Anniversary Celebration

Lore & Background

The shows sold out in two hours. Ticket prices were among the most expensive ever for an event; the best seats (with VIP access) cost $10,000, but included a dinner with Jackson and a signed poster. The show was choreographed by Glenn Douglas Packard and Brian Thomas, who were nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography. It was presented by David Gest, World Events LLC, and Clear Channel Entertainment. Jackson reportedly earned $7.5 million for each of the two concerts. The concert's official box-office taking was $10,072,105 for both concerts. To some fans, Jackson appeared more disoriented in the first concert, as he only did one short moonwalk and improvised the ending of the 'Billie Jean' performance. In 2011, presenter David Gest claimed that Jackson was on drugs during the concerts, in the documentary Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon; however, despite taking pain medication, Jackson himself explained that he merely had not rehearsed for the first concert and was self-conscious of his performance. Contradictorily, in his book You Are Not Alone: Michael Through a Brother's Eyes, Michael's brother Jermaine Jackson said that during this time, Michael was taking Demerol, a pain-relieving medicine with reported psychotropic effects. Regardless, the show was a major success, with appearances by numerous celebrities, athletes and actors, and performances with/by other musicians; Jackson himself performed 'The Way You Make Me Feel' with Britney Spears, and Mya, Usher and Whitney Houston gave a rousing performance of 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'. The two concerts were the only times Jackson performed any song from his album Invincible live. Aftermath: According to some sources, on September 11, 2001, Jackson, along with his personal assistant, Frank Cascio, were scheduled for a meeting at the World Trade Center, to return a 'two million' dollar watch Jackson used for the concert, and a diamond necklace for Elizabeth Taylor, but overslept and did not make it. In a 2002 Interview, Jackson made no mention of a meeting and said he 'got a call from friends in Saudi Arabia' of the attacks and turned the TV on to see the twin towers falling. The claim that Jackson fled the city with Taylor and Marlon Brando has been disputed; he simply got his children packed for New Jersey. He also arranged to have dozens of stranded fans relocated and taken care of.

In Their Own Story

The neon hum of the arena flickered, shifting from its usual cool blue to a warm, celebratory gold. As the countdown hit zero, the familiar beat dropped, but something felt different—the air itself seemed charged with the history of every song played before it. A player raised their sabers, not just to cut blocks, but to honor the years of rhythm that had brought them here. With every slash, a spark of confetti erupted into the void, joining millions of others in a silent, synchronized dance of light and memory.

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Did You Know?

• Nielsen Media Research reported that an estimated 45 million people watched all or part of the special, making it one of the highest-rated musical specials in television history.
• Coincidentally, the 30th anniversary concert was also watched by 30 million viewers, on CBS, when it aired later the same year.
• The second show was added two days earlier due to high demand.