review of janet jackson tour

• facebook-rs

Janet Jackson Is Still Nasty After All These Years

• By Brittany Spanos

Brittany Spanos

Madison Square Garden in New York was a party on Monday night. That’s because Janet Jackson had taken over the arena for the first of two shows on her Together Again Tour . As the audience waited for the show to begin, the DJ got the energy up as he pumped kickback classics like Faith Evans’ “Love Like This” and, of course, some Jackson 5.

Ludacris opened, serving as a surprisingly fitting special guest. The conceit of his set was not knowing if the crowd was really full of “day-one Luda fans,” which is a hard thing for any millennial (or older member of the crowd) to not be. He ran through a verse or two of his biggest hits and guest spots — “Act a Fool,’ “Area Codes,” Fergie’s “Glamorous,” Lil Jon’s “Lovers & Friends” — pulling out his oversize sneakers for “Stand Up” and his fake big arms for “Get Back.” The crowd went especially wild for his iconic “Yeah!” verse and closer “Move Bitch.” 

The concert’s first act was a surprising run of material, including the first of three versions of “Together Again” she would perform throughout the night. The song is the tour’s namesake and helps mark the 25th anniversary of The Velvet Rope ; it’s also a powerful single about unity, inspired by her suddenly losing a friend from complications due to AIDS. Its many remixes and iterations served as a great through line for the show.

Editor’s picks

The 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, the 50 worst decisions in movie history, every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term.

The transition between “acts” showed the biggest glaring issue of the night: As she and her quartet of male dancers went backstage to change, the audience was left to stare for several minutes at pretty boring screen visuals (or nothing at all) while the music continued. It slowed the show down significantly, mellowing the high of getting to see Jackson live, in the flesh. 

Act II got the energy back up, as Jackson blazed through Eighties hits like “What Have You Done for Me Lately,” “Nasty,” and “The Pleasure Principle.” She still dances with the type of effortless, sweat-free ease that’s made her such a standout in all eras of her career. Some audience members saw their muscle memory activate as they themselves imitated the video choreography that was inescapable on MTV so many decades ago.

Hot Boys Rapper B.G. Arrested for Probation Violations After Boosie Concert Appearance

Beyonce finds a new freedom and redefines country music on 'cowboy carter' , trump criticized after posting video depicting biden hog-tied, jerrod carmichael had a crush on tyler, the creator, so he invited the rapper to the emmy awards, lovers & friends 2024: usher, janet jackson, backstreet boys to headline, janet jackson schedules second round of 'together again' tour dates for summer 2024, let's give àngela winbush her flowers now.

For Jackson’s final act, she returned to the stage in a “Rhythm Nation” shirt before running through several songs from the classic 1989 album. The only divergence was for “Scream,” her hit 1995 duet with late brother Michael, though she brought it back to Rhythm Nation by mashing it up with a bit of “Black Cat.”

The encore began from backstage, as the camera caught Jackson singing while getting makeup touchups, then followed her back to the stage. Appropriately, the final song was another “Together Again,” this time the originally released version of the track. Jackson and her dancers joyfully ran around the stage, the most she let her diva-focused facade crack all night. They were even joined by four new dancers, two of whom won the opportunity to be onstage with her on an earlier episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. It was the end of a ruthlessly packed greatest-hits set, that even with the nearly 40 songs she ran through still left room for wanting more. Luckily, it doesn’t seem like Ms. Jackson is letting up anytime soon. 

Travis Scott, Playboi Carti Spin Through New ‘Fe!n’ Video

• Pre-'SNL' drop
• By Althea Legaspi

Beyonce Finds a New Freedom and Redefines Country Music on 'Cowboy Carter' 

• ALBUM REVIEW
• Crimes and Court
• By Daniel Kreps

Black Keys Strike Mellow Gold on 'Ohio Players'

• By Jon Dolan

Lzzy Hale on Skid Row Gigs: 'There Will Be Blood Left on the Stage!'

• 'Totally Wild!'

Most Popular

Anne hathaway lost roles after oscar win because of 'how toxic my identity had become online,' says christopher nolan backed her: 'i had an angel' in him, where to stream 'quiet on set: breaking the silence' episode 5 online, buckingham palace rushes to clarify queen camilla’s statement that a certain grandson is ‘a handful', touré says diddy terminated his cousin's internship after refusing to sleep with him, you might also like, remembering louis gossett jr. in ‘an officer and a gentleman’: his timeless acting elevated the movie drill sergeant into a mythic figure, how to watch iheartradio music awards red carpet livestream for free: see the best dressed nominees and stars, the best exercise mats for working out, according to fitness experts, ‘gen v’ star chance perdomo dies at 27, washington post story on mulkey unlikely to spark defamation suit.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

site categories

Janet jackson’s ‘together again tour’ with ludacris was a celebration for die-hard fans.

 Jackson's Los Angeles tour stop kicked off the Hollywood Bowl's 2023 season.

By Mya Abraham

Mya Abraham

R&B Reporter

• Share this article on Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter
• Share this article on Flipboard
• Share this article on Pinit
• + additional share options added
• Print this article
• Share this article on Print

Janet Jackson is your favorite’s favorite—and ours too.

As chill temperatures still haunted Los Angeles ahead of summer’s solstice, the youngest Jackson kicked off Hollywood Bowl’s 2023 season on Saturday (June 10) with a riveting, nostalgic, star-studded show.  

As the sold-out crowd piled into the open-air amphitheater, the likes of Cree Summer, Angela Bassett , Jimmy Jam , Janelle James , Larenz Tate, Victoria Monét , and more were spotted blending in with day-one fans. Diehard stans of the Control superstar donned custom merchandise and recreations of Jackson’s iconic looks including her historic ensemble from the “Rhythm Nation” video.

Madonna Surprises Crowd With Erykah Badu During Dallas Tour Stop

The five-time Grammy winner divided the show into four acts, complete with distinct looks. For the Hollywood Bowl’s season opener, the concert also doubled as a fundraiser for the L.A. Philharmonic and its “learning and community initiatives,” including the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA). Jackson performed alongside the thriving musicians for an enchanting rendition of “Again” from 1993’s janet, and helped to raise $3.4 million.

Once the children were tucked away backstage, Jackson amped up the sexual energy. She merged “What Have You Done For Me Lately,” “Nasty,” and “Pleasure Principle” before getting into more seductive ballads: “When We Ooh,” “Any Time, Any Place,” and “ I Get Lonely. ” Her reserved ensemble—a black-and-white bodysuit with wide-leg trousers—didn’t slight her sex appeal, especially as she planted a passionate kiss on her dancer, Dario Boatner. Decades later, she still has the innate ability to be innocently coy in tandem with being a dominating vixen. It was plastered on her face as she gave the crowd a mischievous smirk following the kiss.

Jackson’s 10th concert tour was seemingly designed for fans who know her discography. For those devastated by the Black Diamond Tour ’s cancellation in 2020, it was refreshing for her to dig deep into her musical repertoire, dusting off records she’d never performed alongside her cult classics. It may have been a celebration for die-hards, but even if you’re not on that level, Janet Jackson will always be worth the standing ovation. 

Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox

Vibe is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Vibe Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

optional screen reader

News expand news menu.

• Movies & TV
• Entertainment

Music Expand music menu

• Music Premieres

Features Expand features menu

• Digital Covers

Lifestyle Expand lifestyle menu

Things To Do | Review: Janet Jackson’s Together Again tour in…

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on X (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Music and Concerts
• The Theater Loop
• TV and Streaming

Things To Do

Things to do | review: janet jackson’s together again tour in tinley park is a return of the original janet.

The last time Janet Jackson visited Chicago in 2017 , she was as fun and sweet as always, but she didn’t feel quite the same. Her costumes were more subdued, the dance routines — while beautiful — were restricted. It was a good performance but a different Janet.

But the Janet Jackson of 2023 is a woman who has returned to her best form. Her movements were fluid, sexy and familiar. For audiences who may have missed the more provocative and cheeky performer of years past, the Together Again tour, which made a stop in Tinley Park Saturday night at the Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, is a perfect trip down memory lane.

Rarely taking a breath between songs, Jackson glided across the stage, commanding the room as only a true professional could. Songs seamlessly blended into each other and dance moves fluidly emanated through her limbs. Being a performer, a showstopper, a true delight is not just what Janet Jackson does. It is who she is. And now, at the age of 57, she seems to be a performer who knows who she is, and what she means to her loving and diverse abundance of fans.

Wrapped in a majestic and deep purple cape, Jackson first took to the stage solo before donning a gold, sparkly bodysuit and dancing with four backup dancers. Rather than simply sticking to the hits, Jackson initially slipped into underrated tracks like “Feedback” from the album “Discipline” and “Damita Jo” off her 2004 album of the same name, a record that slipped through the cracks due to the fallout of her controversial Super Bowl performance earlier that year.

The inclusion of such songs spoke to the overall theme throughout the night. While this was very much the Janet Jackson fans had come to know and love throughout the years, it was also a performer here to give overdue love to the stickier years in her career.

In a set that clocked in at more than an hour and a half, and featured multiple costume changes and four acts, Jackson also ran through a bevy of her greatest hits, taking it all the way back to her mid-’80s breakout with songs like “What Have You Done for Me Lately” and “When I Think of You.” Fan favorites from her critically acclaimed 1989 album “Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814? like the album’s title track, “Miss You Much” and “Alright” kept the audience enraptured and singing along from start to finish.

During a downtempo section of the evening, Jackson appeared solo on the stage again to sit and perform slow songs like “Let’s Wait Awhile” and “Together Again,” which she slowed down and transformed into a sensual-sounding ditty through Jimmy Jam’s “Deeper” remix. “Again,” another fan-favorite, was largely performed by the audience when Jackson turned the microphone to the crowd and sat back to bask in the love from her fans.

But I was most excited by the medley of tracks she deemed some of her personal favorites that she never got the chance to perform live. That includes songs like “Throb” from the 1993 album “janet” and the 1999 Blackstreet single “Girlfriend/Boyfriend,” for which Janet was a featured vocalist. The song, a minor hit for Blackstreet (it only reached number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100) fits in well with Jackson’s eclectic body of work.

Its inclusion here as part of her Together Again tour speaks to the breadth of Jackson’s career. She is not just a pop and R&B star. Her work in genres like house and rock (as heard in songs like “If” and “Black Cat,” both of which were heard last night) shows her taste is rich and a rarity in the mainstream music world.

After, she performed another deep cut, “Make Me,” a song Jackson hadn’t performed live in more than a decade. It was a rapturous and lovely moment. While the “Together Again” tour was certainly a trip down memory lane for both casual and die-hard fans, it’s clear the show was also a chance for Jackson to revel in the breadth of her success and to have fun diving into the deep body of work encompassing her career.

Britt Julious is a freelance critic.

More in Things To Do

Home and Garden | Eliminate eggs now for fewer insect pests later

Books | Biblioracle: Debut novel ‘Great Expectations’ follows a staffer on a presidential campaign

Photos: Bad Bunny performs at the United Center

Music and Concerts | Yes, Bad Bunny sold out a weekend at the United Center — but for Chicago’s Latin music fans, he’s more than that

Trending nationally.

• Continuing Coverage: Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore
• Some of Florida’s sickest kids are losing Medicaid coverage on Easter Sunday
• Skiboky Stora, accused of attacking NYC TikToker, goes on unhinged rant in court
• White-collar crimes: Sam Bankman-Fried’s sentence is double Elizabeth Holmes’
• Conjoined twin, former TLC star Abby Hensel now married to Army veteran

Janet Jackson's sexy, powerful Phoenix performance proves she's still the Queen of Pop

It’s been 37 years since Janet Jackson staked her claim as a pop icon in the making with “What Have You Done for Me Lately,” the first of six hit singles from “Control,” an aptly titled breakthrough album she released at 19 as the youngest member of the Jackson family.

