. JOHNSON > POST-DISPATCH POP MUSIC CRITIC . kjohnson@post-dispatch.comkjohnson@post-dispatch.com > > 314-340-8191 Janet Jackson in concert March 31 at the Fox Theate/Photo by LB PhotographyJanet Jackson may be 44, without a record label and a few good years removed from her last bona fide hit, but she proved to her St. Louis fans she's still in control.Copyright 2011 STLtoday.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The veteran pop singer brought her "Number Ones Up Close and Personal" tour to the Fox Theatre Thursday for a sold-out show that featured a quick trip through her memorable chart-toppers such as "Rhythm Nation," "If" and "That’s the Way Love Goes."
On this particular tour, Jackson says she purposefully chose smaller venues, which allow her to get closer to her fans, over the arenas where she has toured since "Rhythm Nation." Whether or not you buy that as the reason for the smaller venues, it was still a bonus seeing her in a different setting.
The oversized spectacle fans are used to from Jackson was replaced by the singer with only her dancers, band, backing singers and a single video backdrop helping fill out the stage.
She opened the show, which ran nearly two hours, with a video clip of "What Have You Done for Me Lately" from "Control." A message on the screen said the song was dedicated to her St. Louis fans, though she previously announced her Nelly duet "Call on Me" would be the St. Louis dedication.
Moments after the classic clip, there she was in the flesh, in a clinging black body suit and sharp short haircut, for the opening song "Pleasure Principle," backed by other dance-heavy songs "Control," "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (positioned too quickly after the video clip) and "Feedback."
Jackson, in great shape and spirit, danced effortlessly as she moved through "You Want This," "Alright," "Miss You Much" and "Escapade," but was more up close than personal. The few words Jackson had for the audience were scripted with even the laughs sounding choreographed, and there wasn’t a spontaneous moment to be found.
But neither that nor what sounded like an accompanying vocal track mattered much as Jackson grabbed her male dancers on "Nasty"; sat on a stool for "Nothing," which opened the gates to a ballad segment that also included "Come Back to Me," "Let’s Wait Awhile" and "Again"; and honored her late brother Michael during their duet, "Scream."
Songs "Love Will Never Do (Without You)," "When I Think of You," "All For You" and "Doesn’t Really Matter" came at a quick pace, sometimes in full versions, sometimes truncated as Jackson crammed in as much as possible. Some tunes such as "Got Til It’s Gone," "Go Deep" and "What’s It Gonna Be" were reduced to band interludes.
"Call on Me" didn’t result in a surprise appearance from Nelly as some fans hoped, as he’s on tour overseas. But there was Nelly video accompanying the song. Other video footage included a montage of Jackson’s TV and film clips including "Good Times," "Different Strokes," "Poetic Justice" and "Why Did I Get Married Too."
One of the most popular segments from any Jackson tour, her seduction of one of her male fans on stage to the tune of one of her steamier ballads, was deleted.
Jackson’s encore brought a couple of old surprises for her diehard fans — "Diamonds," an ’80s song she recorded with Herb Alpert for one of his albums; the Luther Vandross-assisted "The Best Things in Life are Free" from the 1992 "Mo’ Money" soundtrack; and even a slice from club jam "Throb."
Jackson closed out the concert, as she has her last several tours, with the meaningful dance anthem "Together Again," originally conceived to honor loved ones she has lost to HIV and AIDS. These days, the song ends with a photo montage of Jackson with her brother Michael.
via stltoday.com
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