Michael Jackson Roundhay Park Leeds
Ashleigh was massively into Michael Jackson around the release of his Bad lp. I aslo fancied seeing him, but his tour of the UK sold out straight away, before we decided we should go. So we agreed to drive to Leeds, on the off chance of picking tickets up outside Roundhay Park. It was actually quite difficult to buy tickets that day. There were touts outside the venue, but they were asking a lot more than face value for the tickets. We eventually managed to buy a couple of tickets for a reasonable price, and we excitingly entered the gates of Roundhay Park. Roundhay is a large park to the north of Leeds city centre, and has hosted concerts in the past by massive acts such as the Stones, Genesis and Springsteen. Laura, David and I went to see Robbie Williams there a good few years after this Michael Jackson gig. Support for Jackson came from Kim Wilde, who put in a good performance; but everyone was of course waiting for the main man. It was Michael’s Jackson’s 30th Birthday on the day of this concert, so it was a special event. He opened with Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, and played a selection of his well known songs, going right back to the days of the Jackson Five. He was, as you would expect, a great showman and performer, and the crowd loved him, cheering his every dance move. Ashleigh was just amazed by him. I enjoyed the gig, it was very spectacular with lots of fireworks and explosions, although I also remember that the sound was quite poor. 
From the Yorkshire Post: “More than 60,000 fans turned out for the concert which was hailed at the time by critics as perhaps the most dazzling two hours of showmanship ever witnessed in Britain. One reviewer wrote: “When the opening fanfare reached a climax he shot out of the stage in a Jack-in-a-box and stood motionless in front of a seas of adoring faces for a full two minutes.” Jackson returned to Roundhay a few years later as part of the Dangerous tour, although we didn’t attend that gig. Laura and I had tickets to see him at the London O2 gigs which never, of course, took place. Setlist: Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’; This Place Hotel; Another Part of Me; I Just Can’t Stop Loving You; She’s Out of My Life; I Want You Back / The Love You Save / I’ll Be There; Rock With You; Human Nature; Smooth Criminal; Dirty Diana; Thriller; Bad Groove; Workin’ Day and Night; Beat It; Billie Jean; Bad. Encore: The Way You Make Me Feel; Man in the Mirror.
Archive for the ‘Michael Jackson’ Category
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