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Hardcore fans clamour for tickets but will this be a sell-out
Terry Kirby04.03.09
He is a 50-year-old man who was said at his 2005 trial on child abuse charges to have regressed to the mental level of a 10-year-old, while his admitted behaviour with young boys left many people feeling queasy.
He has been dogged with rumours about his painkiller addiction problems, his skin whitening and his plastic surgery. And most people still shudder in horror at the moment he held his young son out in the air over a Berlin hotel balcony.
Without a new album for eight years - although there are suggestions of one in the pipeline - Michael Jackson is at a creative standstill, clearly only doing the concerts at the O2 to ease financial problems which have caused him to auction mementos from his long career next month.
Jackson retains a massive global fan base. For them, he's never "Wacko Jacko" but still "The King of Pop".
The devoted fans who yesterday were hanging around the Lanesborough Hotel near Oxford Circus on rumours of his presence, will happily shell out £75 for tickets - probably more than once - as well as buying other merchandise. They would also have bought last year's 25th anniversary re-release of Thriller, keeping it at the top of the re-issue charts for 11 weeks.
The residency at the O2 will allow the singer to avoid many of the rigours of touring. But some will say it still represent a gamble for Jackson, who might find that while he retains a hardcore of obsessive fans they will still not be sufficient to sell out the O2 for almost two months.
That did not stop the mounting excitement on fan websites. "Oh my god pleeeeaaase let this be true!," said one British fan, while a Swedish fan wrote: "Hope this is true. Then I will go to England and see him!!!! Maybe my dream will finally come true.'' With fans like these, Jackson can afford to ignore the critics.
Reader views (7)
I am absolutely delighted. The guy is a genius. I am going to take my whole family. People get ready for something great!!!
- Susan Sampson, UK
how amazing would it be, i have always wanted to go and see mickey j, i just hope i can get a ticket, its not everyday a big star comes to the uk, i cant wait.
- Zoe, shaftesbury
I think you will find there's a reason Michael Jackson retains the massive worldwide fan base he does. People are enthralled by him, mystified and amazed. He's probably the most interesting person on Earth. But more than that, he is the ultimate entertainer - there is no one like Michael Jackson - and for that reason, and only for that reason, he will never lose his fan base, and there will always be an audience for a Michael Jackson concert. Elizabeth Taylor said it best when she hailed him as 'one of the finest people to hit this planet'.
- Ld, London, UK
Rumors are rumors and nearly all about Michael Jackson are lies.
I'm really looking forward to see Michael Jackson in concert again. I've been a fan for 26yrs, and I've seen him live on his Bad, Dangerous and History tours. And Michael Jackson really is the greatest in concert. If you have only seen Michael Jackson dance in music videos, he's 100 times better singing and dancing live in concert.
- Ben S, London
I think he's the only living artist who has this aura of legend / myth... No matter what's been said, no matter if he's plastic surgery -addict, no matter if there's no new album coming out... basically no matter what PRESS SAYS...people still love him.. His latest release "Thriller25" was top seller all around the world...just few years after the horrific trial... People need legends, and he's basically that... and people also love big comeback's..I think this really could be the biggest of 'em all!
- Jan, Helsinki
Will this be a sell-out? Are you kidding? Of course it will. I will bet my bottom dollar. You know how many albums this guy still sells around the world even though all we hear is the negative tabloid stories? This will be huge
- John Parker, London, UK
will it be a sell out? Of course it will this is after all Michael jackson we are talking about here the greatest performer, singer / songwriter of all time! 25 years on and Thriller has not been out done every singlw show will sell out...why? Because he is the best and he has a huge and very loyal fan base! MJ is the real deal and he has been waiting for the right time...that time is now...the world needs Michael Jackson! Long live the KING OF POP!
- Craig Baker, Plymouth ,UK
