Janet Jackson performing with her dancers on Wednesday June 19, 2024 at the United Center for the Chicago stop of her current headlining, Together Again Tour. Photo courtesy of Solaiman Fazel
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and musical and entertainment icon, Janet Jackson, has been in entertainment for nearly 51 year’s and can still rock a show with the best of them. A showstopping force of nature performer who has inspired so many of today’s artists and many have even tried duplicating. Nobody serves a stage and performance quite like Janet and still nobody has come close to really emulating or putting on quite a performance as the Queen of Pop has over the year’s and really five plus decades. Which she proved yet again Wednesday June 19th at the United Center for the Chicago stop of Janet’s current headlining, Together Again Tour with Nelly as a special guest opener.
Janet showed from the beginning of the show as she entered the stage with her dancers stellar dance moves and energy to such hits as Slolove, Rock With U, All Nite (Don’t Stop), Got ‘Til It’s Gone, and Love Will Never Do (Without You). That she can still rock a show and crowd like no other and that age isn’t slowing down what great moves she can still pull in her 50’s, while also perfectly singing each track. That the very diverse crowd of people young, old and everything in between sang along and knew every word to. Showing why she has remained relevant for so long too.
The show, which was broken down into four acts. Was a celebration of not only Janet’s illustrious and storied career, but also a celebration of some of her biggest album’s in Rhythm Nation 1814 that will be celebrating its 35th anniversary later this year and janet., which just celebrated its 30th anniversary last year. With the second act aside from Nasty being more of her slower tempo songs such as When I Think Of You, Control, Again and Any Time, Any Place. Something pretty cool that Janet also did was mashing hometown Chicago great Common’s Kanye West-produced classic, Go, into her performance of, Nasty. One of several times throughout the show she said how much she loves Chicago.
The third act with such hits as All for You, Escapade, Miss You Much, Feedback and So Excited had some of Janet’s more recognizable records that virtually every one in the crowd really knew. As they sang and danced along to with the living legend and icon. Janet’s very great choreographed dance moves with her dancers showing that she can still out dance most anybody too.
One of the highlights of the night though was easily when Janet went into her absolutely amazing cover of her late brother, Michael Jackson’s collaboration with her, Scream. Which her and all of us in the crowd on the Westside of Chicago at the United Center really got into. Singing along super loud with such amazing energy with her and her band. The band that she had also really taking much of her show to another level.
Just when the show appeared to maybe be over after the band was drawn away. Janet who had several outfit changes throughout the show was shown a few minutes later backstage getting her makeup fixed before coming out for an encore. As she came out playfully singing and playing with her dancers as she entered the stage singing her classic hit record, Someone to Call My Lover. The whole crowd singing along as she then went into one of my all-time favorite records of hers or ever, Together Again, which the tour is named after. Janet grooving by herself on stage and clapping with me and everyone else in the crowd clapping and singing along that very memorable feel-good chorus. That puts you in such a feel good mood and was such a perfect way to end what was easily one of the most feel-good and fun concerts or shows I’ve ever been to. That had you in such a feel good and amazing mood leaving the concert that really made you feel you can do anything with such a great and positive mindset.