Michael Forever – The Tribute Concert was a

music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

benefit concert A benefit concert or charity concert is a type of musical benefit performance (e.g., concert, show, or gala) featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate h ...

which was held on 8 October 2011 at the 74,500 seater

Millennium Stadium The Millennium Stadium (), known since 2016 as the Principality Stadium () for sponsorship reasons, is the national stadium of Wales. Located in Cardiff, it has a retractable roof and is the home of the Wales national rugby union team; it has ...

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

, the capital of

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. The concert was dedicated to American entertainer

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...

, who

died Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sho ...

on 25 June 2009 after suffering a

cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest (also known as sudden cardiac arrest CA is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When the heart stops beating, blood cannot properly Circulatory system, circulate around the body and the blood flow to the ...

, and celebrated the 40th anniversary of his solo career. The concert helped to raise awareness and funds for

AIDS Project Los Angeles APLA Health is a non-profit organization based in California, United States, focused on building healthcare capacity and promoting wellbeing for LGBT people and those living with HIV. It was founded as AIDS Project Los Angeles in 1983, and is ...

and

The Prince's Trust The King's Trust (formerly the Prince's Trust) is a United Kingdom-based charity founded in 1976 by Charles III, King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) to help vulnerable young people get their lives on track. It supports 11-to-30-year-olds w ...

Background

The event was already in "advanced stages" in April 2011, when it was presented to the majority of the Jackson family. Katherine Jackson said "Michael gave his entire life to the world through his love, his music and his devotion to healing the planet. I am positive that this event will be an event great enough in scale, talent and imagination to form a worthy celebration of Michael's life."

Production and broadcasters

The concert was organised by Global Live Events

LLP A limited liability partnership (LLP) is a partnership in which some or all partners (depending on the jurisdiction) have limited liabilities. It therefore can exhibit aspects of both partnerships and corporations. In an LLP, each partner is n ...

, formed by film producers Michael Henry and

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

Chris Hunt, and US CEO Eric Bute. It was expected that the concert would be broadcast throughout the world to 30 countries in 2D and 3D formats. However, this was later cancelled due to copyright issues.

Ticket pricing and ticket sales

Tickets were priced from £55. Standard seats cost £87, with a restricted view at £55. Standard middle and upper-tier tickets cost £175 and £137 respectively and the more restricted standing tickets were sold at £97. The best seats in the middle tier were priced at £240 each, while the best standing tickets cost £195. Student tickets were available from £25. Chris Hunt of Global Live Events confirmed before the event that the stadium's capacity had been reduced down from 75,000 to 50,000, with only 40,000 tickets having been sold.

Cardiff Council Cardiff Council, formally the County Council of the City and County of Cardiff () is the governing body for Cardiff, one of the Administrative divisions of Wales, principal areas of Wales. The principal area and its council were established ...

also confirmed that some council staff and councillors were sent e-mails by the Millennium Stadium offering them "a number of free tickets" to the event. A Cardiff Council spokesperson confirmed that they did not know how many free tickets were available, but they were not offered to all council staff.

Support

The event was organised by Global Live Events and had the support of Jackson's mother

Katherine Jackson Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse; born May 4, 1930) is the matriarch of the Jackson family of entertainers that includes her children Michael and Janet Jackson. Michael dedicated his sixth studio album '' Thriller'' (1982) to her. Janet ...

, his sister La Toya and his brothers

Tito Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito ( ; , ), was a Yugoslav communist revolutionary and politician who served in various positions of national leadership from 1943 until his death ...

Marlon Marlon is a masculine given name. According to the ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', the popularity of Marlon Brando led to general awareness of the name (his father was also named Marlon), though the origin of the name is not known. Speculatio ...

and Jackie, but not that of his other brothers

Randy Randy is a given name, popular in the United States and Canada. It is primarily a masculine name. It was originally derived from the names Randall, Randolph, and Miranda, and may be a short form (hypocorism) of them. '' Randi'' is approximat ...

and

Jermaine Jermaine ( ) is a masculine given name of Latin origin, derived from the French given name , which is in turn derived from the Latin given name . The masculine given name Jermaine was popularized in the 1970s by Jermaine Jackson (born 1954), a m ...