Four years later, she became the only artist in the history of the Hot 100 to land seven singles from one album ("Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814") in the Top 5.

And the hits kept coming well into this century.

By any reasonable standard, she remains one of the most successful pop stars of her generation, a point made abundantly clear in the breathless journey Jackson took through many of the highlights of her catalog at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre on Wednesday, June 7.

Weekend plans? These are the best things to do in Phoenix this weekend

It was immediately clear that Janet Jackson has still got the moves

The Together Again Tour, named for one of 10 songs Jackson took to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100, drew a huge crowd to the outdoor venue, where she made her entrance in a hooded purple cloak and set the tone for her performance with “Damita Jo,” the title track to a triple-platinum triumph from 2004.

It wasn’t long before she lost the cloak to reveal a glittering gold catsuit with a purple bow around the waist as she moved quickly through the first of four acts flanked by four male dancers.

At 57, she’s still got the moves, leading her dancers through the sort of choreography she’s taught us to expect from a night out with Janet.

Or Ms. Jackson if you’re nasty.

And she sounded great, although her vocals did get overpowered in the mix at times — this despite the fact that she often appeared to be relying heavily on piped-in vocal tracks.

Taylor Swift Eras Tour: 5 magic moments at State Farm Stadium that Arizonans saw first

Act II went heavy on 'Control,' including 'Nasty' and 'Let's Wait Awhile'

The second act went heavy on “Control,” from the hard-hitting digital R&B groove of “What Have You Done For Me Lately,” “When I Think of You” and “Nasty” to “Let’s Wait Awhile,” the soulful ballad for which Jackson took a seat.

By that point, the musicians in her touring band had emerged from the shadows, allowing the fans to see that she wasn’t just singing along to prerecorded tracks.

After letting the audience handle the vocals on “Again,” she brought the concert’s second act to a steamy conclusion by giving her dancers a chair dance while performing “I Get Lonely.”

Act III highlights ranged from two chart-topping singles released at the turn of the century, “Doesn’t Really Matter” and “All For You,” to a suitably erotic “So Excited,” which she prefaced by her telling her fans “Y’all got me so excited up here.”

Janet Jackson rocked a Rhythm Nation T-shirt for the final act

For the fourth and final act, Jackson returned to the stage in a “Rhythm Nation” T-shirt and jacket and put the spotlight squarely on that classic album, from “The Knowledge” to all four singles that she took to No. 1 before bringing the set to a triumphant finish with the title track.

That last act also featured her iconic older brother, Michael Jackson, in the video to “Scream.”

She signed off with a one-song encore, singing “Together Again” one final time.

By that point, she’d done roughly 40 songs in a nearly two-hour performance, from giant hits to album tracks, including several songs she hadn’t performed before this tour.

Many songs were featured in abbreviated versions or medleys, the better to cover more ground, an approach that kept things moving like a halftime show while also serving as a breathtaking reminder of just what a cultural force she’s been for nearly 40 years.

And speaking of halftime show performances, it may be time the NFL considered having Jackson back to headline her own halftime show at next year’s Super Bowl. She’s clearly got the hits — and moves — to turn in one of the more memorable shows in recent memory.

Who is opening for Janet Jackson's 2023 tour?

DJ Infamous Talk2Me got the party started, spinning classic tracks from Prince’s “Kiss” to the Sugarhill Gang’s “Apache” and the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back.”

He also called for a moment of silence to honor Tina Turner, whose death inspired a heartfelt tribute at the Lizzo show in Phoenix , where the singer shouted, "Without Tina Turner, there would be no rock 'n' roll," before leading her band in a raucous cover of "Proud Mary."

At the end of his set, DJ Infamous Talk2Me welcomed Ludacris to the stage for a wildly entertaining opening set that hit the ground running with “Southern Fried Intro.”

Two songs in, he greeted the crowd with “I go by the name of Ludacris and I just want to say, humbly speaking, I was born to be on this stage.” And with that, he was off on a fast-rapping trip through his catalog, from “Act a Fool” and “Southern Hospitality” to “What’s Your Fantasy” and “Stand Up.”

That last one found Ludacris prowling the stage in giant sneakers, saying, “Don’t act like y’all didn’t see these big-ass shoes.”

On “Ludaversal,” he shouted “I’m as hungry as the first day,” and that’s exactly how it felt as he delivered on his promise to “give you the show of a lifetime celebrating 23 years of platinum hits.”

Janet Jackson 2023 setlist

"Damita Jo"

"Together Again" (DJ Premier Remix)

"So Much Betta"

"If" (Containing elements of the KAYTRANADA Remix)

"No Sleeep"

"Got 'til It's Gone"

"That's the Way Love Goes"

"What Have You Done for Me Lately" (containing elements of “BURNITUP!”)

"The Pleasure Principle"

"Because of Love"

"When I Think of You"

"The Best Things in Life Are Free"

"When We Oooo"

"Together Again" (Jimmy Jam Deeper Remix)

"Come Back to Me"

"Let's Wait Awhile" (containing elements of "Lonely” and “Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun)”)

"Any Time, Any Place"

"I Get Lonely"

"Doesn't Really Matter"

"All for You"

"Come On Get Up"

"Throb" (containing elements of “Free Xone”)

"Girlfriend/Boyfriend"

"Like You Don't Love Me"

"Do It 2 Me"

"So Excited"

"The Knowledge"

"Miss You Much"

"Love Will Never Do (Without You)"

"Scream" (containing elements of “Black Cat”)

"Rhythm Nation"

"Together Again"

Reach the reporter at  [email protected]  or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter  @ EdMasley.

Support local journalism.   Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

Janet Jackson

How good are they live, live rating  , real live certified  , critic consensus, festivals in 2024.

Latest release

Artist info, critic concert reviews.

Full Review

The Orange County Register (USA)

Milwaukee journal-sentinel (usa), azcentral.com (usa), the columbus dispatch (usa), austin american-statesman (usa), past critic reviews published in, image credit.

FEATURED ARTISTS

Sign up to our newsletter

Artists on tour.

The Last Dinner Party

Charley Crockett

Black Country New Road

Enter Shikari

Hans Zimmer

John Fogerty

All artists, featured festivals.

Inferno Metal Festival 2024

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2024

Tecate Pal Norte 2024

Paaspop 2024

Texas Eclipse Festival 2024

Zermatt Unplugged 2024

All festivals.

How good are they LIVE?

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR Newsletter

• Manage Account

The Dream Setlist for Janet Jackson’s Together Again Tour

With Janet Jackson gearing up to hit the road this spring, we visualize how the show can honor decades of hits.

By Bianca Gracie

Bianca Gracie

• Share this article on Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter
• Share this article on Flipboard
• Share this article on Pinit
• + additional share options added
• Share this article on Tumblr
• Share this article on Reddit
• Share this article on Linkedin
• Share this article on Whatsapp
• Share this article on Email
• Print this article
• Share this article on Comment

Janet Jackson is an unshakeable icon — unbreakable , even. The past few years reminded us just how grand her legacy is. In 2019, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and enjoyed her Metamorphosis Las Vegas residency. Last January, the fiercely private star allowed the world into her personal journey with A&E and Lifetime’s Janet Jackson two-part documentary. And in December, she announced her 2023 Together Again Tour . 

A 33-date trek across North American arenas/amphitheaters, it kicks off on April 14 in Hollywood, Fla. and follows both 2017’s socially conscious State of the World Tour and her four-month, 18-show 2019 Metamorphosis residency in Las Vegas. With a truly staggering catalog filled with chart-topping albums and singles, it’s difficult to tell what tunes Miss Jackson will choose. 

Will she revive her previous ideas from 2020’s Black Diamond World Tour (which was canceled due to the pandemic) or completely scrap them? How will she celebrate this May’s 30th anniversary of her blockbuster fifth album Janet ? Will she forgo her usual offerings of ‘80s classics and replace them with deep cuts? Aside from Ludacris as the opening act, who will be the special guests?

There are many questions as to how she’ll fill up a standard two hours, but we attempt to answer them all below with our dream setlist for the Janet Jackson: Together Again tour — a journey through over three dozen of the pop and R&B legend’s classic tracks, deep cuts, features and collaborations. Now, let’s get to grooving! 

“Together Again” (Intro)

To set the tour’s reunion theme, the night will kick off with the twinkling ballad intro of this The Velvet Rope classic, as various clips of Janet Jackson throughout her career play on the screen. But before that familiar uptempo kicks in, the screen’s imagery shatters and distorts to reveal the icon standing on the stage dressed in an avant-garde Rick Owens outfit. Now with the spotlight officially on her, we’re ready to start the show.

The concert has no choice but to kick off with a dance track (this is Janet Jackson, after all). But rather than immediately hopping into the ‘80s classics as most of her tour openers have done, we’ll head into the future with this 2007 electropop jam.

“All Nite (Don’t Stop)” 

As the stage lights lower, Janet’s dancers get into formation before the lights quickly begin to flicker to the beat of this bass-driven Damita Jo single. The venue feels like we’re in a club and the concertgoers’ energy is officially rising.

It’s time to throw it back to the classics. Janet switches her structured Rick Owens jacket for a dramatically padded sequined black blazer — a nod to the ‘80s, when her transitional Control album was released — as she says “How are you all feeling? It’s great to be together again!” The audience replies with thrilled shouts as she pops and locks through the song.

“Nasty” / “What Have You Done For Me Lately”

“GIMMIE A BEAT!” The 1986 smash “Nasty” was the hammer that broke Janet’s sweet “girl next door” mold and allowed her to embrace her womanhood, while “What Have You Done For Me Lately” revved up the sass. She embodies a youthful spirit as she swivels her hips and growls the lyrics to these funky classics.

“The Pleasure Principle” / “Miss You Much”

The stage is awash with a vibrant purple hue (another nod to the ‘80s) as Janet’s dancers roll out a large mirror and a few chairs onto the stage for the dance routine. Both of these songs feature iconic chair-eography, which has since inspired everyone from Britney Spears and Mya to Tinashe and Normani. But here, Miss Jackson If Ya Nasty shows the ladies how it’s done.

“Dammn Baby” (Interlude)

At this point, Janet is completely free on stage and ready to dance even more. During this interlude to 2015’s breezy Unbreakable single, she does a quick outfit change into a ripped t-shirt and leather joggers so she can really bust a move.

“Rock With U” / “When We Ooo” / “SloLove” 

It’s now time for the night’s first three-song medley. Janet whispers “Strobe lights make everything sexier/ Shadows dancing on the wall” from “Rock With U”, with the stage lights reflecting her seductive commands. The singer and her dancers continue their disco-inspired routine as they move and shake into the next two tracks.

“Love Will Never Do (Without You)”

The abundance of love is near tangible in the venue, and Janet cannot stop smiling as she looks at her fans in awe. “This next song is dedicated to all of you, can you feel the love??” she asks, as the bassline kicks in for this sparkling Rhythm Nation 1814 single.

“Alright” / “Escapade” / “When I Think of You” 

The feel-good vibes continue with this next medley, as Janet and her dancers hop into the Cab Calloway-inspired routine of “Alright” as the video plays on screen. Once the other infectious songs from Rhythm Nation 1814  and Control kick in, everyone in the venue is already on their feet.

