It Was The Best Gig Ever # 31: Janet Jackson, Wellington 1998

An occasional series (check the Off The Tracks archive on my Substack) where I remind myself (and you) of the best gigs I’ve ever seen.

When I roll through some of the great gigs I’ve seen, or when someone asks, it invariably comes up that I saw Michael Jackson. “And JANET Jackson” — I will always quickly add. I saw Michael Jackson in 1996, on his HITS tour (HIStory) and, yes, it was The Best Gig Ever:

I was more a Michael Jackson fan than a Janet Jackson fan, but if anything, these days, that’s completely flipped. I don’t find myself wanting to ever sit down with a Michael Jackson record, nor needing to. But I’ll still make the time to sit with a Janet Jackson album, still finding new ways in and lots to appreciate.

I wasn’t always a huge Janet Jackson fan, but I was always listening. She was a huge star. And totally in her own right — I mean, sure, the family boast couldn’t have hurt. But then, there’s a curse attached as well…

The Velvet Rope, Control and Rhythm Nation were the albums I knew the best at the time, with The Velvet Rope being the newest, and the reason for the tour. It had a handful of incredible songs, and it hung together with (and as) a total vibe also.

When it was announced that she was coming to Wellington I figured I had to go. Just to see a legend. Just to see a HUGE pop show. And what a spectacle it was. With costume changes, choreographed sequences, different sections within the show - vibes, or moods, or almost “chapters” really — and an incredible band of course.

There was this sequence where Janet lifted someone from the audience for a pantomimed lap-dance. And this was well publicised in advance. In fact, I wrote a fantasy short-story about this — its only saving grace, I wrote it before actually see the show. It was pure fiction. An attempt at writing a creepy character. A failure. But a fun failure.

(I can’t believe I’m sharing that again here…oh well).

My mate was a massive Janet Jackson fan, and I owed him some money, so I bought him a ticket as the payback — basically. And to have a concert buddy. He was a lot of fun to go with — shamelessly dancing to every song, and singing along. He knew every word (and step) where I did not. I was the passive friend, just watching, but pulled in by the spectacle of the show.

I find myself thinking about it a lot more now. As I listen to Janet more than I listen to Michael these days.

Just look at this setlist. All killer, no filler. Well, a tiny bit of filler maybe…

But really. That’s all the hits. All there. And it still plays through like an incredible compilation.

I didn’t ever own the 1993 album, Janet but its songs were some of the highlights, I guess I knew those songs from the radio. Particularly That’s The Way Love Goes, which is 100% banger. One of the great slow-jams of all time I reckon, certainly one of my favourite Janet Jackson songs.

It’s always been a no-brainer to me that if you have the time and money you should go and see the big shows when they come to town (within reason) no matter who they are. Janet Jackson was the first time I took that leap, took a punt, decided it was bigger than me, and I just had to be there. The concert pretty much made me a fan. I was barely a fan beforehand, just someone who knew a few of the songs. But watching the footage back now, listening to the songs, appreciating more of Janet Jackson’s acumen and image and career, I can’t believe my luck. I was there. I saw a legend. A living legend. Making it one of the best gigs ever.