Toured in
Australia
September 2024

Michael Jackson
The Legacy Tour
Starring William Hall

Sep3
Wyong (All Ages)
The Art House *50 Tickets Left!*
Sep4
Wyong (All Ages)
The Art House *50 Tickets Left!*
Sep5
Thirroul (All Ages)
Anita's Theatre
Sep7
Wentworthville (18+)
Wenty Leagues
Sep8
Kingsford (12+ with Adult)
The Juniors
Sep11
Perth *Sold Out!*
Astor Theatre
Sep13
Frankston (All Ages)
Arts Centre
Sep14
Narre Warren (All Ages)
Bunjil Place
Sep15
Warragul (All Ages)
West Gippsland Arts Centre
Sep19
Toowoomba (All Ages)
Empire Theatre
Sep20
Brisbane (All Ages) *Sold Out!*
Fortitude Music Hall
Sep21
Tweed Heads (All Ages)
Twin Towns
Sep24
Canberra (All Ages)
The Playhouse

Michael Jackson
The Legacy Tour
Starring William Hall

Event Info

Direct from the USA, Michael Jackson – The Legacy Tour Starring William Hall is the world’s greatest tribute to the world’s greatest entertainer!

William Hall becomes The King of Pop when he hits the stage with his production of Michael Jackson’s The Legacy Tour. The show, produced and endorsed by previous members of Michael Jackson’s crew, is a visual and musical voyage through the artistic life of the 20th Century’s most respected and idolised entertainer. The choreographed dance moves, full live band and multi-faceted light show promises to repeat the Michael Jackson experience.

Michael Jackson – The Legacy Tour Starring William Hall is a celebration of The King of Pop’s musical legacy in a mammoth tribute featuring all his Greatest Hits.

If you love Michael Jackson, you can’t miss the greatest experience since the King of Pop himself.

Setlist includes –
Bad
Beat It
Billie Jean
Black Or White
Can You Feel It
Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough
Heal the World
Human Nature
Man In the Mirror
Rock with You
Smooth Criminal
The Way You Make Me Feel
They Don’t Care About Us
Thriller
Wanna Be Startin Somethin’

Bio

Michael Jackson is an iconic figure whose influence reverberated throughout the 20th century, shaping the soundscape and aesthetic of the 1970s and ’80s. His multifaceted talents as a singer, songwriter, producer, and dancer catapulted him to stardom at the onset of the ’70s as a child star, emerging as the charismatic centrepiece of the Jackson 5, a family ensemble that captured the hearts of audiences worldwide. Despite initial success within the Motown milieu, Jackson embarked on a solo journey, quickly ascending the echelons of fame. Collaborating with producer Quincy Jones on the seminal album, Off the Wall in 1979, showcased Jackson’s maturity and versatility with chart-topping singles like “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough”. However, it was the release of “Thriller” in 1982 that cemented Jackson’s status as an unparalleled force in the music industry. This ground-breaking album, characterized by its fusion of R&B, rock, and pop elements, dominated the charts for 37 weeks, earning Jackson eight Grammy Awards and solidifying his reputation as “The King of Pop.” Cinematic music videos for “Thriller” and “Billie Jean” propelled Jackson into the realm of cultural iconography. It was during a performance of “Billie Jean” at the Motown 25 Celebration that Jackson debuted his signature dance move, the moonwalk, further solidifying his status as a pop culture phenomenon. Subsequent albums like “Bad” (1987), “Dangerous” (1991), and “HIStory” (1995) continued to showcase Jackson’s musical prowess and innovation, each yielding chart-topping hits that captivated audiences globally. Personal and health challenges, led to Jackson’s untimely death in 2009 but his legacy endures with posthumous releases serving as a testament to his enduring impact on the world of music and entertainment. Through his unparalleled talent and cultural contributions, Michael Jackson remains an indelible figure in the annals of popular culture.

