It was supposed to be a party, harmonious, happy and with memories of the legendary times of the Jackson Five. “We want to bring people together in harmony and peace,” Marlon, Tito and Jackie from The Jacksons announced in the run-up to their only German concert in Munich, where they had already performed in 1972 – back then with their brothers Jermaine and Michael, the later “King of Pop”. More than 50 years later, fans were full of anticipation on Tuesday evening at the Circus Krone – for good music, dancing and a bit of nostalgia. But many were disappointed.
Smooth moves to legendary music
The somewhat strained faces in the audience had little to do with the Jackson brothers themselves. The choice of songs, the suits with disco glitter and the familiar moves – everything was perfect. It was hard to believe that there were men in their 70s on stage, they mastered the movements so smoothly. Tito’s son Taryll also fit in well; he has been supporting The Jacksons vocally for around two years. The audience mainly heard classics by the Jackson Five, which many of the audience members could sing along to, such as “ABC” or “I Want You Back”.
Rattling carpet of sound
Unfortunately, there was only one thing that was not right – the acoustics. Booming basses blared from large speakers into the otherwise intimate area under the circus dome. They created a deafening carpet of sound. The singers tried to counteract this, but their voices were constantly drowned out by the general mush of sounds. Many of the songs are relaxed, light and airy, feel-good music, like the famous “I’ll Be There”, which was literally drowned out by the tinny noise from the speakers.
The spark therefore didn’t really jump over to the audience. The singers on stage still tried their best. “Wherever we are, we’re partying,” not all night long in some club, but “right in the middle of the stage,” Marlon had shouted at the start of the concert. But the impressive skills of the three brothers and their band could only be guessed at in the undifferentiated mix of loud sounds.
Music legends at work
And yet, despite the poor acoustics, you had the feeling that you were able to admire full-blooded musicians who enjoyed what they did and who had written a piece of music history with their mixture of soul, pop, funk and rhythm and blues. In the 1960s, father Joseph began to shape his sons’ musical talent. First it was Jackie, Jermaine and Tito, later Michael and Marlon joined them. They became The Jackson Five and in 1969, with the support of soul diva Diana Ross, they landed a contract with the famous soul label Motown. The boys did not disappoint. Their first single, “I Want You Back”, was a hit and with more than 100 million records sold, they became one of the most successful bands in pop history.
Nephew plays superstar Michael Jackson
Meanwhile, Michael Jackson continued his solo career, became a global star – and remained so until his death around 15 years ago: the end of an eccentric life full of highs and lows, which has now been filmed again in the biopic. Jackson’s nephew Jaafar plays the “King of Pop” – to the delight of his uncle. “There are many people who imitate Michael Jackson,” Marlon Jackson explained. “Jafaar didn’t imitate him, he became Michael Jackson. His performance is flawless!”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240910-930-228979/1
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