“You Want This”

With Janet celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the singer uses the following concert section to channel the album’s theme of sexual freedom. The playfulness of this single, which samples Diana Ross & the Supremes’ 1968 song “Love Child” and Kool & the Gang’s 1973 song “Jungle Boogie”, does the trick.

Just as everyone is bouncing to the jams, the stage lights temporarily cut out to shocked gasps. “Wait, what’s happening?” fans ponder as red strobe lights cut through the darkness. Once the industrial synths of “If” rip through the speakers, it’s clear we’ve now been transported to an underground European club.

“Throb” / “Free Xone” Mashup

The club kid spirit heightens even more with this dizzying mashup of diehard fan-favorite deep cuts from Janet and The Velvet Rope . Once it ends, fans find themselves glistening with sweat as they reach for their drinks to cool themselves off.

“That's the Way Love Goes” / “No Sleeeep” / “Got ‘Til It’s Gone”

Whew , that was a whirlwind huh? At this point, everyone (the fans and Janet alike) needs to catch their breath, so let’s slow things down with this sultry mashup. The singer saunters across the stage while snapping her fingers to the hypnotizing Janet single, before leading into Unbreakable ’s quiet storm groove. When “Got ‘Til It’s Gone” kicks in, her dancers re-emerge to perform a laid-back ‘90s hip-hop routine.

“Come Back to Me” / “Where Are You Now”

Janet is mainly known for her high-energy tunes, but this is the moment where she reminds everyone of her equally strong ballads. She takes a seat on a high stool to belt these soulful R&B love songs as the stage lights twinkle a sky-blue.

“Any Time, Any Place” / “Poetic Justice” Mashup

Still sitting on the stool, Janet bops along to this PDA anthem with sounds of rain and thunder rippling through the venue. Before the singer reaches the bridge’s climax, two dancers on the opposite end of the stage perform a sultry routine to Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s “Poetic Justice” collaboration (which famously samples “Anytime, Any Place”).

“Love Scene (Ooh Baby)” (Interlude)

Let’s keep the lustful vibes going, shall we? Janet quickly disappears from the stage as this All For You deep cut plays, signaling that it’s sex o’clock.

“Rope Burn” / “Would You Mind” / “Discipline” / “Moist”

Part of what’s made Janet such an icon is her unapologetic sexual liberation, and this medley honors that. “Mmm, my lips hurt” she moans through the BDSM anthem that is “Rope Burn”. She then unleashes her inner fantasies, breathily murmuring and purring through the next songs as she urges to touch, suck and lick and begs for punishment. Throughout this time, she calls back to 2001’s All for You Tour, where she brings up an audience member to tease on stage.

“I Get Lonely” / “What's It Gonna Be?!” Mashup

The passion peaks with this mashup, as Janet rips off her shirt to reveal a lace bustier with pierced nipples (a naughtier nod to the iconic “I Get Lonely” video). She’s then joined by her dancers for the routine. As she sings “Gonna break it down, break it down, break it down”, the audio switches to her after-hours 1999 collaboration with Busta Rhymes.

“Someone to Call My Lover”

For the concert’s final act, Janet is now ready to celebrate joy at its fullest. Once the jangling guitar riff of “Someone to Call My Lover” (which samples America’s 1972 hit “Ventura Highway”) blasts through the speakers, the fans are ready to dance once again.

“Doesn’t Really Matter”  

For her final outfit change, Janet places a studded orange leather jacket (a nod to this music video) over her bustier and switches her leather joggers for khaki cargo pants. The look is easier to move in as her and her dancers break out into the classic routine.

“All For You” / “R&B Junkie” / “Make Me”

The concert’s over (or so the audience thinks) and Janet wants to make sure everyone leaves in good spirits. This high-energy medley urges everyone to leap out of their seats as they dance and shout the lyrics of each song, taking selfies and videos to capture the moment forever.

ENCORE: "Scream"

Don’t go just yet, there’s more! Before the lights get a chance to fully lower, Janet’s silhouette is awash in bright white and the “Scream” video plays on the screen. The crowd is whipped into a frenzy as they watch her master the floor routine alongside her similarly legendary brother, Michael.

“Rhythm Nation” 

The singer is now reunited with all of her dance crew to perform the iconic, military-inspired routine to “Rhythm Nation,” with fans mimicking the same moves in the venue’s aisles. 

“Together Again” (DJ Premier Remix) / “Together Again” 

The concert officially wraps with a full-circle moment. Janet teases the lyrics of “Together Again” while the instrumental of DJ Premier’s hip-hop remix plays in the background. She reminds the audience about the importance of inclusivity and the power of love before jumping into the original version of the Hot 100-topping house anthem. Janet thanks everyone for coming and says once more that she loves them, a genuine sentiment that fan will feel hours after the concert ends.

Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox

Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about?

Get in the know on.

Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Billboard Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

optional screen reader

Charts expand charts menu.

• Billboard Hot 100™
• Billboard 200™
• Hits Of The World™
• TikTok Billboard Top 50
• Song Breaker
• Year-End Charts
• Decade-End Charts

Music Expand music menu

• R&B/Hip-Hop

Culture Expand culture menu

Media expand media menu, business expand business menu.

• Business News
• Record Labels
• View All Pro

Pro Tools Expand pro-tools menu

• Songwriters & Producers
• Artist Index
• Royalty Calculator
• Market Watch
• Industry Events Calendar

Billboard Español Expand billboard-espanol menu

• Cultura y Entretenimiento

Honda Music Expand honda-music menu

Janet Jackson opens tour in Orlando with…

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on X (Opens in new window)

Daily e-Edition

Evening e-Edition

• Entertainment
• Restaurants, Food & Drink

Things To Do Entertainment

Janet jackson opens tour in orlando with hits-heavy megamix of a show | review.

Janet Jackson''s black-and-white "Rhythm Nation" music video won MTV''s 1990 Video Vanguard Award.

VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images

Ludacris, pictured in Los Angeles in February, is the special-guest opening act on Janet Jackson''s "Together Again" tour.

Richard Shotwell/Invision

Janet Jackson, pictured in 2022, opened her "Together Again" tour Wednesday night at the Amway Center in Orlando.

Walt Disney Co. / Courtesy photo

Janet Jackson visited Walt Disney World for a 2022 vacation and enjoyed some time at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot.

The Rhythm Nation turned out Wednesday night as Janet Jackson kicked off her “Together Again” tour at Orlando’s Amway Center — and it has some new members: In the row behind me were both a baby and a curly-haired moppet who was out pretty late for a school night.

“You’re about to see one of the greatest entertainers of all time, and you don’t even know it,” Mom told the baby excitedly.

Jackson, 56, surely put on the expected spectacle in an hour and 45 minutes: lasers, giant set pieces, a video appearance by late brother Michael on “Scream,” and four hardworking male backup dancers who added the requisite sex-appeal sizzle and re-created iconic choreography from Jackson’s memorable music videos of the 1980s and ’90s.

The opening moments featured a photo essay of her life from child star — little Penny on TV’s “Good Times” — to superstar. In true diva fashion, the video screen dramatically rose to reveal the performer in a hooded, voluminous purple cape. After two minutes, that was shed to reveal a gold-sequin garment and knee-high boots.

The music was in full swing by that time, with an electronica-influenced remix of “Feedback.”

Jackson’s style for this tour was to perform a series of megamixes, with hit flowing into hit into hit. This was a positive — she has a lot of hits to get through — but it also could be a negative if you wanted to hear a complete version of a favorite song. (Oh, what an unforgivable tease for “Black Cat” fans.)

Jackson’s lower notes were often lost in the sound mix, but she sounded in good form in her mid- and upper range. Her voice retains that distinctive mix of girlish breathiness and firm control.

Speaking of “Control,” that 1986 hit featured in one of the evening’s strongest segments, performed with a striking black-and-white color palette of costumes, lights and video projections.

“What Have You Done For Me Lately” gave way to the “Gimme a beat!” of “Nasty.” “The Pleasure Principle,” “When I Think of You,” “Diamonds” … it was a rhythmic trip back to high school for me — and many others singing along in the audience.

On a set of slower tunes, Jackson encouraged the crowd to sing so much of the beautiful ballad “Again” that when she ended with “Thank you so much,” it was unclear if she was responding to crowd applause or actually grateful that the audience carried the tune.

Throughout, Jackson didn’t have much time for patter with the audience. She can be forgiven, considering the amount of dancing she did — dancing that garnered as many cheers as the music. She did seem to be enjoying herself, though, letting out little laughs and encouraging the crowd with shouts of “C’mon!”

The choreography was mostly energetic and athletic — except for that part where she rubbed her hands all over her shirtless dancers. Highlights included more playful moves on “A Song For You” and fiercely precise formation dancing for “Miss You Much” and, of course, “Rhythm Nation.”

Opener Ludacris did a fine job getting the crowd revved up as he kept a groovin’ flow going through “Money Maker,” “What’s Your Fantasy,” “Move … (Get Out the Way)” and other fan favorites in a 45-minute set. Sporting ginormous white sneakers, he had the crowd chanting “Just Like That” in “Stand Up.” Another hearty refrain: “If you ain’t got no money, take your broke … home” from his “Glamorous” collaboration with Fergie.

Of special note, and yes, this is an old-dude comment: Ludacris’s sound mix was appropriately bass-heavy and concert-style loud without the excruciating, headache-inducing volume that’s all too common at such concerts. See, sound techs; it can be done!

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at [email protected] . Want more theater and arts news and reviews? Go to orlandosentinel.com/arts .

More in Things To Do

Things To Do | Orange County things to do, starting March 29

Search our listings of events, festivals, performances: Things to Do in Orlando, Central Florida

Things To Do | Your Community in Brief: Lake County events and news, starting March 29

Things To Do | Volusia County things to do, starting March 29

to submit an obituary

To place an obituary, please include the information from the obituary checklist below in an email to [email protected] . There is no option to place them through our website. Feel free to contact our obituary desk at 651-228-5263 with any questions.

General Information:

• Your full name,
• Address (City, State, Zip Code),
• Phone number,
• And an alternate phone number (if any)

Obituary Specification:

• Name of Deceased,
• Obituary Text,
• A photo in a JPEG or PDF file is preferable, TIF and other files are accepted, we will contact you if there are any issues with the photo.
• Ad Run dates
• There is a discount for running more than one day, but this must be scheduled on the first run date to apply.
• If a photo is used, it must be used for both days for the discount to apply, contact us for more information.

Verification of Death:

In order to publish obituaries a name and phone number of funeral home/cremation society is required. We must contact the funeral home/cremation society handling the arrangements during their business hours to verify the death. If the body of the deceased has been donated to the University of Minnesota Anatomy Bequest Program, or a similar program, their phone number is required for verification.

Please allow enough time to contact them especially during their limited weekend hours.

A death certificate is also acceptable for this purpose but only one of these two options are necessary.

Guestbook and Outside Websites:

We are not allowed to reference other media sources with a guestbook or an obituary placed elsewhere when placing an obituary in print and online. We may place a website for a funeral home or a family email for contact instead; contact us with any questions regarding this matter.

Obituary Process:

Once your submission is completed, we will fax or email a proof for review prior to publication in the newspaper. This proof includes price and days the notice is scheduled to appear.

Please review the proof carefully. We must be notified of errors or changes before the notice appears in the Pioneer Press based on each day’s deadlines.

After publication, we will not be responsible for errors that may occur after final proofing.

Payment Procedure:

Pre-payment is required for all obituary notices prior to publication by the deadline specified below in our deadline schedule. Please call 651-228-5263 with your payment information after you have received the proof and approved its contents.