 

Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana. Raised by Katherine, a devout Jehovah’s Witness, and Joe, a former boxer turned steelworker with a penchant for guitar playing, Michael grew up surrounded by aspirations of musical greatness. In 1962, Joe Jackson formed a musical act comprising his three eldest sons, Tito, Jackie, and Jermaine. However, it wasn’t until 1964, when younger siblings, Marlon and Michael joined the trio, that the group began to crystallize its identity. They soon changed the name of the group to the Jackson 5, with Michael swiftly assuming the central role. Michael infused the Jackson 5 with an electrifying energy that captivated audiences at local talent shows and soul clubs throughout the Midwest. The Jackson 5 were regular performers at a string of clubs known as the Chitlin’ Circuit. They opened shows for artists such as Sam & Dave, the O’Jays, Gladys Knight and Etta James. The Jackson 5’s breakthrough came in 1967 when they won an amateur talent contest at the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem. Upon their return to Indiana, the Jackson 5 recorded two singles for the local imprint Steeltown in 1968, “(I’m A) Big Boy” and “We Don’t Have to Be Over 21”. These releases led to them opening for Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers at Chicago’s Regal Theatre. Taylor was impressed by the group and Taylor’s endorsement led to a fateful meeting with Motown Records’ Berry Gordy Jr., who signed the group in March 1969. The family then relocated to Los Angeles.

 

The Jackson 5’s debut single for Motown, “I Want You Back,” penned and produced by Motown’s team, the Corporation, shot the Jacksons to stardom upon its release in October 1969, marking Michael’s ascent to fame at the tender age of 11. By January 1970, “I Want You Back” was number one on both the pop and R&B charts where it stayed for four weeks. Subsequent hits like “ABC”, “The Love You Save” and “I’ll Be There” solidified the group’s appeal, while Michael’s solo endeavours, showcased his burgeoning talent as a solo artist. As Michael developed from child star to teen idol, he released four solo albums for Motown, Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973) and Forever, Michael (1975). Despite his youth, Michael’s rendition of Bobby Day’s “Rockin’ Robin” and the haunting ballad “Ben” earned him critical acclaim and commercial success. “Ben”, the titular ballad to a movie about a killer rat, earned Jackson his first Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

 

Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 experienced a gradual slowdown in popularity during the latter half of the 1970s. This was attributed to evolving musical tastes, the onset of adolescence, and artistic conflicts with their record label. Despite a final flourish with the disco-infused hit “Dancing Machine” in 1974, the group eventually transitioned away from Motown to Epic Records in 1975, heralding a change in line-up with the departure of Jermaine Jackson and the introduction of younger sibling Randy. Jermaine stayed with Motown and pursued a solo career. The group renamed themselves as The Jacksons and continued with a pair of albums produced by Gamble & Huff. The 1978 album “Destiny” marked a significant shift in sound, showcasing Michael’s burgeoning songwriting talents. Michael co-wrote the infectious anthem “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground).” Michael’s solo career gained momentum with his portrayal of the Scarecrow in Sidney Lumet’s 1978 film, The Wiz, a musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. During production of the film’s soundtrack, Jackson worked with renowned producer Quincy Jones. Jones & Jackson agreed to collaborate on Michael’s fifth solo record.

 

Michael’s seminal solo venture, Off the Wall was released on August 10 1979. Largely a collaboration between Jackson, Quincy Jones and songwriter Rod Temperton, the album showcased many different genres and styles. Five singles were released from the record including the Jackson penned, “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”, which was also his first solo number-one single in the United States since “Ben” seven years earlier. The second single, “Rock with You”, also reached number one and the following singles “Off the Wall” and “She’s Out of My Life” reached the US top 10. Jackson became the first solo artist to have four singles from the same album reach the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. In 1980 Jackson won three American Music Awards: Favourite Soul/R&B Album, Favourite Soul/R&B Male Artist and Favourite Soul/R&B Single for “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”. Jackson also won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”.

