The Fate of Michael Jackson O2 This Is It Tour 2009
It definitely would not be pleasing for the ears of the ticket holders for Michael Jackson’s O2 Arena shows that they will get full refunds from June 1st. In contrast to an initial assumption that most dejected fans of the pop icon would be musing over a term to mourn softly, topped with the ticket refunds, it has more turned out to be a ‘craving for nostalgia’. The demand for the ticket was unprecedented that fans lined up outside the ill-fated venue – The O2 Arena in Greenwich in South East London. An act that must have served immensely one noble cause – of avoiding phoneline jams. And not in the least, will these charged up souls settle for a wet anti-climax.
O2, the big name among the UK broadband ISPs, especially in the mobile broadband se ctor, had made every arrangement for the start of Michael Jackson’s 50 show residency at the London venue. AEG, the organiser had made it more clear in a statement that the fans who bought the tickets through authorised selling agents for any of the fifty This Is It concerts of Michael jackson taking place at the London O2 Arena, would be availed a full refund. Moreover, they have also assured this by declaring the website – Michael Jackson Live.com, where the information on a full refund can be gained.
Meanwhile, the incidence has considerably helped show light to the more subtle currents in the minds of Britons, say the affinity of a British pop music-lover towards the nostalgic numbers of the King of Pop, if not the towards the King himself. Chuck Doherty, the expert broadband analyst at Broadband Suppliers, known for his robustness apart from his intelligence, turned out to be a weak person while commenting on the context. No one knew ever that Doherty had a liking to Michael Jackson numbers, or even music of any kind to be precise. It had been nothing less than a revelation to many in the Broadband Suppliers that Doherty loved music.
Doherty seemed a man with profound foresight when he said that the show could still go on with a couple of welcome changes made to it. “The man is gone, which does not say that the world must come to an end. It would be total injustice to the memories of a tremendous entertainer, if the arena lies deserted on the very date of July 9 that was proposed as the date for his show to commence. Does any sort of a dearth of vocalists or musicians prevail in the world at present? If not why dont you make an alternate arrangement, O2? Nonetheless, roping in some one like Janet Jackson or the nostalgic Jackson 5 members, or even Paul McCartney or a Stevie Wonder or a Britney Spears to render a complimentary note, would not be as fussy as solving the 900MHz spectrum disputeâ€, lamented Doherty.
Should not Doherty’s be the voice of an average music admirer in Britain? Who may not be elite enough to conceive the illegal file sharing problem eating the music industry, but sitting pretty, at least with the knowledge that the thing gives tremendous solace. The sort of solace that would act as an anti-depressant to the MPs, left high and dry by the Expense Scandal. If this is the case, O2 definitely should go ahead with the show and turn it into a virtual show-stopper. Today, there is a solution for every problem. If bitten by financial constraints, Vodafone is more than available for a teaming up. And if the constraints are graver, when could it happen better, if not now that the government may propose even a fresh levy to serve the the cause.