Credit Card: Payment accepted by phone only due to PCI (Payment Card Industry) regulations

EFT: Check by phone. Please provide your routing number and account number.

• The minimum charge is $162 for the first 10 lines.
• Every line after the first 10 is $12.20.
• If the ad is under 10 lines it will be charged the minimum rate of $162.
• On a second run date, the lines are $8.20 per line, starting w/ the first line.
• For example: if first run date was 20 lines the cost would be $164.
• Each photo published is $125 per day.
• For example: 2 photos in the paper on 2 days would be 4 photo charges at $500.

Please follow deadline times to ensure your obituary is published on the day requested.

MEMORIAM (NON-OBITUARY) REQUEST

Unlike an obituary, Memoriam submissions are remembrances of a loved one who has passed. The rates for a memoriam differ from obituaries.

HOURS: Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 5:00PM (CLOSED WEEKENDS and HOLIDAYS)

Please submit your memoriam ad to [email protected] or call 651-228-5280.

Music and Concerts | Review: With vocal assistance, Janet Jackson…

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Submit to Stumbleupon (Opens in new window)

Today's Paper

• Movies & TV
• Food & Drink
• Treasure Hunt

Things to Do

Music and concerts, music and concerts | review: with vocal assistance, janet jackson crams in the hits at xcel center, she went for quantity over quality..

In the time from her 1986 breakthrough “What Have You Done for Me Lately” to her final No. 1, 2001’s “All for You,” Janet Jackson released 38 singles. Nearly every one of them made it into her set Tuesday night at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center. Or, parts of them, anyway.

As she did at Target Center in 2015 and Treasure Island Casino four years later, Jackson went for quantity over quality. She performed shortened versions of her biggest hits and, in several cases, cut them down even further and sang them as medleys.

Jackson, who turned 57 two weeks ago, kicked off her nearly two-hour show after a crowd-pleasing opening set from Atlanta rapper/actor Ludacris. She performed on a relatively sparse stage that looked like an open dance floor, with a series of large screens that changed positions through the evening. Her band, which included piped-in backing vocals, stayed mostly tucked away at the back, leaving Jackson and her four agile male dancers the focus of the show.

The show rolled out in four “acts,” each with its own color scheme, starting with purple and gold. She opened with the title track of her 2004 album “Damita Jo,” a remix of “Together Again” (which she performed two more times, as it’s also the name of the tour), 2007’s “Feedback” and 2008’s “So Much Betta.” The first big one of the night — 1993’s “If,” easily one of her finest moments — drew huge applause from a crowd ready for a good time.

A big problem, however, was Jackson’s voice, which was buried in the bass-heavy mix. Particularly during the medleys, it was sometimes tough to catch the transitions between songs. She also appeared to be singing to a track that she occasionally let take over, particularly during her more intense dance moves. For 1993’s “Again,” Jackson let the audience sing most of the lyrics.

It got to be frustrating, too, to get into the groove of a “What Have You Done for Me Lately” or a “When I Think of You” or a “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” only for Jackson to already be barreling into the next track. And for all the rushing, there were numerous, momentum-killing interludes where Jackson left the stage and mostly instrumental, seemingly prerecorded mashups played over the speakers.

One of the highlights was seeing Jackson’s sensual side emerge again after her more chaste era when she was married to Qatari businessman Wissam Al Mana. At one particularly steamy moment, her dancers stripped off their shirts, Jackson plunked one down on a chair and gave him a big old kiss right on the lips.

More in Music and Concerts

Music and Concerts | The Hold Steady to release illustrated children’s book in October

Music and Concerts | Rock duo Twenty One Pilots to land at Target Center in October

Music and Concerts | Allianz Field to host its first musical event, a two-day dance music festival in June

Music and Concerts | Zach McCormick has taken over the midday shift at 89.3 The Current

Music and Concerts | Metal band Korn to hit St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center on 30th anniversary tour

Music and Concerts | The New Standards, Dan Israel and Rogue Valley set for Lowertown Sounds concert series

Janet Jackson delivers the hits — and some live rarities — in style during Memphis show

Though an infrequent visitor to the Bluff City during the first 30 years of her career, Janet Jackson has made Memphis a regular touring stop over the last decade, and the five-time Grammy winner, Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer and musical icon returned to FedExForum on Saturday night .

The week, which began with a modern day pop/R&B queen in Lizzo performing at the Downtown arena , closed with Jackson brining her “Together Again” tour to the venue.

After a couple shows in the ‘90s, at the Mid-South Coliseum and Pyramid, Jackson made a belated return to town in 2015 at FedExForum, in support of a then-new album, “Unbreakable,” and returned on the back end of the “State of the World” tour in 2017 .

On Saturday, she arrived six shows into her current “Together Again” jaunt, playing for what looked to be a capacity crowd, which packed out the top tiers of FedExForum.

The audience arrived early thanks to the presence of hip-hop hitmaker Ludacris, who provided support, opening the show.

The Atlanta rapper — who has carved a second successful career as an actor, in such projects as Craig Brewer's made-in-Memphis "Hustle & Flow" and the "Fast & Furious" movie franchise — got the crowd going as he delivered a 13-song, 45-minute set filled with Dirty South classics (“Act A Fool,” “Move B****”) and several smashes that he is featured on, including “All I Do Is Win.”

'Blues Stage on Beale': The story behind Memphis in May's big change and what to expect

Jozzy: This Memphian wrote hits for Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige. Now she's shining as a solo artist

Jackson’s performance was preceded by a video highlighting her long career in entertainment, which began in 1974 as a 7-year old child actor on the hit sitcom “Good Times.”

As the photo display — celebrating “Fifty years of me” — built to a crescendo, a curtain dropped dramatically and Jackson appeared centerstage wrapped head to toe in a majestic purple cloak, which she soon ditched revealing a gold lamé body suit, as a troupe of male dancers surrounded her.

Much like Lizzo’s concert earlier in the week , Jackson’s headlining performance was divided into multiple themed acts, featuring a well-plotted and -paced set of nearly 40 songs from across her career — sometimes done in full, other times as remixed snippets or part of a larger medley.

“This is for all you diehards,” Jackson said, referencing live rarities like the title track of her 2004 album, “Damita Jo,” the 2006 “20 Y.O.” album cut “Enjoy” and the 1993 single “Because of Love,” which figured prominently in the first half of the show.

She seemed to ease into the evening’s performance, with a soulful first act filled with deep cuts, before turning up the heat with a selection of massive era-defining MTV anthems including "What Have You Done for Me Lately," "Control," "Again," "Miss You Much," "Black Cat" and "Rhythm Nation."

Jackson — whose live show has always been hailed more for its dancing and choreography than her singing — also upped the ante from her recent Memphis outings, adding a cutting-edge video production and elaborate costuming (including numerous outfit changes) to the overall spectacle.

The audience — more mature, or grown and sexy, as compared to the Lizzo crowd — was willing to follow Jackson as she traced her history in song, in a concert that had more style than musical substance, but which seemed to satisfy her fans nonetheless.

More Memphis music news

Mempho Music Festival 2023 lineup: The Black Crowes, My Morning Jacket among performers

Live at the Garden 2023: Matchbox Twenty, Doobie Brothers, Lady A set for concert series

FedExForum concerts: Alicia Keys coming to Memphis: What we know about her 'Keys to the Summer Tour'

Memphis concerts: LL Cool J, the Roots, more hip-hop legends headed to Memphis for 'Hip-Hop extravaganza'

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Review: Janet Jackson, on Unbreakable Tour, Shows Off Her Demure Side

By Jon Pareles

• Sept. 1, 2015

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — A newly demure Janet Jackson started her “Unbreakable World Tour” at Rogers Arena here on Monday night. She was dressed in white and covered, like her dancers and musicians, from shoulders to shoes. And she avoided one big subset of her songwriting: her salacious, sometimes kinky whispers. That left Ms. Jackson, 49, to play the many other, less titillating roles that have given her major hits and made her an enduring influence across pop and R&B.

It has been four years since Ms. Jackson toured, and seven since she released a studio album; she has announced the impending release of a new one, “Unbreakable.” In 2012, Ms. Jackson married a Qatari businessman, Wissam al-Mana , and largely disappeared from public view before resurfacing to tour. Her Vancouver concert included three unreleased songs and the insinuating “No Sleeep,” the first single from “Unbreakable.” The concert’s finale, a ballad with Motown roots, was presumably the album’s title song; it praised enduring love, announcing, “It’s unbreakable.”

In songs and videos as early as her 1986 album, “Control,” Ms. Jackson staked out possibilities that have been seized by many younger hit makers. Her songs with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, her longtime collaborators in songwriting and production, extrapolated from her brother Michael and from Prince — then seen as rivals — while adding the Olympian optimism of Diana Ross and her own increasingly explicit eroticism. But even her risqué details were usually proffered to a man she loved, making romance carnal.

In Vancouver, her “Unbreakable” tour set arrived as medleys that touched on as many hits as possible, grouping the songs by persona and tempo.

She was the woman taking charge (funk), the joyfully loyal lover (upbeat pop), the ballad singer, the woman left lonely (midtempo R&B), the party girl (dance club beats), the rocker (with guitar up front) and, in the end, the idealist.

She also established her hip-hop connections. The opening song, a new one about D.J.s and dancing, had Missy Elliott rapping (on video) in praise of Ms. Jackson, and Ms. Jackson’s “Any Time, Any Place” was updated with a bit of Kendrick Lamar’s “Poetic Justice,” which had sampled “Any Time, Any Place.” J. Cole, also on video, rapped on “No Sleeep.”

Most of the songs based their arrangements on the album tracks, propulsive and bustling. Yet when the band was pared back for ballads, Ms. Jackson’s exposed voice was still secure, never as delicate as she could make it sound. The rock songs included “Scream” as a duet with the voice of Michael Jackson; she belted it with a raw urgency.

Life is still a line dance for Ms. Jackson. For most of her concert, she was flanked by dancers in white who staked out geometric formations and usually echoed her every angular move: the jutting elbows, the quick head turns, the canted legs, the precise hip twitches, some of them familiar from the choreography in her old videos.

The dancers are her retinue and her troops, maybe even her cult, a vision of strength and solidarity even when Ms. Jackson was singing about one-on-one relationships.

As the concert neared its end, Ms. Jackson moved from the personal to the communal, summoning the staccato funk and calls for collective action of “Rhythm Nation”; suddenly, the number of onstage dancers more than doubled, all moving in sync.

Next came a new song: a ballad that marched its way toward an anthem, part U2 and part trance music. The video screens showed photographs of the poor and homeless, as well as a shot with a Canadian message, with a protester’s sign addressing the country’s prime minister, Stephen Harper: “Harper: No Tar Sands Pipelines.” Her dancers pumped fists in the air, and she sang, “We won’t accept excuses/We tolerate no abuses” and “Make this world a better place.” It was the virtuous Janet Jackson, the one who was always there.

The “Unbreakable World Tour” will travel to the Prudential Center in Newark on Feb. 17 and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Feb. 22.  

Find the Right Soundtrack for You

Trying to expand your musical horizons take a listen to something new..

Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter”  is here, and it’s much more than country.

Metro Boomin  is headed to No. 1 (again). Here’s a guide to his music.

Tyla avoids a bad romance, and 9 more new songs on the Playlist .

The Justin Timberlake conundrum .

Why Jim White  is your favorite songwriter’s favorite drummer.

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY! Please check your email for confirmation from us.