, his other sister

Janet Janet may refer to: Names * Janet (given name) Surname * Charles Janet (1849–1932), French engineer, inventor and biologist, known for the Left Step periodic table * Jules Janet (1861–1945), French psychologist and psychotherapist * Maur ...

, several relatives, the official Michael Jackson Fan Club or even the singer's executors, as they claimed the concert would distract from the involuntary manslaughter trial of Dr.

Conrad Murray Conrad Robert Murray (born February 19, 1953) is a Grenadian-American former cardiologist and convicted felon. He was the personal physician of Michael Jackson on the day of his death in 2009. In 2011, Murray was convicted of involuntary mansl ...

, Jackson's former doctor. Randy and Jermaine issued the following statement in opposition to the event:

While we wholeheartedly support the spirit of a tribute that honours our brother, we find it impossible to support an event that is due to take place during the criminal trial surrounding Michael's death. As everyone knows, those proceedings commence 20 September, and this Michael Forever concert takes place in Cardiff, Wales, on 8 October. In light of this, we feel it is inappropriate to be involved with such an ill-timed event and its promoter, Global Live. Furthermore, the decision to proceed with this concert disrespects opinions and wishes expressed in the strongest terms to Global Live during conversations in April when this event was presented to the majority of the family as an idea already in its advanced stages. There will come a time and place for an amazing and deserving tribute to Michael. But we feel that the most important tribute we can give to our brother at this time is to seek justice in his name.

The Michael Jackson Fan Club agreed with the two brothers, issuing a similar statement:

"We share their concerns that this concert is taking place at a most inappropriate time when everyone's care and attention should be focused on the matter of justice. We believe that, as stated by Jermaine and Randy, the most important tribute we can give to Michael Jackson at this time is to seek justice in his name."

Performing acts

Musical acts who participated in the event included the Jackson Brothers,

Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera ( , ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter, actress and television personality. Recognized as Cultural impact of Christina Aguilera, an influential figure in music and having received Public imag ...

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...

Alexandra Burke Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke (born 25 August 1988) is an English singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fifth series of the talent television show ''The X Factor'' in 2008. Following the show, she was signed to Syco Music and releas ...

Yolanda Adams Yolanda Yvette Adams (born August 27, 1961) is an American gospel singer, actress, and host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. She is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold over 10 million albu ...

, 3T,

Alien Ant Farm Alien Ant Farm is an American rock band that formed in Riverside, California in 1996. They have released six studio albums and sold over 5 million units worldwide. The band's cover of Michael Jackson's " Smooth Criminal" topped the ''Billboard ...

, Cee Lo Green,

Pixie Lott Victoria Louise "Pixie" Lott (born 12 January 1991) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. Her debut studio album, ''Turn It Up (Pixie Lott album), Turn It Up'' (2009), reached number six on the UK Albums Chart and sold over 1.5 millio ...

Diversity Diversity, diversify, or diverse may refer to: Business *Diversity (business), the inclusion of people of different identities (ethnicity, gender, age) in the workforce *Diversity marketing, marketing communication targeting diverse customers * ...

Craig David Craig Ashley David (born 5 May 1981) is an English singer. He rose to fame in 1999, featuring on the single " Re-Rewind" by Artful Dodger. David's debut studio album, '' Born to Do It'', was released in 2000, to great commercial success. In to ...

JLS JLS (initialism for Jack the Lad Swing) are a British boy band consisting of members Aston Merrygold, Oritsé Williams, Marvin Humes, and JB Gill; Williams formed the band. They initially signed with Tracklacers production company New Tr ...

Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo ( ), is an American singer and songwriter. Regarded as a leading figure of Contemporary R&B#2000s, 2000s R&B music, he is the recipient of numerous accolades, includi ...

Jamie Foxx Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. Known for his work in both the screen and music industries, his accolades include an Academy Award, a Grammy Award ...

Gladys Knight Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys Knight & the Pips, which included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and cousins Will ...

