November 17, 2011

I never realized just how big of a Michael Jackson fan I was until he was gone. When the King of Pop died on June 25th, 2009, I was in my car, making a six-hour drive by myself. Condolence texts started pouring in. As an inveterate radio listener, I was thrilled to hear Michael Jackson and Jackson Five hits on every station. As I sang along and danced in my car, I realized that not only did I love and know every song, but that each song was a masterpiece. For the past two years, I’ve treated my obsession with more direction, paying an intentional, personal tribute to MJ. I’ve bought all of his albums, learned his dances, and expressed my adoration to fellow fans (and more than a few non-believers). The vast majority of mankind, however, seems to side with me in adoration. So when I heard about Who’s Bad, The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band, I was thrilled to know that there were professional performers dedicating their talent to Michael, and I expected I would go to a show if they ever came to town. With a move from the hinterland to the city, it happened. They came to town and rocked my world. Who’s Bad lives up to its self-adulating title and then some.

For the grieving Michael Jackson fan, the Who’s Bad experience is the perfect salve and balm: an opportunity to witness the splendor and the majesty together with other devotees. An opportunity to say farewell, all together. Satisfying fans from all the various stages of the King of Pop’s career, Who’s Bad’s set list was a perfect combination of hits.

Who’s Bad is comprised of two Michaels, plus backing band. The division of labor between the Michaels is flawless. Taalib York started the night off for us, oozing Jackson’s sex-appeal and wowing the crowd with near-flawless MJ choreography on the up-beat, dance-inducing hits. Our second hero of the night, Joseph Bell, had fans crying when he sang “Human Nature” and crooned his way through the catalog. His soft but powerful voice was so similar to the real thing that I had chills. The costumes and hair dos of both Michaels were perfectly glitzy-glam-Eighties, and wonderfully Michael Jackson. Both Michaels paid supremely detailed homage to their idol, showing practiced gestures and clothing-manipulations so precise that I would occasionally have to remind myself that I wasn’t seeing the real thing.

As fans know, Michael Jackson isn’t just about the white glove, the amazing vocal range or the physics-defying moonwalk. In order to properly pay tribute, the instrumentals are key. Michael Jackson songs are so precise, so perfected, it seems like it would be impossible to master every song for a performance. The musicians of Who’s Bad nailed it, though. The guitar player was fantastic throughout the show and even did justice to Slash’s legendary guitar solo in “Beat It.” As the band acknowledged, you can’t call yourself the “Ultimate” tribute band unless you can do a killer “Thriller”, music-video choreography and all. The saxophonist/founder and the trumpet player both joined in for backup dancer duties as well. And JoBel invited a slew of PYTs onto the stage to groove during a slowed introduction to “The Way You Make Me Feel” before turning the performance into a full-on dance party.

Whether you are a die-hard fan that never got to make it to a real Michael show, or merely an Eighties-loving pop music fan, Who’s Bad undoubtedly presents a perfect evening’s entertainment.