Entertainment

Janet Jackson’s sold-out Madison Square Garden show keeps bar high for live concerts

REVIEW: Janet Jackson performs the second of two consecutive sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York during her "Together Again Tour."

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share via Email
• Copy Link Link Copied

Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more  opinions  on theGrio.

Janet Jackson is in a unique position.

In her prime during the 1990s and early 2000s, she was the biggest superstar in the world, staging world tours that few, if any, other artists, male or female, could compete with. On Tuesday night, less than a week before her 57th birthday, Jackson is now applying that same pressure on female stars more than 15 years her junior.

At the second of a two-night sold-out stand at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Jackson’s “Together Again Tour” was a live concert, a history lesson and a tutorial on longevity, professionalism and audience engagement.

It’s been nearly 41 years since Jackson’s self-titled debut album and 37 years since her breakthrough album, “Control.” She’s received damn near every accolade, from Grammy Awards, an Oscar nomination, and a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. However, her contingent of fans in New York saw a Jackson still hungry, engaged and eager to put on a show.

Ludacris warmed the crowd up with his opening set. For 35 minutes, he also reminded the crowd that he had hits for days. The Grammy-winning rapper-actor kicked things off with “Welcome to Atlanta” and ran through a string of his hits and fan favorites, including “Southern Hospitality,” “What’s Your Fantasy,” “Stand Up” and “Get Back.”

Jackson’s headlining set began with a video collage of lifetime photos, projecting above the stage. Soon, a large white curtain fell, revealing Jackson standing center stage, donning a large hooded purple wrap as she sang “Damita Jo,” putting the sold-out arena into a frenzy.

Removing her hood, she was now in a skin-tight gold outfit, rocking a ponytail that seemed to stretch into forever. She then launched into DJ Premier’s “Together Again” remix, one of Jackson’s 10 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles. As the tour title, it was one of three different versions of the song that Jackson would perform throughout the night.

Jackson tested the devotion and attention of her fans by including many songs from the late stages of her career. Following the 2004 Super Bowl incident and former CBS head Les Moonves’ alleged industry blackballing of her, Jackson’s four most recent albums, “Damita Jo (2004),” “20 Y.O. (2006),” “Discipline (2008)” and “Unbreakable (2015),” suffered from diminishing sales. However, the fans passed the test, singing every word to songs like “No Sleep,” “Feedback,” “So Excited,” and “Enjoy.”

Throughout the night, Jackson displayed insane command of stamina and energy. Accompanied by four male background dancers all evening, she was strategic in her choreography placement. Jackson is infamous for her dance routines on stage and in videos. While she moved much of the night with a restrained economy of movement, her charisma made subtle dance steps and shoulder movements look powerful.

When Jackson decided to go all out with her dancing, it was almost too much for the audience to take in. She opened “If” early in the show with her iconic dance break from its accompanying 1993 video. The reverberation from the audience’s screams and stomping materialized into the air. A similar commotion happened when she pulled out the video dance breaks from “All For You” and “Miss You Much.”

Each costume change signaled the show’s new phase and tonality, mirroring past tours like “The Velvet Rope” and “All For You.” Halfway through, the band moved to the front of the stage and the lights went red as she slowed the tempo down. Jackson treated fans with a string of signature slow jams, starting with the Deeper Remix of “Together Again” and including “Let’s Wait Awhile” and “Anytime Anyplace.”

At this time, Jackson gave the audience members their turn to perform as the opening piano chords played “Again.” The sold-out crowd-turned-choir sang the poignant ballad back to Jackson, putting a lovely smile on her face.

Jackson performing songs she said she rarely performed live was one of the biggest treats of the show. One was her collaboration with Busta Rhymes, “What’s It Gonna Be.” The Long Island MC emerged from backstage to thunderous applause performing his verse of the song with Jackson. He then paused the show to literally give Jackson her flowers, a large white bouquet and a birthday cake. He fought back tears while offering the veteran singer his gratitude.

The show climaxed with an explosive block of songs from her “Rhythm Nation 1814” album, beginning with “The Knowledge.” After thrilling everyone with “Miss You Much,” “Alright” and “Escapade,” the stage briefly went dark.

When the intro to “Scream,” her duet with brother, Michael Jackson, played, the energy went to a new level. That level elevated just seconds later when Michael Jackson’s vocals and image from the video played on the screens above before transitioning into “Black Cat” and then “Rhythm Nation.”

Ending the show with the album version of “Together Again,” Jackson used the song as a thinly veiled message to fans after canceling her last tour because of the COVID-19 shutdown. She communed with her fans, letting them know she was back and not going anywhere anytime soon.

The “Together Again Tour” could and does rival any current tour that a female artist is headlining. It is an affirmation of her place in music history and a sign that she has more to add to her legacy and to keep the bar high for live concerts.

1. “Damita Jo/Together Again DJ Premier Remix” 2. “Feedback” 3. “If” 4. “No Sleep” 5. “Got ‘Til It’s Gone” 6. “That’s the Way Love Goes” 7. “Enjoy” 8. “What Have You Done For Me Lately” 9. “Nasty” 10. “Pleasure Principle” 11. “Because of Love” 12. “When I Think of You” 13. “The Best Things in Life Are Free” 14. “Control” 15. “When We Oooo” 16. “Together Again Deeper Remix” 17. “Come Back to Me” 18. “Let’s Wait Awhile” 19. “Again” 20. “Anytime Anyplace” 21. “I Get Lonely” 22. “Doesn’t Really Matter” 23. “All For You” 24. Come On Get Up” 25. “Throb” 26. “Girlfriend/Boyfriend” 27. “Do It 2 Me” 28. “What’s It Gonna Be (special guest Busta Rhymes)” 29. “So Excited” 30. “The Knowledge” 31. “Miss You Much” 32. “Love Will Never Do Without You” 33. “Alright” 34. “Escapade” 35. “Scream/Black Cat” 36. “Rhythm Nation” 37. “Together Again”

Matthew Allen is an entertainment writer of music and culture for theGrio. He is an award-winning music journalist, TV producer and director based in Brooklyn, NY. He’s interviewed the likes of Quincy Jones, Jill Scott, Smokey Robinson and more for publications such as Ebony, Jet, The Root, Village Voice, Wax Poetics, Revive Music, Okayplayer, and Soulhead. His video work can be seen on PBS/All Arts, Brooklyn Free Speech TV and BRIC TV.

TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. Please  download theGrio mobile apps  today!

• Share on Facebook Facebook
• Share on Twitter Twitter
• Share via Email Email
• Copy Link Copy Link Link Copied

STREAM FREE MOVIES, LIFESTYLE AND NEWS CONTENT ON OUR NEW APP

Janet Jackson begins tour with this epic set list — and Sheinelle Jones as dancer

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

Janet Jackson kicked off her highly anticipated Together Again tour this weekend in Florida with an epic, 40-plus-song set list and a guest appearance from “Today” co-host Sheinelle Jones .

The revered performer opened her tour Friday at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla., where she sang a number of classic hits including “Control,” “Nasty,” “All for You,” “Scream” and “Rhythm Nation,” according to NME .

She also performed a few songs — such as “Damita Jo,” “Enjoy,” “Girlfriend/Boyfriend,” “Like You Don’t Love Me” and “Do It 2 Me” — live for the first time, NME reported. The show, which features music from her 1993 “Janet” and 1997 “Velvet Rope” albums as well as several other songs from her back catalog, consists of six acts.

The Janet Jackson doc shows how even the problematic men in her life can’t smudge her greatness

Our panel of experts discuss this weekend’s flawed but engrossing ‘Janet’ docuseries.

Jan. 31, 2022

Here’s the full set list, per USA Today :

1. “Damita Jo” 2. “Together Again” (DJ Premier Remix) 3. “Feedback” 4. “So Much Betta” 5. “If” 6. “No Sleeep” / “Got ‘Til It’s Gone” / “That’s the Way Love Goes” / “Enjoy” 7. “What Have You Done For Me Lately” / “Nasty” 8. “The Pleasure Principle” 9. “Because of Love” 10. “When I Think of You” / “Diamonds” 11. “The Best Things in Life Are Free” 12. “Control” 13. “When We Oooo” (intermission interlude) 14. “Together Again” (Deeper Remix) 15. “Come Back to Me” / “Let’s Wait Awhile” 16. “Lonely” / “Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun)” (Remix) 17. “Again” 18. “Any Time, Any Place” 19. “I Get Lonely” (TNT Remix) 20. “The Body That Loves You” (interlude) (contains elements of “Runaway,” “You Want This” and “Spending Time With You”) 21. “Doesn’t Really Matter” 22. “All for You” 23. “Come On Get Up” 24. “Free Xone” / “Throb” 25. “Girlfriend/Boyfriend” / “Like You Don’t Love Me” / “Do It 2 Me” 26. “So Excited” 27. “New Agenda” / “The Knowledge” 28. “Miss You Much” 29. “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” 30. “Alright” / “Escapade” 31. “Scream” 32. “Black Cat” 33. “Rhythm Nation” 34. “Together Again” (encore)

‘Sheinelle, don’t get weird’: Janet Jackson bonds with a ‘Today’ host superfan

When Janet Jackson showed up Friday on ‘Today,’ she likely didn’t expect the outpouring of admiration that came from superfan host Sheinelle Jones.

Dec. 16, 2022

During Jackson’s encore performance of “Together Again,”Jones joined her onstage. The “That’s the Way Love Goes” artist extended an invitation for the broadcast journalist to be one of her backup dancers for the day after Jones channeled Jackson for the 2019 Halloween episode of NBC’s “Today” show.

“I would love for you to join me,” Jackson told Jones a few months ago while promoting her tour on the morning program. “You should.”

Fast-forward to this weekend, when Jackson gave Jones a backstage tour and a rare interview reflecting on her life, career and upcoming documentary, which will include footage from the Together Again tour.

“Maybe it’s because I’m not as shy as I used to be,” Jackson said of her decision to document this phase of her journey. “I’m a little bit more open to sharing more in my life than I ever did before.”

Entertainment & Arts

The Hollywood Bowl 2023 lineup includes Janet Jackson, Culture Club and movies galore

The Los Angeles Philharmonic announced the Hollywood Bowl’s 2023 season lineup on Tuesday, including opening night with Janet Jackson, a Beach Boys fireworks spectacular, a 90th birthday tribute to Quincy Jones and more.

Feb. 7, 2023

After practicing for hours with Jackson’s backup dancers and alone in her hotel room, Jones performed a short routine to the tune of “Together Again” alongside her idol at the Hard Rock Live.

“Last night I kept trying to find the place between being out of my body and trying to stay in my body and actually get on that stage,” Jones said Monday on “Today.”

“When I was in high school, I had pictures of news anchors on one wall, and then I had pictures of Janet Jackson on another ... and when I was in seventh grade, I would make up dances to Janet. And so to be on that stage last night, it was ... surreal.”

Jackson’s Together Again tour encompasses more than 30 cities across the United States and Canada, including five stops in California. The veteran musician is scheduled to come to Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, Highland and Mountain View in June.

On June 10, Jackson will headline opening night of the Hollywood Bowl’s 2023 season with support from Ludacris and members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s youth orchestra.

More to Read

Jennifer Lopez cancels several stops on This Is Me...Now tour, but SoCal is still a go

March 14, 2024

N*SYNC reunites at Justin Timberlake’s solo show in L.A.

Justin Timberlake will play a one-night show at the Wiltern next week — and it’s free

March 7, 2024

The biggest entertainment stories

Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Christi Carras reports on the entertainment industry for the Los Angeles Times. She previously covered entertainment news for The Times after graduating from UCLA and working at Variety, the Hollywood Reporter and CNN Newsource.

