14 DAY TRIAL // Michael Jackson was to kick off his comeback series of live performances, “This Is It,” on July 8 at London’s O2 Arena. Skeptics have long argued whether the dates will be respected, even after tickets for all shows sold in just a couple of hours – a never before seen occurrence in the history of music. The same skeptics will now get to say “I told you so,” as Jackson has canceled the first week of shows, pushing back the dates to next year, the British publication the Daily Mail informs.
According to concert organizers AEGLive and Kenny Ortega, who is handling the production, the postponement has absolutely nothing to do with Michael’s ability to perform, as rumor says, but rather with the fact that a busy schedule at O2 has not allowed him to rehearse on the arena. Being a perfectionist, Jackson has come to the conclusion that it’s best to push the dates back towards the end of the series of shows than do them without being properly prepared, a statement issued by AEG says.
Nevertheless, that does not change the fact that thousands of fans have been bitterly disappointed. First of all, they had rushed to buy tickets for the first shows because they believed they would see an exhausted Michael up on stage should they go to one towards the end of the run. Secondly, many of them would have flown from all corners of the world, which means they had already made traveling and accommodation arrangements, all of which must be canceled now. There is also the question of whether they will be able to fly out to London on the new date – in which case organizers promise a full refund, as well as that of those fans who paid triple the price (or even more) of a ticket to third parties, just to have the chance to be among the first to see Michael – they will not get a refund, obviously.
“After directing the Dangerous and HIStory tours, I know what the fans expect and myself and the team want to deliver a flawless production. We apologize to all disappointed Michael Jackson fans and remain extremely dedicated and focused on creating an exceptional live music experience.” Ortega says in a statement just released. The organizers also insist the cancellation is due to “technical issues” and not Michael’s reportedly bad health.
“Kenny and Michael are, at the same time, both creative pioneers and perfectionists. This show has grown in size and scope, thereby, necessitating more lead time for manufacture of the set, programming the content for the massive video elements, and, most importantly, more time for full production and dress rehearsals. As much as we agonized over this change in the original schedule, we are sure the fans will understand when they experience the level of entertainment Michael Jackson intends to deliver while also ensuring the safety of the musicians, cast and crew and the crisp execution of the production.” President and CEO of AEGLive Randy Phillips says.
As of now, the changes announced include: the opening show on July 8 has been moved 5 days later, to July 13; the second, on July 10, will take place on March 1, 2010; the third, meant to take place on July 12, has been pushed back to March 3; while the show initially scheduled for July 14 will take place on March 6.
For updates on this one, keep an eye on this space.