Immortal Tour - Oakland IS MICHAEL SINGING LIVE????

[gwynned]

Wow!   /bravo/ /bravo/  That's all I have to say about the show!  I wanted to share some observations and my story about ending up BACKSTAGE talking to some of the dancers.

Observations:

During Smooth Criminal headlines read 'He's not caught' or something close to that and 'It's not over.' 

The famous picture of Michael behind the camera was big on the screen and strangely out of place.

The sequence was similar to This is It.....beginning with Gotta be Startin' Something but ended with  Can you feel it!  Gotta tell you, I COULD feel it. 

I must add that I had FRONT ROW seats (yes, I bought them the minute they went on sale and sold my first born to pay for them!!!), which will explain how we ended up backstage after the show.  But I digress.

One thing I noticed was that Michael's parts in all the songs were different, but only different to someone who might be looking for differences.  But the weird thing is that the music (other than Michael's voice) was a live performance.  There were back up singers (WAAAYYYYYY way out of sight, I might add.  I could barely see them even in the front row!) and all the instrumentals were live.  It's certainly possible, I'm sure, to sync up tracks with live vocals and maybe a musician can help us with that.  But if that's the case, why would his voice vary so much in volume and (forgive me Mike if I'm wrong), but he might have missed a couple of notes.  If they were using old tracks (and I must say the songs were seriously rearranged and strewn together in ways we've not heard), wouldn't they have perfected the voice variations?

Then there was the 'hologram.'  That was very strange because it was projected against an undulating piece of fabric rather than a solid unmoving screen.  And perhaps it was because I was too close to the image, but it seemed less like a hologram than a deliberately fuzzy projection.  It was very brief and the image made a circle so I could only see the face for a moment, but it looked most like the new face of the Arno Bani photos.  Again, these are very limited impressions and I'd love for someone else to comment.

To my story now.   OMG!  My daughter went out and bought a sequined jacket amd 6 inch sequined heels.  She is, frankly, quite a beautiful young woman and was particularly radiant last evening.  AND she has forever been an MJ fan, defending him from detractors even as a young girl.  Bottom line is she caught the attention of one of the performers who invited us (I get the free ride as her mom!) backstage. 

I knew better than to try and extract information (hard as it was) because my daughter would have kicked me in the knees if I had.  But I will say this.  These lovely young people were all extensions of Michael.  They treated me with equal graciousness and respect as they did my daughter.  They thanked us profusely for coming to see them and told them how much WE meant to them.  I imagine meeting Michael would feel quite similar.  There was no pretension, arrogance or indifference about them.  When they left to get on the bus to the hotel, I received some of the most heartfelt hugs I have even felt in my life. 

We left Oakland at 11:30 and began the 5 hour drive home, most of which I did.  I arrived home and luxuriated in the comfort of my own bed and was finally able to process the whole weight of this event.  It was then that I saw it, if indeed it is true.  We all recall Michael pointing to Orianthe and saying It is YOUR time to shine. 

If Michael were visible on stage, only he would shine.  He can't help it anymore than the sun can help overshadowing lesser lights.  By stepping back into the shadows, he was able to relinquish the stage to the new generation so that their lights could be seen and appreciated.  It was also in that moment I felt the most divine sensations of bliss and happiness.

As an aside, my daughter said, "Mom, this feels like heaven.  If this is what heaven feels like, I want to go there.'  And this morning, she texted me that meeting these dancers has inspired her to dance again.  And isn't that what Michael does best.  Inspire us to keep dancing.

I am so grateful to Michael I can barely speak and yet I know he would respond with a thank you just like his amazing protoges. 

 bearhug

[suesuzzfaithkeeper]

wow thank you for sharing this amazing story with me..made me feel like i was there with u all lol..i hope to see it if it comes close to dallas area..hope more people on here that have seen it will also share there thoughts and there story too..thank you again..lucky u..
huggs n love n faith to you
suzz

[Tink]

@gwynned: The imperfections of an artist's voice, is what makes them spectacular, and LIVE. Autotune is what has been destroying almost everything the music industry has applied it to. Michael's a perfectionist, and would never use that, unless it was for an effect.

I'm going to let you in on a little trade secret: Michael didn't sing all of the songs, that he danced to, during live performances. It's IMPOSSIBLE! Try dancing in the mirror, and sing at the same time, or have your daughter do so. Your lungs are having air forced out of them, kk? You need control OVER your diaphragm & lungs, to be able to sing without destroying your voice!