 

In 1980 the Jacksons released Triumph, an album bolstered by Michael’s solo success. Triumph was the Jacksons’ first album to reach number-one on the US Billboard R&B Albums chart since Maybe Tomorrow in 1971. The album contained three hit singles “Lovely One”, “This Place Hotel” and “Can You Feel It”.

 

Michael Jackson reunited with Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton in 1982 to create the follow up to Off The Wall. The resulting album, Thriller became the bestselling album of all time selling an estimated 70 million copies worldwide. Thriller topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks straight and was in the top 10 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to produce seven Billboard Hot 100 top-10 singles. Jackson effortlessly transcended genre boundaries including collaborations with such icons as Paul McCartney and Eddie Van Halen. The accompanying music videos for the album paved the way for greater visibility of Black artists in mainstream media, specifically MTV. The music video for the title track, directed by John Landis, was played regularly on MTV and is credited as doubling the sales of Thriller. The “Thriller” music video’s ground breaking production and cinematic quality led to music videos being taken more seriously as an art form. Jackson performed “Billie Jean” at the Motown 25 television special, where he debuted his signature moonwalk dance. After this performance sales of Thriller spiked, selling one million copies worldwide per week. The album won a record breaking eight Grammy awards and eight American Music Awards. In 2008, Thriller was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In the same year, the Library of Congress added Thriller to the National Recording Registry of “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant recordings”.

 

While working on Thriller, Quincy Jones was also producing an audio book and soundtrack companion to the Steven Spielberg film, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Michael Jackson provided narration and sang on the song “Someone in the Dark”. The audiobook won a Grammy for Best Recording for Children. When Jackson collected the award, Michael commented that of all the awards he had received, he was “most proud of this one”. Time magazine described Jackson as “star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and colour too.”

 

As “Thriller” continued its meteoric ascent, Jackson remained indefatigable in his pursuit of musical excellence, Jackson embarked on a globe-spanning tour in support of the album. In 1983 he once again collaborated with Paul McCartney on “Say Say Say” for McCartney’s album, Pipes of Peace. He would later acquire the publishing rights to the Lennon and McCartney songwriting catalog, which strained his relationship with McCartney.

 

During the period spanning from 1981 to 1983, Michael Jackson engaged in recording sessions with Freddie Mercury, the esteemed lead vocalist of Queen. They produced demo tracks for songs including “State of Shock,” “Victory,” and “There Must Be More to Life Than This.” These recordings were initially intended for an album featuring duets between the two iconic artists. However, according to Queen’s manager, the collaborative effort encountered a setback when Jackson introduced a llama into the recording studio, leading to a deterioration in their working relationship.

In November of 1983, a partnership between Michael Jackson and his siblings and PepsiCo took the marketing world by storm, marked by a $5 million USD promotional deal, an unprecedented figure at the time, equivalent to approximately $14.7 million USD in today’s currency. The inaugural Pepsi campaign, spanning from 1983 to 1984 in the United States, introduced the “New Generation” theme to audiences, featuring tour sponsorship, public relations initiatives, and in-store displays. Notably, Jackson played a pivotal role in the advertisement’s creation, even suggesting the incorporation of his iconic song “Billie Jean” with modified lyrics for its jingle.

 

On January 27, 1984, Michael Jackson, alongside fellow members of the Jackson family, participated in the filming of a Pepsi commercial. The shoot took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, where, during a staged concert in front of a packed audience, pyrotechnics inadvertently ignited Jackson’s hair, resulting in second-degree burns to his scalp. Following this harrowing incident, Jackson underwent medical treatment to conceal the scars and subsequently underwent his third rhinoplasty. Shortly after, the Jacksons released the album Victory. The tour supporting the album would be the final tour Michael would perform with his siblings. During the final concert of the tour at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Jackson announced he was leaving the Jacksons.

 

In 1985 Jackson co-wrote the charity single “We Are The World” with Lionel Richie. It earned $63 million USD for the poor and became one of the best selling singles of all time and went on to win four Grammys.