More From the Los Angeles Times

‘Cowboy Carter’: Country crossover artists laud second act of Beyoncé’s album trilogy

March 29, 2024

Feds want Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ communications, flight records in sex-trafficking probe

Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ does not feature Taylor Swift, despite Swiftie speculation

50 Cent denies Daphne Joy’s rape allegation after trolling her over mention in Diddy lawsuit

• Janet Jackson

She’s Back! Janet Jackson Kicks Off Electrifying ‘Together Again Tour’

Janet Jackson is back!

The Queen of Pop made her grand return to the stage with the launch of her ‘ Together Again Tour’ and delivered a regal experience.

Heating up the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, the legend lit up the capacity crowd with smashes such as ‘All For You,’ ‘Feedback,’ ‘Scream,’ and ‘Rhythm Nation.’

Ever one to cultivate a unique experience, Ms. Jackson also served up rare gems such as ’20 Y.O’ favorites ‘So Excited,’ ‘Do It 2 Me’ and ‘Enjoy.’ 

With the hotly anticipated trek set to play across North Ameria this summer, head below to see action from one of the year’s must-see concert specials.

  googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('primis_TGJ_1x1_Desk'); if (pubwise.enabled === true) { pwpbjs.que.push(function () { pwRegisterLazyLoad(gptadslots['primis_TGJ_1x1_Desk'], 2, [250,0,250,0], 0, 768, 2); }); }else{ googletag.pubads().refresh([gptadslots['primis_TGJ_1x1_Desk']]); } }); View this post on Instagram   googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('primis_TGJ_1x1_Desk'); if (pubwise.enabled === true) { pwpbjs.que.push(function () { pwRegisterLazyLoad(gptadslots['primis_TGJ_1x1_Desk'], 2, [250,0,250,0], 0, 768, 2); }); }else{ googletag.pubads().refresh([gptadslots['primis_TGJ_1x1_Desk']]); } }); A post shared by That Grape Juice (@thatgrapejuice) googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('primis_TGJ_1x1_Desk'); if (pubwise.enabled === true) { pwpbjs.que.push(function () { pwRegisterLazyLoad(gptadslots['primis_TGJ_1x1_Desk'], 2, [250,0,250,0], 0, 768, 2); }); }else{ googletag.pubads().refresh([gptadslots['primis_TGJ_1x1_Desk']]); } });

Your thoughts?

Posted under:

Comments 27

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let us know what you have to say:

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

From the clips I’ve seen….AMAZING! Great costumes, amazing set list!

She is on that stage 50 plus for 2 hours what younger acts shows that much energy you go Janet don’t stop the music you are a 1st Class Queen.

Granny Janet needs a full body physical therapy after this….aging sucks!

LOL you wish.

That’s alright, when you get done hatin’ she still killed it… And she said it herself after rehearsing she had to soak, but so does athlete’s so your little snide comment didn’t work, and since her 6 year old son doesn’t have children she would be a granny yet.

Her baby is 6 now? Woww..Stinkabutt is making me feel old..seems like he was just born!

Flop she must be broke!!!

LOL QUEEN JANET IS A BILLIONAIRE BYTCH, SHE DOESNT EVEN KNOW WHAT BROKE MEANS, HAS THAT FOSSIL MADONNASAUR FIXED HER FACE YET? LMAOOOOO

Touring Data @touringdata

RENAISSANCE, @Beyonce 119,068 Tickets Available (Ticketmaster) 92.44% Percentage Sold (34 shows) Europe SOLD OUT Unsold US dates start in middle of JULY Over 1.4M tickets sold across 34 shows.

Soooooo since she’s touring something all performers do, does that mean they’re all broke too. GRANDmadonna is going on tour, so is COPYonce as well Taylor’s touring does that mean they’re broke. If you’re going to try and insult someone make sure you can back up your dumb comments. Janet SLAYS

Y’all say anything on here..just say you aren’t a fan and that’s fine but to say JANET JACKSON is broke is beyond hating. How can Janet Jackson be broke when her whole family is beyond rich..individually and as a collective family unit..

How could this old h** can get away with lip sync all her entire career? 💅🏾 #TURN YO MIC ON, for real…

LMAOOO ASK MADONNASAUR NEXT TIME SHE WHEELS HER WHEELCHAIR ON TO THE STAGE LMAOOOOO

RENAISSANCE, @Beyonce 119,068 Tickets Available (Ticketmaster) 92.44% Percentage Sold (34 shows) Europe SOLD OUT Unsold US dates start in middle of JULY Over 1.4M tickets sold across 34 shows

The mics on you old ho… And she’s still getting her life and coins

DAMN I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL The LIVING LEGEND AND ICON JANET GETS HERE APRIL 30TH

I don’t like the style, I don’t understand why she wears clothes that cover the whole body except the head and hands for about a decadeת is she Muslim?

Her style has been so much better in the past. I don’t think it’s terrible in this show, but it would’ve been nice to see better designs to match her energy and the choreography which all appear good.

100% agree. She never really had great costumes or stages. Always seem like a B lister look and vibe, when she really is an A lister.

@JDJ Herself: clearly you missed the staging for the janet, velvet rope, all for you, and rock witchu tours. Her staging was very much “A game” for those. She was in rare company then which helped build the legacy she has now.

If y’all can’t understand why an almost 57 year old woman may not be comfortable showing her body like she did in her 30s and 40s then you’re an idiot!!!! Janet doesn’t need to show her body. She put the work in with that years ago. And I’m sure at her age her abs may not be as tight as they use to be. She’s human and may not be comfortable so let her be her and enjoy the dancing and music.

I don’t expect her to show her body. where did I say that?

Wearing clothes covering all but your head and hands that are unflattering and lack style for over a decade is weird for someone like her.

Cher dresses better than her and she will soon be 80! and she doesn’t dress like Cardi b so where is your point?

Excited that the first show went off without a hitch! Can’t wait to see more clips and the diva live in two weeks…

Yo go Granny Janet, polish your pole.

Overall I enjoyed the show (Columbia, SC), Girl can still dance. I can’t help but wonder if her producers don’t think her vocals are as strong as they used to be because the production had the music almost drowning out her vocals. With that said, I am very glad I went and I enjoyed her show. Oh, and Ludacris completely killed it!!

Buy cheap seats if you have to see Janet Jackson. First 3 songs she doesnt smile at the audience. Her lip syncing is poor to pathetic. Numerous hair catastrophes. The song hadnt ended and the stage is bare: no janet, no dancers but the music with her singing continued for over a minute. I love JJ since she was on Good Times but she needs to give up the big stage and sing acoustic.

• Juicy Comments

Jermaine Dupri stopped by the Sherri Shepherd Show today and waxed candid about many topics – including his former flame Janet Jackson .

Pop princess Britney Spears has made no secret of her admiration of the music royals who helped pave the way for her.

Get the juice on our social networks

Home | About TGJ | The Splash | The Word | Advertise | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | DMCA

© 2024 ThatGrapeJuice.net. All Rights Reserved. A Member Of Townsquare Music

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes
• Entertainment

Janet Jackson Kicks Off Opening Night of Her 'Together Again Tour' in Florida with 40-Song Set

The music superstar ran through some of her biggest hits, including "All for You," "I Get Lonely" and “What Have You Done for Me Lately"

Janet Jackson is back on the road for the first time in nearly four years , and she's brought a massive, 40-song setlist with her.

The pop legend, 56, kicked off her long-awaited Together Again Tour on Friday at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla., outside of Fort Lauderdale. The outing marked her first time on tour since her fall 2019 run of shows in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 .

Her latest performance (named in honor of her The Velvet Rope hit), focused on her decades-long catalog — with live debuts of a few deeper cuts and performances of essentials, such as "All For You," "That's the Way Love Goes" and of course, "Together Again."

Jackson opened the show, per USA Today , with a live debut of "Damita Jo" off her 2004 album of the same name, before sharing the DJ Premier remix of "Together Again," smash "Got 'Til It's Gone" and others during the first part of her performance. She walked out on stage after a video compilation of some of her finest moments played for the crowd, as she wore a purple cloak and stood center stage to thunderous applause.

Other live debuts took place during Jackson's set — split into five acts — including tracks "Enjoy" and "Because of Love," per USA Today .

The show's second act included smashes like "Control" and "Nasty," with a third act focusing on the "Together Again" remix and "I Get Lonely" remix — tying it into the 25th anniversary of her classic LP The Velvet Rope . A fourth act contained performances of "Doesn't Really Matter," "All For You" and "Do It 2 Me," a fifth act included "Rhythm Nation" and "Scream," and for a grand finale, Janet once again treated fans to "Together Again."

And of course, since it's a Janet Jackson outing, the Together Again Tour was stacked with stellar choreography that fans should be all too familiar with, and a few costume changes reminiscent of her many eras and looks through the years, including a black Rhythm Nation crop top.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Jackson announced the tour back in December when she shared that the 33-date trip around North America will have her touching down in New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Toronto, and beyond as she's joined by hip-hop heavyweight Ludacris .

"You guys, I miss you so much, I am so excited to see you," Janet said in an Instagram video revealing the news. "You guys have no idea, I've missed you so much, so much, and I can't wait to be with you. I'm so excited."

The tour, which will close out in Seattle, Wash. on June 21, follows Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 anniversary tour, and her Metamorphosis Las Vegas residency from the summer of 2019. Before that, she promoted her last studio album, Unbreakable , during the three legs of her State of the World Tour from 2017-2019.

The Together Again Tour also marks her 50th anniversary in entertainment and the 30th anniversary of her janet LP, according to a release.

As for the current happenings in Jackson's life, the pop icon told Essence in their July/August 2022 issue that her focus at the moment was on being a mother. She welcomed son Eissa , 6, in January 2017 with ex-husband Wissam Al Mana.

"Even though it's something that I absolutely love, it still is my work, my job," she said. "There will be music at some point. Exactly when? I can't say just yet, but there will be. I love it too much not to do it. This is all I know. There's so much that I want to do — but my No. 1 job is being a mama."

Related Articles

Janet Jackson set list: All of the songs on her Together Again tour

 Fans have clamored to see Janet Jackson back on a stage since 2019, and the six-act Together Again Tour held its promise of showcasing Jackson’s 40-plus-year career.

The live debuts of "Damita Jo" – the title track of Jackson’s 2004 album – as well as "Enjoy" "Because of Love" and tracks from her 2006 album, "20 Y.O," popped off her set list from opening night on Friday in Hollywood, Florida, just outside of Fort Lauderdale.

But the hits parade was formidable, with appearances of most of her mega MTV-era hits, including "What Have You Done for Me Lately," "Control," "Again," "Miss You Much," "Black Cat" and "Rhythm Nation."

Fans flocked to social media to praise the set list that Jackson , 56, cultivated, as well as her sharp choreography and numerous costume changes.

Jackson’s tour  repeats at the Hard Rock Live Arena on Sunday and will zip around the country until June 21 in Seattle.

Here is a look at her set list from her first show.

