The concert promotion company, AEG Live, that signed Michael Jackson to a 50 show contract has disclosed they filmed 100 hours of his rehearsals, including his final one at the Staples Center the night before he died.
According to several interviewed by the Los Angeles Times who were working with Jackson for his concert, he was in top form and exceeded even the younger dancers performances.
Randy Phillips, chief executive of AEG Live was also among those at Staples Center on Wednesday. He recalled Jackson being in ebullient spirits.
“It was fantastic, he was so great. I got goose bumps,” Phillips said. “It made me realize why I got into this business.
“I take great solace in the pride and confidence he exhibited during production rehearsals on Wednesday night. That is the memory I will cherish for the rest of my life,” Phillips said.
The show’s director, Kenny Ortega also had a few insightful comments on Michael Jackson’s final rehearsal:
“There were a couple of times when Michael stood at my side and we looked at the stage together and were just beaming with gladness that we had arrived at this place,” Ortega said. “And he was happy. We all felt that and shared that. We were four or five days from finishing in Los Angeles and heading to London and feeling in really good shape.”
It can be reasonably speculated had Michael Jackson lived, the concert would have been highly successful and he would have made a real comeback. The London concert had already been sold out for all 50 shows.