So when you see Michael on stage and dancing, it's all recorded, sorry. It isn't done to deceive the audience, it's to give a complete show, you know. You either have singing or dancing - can't have both! Watch Fred Astaire - same thing.

Watch Earthsong, especially when the bridge collapsed during Munich - because it was on a track, you never heard him
EXHALE from the force of that fall, now do you? He covered it brilliantly, though his back's messed up permanently (unless
ADR implant was performed).

Understand, these performances make the singer/dancer appear almost superhuman, when they aren't - just helps boost
them over the top. Madonna does it, everyone.

The O2 center has some of the best lip-synching equipment - it's important for everyone who goes through there. Otherwise,
you have to supply your own system!

[gwynned]

Tink, I'm not sure what you are saying. 

Are you suggesting that the tone variations were deliberately inserted to give the feeling of a live performance? 

While I understand that it's impossible to sing and dance at the same time and get satisfactory results, in this case, Michael would only be singing.  I obviously have no proof and I am merely suggesting the possibility should anyone be attending later concerts.  But it wasn't only that.  Like I said, I was VERY close to the stage....maybe 6 feet.  But the SINGERS were like ants to me they were so far back stage.  Again, there is a reasonable explanation....lots going on and they would want to be away from the action.  But THAT far away?

Then there's the matter of the hologram which reminded me of a previous music award event where we weren't really sure if it was Michael or Janet, as I recall. 

Another thing I learned was that the music was under the control of Michael's people....musicians he had worked with, rather than musicians from Cirque. 

OHhhh....one more thing.  There was an odd segment in the middle called Heartbreak Hotel. 

Again, I'm merely speculating and realize there are other logical explanations for what I have suggested.  I'm just hoping someone else going will listen carefully and report back their observations. 

Finally (I really mean it this time).  I overheard a conversation backstage about a private performance for Google today at the Oracle Arena.  At a cost of a mere 2 million dollars.   OMG! Google has lots of money, I'm sure.  But I find it extraordinary that they would choose to spend so much on THIS particular event.   

[suesuzzfaithkeeper]

@gwynned: The imperfections of an artist's voice, is what makes them spectacular, and LIVE. Autotune is what has been destroying almost everything the music industry has applied it to. Michael's a perfectionist, and would never use that, unless it was for an effect.

I'm going to let you in on a little trade secret: Michael didn't sing all of the songs, that he danced to, during live performances. It's IMPOSSIBLE! Try dancing in the mirror, and sing at the same time, or have your daughter do so. Your lungs are having air forced out of them, kk? You need control OVER your diaphragm & lungs, to be able to sing without destroying your voice!

So when you see Michael on stage and dancing, it's all recorded, sorry. It isn't done to deceive the audience, it's to give a complete show, you know. You either have singing or dancing - can't have both! Watch Fred Astaire - same thing.

Watch Earthsong, especially when the bridge collapsed during Munich - because it was on a track, you never heard him
EXHALE from the force of that fall, now do you? He covered it brilliantly, though his back's messed up permanently (unless
ADR implant was performed).

Understand, these performances make the singer/dancer appear almost superhuman, when they aren't - just helps boost
them over the top. Madonna does it, everyone.

The O2 center has some of the best lip-synching equipment - it's important for everyone who goes through there. Otherwise,
you have to supply your own system!

hey tink!!..well don't get me started on this auto tune shit!..i want to say Cher started it with her song do you believe in love?! something like that..either way i hate it end of story with auto tune lol..i understand what ur saying about singing and dancing full out all the time but he also has train all his life for such and would think he would have amazing control over his diaphragm and lungs.. i agree i don't think all of his songs were live due to many things that can be caught on video or ears n eyes..but could have sworn i seen an article about someone n his band said he did sing live ..anyways..on the one video of earth song with the bridge i could hear a muffle sound from his mic but don't recall a break n his singing lol..what always got me was when he would sing yana and bring a gurl up on stage if a mic is on you would be able to hear the gurls screams n words and i haven't seen or heard many on that live concert videos..i know what ur saying about backing tracks and its all for the great show..yes the o2 has state of the art sound n lights from what ive read..some that claim to be artist these days i would hate to hear live lol..even what lil i have heard lol..they cant do it old skool like the good ones ..
huggs n love n faith to you
suzz

[marumjj]

Tink! Thanks for sharing your experience (many of us would be there). I think the goal of the show has come, "you could feel it" and that stays with you forever. Michael's magic is revealed, congratulations. bearhug

[voiceforthesilent]

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. How amazing and incredible that you and your daughter were able to share a memory like that? Awesome!