1.     "Damita Jo"

2.     "Together Again" (DJ Premier Remix)

3.     "Feedback"

4.     "So Much Betta"

5.     "If"

6.     "No Sleeep" / "Got 'Til It's Gone" / "That's the Way Love Goes" / "Enjoy"

7.     "What Have You Done For Me Lately" / "Nasty"

8.     "The Pleasure Principle"

9.     "Because of Love"

10.  "When I Think of You" / "Diamonds"

11.  "The Best Things In Life Are Free"

12.  "Control"

13.  "When We Oooo" (intermission interlude)

14.  "Together Again" (Deeper Remix)

15.  "Come Back to Me" / "Let's Wait Awhile"

16.  "Lonely" / "Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun)" (Remix)

17.  "Again"

18.  "Any Time, Any Place"

19.  "I Get Lonely" (TNT Remix)

20.  "The Body That Loves You" (interlude) (contains elements of "Runaway", "You Want This", and "Spending Time With You")

21.  "Doesn't Really Matter"

22.  "All for You"

23.  "Come On Get Up"

24.  "Free Xone" / "Throb"

25.  "Girlfriend/Boyfriend" / "Like You Don't Love Me" / "Do It 2 Me"

26.  "So Excited"

27.  "New Agenda" / "The Knowledge"

28.  "Miss You Much"

29.  "Love Will Never Do (Without You)"

30.  "Alright" / "Escapade"

31.  "Scream"

32.  "Black Cat"

33.  "Rhythm Nation"

Act VI: Encore

34.  "Together Again"

What's that sound?

• 44 songs: Taylor Swift rewards fans with epic set list on Eras Tour
• Surprise!: Here are the special songs Taylor Swift has played at every date
• From the Boss: Bruce Springsteen is digging deep on 2023 tou r

• Subscribe Now

More people should have been excited about Janet Jackson’s concert in Manila. Here’s why.

Already have Rappler+? Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism.

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Elliza Dawn Aurelio

MANILA, Philippines – “If ‘Nipplegate’ didn’t happen, this stadium would have been full,” I thought to myself as I waited for the lights to dim.

At 8:50 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, Janet Jackson’s “Together Again” concert at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City still hadn’t started, though it seemed everything was already in place. The technical crew were at their consoles and monitors. I could hear the band warming up behind the curtain. Janet posted a photo on her social media hours earlier – she was already backstage.

The ticket said “8:00 pm” but, nearly an hour later, the seats were only starting to fill. Metro Manila traffic, obviously. Janet – Miss Jackson if you’re nasty – adjusted to Filipino time.

But it was apparent that not all seats would be taken. Ushers were upgrading gallery seats and scrunching the crowd closer to the stage. To me, a die-hard fan, it was saddening.

The Janet Jackson – pop culture icon, entertainment royalty, superstar of the highest order – was performing one show in Manila, and it wasn’t sold out. Coldplay and The Corrs each did two nights recently and the venues were filled to the rafters. Taylor Swift just did what I’d call a mini residency in Singapore and my younger brother went, ditching Janet.

She is, according to one of my Rappler colleagues, a “nostalgia act.” An artist past her prime. A has-been. At the office the day before the concert, I showed a couple of curious twenty-something researchers the music videos to “That’s the Way Love Goes,” which featured pre-fame Jennifer Lopez dancing in the background, and “All For You,” which featured Janet’s abs flexing front and center. One of them said, “Oh! She’s just like K-pop.”

In my head: “Excuse you, young one. K-pop was built on the rock of Janet Jackson.” I told her this in more compassionate terms.

‘It Girl’

Since the 1990s, the debate among music fans was whether Janet Jackson, not Madonna, should be called the Queen of Pop. At the start of the next decade, in March 2001, MTV named Janet its first-ever MTV Icon . In the top-rated telecast, the younger superstars of the day – Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Usher, Pink, N’Sync (including Justin Timberlake), and Destiny’s Child (including Beyoncé) among them – hailed Janet, not even 35 at the time, as the pioneer of hip-hop-influenced song-and-dance in pop music. She was their blueprint .

She was the “it girl” of the late ’80s, the ’90s, and the early aughts. She embodied the day’s definition of cool. She grooved, she cooed, she sang about sex, she had her husband hold her naked breasts for a Rolling Stone cover. Her shows were full-on theatrical productions. Her albums spoke to the zeitgeist. Her hit songs formed the bases (a practice called “sampling”) of other hit songs.

Sure, she was a nepo baby – Michael Jackson and the rest of the Jackson Five are her older brothers – but her success, by certain indicators, outdid theirs. In 2018, Billboard ranked her a notch above Michael (she was no. 7, he was no. 8) on its list of top-performing artists in the history of its Hot 100 chart. She’s her own star, no question. 

So why did Janet Jackson get lost in the pile of superstars? Why does she need reintroduction to the new generation of music fans, when many of her contemporaries remain household names?

The answer: ‘Nipplegate’ – that SuperBowl halftime show in 2004 in which Justin Timberlake was, according to both artists, supposed to rip off only a part of Janet’s bustier but ended up exposing her breast. They both apologized for the incident and denied it was intentional, but Janet – not Justin, just Janet – was severely chastised by the US public. TV and radio stations blacklisted her, award shows dropped her from their rosters, TV hosts constantly harangued her over it, even joked about it to her face. She lost a lot of corporate backing, and her career tanked .

For a long time, when anyone talked about Janet in public, it was almost always about her exposed breast. The incident minted the term “wardrobe malfunction”. It triggered the creation of YouTube .

From a perverse angle, we can say the magnitude of the scandal spoke of the magnitude of her celebrity. The height from which Janet fell was stratospheric.

Maybe Beyoncé’s chops were just better. Maybe Jennifer Lopez was better at marketing herself. Maybe Mariah Carey’s songs were more memorable. But in any case, Janet’s career lost its momentum after ‘Nipplegate’ and by the 2010s, she had begun to fade into the background.

And so, in 2024, a full 20 years after the scandal , Janet Jackson couldn’t sell out Araneta Coliseum. But the turnout was decent. When the show started at around 9 pm, there already was a solid crowd, I’d say about four-fifths of capacity.

And it was the Janet crowd – party-going types who dug her music even when it was, at times, risqué. They were on their feet by the third song (“Feedback”), and no one threw water bottles from behind to complain they couldn’t see (as happens in concerts where the audience prefers to stay seated).

With their energy, Janet’s Filipino fans more than compensated for the empty seats. In that pulsating darkness, it felt like a full house. Onstage, Janet and her four dancers – towering, muscular males who moved as one – kept a tight grip on the audience. The quintet didn’t look and feel like the small cast that they were. The staging, blocking, choreography, and lighting made them appear larger than life.

Forty songs in one hour and 50 minutes felt like an exhilarating MTV blitz. The show was seamless.

The setlist spanned her music career’s four decades, touching in full or in part all of her hits except “Doesn’t Really Matter” – conspicuously absent from the Hawaii and Manila setlists (she performed it on the tour’s Mainland US leg). Otherwise, she evenly covered her catalog, from the funky “What Have You Done For Me Lately?” from her 1986 breakout album “Control”, to the sultry “No Sleeep” (yes, three e’s) from 2015’s “Unbreakable”, her latest full-length release.

Some songs got more time than others. “All For You,” particularly popular among Filipino fans, was mashed up with “Come on Get Up.” She also only sang half of “Escapade”, and of the ballads “Come Back to Me” and “Let’s Wait Awhile”. But she sang crowd favorites “That’s the Way Love Goes” and “Love Would Never Do (Without You)” entirely. She performed three versions of “Together Again”.

You’d regret her not singing some songs in full, until you realize the show would take all night if she did. She has so many hits.

The crowd went extra wild when the music video to “Scream” came on, with big bro Michael opening the song. Janet saunters in on her verse and sings with a rasp that matches Michael’s growls. It’s Jackson-and-Jackson – likely the most epic sibling duet in music history.

Excellent form

But it wouldn’t be Manila without the audience stealing the show with their singing. Janet usually lets the crowd sing most of her 1993 ballad “Again”, but she takes over at the climax for the sustained high note on the word “again”. But this is the Philippines. The audience sounded like it could keep going even as the song neared that high note, and Janet felt it. She kept holding her mic out to the crowd, and the crowd obliged: “Don’t you stand there and then tell me you love me then leave again…”

Janet was visibly moved. It looked like she wiped a tear. “You sound so beautiful. I love you so much,” she said at the end of the song.

Not that there was any doubt about her pipes. Critics and even fans have long accused her of undersinging and downright lip syncing to service her dancing. Take what I’m about to say with a grain of salt because I’m a fan, but then I also spent seven years as a professional musical theater artist. That is to say, I can tell when someone is lip syncing, and of all the Janet performances I’ve watched online or on DVD, only a very few were lipped, usually the penultimate song of a concert or numbers with really intricate choreography. Most of the time, she nails the song despite the strenuous dancing, and it’s just hard to believe she sang live.

She was 100 percent live on this show, at least as far as I could tell. You hear it in the plosives, in the inhalations and exhalations often edited out of recordings, the alternate notes here and there, the timbre that projecting to a microphone elicits, the nuances that fall short of digital perfection.

Am I a Janet apologist? Maybe. But she sounded great here – her tone was fuller and brighter than in her albums, which typically happens during live performances in large venues.

That’s also likely partly because of the milder dancing. The choreography to some songs were scaled down. I’d say generally she was giving 90 percent of the energy we used to see in her performances. It freed her body to better support her singing. She belted out pretty high runs on “If” like they were nothing. She hit higher notes on “Love Would Never Do (Without You)” than were on the album track.

At age 57, Janet Jackson is in excellent form. That she delivered an absolute tour-de-force in Manila after having done three successive shows in Hawaii is remarkable, but then you remember, this is Janet Jackson we’re talking about.

In another reality

A lot has happened since “Nipplegate”. When it was announced that Justin Timberlake was doing the SuperBowl halftime show in 2017, #JusticeforJanet trended worldwide. Documentary films looked back to analyze and reflect on the incident. People asked why only Janet, a black woman, was punished for it. Justin, a white man, even saw his career take off after and despite the scandal. It triggered discussions about public perceptions of women’s bodies, the inequality and injustices they face; how even Janet Jackson, at the height of fame and success, wasn’t spared.

The times have changed, and the industry has tried to make it up to Janet: she received the Billboard Icon Award in 2018, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. The first leg of the “Together Again” tour grossed $50.9 million – her career’s best. That’s not counting this next leg that includes Hawaii, the Philippines – the only Southeast Asian stop – and Japan, where she’s also set to do three shows. She has further stops all over the US slated until July.

But none of these will bring about the alternate reality of how Janet’s career would have been sans “Nipplegate”, or if the world had been chill about it. If she hadn’t been disadvantaged by the scandal, could she have remained as big as she was in the ‘90s and early aughts? Would more people have appreciated her? Would more young Filipinos be thrilled when she’s in town?

We will never know. Fact is, we are in a world where many people don’t know that Janet Jackson is the matriarch of the musical genre that spawned K-pop, P-pop, J-pop, and other expressions of hip-hop-influenced culture across the world today. That she and her brother invented the athletic, ultra-choreographed song-and-dance act we see in concerts and music videos everywhere. 

And that they also set the standard. Still very few do it as well as Michael did and as Janet does.

In a 2010 Essence magazine article, writer Joan Morgan said of Janet’s legacy : “Jackson’s ‘Control,’ ‘Rhythm Nation 1814’ and ‘janet.’ established the singer-dancer imprimatur standard in pop culture we now take for granted. So when you’re thinking of asking Miss Jackson, ‘What have you done for me lately?’ remember that Britney, Ciara and Beyoncé live in the house that Janet built.”

I think this inarguably applies to the current crop of pop music superstars. A viewing of Janet’s March 13 show at the Araneta Coliseum will clear any doubts. – Rappler.com

Add a comment

Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines .

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

How does this make you feel?

