Adrian Caffery reviews Thriller Live, which is a visual and audio feast for fans of the legendary Michael Jackson.
I have to admit this tribute show had my feet tapping along to more Jacko songs than I’d ever have thought possible and I left the ICC determined to reassess his albums.
Thriller Live had already been touring the world for two years when the King of Pop died in 2009 and the show pays homage to his videos, live performances and innovative dance moves.
A beautiful rendition of I’ll Be There is even interrupted so the audience can be reminded how Jackson influenced many of today’s biggest music stars.
But the cast quickly shift through the gears in a first half that concentrates on the dance floor fillers of the Jackson 5 and Jackson’s earliest solo albums.
Slick dance routines and quick costume changes accompany the likes of Blame It On The Boogie, Can You Feel It and Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough.
There’s a live band and the four singers who share lead vocals all sound like Jackson in part although, to its credit, the show is a million miles from TV’s Stars In Their Eyes.
The foursome include white, long-haired rocker Jesse Smith whose renditions of Dirty Diana and She’s Out Of My Life are, dare I say it, better than the originals.
The standout performer, however, is Birmingham-born Cleopatra (Comin Atcha) Higgins, the 90s pop star who made it through to the final stages of TV’s The Voice this year.
The second half is all about the Thriller album and beyond and the singers share the spotlight with the moonwalking Sean Christopher.
In Bad-era attire, with Trilby hat tipped to enhance the illusion, his signature Jackson dance moves garnered whoops of delight during Billie Jean and a sensational take on the Smooth Criminal video.
Thriller Live is at the ICC until January 5, while running simultaneously in London’s West End. For a reminder of Jackson’s often-overlooked musical talent, you can’t Beat It.
Source: birminghammail / Adrian Caffery / MJ-Upbeat.com
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