A new video has been posted on Janet’s official website showing parts of the stage set and behind the scenes of the opening night of the Rock Witchu Tour.
Month: September 2008
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JD posts video from Vancouver
All of the Jackson brothers except Michael and Jermaine showed up to the BMI Urban Awards ceremony Thursday night, where the singing brothers were honored with the prestigious Icon award.
Although T-Pain’s was the big winner during the 8th annual ceremony, which took place at the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills, headlines from the evening were focused on Michael Jackson’s big no-show.
Parents Katherine and Joseph Jackson were on hand, as were sisters LaToya, Rebbie and Janet, who got choked up while introducing her brothers Tito, Randy, Jackie and Marlon as they received their Icon award.
“Family is the most important commodity that all of us have,” she said. “I am so proud to be able to salute my brothers.”
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Janet Jackson and her brothers (minus Michael) at 2008 BMI Urban Awards
According to People magazine, Janet called off the names of each brother and said, “I salute you for your talent and your musical gifts you’ve given the world. I tell you that every time we speak. I’m so excited to salute you!”
While Michael didn’t make it to the event, his brothers offered their support for him and his upcoming album. “We haven’t heard it, but we’ve heard about it,” Randy told reporters. “It’s going to be great.”
Earlier in the evening, T-Pain earned the coveted Songwriter of the Year crown and shared the Producer of the Year trophy with crossover king Jonathan “J.R.” Rotem and hip-hop star Kanye West. Song of the Year honors went to Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable,” co-written by Ne-Yo, Amund Bjøerklund and Espen Lind, while Universal Music Publishing Group secured the Publisher of the Year title.
Throughout the ceremony, the audience also enjoyed live performances of many of the award-winning songs by music’s biggest stars including Rick Ross, T-Pain, Lil’ Wayne, Ray J, Lloyd, Mario, JoJo, Keri Hilson and Yung Berg.
Attention Fans! LL Cool J is joining Janet Jackson on the ROCK WITCHU TOUR heading to a city near you soon! Check out the dates below for more information on when and where they’ll be performing together.
Thu9/25/ Chicago, IL AllState Arena
Sat9/27/ Detroit, MI The Palace of Auburn Hills
Sun9/28/ Toronto Air Canada Centre
Mon9/29/ Montreal Bell Centre
Wed10/1/ Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden
Thu10/2/ Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
Sat10/4/ Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
Sun10/5/ Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
Tue10/7/ Ft. Lauderdale, FL BankAtlantic Center
Sat10/11/ Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino
Wed10/15/ Washington, DC Verizon Center
Thu10/16 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Fri10/17/ East Rutherford, NJ Izod Center
Tue10/21/ Houston, TX Toyota Center
Janet attended the TAG Records presents: History in the Making – The Official VMA Kickoff Party held at Avalon in Hollywood, California last night. See photos below.
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Janet performs at America United
In an interview with the Washington Blade, Janet has confirmed that no further singles will be released from the Discipline album. She also says that a rumoured setlist released on Perez Hilton’s website was a very early version and not the one that will be used in the show.
Janet Jackson to kick off world tour
Gay icon promises all the hits, lots of dance
By KEVIN NAFF, Washington Blade | Sep 4, 3:50 PM
Janet Jackson will kick off her long-awaited “Rock Witchu Tour” Sept. 10 in Vancouver, her first tour in more than seven years. Jackson talked to the Blade today about what fans can expect.
“This show is for the fans,” she said, adding that she will perform about 30 tracks during the two-hour show. “It’s a nice mix from ‘Discipline’ and all the other albums.”
She noted that the show is focused on dance tracks and that she hopes to give concertgoers an escape from their problems, citing the current state of the economy.
“It’s a big show,” she said, “a completely different show. It’s very much upbeat. The kids say it shouldn’t be called the ‘Rock Witchu Tour,’ it should be called the ‘History of Janet Tour.'”
As for the vibe and style of the set, Jackson said she’s intrigued by the future so the set design will incorporate futuristic elements. Her costumes will be more elaborate than in the past.
So far, 24 North American dates have been announced, but Jackson said that more U.S. dates will be announced soon and that she’s in talks to take the tour all over the world, including possibly Europe, Asia, Australia, Russia and the Middle East.
The show will be recorded, she said, possibly for a television broadcast, then later packaged with older tours and material for sale. Specifically, she mentioned that her 1990 “Rhythm Nation Tour” was recorded in High Definition, but never released to the public.