Related Topics

Recommended Stories

{{ item.sitename }}, {{ item.title }}, music industry, from taylor sheesh to the smyths: why tribute acts can no longer be considered just cheap copies.

20 years later, Sugarfree’s ‘Dramachine’ is still the soundtrack of young Pinoys’ lives

Music from Africa rising on global charts, with help from TikTok

Will AI mean the death of music, or herald a new era of creativity?

Pop culture

World news recap: 10 good things that happened in 2023.

‘Stardew Valley’ to ‘Demon Slayer’: UP Diliman offers free pop culture biology courses

[OPINION] ‘Barbie’ awakens: A response to the film being called ‘woke propaganda’

Call for submissions: ‘KAKAKOMPYUTER MO YAN!’ exhibition project

Ebe Dancel celebrates 20th anniversary of landmark Sugarfree 2nd album ‘Dramachine’

Ilocos Norte launches pop song contest in honor of Manlilikha ng Bayan awardee

We’ll make the great escape: Boys Like Girls returning to PH in April

The Beatles’ ‘Now and Then:’ Notes from a boomer fan

Women's month

Behind bars, giving a mother’s touch isn’t easy.

In prison, mother and baby share P85 a day for food, medicine

Be The Good: A special panel discussion with ‘Women on a Mission’

Q&A: Filipina author Mixkaela Villalon on writing and publishing her book ‘Interregnum’

‘You are limitless’: She Talks Asia Summit 2024 champions breaking stereotypes

Checking your Rappler+ subscription...

Upgrade to Rappler+ for exclusive content and unlimited access.

Why is it important to subscribe? Learn more

You are subscribed to Rappler+

Global Icon Janet Jackson Announces 2023 Together Again North American Tour With Special Guest Ludacris

Tickets On Sale to General Public Starting December 16 at 11 AM Local Time on LiveNation.com

Ms. Jackson is back  and coming to a city near you! Today, the five-time GRAMMY®️ Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame®️ Inductee,  Janet Jackson , has   announced her highly anticipated return to the road after four years with her ninth concert tour, “ Together Again.”

Produced by Live Nation, the 33-city tour will start spring 2023 visiting North American arenas and amphitheaters in Atlanta, New York, Toronto, and more; kicking-off in Hollywood, FL on April 14th at the Hard Rock Live and wrapping up in Seattle, WA on June 21st at the Climate Pledge Arena. In addition, 3x-Grammy Award winning recording artist and  Fast and Furious  actor,  Ludacris  will join Jackson on tour across all dates as a special guest.

The  “Together Again”  Tour will offer everyone the long-awaited chance to reunite with Ms. Jackson in celebration of her 50th anniversary in entertainment and spotlight the milestones for two of Jackson’s most critically acclaimed albums – 25 years of “The Velvet Rope”, and 30 years of “janet”, featuring her biggest chart-topping hits, plus new music.

TICKETS:   Tickets go on sale starting Friday, December 16th at 11 AM local time on LiveNation.com

PRESALE:  Citi is the official card of the  Together Again Tour . Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Tuesday, December 13 starting at 11 AM local time until Thursday, December 15 at 10 PM local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit  www.citientertainment.com . 

TOGETHER AGAIN TOUR DATES: 

Fri Apr 14 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live Arena

Wed Apr 19 – Orlando, FL – Amway Center

Fri Apr 21 – Savannah, GA – Enmarket Arena

Sat Apr 22 – Birmingham, AL – Legacy Arena

Tue Apr 25 – Columbia, SC – Colonial Life Arena

Thu Apr 27 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

Sat Apr 29 – Memphis, TN – FedEx Forum

Sun Apr 30 – St Louis, MO – Enterprise Center

Tue May 02 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center

Thu May 04 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena

Sat May 06 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live

Tue May 09 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Fri May 12 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion

Sat May 13 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena

Sun May 14 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater

Fri May 19 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center

Sat May 20 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena

Tue May 23 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage

Wed May 24 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena

Fri May 26 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center

Sat May 27 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre Chicago

Sun May 28 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater

Tue May 30 – St Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center

Fri Jun 02 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion

Sat Jun 03 – Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Sun Jun 04 – Austin, TX – Moody Center

Wed Jun 07 – Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion

Fri Jun 09 – Irvine, CA – FivePoint Amphitheatre

Sat Jun 10 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl*

Sun Jun 11 – San Diego, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

Fri Jun 16 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre

Tue Jun 20 – Portland, OR – Moda Center

Wed Jun 21 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena

*Not a Live Nation Date

About Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson is one of the most influential entertainers of the modern era. Her music has won her 5 GRAMMY® Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a nomination for an Academy Award along with dozens of American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards. She has received accolades as an actress as well including the NAACP Best Supporting Actor award. Janet is a published author, dancer, businessperson, philanthropist and one of biggest-selling artists in popular music history. With sales of over 180 million records worldwide, Janet Jackson stands as one of the best-selling artists of all time with a string of hits that have left an indelible impression on pop culture. She is the record holder for the biggest selling debut tour in history and is the first woman to debut in the Top 10 of the Hot 100 charts. She also stands as one of only four artists to have a #1 album for four successive decades alongside Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen and U2. Even today she continues to make an undeniable impact. In 2018, her last single, “Made for Now” with Daddy Yankee, released by her own Rhythm Nation Records, hit #1 on the Dance Clubs Songs chart making it her 20th single on the chart in the span of her career. In 2019, she was inducted the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside her brothers and in that same year her critically acclaimed Las Vegas residency, “Metamorphosis” closed out to record breaking ticket sales with only 18 dates at the Park MGM’s Park Theater. As reported by Billboard Boxscore, the legendary singer, dancer, songwriter, producer, and actress is among the biggest Vegas performers of this decade, ahead of Celine Dion (2011), Britney Spears (2013) and the Backstreet Boys (2017). Her critically acclaimed and award winning documentary “Janet Jackson.” brought in over 20 million viewers in one week. 

On February 4, 2021, Janet Jackson’s iconic mega platinum-selling third album Control turned 35. The album also returned to the top of the charts, hitting #1 on the Apple Top 40 US Pop Album chart. Led by five chart-busting hit singles — “What Have You Done for Me Lately,” “Nasty,” “Control,” “When I Think Of You,” —with their complementary, tightly choreographed music videos — and “Let’s Wait Awhile,” Control became Jackson’s first No. 1 Pop album. The album also made Billboard chart history for having the longest continuous run on the Hot 100 with singles from one album, ultimately tallying a remarkable 65 consecutive weeks from that perch. To date, Control has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.

About Chris “Ludacris” Bridges

The career of the multi-talented CHRIS “LUDACRIS” BRIDGES can best be described as remarkable. As a recording artist, he has sold more than 24 million albums worldwide, thanks to the blockbuster success of such singles as “Stand Up,” “Get Back,” “Southern Hospitality,” “Number One Spot,” “Money Maker” and “My Chick Bad.” All of these records were accompanied by ingenious videos that demonstrated Bridges’ far-reaching imagination, and his willingness to stretch the boundaries of what rap videos should look and feel like.

With an unrivaled match of lyrical acumen, wit, and imagery, Ludacris has solidified himself as one of music’s premier entertainers. His versatility and artistic complexity also enabled him to make a seamless transition to acting, including the fan favorite role of “Tej” in Universal Pictures’ box office phenomenon Fast & Furious franchise where he was introduced for the first time in 2003 in 2 Fast 2 Furious.  He will reprise his role of “Tej” for the seventh time in Fast X, which is set to release May 20, 2023. 

His other notable feature film credits include Garry Marshall’s ensemble comedy New Year’s Eve, Ivan Reitman’s romantic comedy, No Strings Attached, Paul Higgin’s Crash which received an Academy Award for Best Picture in 2006 and Hustle & Flow which earned Bridges a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.  

As a father of four girls, his latest ventures fittingly include launching his educational platform devoted to the enrichment of children called “KidNation”.  In addition, Bridges created the animated series KARMA’S WORLD which launched in the Top 10 in 42 countries on Netflix, received two NAACP Award nominations and is already on its fourth season.  The series for children ages 6-9 is a coming-of-age story about a young Black girl finding her voice and using it to change her world — originally inspired by Chris’s oldest daughter Karma and based on the interactive educational website of the same name created by Karma’s World Entertainment in 2009.

A consummate businessman, Ludacris is enjoying success outside of entertainment. One of his most successful ventures includes opening his long-anticipated restaurant “Chicken-n-Beer” at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport with a new location opening at LAX in 2023.  

Bridge’s philanthropic efforts rival his entertainment accomplishments. He started The Ludacris Foundation in 2001 which focuses on helping the youth in his hometown of Atlanta and has partnered with No Kid Hungry and Feeding America. 

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit   www.livenationentertainment.com .

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Janet Jackson

Paula Witt |  [email protected]

Live Nation Concerts

Monique Sowinski |  [email protected]

Read more about

Janet Jackson ‘Together Again Tour’ 2024: Where to get tickets to her Pa. concerts

• Updated: Mar. 25, 2024, 1:00 p.m. |
• Published: Mar. 25, 2024, 12:59 p.m.

Janet Jackson will perform on June 26, 2024, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa., and on July 6 at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pa. Here, she appears during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

• Deb Kiner | [email protected]

Fans have two chances to catch Janet Jackson’s “Together Again Tour” in Pa. this summer.

The “Rhythm Nation” singer will perform on Wednesday, June 26, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and on Saturday, July 6, at Hersheypark Stadium.

She will be joined by rapper Nelly on the tour.

The tour is a 50th anniversary celebration her entertainment career, and will highlight milestones for three of her albums: the 35th anniversary of “Rhythm Nation,” the 30th for “Janet” and the 25th for “Velvet Rope.” Jackson has won five Grammy Awards.

Here is where you can find tickets:

June 26 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia

• Tickets: Stubhub , Vivid Seats, SeatGeek

July 6 at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey

• Tickets: Ticketmaster, Stubhub, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek

Other stops on the tour include:

May 4 - Las Vegas, Nevada

June 4 - Palm Desert, California

June 6 - Chula Vista, California

June 8 - Inglewood, California

June 9 - Anaheim, California

June 11 - Sacramento, California

June 12 - San Francisco, California

June 14 - West Valley City, Utah

June 16 - Denver, Colorado

June 18 - St. Paul, Minnesota

June 19 - Chicago, Illinois

June 21 - Maryland Heights, Missouri

June 22 - Cincinnati, Ohio

June 23 - Indianapolis, Indiana

June 25 - Cleveland, Ohio

June 28 - Boston, Massachusetts

June 29 - Hartford, Connecticut

July 2 - Clarkston, Michigan

July 3 - Toronto, Canada

July 5 - Darien Center, New York

July 9 - Newark, New Jersey

July 10 - Brooklyn, New York

July 12 - Washington, D.C.

July 13 - Baltimore, Maryland

July 14 - Charlotte, North Carolina

July 16 - Tampa, Florida

July 18 - West Palm Beach, Florida

July 20 - Orlando, Florida

July 21 - Atlanta, Georgia

July 23 - New Orleans, Louisiana

July 25 - Fort Worth, Texas

July 26 - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

July 27 - Austin, Texas

July 30 - Phoenix, Arizona

Live Entertainment

• Madison Beer’s ‘The Spinnin’ Tour’ includes 2 stops in Pa.
• It’s not too soon to get tickets to see Bruce Springsteen in Pa.: Where to find them
• Twenty One Pilots announce ‘The Clancy World Tour’ with 1 stop in Pa.
• Don’t be ‘Dust in the Wind’: Get your tickets to see sold-out Kansas concert in central Pa.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.