I have been lucky enough in my life to have seen
Michael Jackson in concert twice. I was fifteen when
Michael was born so, needless to say,
Michael did not even exist for me until one night when I think he was around eight years old. He appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and I watched
Michael and the Jackson 5 perform. I can remember looking at that sweet face of
Michael’s and saying to my mother, "That kid is going to go places"… and I was going to go on that ride with him. I watched him perform on Soul Train, American Bandstand and all the other teen shows. Even at that age he had the voice and heart of a forty- year-old man. He was able to present his soulful songs of love and hurt and have it sound as if it had just happened to him yesterday
By the time he was in his teens I was hooked and madly in love with
Michael. I carried this torch for a long time just hoping that some day I would get to see him in concert.
I had just remarried and my husband surprised me with tickets to the Victory tour in Miami. I believe it was 1984 or 1985. I was beyond happy! We went with another couple and had to sit on the field of the Orange Bowl because there were no other seats available. After seeing
Michael do the "Moonwalk" on the Motown special I just knew it was going to be a night to remember. The lights went down, all kinds of fireworks started and the J5 took the stage. I can remember that I eventually stood on my chair (as many others did) to get a better view of them. There I was, a forty-year-old woman, screaming at the top of her lungs while standing on top of a chair. It must have been a sight!
They were great, and when
Michael did his Moonwalk the place went nuts. The J5 was great, but you could tell that
Michael took total command of the stage. He illuminated it. To me, he was already the King.
I continued to follow
Michael’s career and his music and could not get enough.
My husband had planned a business trip to London. I believe the year was 1988. I knew
Michael was on tour and it was killing me. When we had dinner in London one evening, my husband again presented me with tickets, this time to the Bad tour at Wembley Stadium. He had known
Michael was on tour in England and wanted to surprise me again. This time I went with the wife of another couple who was on the same business trip. I can remember going into the stadium and knowing we had great seats. I could not wait to get to them. The amount of fans that
Michael attracted was unbelievable. We got fairly close to the stage, so I wanted them to hurry and start so I could see
Michael. Just then, the lights went down and a hush came over the audience. When the lights came up slowly, there were
Michael and his dancers on stage in a sea of smoke and lights. I thought I was going to die right there.
Michael could hold an audience with his look for as long as he wanted before actually starting to move, naturally making the crowd want him even more. He was dressed in a black leather jacket and black pants with chains and silver buckles all over them. He was by far the most gorgeous creature I have ever seen. He waited a couple of minutes and then took his black jacket off to reveal his silver shirt with black buckles on the arms. He started with his famous "Wanna Be Starting Something," and the crowd went crazy. He continued with "Things I Do for You," "Off The Wall," and then one of my favorites, "Human Nature." When I looked at him I could swear (I know I was just hoping) that he was singing just to me, but that is the way he made everyone feel.
Michael had a knack for gathering his audience in his stare and made you think you were the only one who mattered. He then went on with "Heartbreak Hotel,” "She’s Out Of My Life," "The J5 Medley," etc.
When the stage lights finally went down and we realized that he was already gone, a piece of my heart went with him.
My husband always knew there would be three in our marriage: him,
Michael and I, and he understood. When
Michael went through his trials and tribulations I stood by his side mentally knowing that the man I saw on that stage was the most humble, loving, giving person I had ever known. How people could hurt this creature of God was beyond me.
My husband passed away in 2005 and then
Michael in 2009. It was almost too much to take. As a memorial to my husband I had bought a pair of tickets for the This Is It concert at the O2 Arena. My girlfriend and I would go to see
Michael again and my hope was to try to ease the pain of losing my husband of over twenty-four years. I thought that it would help to see
Michael again in England.
I still have the 02 tickets in a frame and will keep them forever in tribute of what could have been.
Love to you all