I went to the show in Phoenix with some of my family who are huge MJ fans and even though we all loved the show my 4 year old grandson was a little put out because they changed the Beat It song/dance, not by much if I remember, but enough that my grandson didn't appreciate that they changed it. His exact words were "they didn't do it like Michael Jackson". LOL - in their eyes (and mine) there is nobody that can top Michael.

Anyway - it's hard to remember because so much happened and time has lapsed. I wrote about this in another thread too. I don't remember the Heartbreak Hotel. I do remember that the Michael they chose to play throughout was heavy set and somewhat of a distraction for me because I kept wondering if there was meaning behind it. I also noticed the band and found it interesting - like mixing live with recording so that it wasn't just a "canned' experience. There was at least one song that the vocals sounded live to me.

I had someone tell me not to buy floor seats because you'd want to sit up a little ways in order to see everything. By the sounds of it she was right. We were able to see everything really clearly yet there was a lot going on at one time. I feel like I could go 2 or 3 more times and catch something different each time. However, if you weren't where you were you wouldn't have had the experience of a lifetime in being invited backstage.

I also felt some of the video was out of place. As most know now they had clips of Michael getting off of the bus at the 02 arena. There were those headlines like you mention and I remember one of them saying "this isn't over yet" and something like "there is more to this story" - if I remember correctly.

I'd recommend for anyone that could go to do so. It's a great experience. The only thing better would have been to have Michael physically in front of us.

Blessings.

[Tink]

Tink, I'm not sure what you are saying. 

Are you suggesting that the tone variations were deliberately inserted to give the feeling of a live performance? 

While I understand that it's impossible to sing and dance at the same time and get satisfactory results, in this case, Michael would only be singing.  I obviously have no proof and I am merely suggesting the possibility should anyone be attending later concerts.  But it wasn't only that.  Like I said, I was VERY close to the stage....maybe 6 feet.  But the SINGERS were like ants to me they were so far back stage.  Again, there is a reasonable explanation....lots going on and they would want to be away from the action.  But THAT far away?

Then there's the matter of the hologram which reminded me of a previous music award event where we weren't really sure if it was Michael or Janet, as I recall. 

Another thing I learned was that the music was under the control of Michael's people....musicians he had worked with, rather than musicians from Cirque. 

OHhhh....one more thing.  There was an odd segment in the middle called Heartbreak Hotel. 

Again, I'm merely speculating and realize there are other logical explanations for what I have suggested.  I'm just hoping someone else going will listen carefully and report back their observations. 

Finally (I really mean it this time).  I overheard a conversation backstage about a private performance for Google today at the Oracle Arena.  At a cost of a mere 2 million dollars.   OMG! Google has lots of money, I'm sure.  But I find it extraordinary that they would choose to spend so much on THIS particular event.

Michael isn't traveling with them. My friend spotted him, N. of San Diego in November, doing something else. He's staying at an undisclosed location - he's working on something new.

And, yes - I'd say she's one of Michael's people, too. They're in S. Cali right now, if I'm not mistaken, but I don't think I can find anyone to go with me.

[mjselfsweet]

gwynned thanks for sharing! I hope to go to the show one of these days.

Quote:
 "There were back up singers (WAAAYYYYYY way out of sight, I might add.  I could barely see them even in the front row!) and all the instrumentals were live.  It's certainly possible, I'm sure, to sync up tracks with live vocals and maybe a musician can help us with that.  But if that's the case, why would his voice vary so much in volume and (forgive me Mike if I'm wrong), but he might have missed a couple of notes.  If they were using old tracks (and I must say the songs were seriously rearranged and strewn together in ways we've not heard), wouldn't they have perfected the voice variations?"

yes this can be done,, its been done for Elvis : ),, the show is called Elvis Lives! The 25th Anniversary Concert.  Elvis's concert films are shown on a big screen and while he sings,,,all the original band members, back up singers etc, play the music live, they are all much older now : ). but its a great show!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-jACfzjPkk[/youtube]

Elvis Presley was larger than life, and the Elvis experience is an amazing phenomenon that has continued to astonish people a quarter-century after his death in 1977. In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of his death, Elvis: The 25th Anniversary Concert Event was staged at the Pyramid Coliseum in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

Through the magic of modern technology, Elvis is reunited with his original TCB band, back-up singers and musical director for a unique concert special. The program features footage of Elvis from previous concerts, along with his supporting musicians and singers live on stage together in Memphis. This one-of-a-kind concert event has stirred audiences around the world and ignited a passion for the King in a whole new generation of music lovers.
 /bravo/

glad you got to go! sounds like it was wonderful!

