The Stage

Memories of Michael

Published Monday 29 June 2009 at 17:25

Michael Jackson played an unprecedented seven sell-out concerts at Wembley Stadium on The Bad Tour in summer 1988, putting him in the Guinness Book of Records.

Demand was such that there could have been another seven, but Brent Council had capped the number of concert licences at eight and the stadium was already committed to the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert (Mandela was still in prison in 1988 and this multi-artist concert, broadcast around the world, was intended to foster awareness).

Originally pencilled for up to three days, when the concerts went on sale, further dates were rapidly added. Brent Council was approached to extend the agreed number of concert events, but could not be budged.

Originally the Wembley dates were intended to be Jackson’s only appearance in the UK. With the cap on Wembley and demand still running at a record level, further dates were added at Cardiff Arms Park, Liverpool’s Aintree Racecourse, Milton Keynes Bowl and Roundhay Park, Leeds.

Jackson was at his absolute performing peak and the shows were fabulous. The audience’s reaction could only be described as ecstatic.

Merchandise sold at unprecedented levels. The merchandising company, Brockum, anticipating pirate sales, had engaged an investigation firm to monitor known unofficial producers. The week before the first run of Wembley dates they trailed two 40ft trucks of unofficial merchandise from the North to the M1 Scratchwood Services, where the police impounded both lorries and their contents. This action, however, failed to completely stop off-site unofficial sales.

The ticket sale profits from a later date were donated to the Prince’s Trust and Princess Diana attended the concert. This involved an exercise in getting Jackson from the stadium backstage area to the banquet hall where, together with others, he could be presented to Diana. It followed an explanation to Jackson’s people that she would not come backstage, so he had to make his way to the hall at a time when the audience was crowding the outer concourse.

Jackson made the journey in an unmarked van and was dropped off at the kitchen loading bay before progressing past the well used bins, up a back staircase, through the kitchen and into the banquet hall, where he joined the presentation line-up.

I recall his being placed at the start of the line-up as the first to be presented, but there was to be a wait until Princess Diana’s arrival. After metaphorically clicking his heels for a few moments, Jackson proceeded down the line himself, making his introductions to the others waiting to meet Diana, before returning to his position at the start of the line.

There had been some debate before the concert as to whether Dirty Diana should be dropped from the set list, in case the audience thought this was some reference to the princess.

On a personal note my eldest, four-and-a-half at the time, joined Jackson on stage at one concert, in front of the 75,000 audience. At each performance a group of small children were collected to crocodile around the stage while Jackson sang Working Day and Night.

Having enjoyed a very long career in venue management this sequence of concerts was undoubtedly a high point. It was before the days of internet booking, so sales were principally over the phone. For Wembley, this required briefing British Telecom, who would filter calls so as to reduce the load on the local exchange and prevent it crashing.

Tickets were security printed with a multiplicity of control features to prevent or at least limit forgery. I had never experienced such demand before and certainly nothing anywhere near since. The Bad Tour was very much a moment in time.

By 1992 that moment had passed. With The Dangerous Tour, although a longer run of dates was pencilled, only three went to contract with only one other UK date at Sheffield Don Valley being included.

Still, it was a spectacular production. With the help of master illusionist David Copperfield, Jackson was made to disappear on stage as a closing routine before re-emerging flying round the side of the stage, courtesy of a personal jet pack, to finish the concert with Man in the Mirror.

There was one unusual experience on the 1992 tour. Jackson was taken ill late in the day, resulting in the concert having to be cancelled. The decision was made to let the audience into the stadium before telling them, as this was considered the most effective means of delivering the same message to everyone. Fortunately, due to the extra dates that were not taken up, the concert was restaged later.

Roger Edwards was sales and events director of The Wembley Complex from 1987-92.

Former Wembley sales and events director Roger Edwards recalls the thrilling experience of hosting Michael Jackson on his Bad and Dangerous tours