Janet Jackson at Birmingham Utilita Arena review - 'whirlwind of hits but too much control'

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Heralding from American music royalty, Janet Jackson is finely atuned to the entertainment business - and it shows. The little sister of Michael Jackson is a five-time Grammy Award winner in her own right and who can forget that notorious Superbowl performance with saucy costume malfunction.

So, I was expecting big things of this new Together Again World Tour that looks back at her 50 year career, especially the iconic Rhythm Nation album that was released 35 years ago. The tour has finally reached its UK leg, opening at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena ahead of further dates at London’s O2 Arena this weekend, before Manchester on October 1 and Glasgow on October 13.

Janet - or to quote her own lyrics ‘Ms Jackson if you’re nasty’ - was performing just weeks after the unexpected death of her famous brother, Tito Jackson. The 70-year-old was the guitarist in the Jackson 5 and dad of 3T band members Taj, Taryl and TJ.

While she didn’t talk about him, there was a poignant black and white image of a young Tito, as well as Michael, in the finale as she sang Together Again and the lyrics ‘you’ll be smiling down on me’.

There wasn’t much time for chit chat anyway in a fast-paced, highly choreographed and slick show that raced through Janet’s long list of hits to fit them all into two hours.

It opened with Night and newer material as the star appeared half hidden under a huge duvet like cover. Soon it was whipped off to reveal Janet in a long grey woolen Winter coat. Maybe she was feeling the dip in Briitish weather too?

When that layer finally came off, she glittered like the icon she is in a shimmering sparkly black suit, red nails and knee high boots as dreadlocks draped down her back. Janet looked fabulous at 58 and had the voice and dance moves to match.

Her signature soft, flutey tones filled the arena accompanied by dance routines with a handful of young male dancers. Yet it took the first big anthem of the night about 15 minutes in to lift the atmosphere. It was That’s The Way Love Goes but more would follow thick and fast in a whirlwind of hits from over five decades.

Costume change breaks were used to air pre-recorded conversations from Janet, when she talked about everything from the young age she got into entertainment to God. Back on stage in a tartan suit while her dancers wore kilts, this second section took fans back to the 1980s.

Control became Jackson's first chart-topping album in the US back then and songs from it like Nasty, When I Think Of You, Let’s Wait A While and Control were some of the highlights of the gig. My only complaint would be that most songs weren’t sung in full in the race to get through such a large back catalogue.

The third section brought another costume change as Janet and her dancers appeared in white boilersuits. Feel-good songs from All For You, Escapade and Miss You Much kept the audience on their feet.

The fourth section saw Janet appear in a black PVC coat under which she revealed a 1930s military style outfit of black trousers, boots and jacket to move into the Rhythm Nation phase. That song won a MTV Music Video Award for best choreography and the dance moves and music were relived once more.

There was also space for duet Scream with brother Michael Jackson, who appeared on large screens.

Moving on to the finale, there was time for Whoops Now and the poignant Together Again as her lost loved ones appeared above her head in the closing moments.

There’s no doubt this was a spectacular, slick and professional show in true Jackson family fashion of costumes, dancing and all the hits, but it was also extremely controlled and produced.

If anything it lacked the impulsiveness that comes with live gigs. While Janet did say a few words, the pre-recordings were used instead of banter and I wish we could have heard many of those fantastic hits in full rather than cut short.

That said, Janet Jackson doesn’t disappoint. She’s an icon in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame who has lived and breathed being an entertainer for half a century and hasn’t lost any of the polish or talent over that time.

Tickets for Janet Jackson’s Together Again tour at London O2 Arena for Saturday September 28 and Sunday September 29 can be found at the Ticketmaster website here. Tickets are also available from the O2 website. There are also tickets for Glasgow Ovo on October 13 at Ticketmaster or for Manchester Co-op Live on October 1.

There is limited availability on tickets in London but some are still available.