[_Anna_]

Tink, you said it some time ago too, about your friend. But I can say that you said you don't believe that photo of Michael with big eyes/amazed face which was redirected to the old board is Michael himself, but a clone-photoshopped photo of him. I also work in photoshop and I am very certain that is Michael himself just pulling faces. Considering perception can differ from person to person (you say it's not him tottaly, I say it is him), then your friend could have seen any good look-alike and really believe it was Michael. Why didn't she take a photo? If you are friends you didn't ask her more?

I say because I even have relatives who saw E'casanova hown on TV and said "ooh, for someone who doesn't look at Michael very much can almost swear it's Michael himself.". While I see no resemblance.

[gwynned]

Michael isn't traveling with them. My friend spotted him, N. of San Diego in November, doing something else. He's staying at an undisclosed location - he's working on something new.

And, yes - I'd say she's one of Michael's people, too. They're in S. Cali right now, if I'm not mistaken, but I don't think I can find anyone to go with me.

Thanks for straightening things out for us!    Now I'm even more certain he was there last night.

[Tink]

Tink, you said it some time ago too, about your friend. But I can say that you said you don't believe that photo of Michael with big eyes/amazed face which was redirected to the old board is Michael himself, but a clone-photoshopped photo of him. I also work in photoshop and I am very certain that is Michael himself just pulling faces. Considering perception can differ from person to person (you say it's not him tottaly, I say it is him), then your friend could have seen any good look-alike and really believe it was Michael. Why didn't she take a photo? If you are friends you didn't ask her more?

I say because I even have relatives who saw E'casanova hown on TV and said "ooh, for someone who doesn't look at Michael very much can almost swear it's Michael himself.". While I see no resemblance.

@Anna - Let's go over a few things: First and foremost, my private conversations are exactly that: PRIVATE. Respect that.

#1- I've used Photoshop for well over a decade - I think I know most of the tricks. I know Michael's face, so if you cloned a second layer over the first, lassoed it down the midline, pulled it apart, yeah - you'd easily widen the nose too far. It's obviously done as a joke, not meant to be taken seriously. The hair on the face was also cloned, moved around.

#2 - WOULD YOU take a photo of Michael in disguise, send it to the world - or, would you delete it if he requested it? Or chase him back into needing bodyguards everywhere he goes, and being on the run from the Paparazzi PRISON again!?

What kind of friend would anyone be, to out him for money!? I personally, wouldn't so that - not for millions of dollars... Because I do care about him. Only a traitor would take a photo of him, and sell it to the tabloids!

Just rest assure that he's alive, free of constant scrutiny. He can finally BREATHE, now that he isn't surrounded by a bunch of fakes, flakes, con-men, and leeches!

[becca26]

Thank you for sharing your exprience with us, Ive been saying this for a while but I use to work near Cirq in downtown disney in Florida (La Nouba) and I was friends with the director of that cirq show(Richard) I remember having a conversation with him around nov 08 about the Elivs show they were working on, he said that he few to Vegas to meet with Lisa Marie and her mother to go over things with them about Elvis, I said well that sounds exciting, what about doing a show for Michael Jackson?? He said he have been in talks with him and we are working on doing something with him. So I noticed a ton of things from this is it are being used for the Immortal tour such as the girl that was to be in dirty diana, Travis Michaels main man for the dancers, the Asian man whom worked on all of the outfits that Mike was going to wear on this is it, from what Ive seen on clips of the show on Youtube they have the dancers using them, ie billie Jean song with the outfits that light up, Michael singing by the way does sound live from what I've heard on the Immortal album. Also the style that the songs have been redone reminds me of Mikes style of performing live such as when he sings and then mid sentence stop stay still then continue, the music is so much like him, I feel like he produced this. It has his signature on it to me. Oh and one last thing about the singers not being seen the La Noba show is the same, I think that may be a cirq thing.

[_Anna_]

@Tink

If I knew or had a friend who really saw Michael in flesh and bones, alive and well

1. I wouldn't even have an account here or anywhere else for that matter, because I wouldn't need to; 
2. just saying it and expecting people to not ask for proof and just believe, is pointless.

 If one can't or knows they can't show proof, why say it? It's like when people come and say "I know something but I can't tell you how I know it, and I can't show you proof. But I know something you don't". Is this respecting a privacy and caring about someone? This has been done here and anywhere on the web for over +2,5 years and usually done to get hype and fuss.

No offence.

[marumjj]

 :oops: sorry my thanks go to Gwynedd! my brain is almost gone last night