There are few that dominated pop music like Janet Jackson did in the 1980s and ’90s. The youngest member of the Jackson family has released 10 studio albums with an 11th on the way October 2nd – Unbreakable – and a long list of hits that fans still blast today. She is an artist I personally adore and have seen twice before: 1998’s Velvet Rope tour in Vancouver, and 2001’s Stampede visit to Calgary for the All4U tour. She is also someone I thought I would never see live again. After marrying business magnet Wissam Al Mana, in 2012, it seemed ‘Miss Janet’ would enjoy retired life. Earlier this year someone even tweeted a ‘Missing’ poster of the singer. A few months later the announcement dropped – Janet was returning with a new album and tour, the second stop of which was Calgary on September 3rd.
I immediately snapped up floor tickets and prepared myself to be wowed. After all, out of the all of the concerts I have seen, her previous tours are still in my top 10 list of best shows. Here is what the 8,500 or so fans at the Saddledome got.
The Good:
- Janet looked and sounded amazing. At 49, she is still a bundle of energy and nailed the often-complicated choreography, bringing life back to classic routines from songs like "If" and "Rhythm Nation".
- Those that pre-ordered her album were privy to a VIP ‘Janet Museum’ before the show. The display featured items from her personal collection including costumes, cassette and VHS versions of previous concerts, a signed picture from her brother Michael, and multiple award statuettes.
- Her back-up dancers were on point, although entirely female. Really Janet, your audience is women and gay men, and you didn’t have hot guys with you? She did however have two young dancers, including 12-year-old Taylor Hatala of Edmonton.
- She played almost every hit ever. From "Black Cat" to "Miss You Much", pretty much any song that was a hit on the radio was performed in some manner; 34 songs total
- This included new songs, like the show opener "Burnitup!" featuring Missy Elliot, and current singles "No Sleeep" (Featuring J. Cole) and "Unbreakable" – the new songs gave promise to what should be a great album.
The Less Good
- Those 34 for songs were almost entirely in medley form. The first 14 songs were complete in 30 minutes; sometimes, literally, just a verse and chorus. Medleys are nothing new for Jackson in concert, but never have so few complete songs been in a concert I have ever attended. Which brings up the next point.
- The concert was 90 minutes. That’s it. This is something I have brought up in reviews of other artists, and I mention it again because it pisses me off. Tickets were top price $150 each for the show. She has three decades of hits. Not playing for at least two hours is disrespectful to fans – period. Yes I realize that touring is a lot of work, and there is more than just the time on stage, but you are also making a lot of money doing it. Give fans their money’s worth. This especially applies here, considering I know how good I have seen Janet before.
- One costume change, among other things that were lacking. Like her brother Michael, the Janet Jackson concert experience had previously been as much about the spectacle as the music. Multiple costume changes for songs like "Rhythm Nation" or a circus-type setup for a song medley no longer were featured. Inflatables, and the moment where Janet previously would bring a fan on stage and tie them up for a song like "Rope Burn" – all were gone. Now the music itself and energy was great, and the light show spectacular, along with smoke and pyro effects. But at the same time something was missing. Janet’s outfits were baggy pants and a top – a far cry from the midriff bearing tight outfits of the past. She still looks amazing, so it was a surprise.
In summary, Janet Jackson’s latest concert was absolutely amazing... but not the blow away show that was presented in the past. While only the second date on the tour, it is safe to say that the medley format and staging will go forward, and that is where things lacked. Compared to some other artist’s concerts, she still blows many of her contemporaries and up and comers out of the water. It is in comparison to herself that this show lacks. But she is Janet so, despite that, we still love her.
