Michael Jackson's "This Is It!" Tour Sells Out - Controversy Looms

Well, the argument has been thrown out that he would easily sell out 25 dates at Giants Stadium, and that his following in the US is "amazing."

 

I agree with the first part.

The second part, I don't remember it being "following" so much as interest in a last tour, like the one in England.

 

To put the first part in perspective, he played New York on the Bad tour, when he was undeniably the biggest recording artist in the world. It was his first solo tour since Thriller. It was billed as the last chance to see him perform because he was going to stop touring so he could focus strictly on acting.

He played 3 nights at Madison Square Garden.

 

Which is why it would be different now. The same way old rock bands weren't selling out stadiums when they stopped touring, but sell out when they "reunite." People pay for memories and to relive the magic.

 

Always enjoyed the antics of Jake Byrd (from Jimmy Kimmel) at the Michael Jackson rallies:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=jake+byrd+michael+jackson&aq=o

I'll second IJAG. If Michael Jackson announced that this was the absolute last tour of the United States, he'd sell out arenas all over the country. Multiple-night stands in the bigger cities, with sales approaching what the bigger acts these days get. Does ANYONE play more than 3-4 consecutive nights at a single arena anymore? No, seriously. I honestly don't know. In 2009?

Stadiums? Maybe, but I doubt it. While Jackson, in his day, put out some really entertaining music and was a 1980s trend-setter (which still guarantees him a sizable audience, even if Prince was a superior musician and Madonna was a better entertainer), he is so far off the deep end that yes, some people would not buy tickets just out of embarrassment. But I think what is forgotten during his scandals of the last 15 years is the fact that he always had a reputation for being pretty strange. If I'm not mistaken, there are tales of abuse by his father in a household that was also Jehovah's Witnesses (Jackson was "disfellowshipped" for Thriller). So yeah, he was sort of destined to have a skewed view of life.

The stadiums predictions are outlandish. He'd have to guarantee a cure for cancer distributed to every attendee to sell out more than one stadium date in even the biggest cities. Too much of a stigma attached to his name and career now.

But again, he'd absolutely sell out arenas. The fans would fill a third of them, the curious another third, and the ones who like his old stuff but don't tell their friends would take care of the rest.

 

And I'm beating a dead horse at this point, but let me clarify -- I think he could sell an arena tour in the US at this point. He'd never actually show up, but they could sell the tickets for a tour of arenas across the US. (And as for the multiple nights in arenas, Piotr, at this point I don't think anyone is doing more than 2 or 3 in a city, with the possible exception of Springsteen.)

But MJ, at the very peak of his popularity, played before fewer than 60,000 in New York City. He hasn't had a hit in 18 years and has gone on trial for child molestation, but now some people believe he would sell 1.5 million tickets in NYC alone?

 

As of 2007-2009:

Springsteen does two arena nights in the biggest cities, with the exception of three shows at Giants Stadium last summer.

Metallica does two arena shows in the biggest cities.

The Police sprinkled in some stadiums, and two-night arena stands.

U2 thinks they can do stadiums this year, and they're probably right.

Jackson would match all of those, with the exception of U2. Although depending on prices in this economy, I'd be interested in finding out what the sales for their tour are, what scalpers will be able to get, etc.

 

By "buzz" you do mean "Groans as disbelief from the majority as two fanboys tilt at windmills," right?

 

I think we're well past two, Inky, and not all of us are fanboys.

 

I don't think its groans of disbelief. Music like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Even when Mike was at the top of his game, there were many who didn't like him for one reason or another. However, what can't be ignored is that he is a true international star. There aren't that many, especially those over 50 years-old.

 

http://thisisindexed.com/2009/03/umm/

 

Who is going to attend his shows?

He'd have to attract an older crowd, because people under 25-30 did not grow up with him on the radio. While he is a dynamic video/TV performer, it's not like his shows are considered to be amazing. I also don't see his show translating that well to a big stadium.

That's not to say that he couldn't sell out an arena in each big city. He has a ton of great songs and and a lot of older artists have done well after not touring for a while (New Kids, Simon and Garfunkel)

But 10 nights in a stadium? No way. I doubt he could sell out two nights at any 50k seater.