Written by WhosBad on Jul 13, 2009 at 11:51 am
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WASHINGTON - It's Friday night and the people standing in the long lines at the 930 club are eager to get inside. The main attraction is the music of the late Michael Jackson.
Adriana Del Gizzi says she couldn't wait to get here. "I love his music; I am looking forward to a good show."
On the stage tonight, the band Carolina band "Who's Bad." It is a Jackson tribute band that was created about 6 years ago by North Carolina student Vamsi Tadepalli. He is a big fan of the gloved one.
"The level of sophistication in his beats and rhythms surpasses any artist I have seen," says Tadepalli.
Lead singer Joseph Bell joined the group 2 years ago. But he has been singing and dancing to Jackson sense he was a child.
"I was sitting in the back seat of the car and heard that beat, Billie Jean and watched the thriller video, I did all the moves," Bell says.
Initially the group was supposed to only do one show at the club. But when Jackson died Thursday, the first show sold out. The phones at the club started ringing off the hook. So they decided to add a second show. That also sold out.
Michilina DelGizzi got her tickets this morning.
"We were kind of on the fence, and then he died. So then we had to come. It was sold out, so we got tickets to the second show," says DelGizzi.
"All of these people wanted to experience the music and this is the best way to do that," says band creator Tadepalli.
The band says the performance is not about trying to imitate Jackson; it's about keeping the icons music alive.
"I want people to feel good again when they hear the music," Bell says.