Concert Review: Janet Jackson Rock Witchu Tour
Janet Rocked Washington DC Fans through Three Decades of her Music
Janet Jackson performed her "Rock Witchu" concert on October 15, 2008 in Washington DC, at a near-sold out Verizon Center. The star delivered three hours of non-stop live music and dance, taking her fans through decades of her music, from Control all the way to her latest album, Discipline.
The Show Kicks Off with "Pleasure Principle"
At 8:30 p.m. on the dot, the lights dimmed and the curtains pulled back. Two white gigantic blocks forming the capital letter "J" stood in the center of the stage, which had a U-shaped extension. The letters rolled away and out popped a high-energy, much anticipated Janet Jackson, solo. Through blasts of white smoke and fireworks, she opened the show with "Pleasure Principle," a hit that kept every fan standing.
In a gold lamé skin-tight jumpsuit and her hair in a massive mohawk, it was clear Janet Jackson still has the "it" factor. "It feels so good to be back after being down for a little bit, you know?" she said midway, almost as if affirming it to herself. The crowd cheered even louder - perhaps in relief that she made it past the vertigo.
Shortly after the start of the Rock Witchu Tour, her first in eight years, Janet Jackson fell ill minutes before performing in Montreal in September. On doctors' advice, she postponed eight shows, including the one in New York City's Madison Square Garden. It was looking iffy for nearby Washington DC.
Janet Pulls All Her Concert Tricks
But there was no indication of illness that night. "Do you want more?" Janet asked her fans mid-way. "Do you want more of this?," she teased, pointing to herself. Oh yes, everyone did. And everyone loved the classic Janet concert masochism scene where a male audience member is lifted onto stage and left at the mercy of Janet's caresses, whips and sexual taunts for an entire song.
It's hard to decide what was most spectacular from that night: Janet's ability to dance as if she were still in her Control days, the show's alien "good versus bad theme," the all-male dancers' incredible acrobat skills, the creepy interludes introducing each phase with a gigantic screen image of a disguised Janet speaking in a computer-distorted voice, or the seamless sequence in which Janet performed a myriad of her tunes - from old to new and new to old.
Fans Rocked to Three Decades of Janet's Music
Songs included a couple recorded when Janet was only 15, "for those who are true die-hard fans," as she said. In three hours of near non-stop music, the songs performed spanned three decades of Janet and included, in part:
- Pleasure Principle
- What have you done for me lately
- Control
- Nasty
- Let's Wait awhile
- Feedback
- Call on Me
- Alright
- Escapade
- Come back to me
- Doesn't Really Matter
- Miss you much
- Rhythm Nation
- If
- Together again
- Runway love
- Rock Witchu
- When I think of you
- So Excited
- All for you
- Anytime, Any place
- Love will never do without you
- One love
- That's the way love goes
Off-stage, Janet's long-time boyfriend Jermaine Dupri stood in the concert VIP Lounge set in the middle of the audience, watching the entire show. Or was it that he was watching over her, as his eyes barely shifted from the star as she pranced all over the stage. Yes, there was definitely magic in the air.
Janet The Icon
In an ever-changing music scene with meaningless lyrics and scandalous videos, Janet Jackson is a fabulous reminder of true talent and entertainment. At 42 years of age and with over 20 years in the industry, she's still Miss Jackson if you're nasty!
Janet and Her Dancers in Futuristic Suits
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Janet Jackson Performing Pleasure Principle
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Computerized
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Incredible Special Effects during Concert
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Mother-and-Daughter Janet Fans Heading to Concert
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