“When I did ‘Rhythm Nation’ in Japan, I recorded the show in HD back then and they were trying to explain to me what HD was – that was 1990,” she said. “I’m assuming I was the first person to do this in concert. It trips me out to see HD catch on so many years later. We’re trying to put a nice package together for the fans.”
Jackson urged fans not to believe online rumors about her set list. One purported list leaked by blogger Perez Hilton was a very early version and “not the final list,” she said.
LL Cool J will open the show in select cities and Jackson praised him as an “icon in his own right.”
“He’s legendary when it comes to what he does,” she said. “He has a great body of work and I love his new single; he’s an entertainer. I wanted someone else who could really entertain the people and he’s a sweet guy.”
Her last album “Discipline” opened at No. 1 and generated two singles, “Feedback” and “Rock With You,” but a reported dispute with record label Island Def Jam brought a halt to promotions for the project. Jackson said she wasn’t sure if she would work with IDJ again, but confirmed there will be no further singles released from the album. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a new Janet single in the near future.
“I may just cut something new and throw it out there while I’m on the road,” she said.
And which acts does Janet like to see perform live? She cites Prince, The Time and Jill Scott as her favorites, as well as her brothers.
“Jill Scott puts on such a beautiful show and it was very inspirational to me,” she said.
The “Rock Witchu Tour” marks a long-stalled return to touring. Jackson said she was in rehearsals for a tour two years ago in Atlanta while filming Tyler Perry’s “Why Did I Get Married,” but that IDJ asked her to postpone it and record a new album, which she did.
“We were so excited to go out last time,” she said. “The kids were so excited, it was sad – we had our crying session.”
This time around, however, everything fell into place and Jackson said she’s developed a close-knit relationship with the “kids” (her dancers) and the rest of the team responsible for the show.
“I’m very family-oriented so there’s that connection that has to be there first,” Jackson said. “There’s such a wonderful group of people. Every tour I’ve done the group has gotten better and better. This is the closest group I’ve ever had.”
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Janet speaks to Billboard about the tour
Janet spoke to Billboard.com to promote her upcoming tour and also cited possible problems with her existing label Island Def Jam:
Label Deal In Doubt, Jackson Hits The Road
Janet Jackson Dissatisfied With New Album Promo
September 04, 2008, 3:50 PM ET
Gary Graff, Detroit
After the disappointing showing of her latest album, “Discipline,” Janet Jackson is again raising questions about her relationship with Island Def Jam.
“I can’t say if we’ll be working with them in the future,” Jackson said today (Sept. 4) during a conference call with reporters to promote her upcoming Rock Witchu Tour. “I don’t know what the future holds between the two of us.”
She did not elaborate on her comment, which echoes remarks she made to SOHH.com in June about the performance of the album.
“Discipline” was Jackson’s first for Island Def Jam after leaving Virgin Records; she says she even agreed to scratch a tour for 2006’s “20 Y.O.” at the label’s wishes in order to record it. Executive produced by Jackson and her boyfriend, Island Urban president Jermaine Dupri, the album debuted at No. 1 in March with 181,000 copies sold. It’s shiftedNielsen SoundScan, and spent just 14 weeks on The Billboard 200.
Jackson was upbeat about the tour, however, which kicks off Wednesday in Vancouver. She described it as a “two hours of dance” on a stage set that has “a taste of … the future.” The repertoire will span her career and, according to Jackson, was drawn from requests made on her call-in line for fans.
“This show is all for the fans,” Jackson told Billboard.com during the call. “They tell me what they’d like to hear, what they’d like to see, what they want. And this is what I’m trying to give them.”
Jackson said fans will also get their wish for some more visual product from her as well. “We’ve been talking about something for TV, also a DVD,” she confirmed, the latter of which may include “past stuff I’ve done that wasn’t previously released,” including possibly a Japanese TV performance that was filmed in High Definition during the Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour in 1990. “Just a nice package for the fans,” Jackson explained. “They’ve been asking for it for so long, and they truly deserve it.”
Jackson said that she “definitely” intends to keep the Rock Witchu Tour going beyond its current Oct. 22 wrap in Dallas, with more U.S. dates and legs that are currently being discussed for Europe, Asia, Australia, Russia and “some parts of the Middle East. It hasn’t been etched in stone. It’s still being put together. People will hear about it in a little while.”