 

Michael Jackson regrouped in 1987 to work on the follow up to Thriller. Collaborating once more with Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson embarked on a journey to refine the winning formula of his previous masterpiece. The album’s initial single, “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” featured then-unknown vocalist Siedah Garrett. Bad produced a string of chart-topping hits including “Bad,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” “Man in the Mirror,” and “Dirty Diana,” all of which ascended to the coveted number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1987 and 1988. “Another Part of Me” narrowly missed breaking into the Top Ten Singles chart, while “Smooth Criminal” achieved number seven. While Bad may not have achieved the same level of chart dominance internationally as Thriller, its singles consistently secured spots in the Top Ten across various countries, bolstered by a monumental global tour, which shattered records worldwide. It was amidst the triumphs of the Bad World Tour that Jackson boldly adopted the moniker “The King of Pop,” a reference to Elvis Presley’s designation as “The King of Rock & Roll.” Following the conclusion of the tour, Jackson retreated to his newly acquired estate, a Santa Ynez ranch purchased in March 1988. He christened the ranch, Neverland, an homage to his enduring fascination with the character Peter Pan.

 

In 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony, the corporate entity had acquired Epic/CBS. He then set about recording his next solo record. Departing from his long-time collaboration with Quincy Jones, Jackson opted to work with a diverse array of artists, notably Teddy Riley. The album’s lead single, “Black or White,” sparked controversy upon its release, generating substantial press coverage and sales figures that propelled it to the number one spot. Follow-up tracks such as “Remember the Time” and “In the Closet” also found success, earning placements within the Billboard Top Ten in early 1992. Subsequent singles, including “Jam” and “Heal the World,” faltered, struggling to breach the top 20, while “Who Is It” peaked at 14. This period marked the waning of Jackson’s unparalleled success, coinciding with a tumultuous phase in his personal life. In 1993, Jackson faced allegations of molestation from a 13-year-old boy, igniting a protracted legal battle that unfolded in the public eye and within the justice system, ultimately culminating in an out-of-court settlement with undisclosed terms in 1995, with no formal charges ever filed against him. Amidst the legal turmoil, Jackson entered a brief, turbulent marriage with Lisa Marie Presley in May 1994, which lasted a mere 19 months before its dissolution.

 

In 1995, Michael Jackson embarked on a pivotal phase of his career with the release of HIStory: Past, Present & Future, Book 1, a ground-breaking double-disc compilation comprising both a collection of his greatest hits and a wealth of new material. This ambitious project was heralded by a double-A-sided single featuring the poignant ballad “Childhood” and the electrifying duet “Scream” with his sister Janet. Despite not matching the commercial heights of his earlier albums, HIStory still yielded notable successes, notably with “You Are Not Alone”.

 

In the ensuing years, Jackson focused on his familial responsibilities while actively participating in charitable endeavours, all while laying the groundwork for a highly anticipated comeback slated for 2001. This year proved monumental for Jackson as he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist. To reignite excitement for his forthcoming album, Invincible, Jackson orchestrated two monumental 30th-anniversary concerts in September 2001, serving as a prelude to the album’s October launch. Helmed predominantly by producer Rodney Jerkins, Invincible consciously echoed the spirit of Jackson’s earlier masterpiece, Off the Wall.

 

In 2009, Jackson unveiled plans for a grand resurgence with a highly anticipated tour titled “This Is It”, set to feature an extensive run of performances at London’s prestigious O2 Arena. However, tragedy struck as Jackson’s preparations for the tour were underway. On June 25, 2009, he collapsed at his residence in Los Angeles. Rushed to the UCLA Medical Center, Jackson was pronounced dead at the age of 50 due to cardiac arrest. Subsequent investigations revealed that his death was attributable to prescription drug abuse, leading to the conviction of Dr. Conrad Murray for involuntary manslaughter.

 

 

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