La Toya Jackson La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956) is an American singer and television personality. The fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family, Jackson first gained recognition on the family's variety television series, ''The Jacksons (TV ...

Leona Lewis Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress, model, and activist. Born and raised in Islington, Inner London, she later attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieve ...

and

Smokey Robinson William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. He was the founder and frontman of the pioneering Motown vocal group the Miracles, for which he ...

. The

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and Contemporary hit radio, current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including ...

presenter

Fearne Cotton Fearne Cotton (born 3 September 1981) is an English broadcaster and author. She began her career in the late 1990s as a children’s television presenter for GMTV, CITV and CBBC. She went on to present various television shows, including ''To ...

co-hosted the event with

. Frank Gatson Jr & Chris Grant staged and choreographed Dance Jam and La Toya Jackson numbers. In the days running up to the event, three of the acts originally booked to perform pulled out:

The Black Eyed Peas The Black Eyed Peas are an American musical group formed in Los Angeles in 1995, composed of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo (rapper), Taboo. Fergie (singer), Fergie was a member during the height of their popularity in the 2000s, and ...

, due to "unforeseeable circumstances", which led to speculation in the media that the band were splitting up;

Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. A Pop music, pop and hip-hop-influenced contemporary R&B, R&B musician who works in a variety of genres, he has been called the "Honorific nic ...

, who failed to enter the country for the event as his working visa was denied over the assault of former girlfriend Rihanna; and Jennifer Hudson, due to "production issues". Kiss (band), KISS was also removed from the lineup after bass guitarist Gene Simmons made some hurtful comments against Jackson based on the child molestation allegations.

Setlist

# Billie Jean # The Lady in My Life -

# The Way You Make Me Feel -

# Blame It on the Boogie - JLS & The Jacksons # Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) - The Jacksons # Rock with You -

# Smooth Criminal # P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) -

# Stranger in Moscow # I'll Be There (The Jackson 5 song), I'll Be There -

# Human Nature (Michael Jackson song), Human Nature -

# Can You Feel It (The Jacksons song), Can You Feel It/Show You the Way to Go/Smooth Criminal/Dangerous (Michael Jackson album), Dangerous/Thriller (Michael Jackson album), Thriller - Dance Jam Choreographed & Staged by Frank Gatson Jr. & Chris Grant # She's Out of My Life -

# Believe in Yourself -

# I Wanna Be Where You Are -

(On Video Screen) # I Just Can't Stop Loving You - Gladys Knight & Smokey Robinson # Why (3T song), Why/Heartbreak Hotel - 3T & Tito Jackson # Jam (Michael Jackson song), Jam/Black or White/Remember the Time/Behind the Mask (Michael Jackson song), Behind the Mask -

# In the Closet/Jam (Michael Jackson song), Jam -

# I Can't Help It (Michael Jackson song), I Can't Help It # You Can't Win (song), You Can't Win - Cee Lo Green # Smile # Dirty Diana -

# I Want You Back # You Are Not Alone -

# Earth Song -

# Another Part of Me -

# Who's Loving You # Scream (Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson song), Scream -

# Leave Me Alone (Michael Jackson song), Leave Me Alone # Gone Too Soon - Jennifer Hudson # Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Jamie Foxx, JLS & The Jacksons

Aftermath of the event

Global Live Events LLP, which had been formed on 29 March 2011 by film producers Michael Henry and Chris Hunt went into Administration (law), administration on the day of the concert, when both Henry and Hunt both quit the partnership. Both men, Global Live Events and Hunt's media company Iambic Productions were sued in the High Court by Quickdraw - a private investment fund, over ownership of the recordings of the concert. Quickdraw won the case, with the judge stating that Hunt and Henry were 'the most unreliable of witnesses' and their account to the court was 'wholly unbelievable'. Quickdraw was awarded damages of £5 million and costs of in excess of £700,000

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Michael Forever - The Tribute Concert Benefit concerts in the United Kingdom Cultural depictions of Michael Jackson Tribute concerts in the United Kingdom 2011 in Wales 2011 in music Organised events in Cardiff 2010s in Cardiff October 2011 in the United Kingdom