Janet Jackson Postpones Concert Dates Due to Illness

Two upcoming dates on Janet Jackson's Rock Witchu Tour have been postponed due to illness. Janet's stops in Boston (October 1st) and Philadelphia (October 2nd) will be rescheduled. The Rock Witchu Tour will resume in Greensboro, NC on Saturday October 4, 2008.

Janet was treated in Montreal where she was scheduled to perform on Monday September 29th, and is recuperating.

Information regarding the rescheduled dates will be made available as soon as possible.

Publicist says Janet Jackson is hospitalized

NEW YORK (AP) - A representative for Janet Jackson says the singer has been hospitalized after falling ill shortly before a concert.

According to statement released by W&W Public Relations, the singer canceled her concert in Montreal on Monday after she "got suddenly ill" during her sound check and had to be rushed to the hospital just before show time.

The statement says Jackson is being monitored at the hospital and hopes to reschedule the show. No further information was given about Jackson's condition.

A phone call placed to W&W after hours went unanswered, and a representative did not immediately return an e-mail seeking more information.

Jackson, 42, is on a North American tour.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Janet Jackson postpones Palace concert
Adam Graham / Detroit News Pop Music Writer

This time it wasn't a wardrobe malfunction that saddled Janet Jackson, but rather a tour malfunction.

Janet Jackson's Saturday concert at The Palace of Auburn Hills has been postponed due to "production constraints," said tour publicist Kitara Garner on Friday.

Jackson tour officials are looking to reschedule the local tour stop in late October, following the tour's current end-date in Tulsa, Okla., on Oct. 26. An Oct. 28 date is reportedly being eyed, and an official make-up date is expected to be confirmed by the end of the day Friday.

Jackson's "Rock Witchu" tour, her first outing in seven years, kicked off earlier this month to generally favorable reviews. The tour comes on the heels of February's "Discipline" album, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's albums chart but quickly slid off the pop music radar.

Earlier this week, Jackson split from her record label Def Jam after the two parties conflicted over the promotion of the under-performing "Discipline," which has sold only 415,000 copies according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"At her request, the record label has agreed to dissolve their working relationship," the singer's rep said in a statement to PEOPLE. "Now more than 20 years after the release of her iconic album, Control, Janet will have autonomy over her career, without the restrictions of a label system."

A rep for Island Records had no comment.

"Always known to break new ground and set trends, Janet's departure from Island makes her one of the first superstar artists to have the individual freedom to promote their work through a variety of avenues such as iTunes, mobile carriers and other diverse and innovative channels."

Moving forward, Jackson would seem to be a natural fit at Live Nation Artists, which is already home to Jay-Z, Nickelback and Shakira. A Live Nation spokesperson was unavailable for comment on the subject.

Janet Jackson's Rock Witchu Tour Sells Out in Los Angeles and Las Vegas
LL Cool J receives roaring welcome on his first date of the tour

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Music icon Janet Jackson kicked off her highly anticipated Rock Witchu tour to rave reviews, major media coverage and fan adulation during opening week of the smash tour, selling out Staples Center in Los Angeles and Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas last week. Adding to the excitement in Los Angeles was the addition of hip-hop superstar LL Cool J, who joined the tour at the Staples Center on September 17th and will continue on the Live Nation produced tour from Chicago on September 25th through the final date at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on October 22nd.

"Janet Jackson still a trend-setter, diva, and marvelous performer -- When she decides it's time for a tour, Ms. Jackson makes sure it's done right. And when she promises fans the show is going to be packed with hits, costumes and dancers, she doesn't disappoint."

Vancouver Sun

"Some two hours and 35 songs later, Jackson had played all 10 of her No. 1 hits, as well as her other blockbusters ... That's how a true pro gets back to business after a seven-year absence from the road."

Contra Costa Times

"Any show following Janet Jackson into GM Place will find it difficult to match her."

Vancouver Province

"Offering up a lengthy and engrossing song-and-dance spectacle that delivers on every level..."

Variety

"Nine seamlessly executed costume changes are only the beginning. This show is all about dominance, and Jackson held the whip."

Los Angeles Times

Rock Witchu kicked off on September 10th in Vancouver, BC with unparalleled dance routines and stage production featuring more than two hours of music including fan favorites and smash hits "Control," "Rhythm Nation," "Pleasure Principal," "All For You," "Young Love," "Let's Wait A While," "What Have You Done For Me Lately," "Escapade," and more along with new singles "Feedback" and "Luv," spanning three decades of music that have made Janet Jackson one of the most celebrated performers in history.

LL Cool J joins the tour on the heels of 13th album release, Exit 13. More than a hip-hop artist, more than an actor, the author, television producer, two-time Grammy Award winner LL Cool J is an American icon who kicked opened his own doors to music, Hollywood, television, publishing, and along the way created opportunities for countless others. His 20 million album sales worldwide are just the tip of the iceberg for this international megastar, recipient of countless industry awards.

When onedotzero calls and asks you if you want to make some video to play back during a concert performance, and that performance will be done by one of the biggest pop stars of all time, and you get to pretty much do what you want...how the hell do you turn that down?

You don't. This was one of those projects that just showed up out of the blue and we had to take it.

The timeline was short (nearly 2 weeks). The technical constraints were different than we were used to (a grid of 56 different LED screens making a 30 foot wide and 16 foot tall wall of video), and we would be working blind for a portion coming up with whatever we wanted...which is weird coming from a client regardless of who they are.

After a last minute (meaning we found out the day before) trip to LA to shoot Janet Jackson on greenscreen, we huddled up for a couple days coming up with our plan and began rounding up assets. Once we received the footage from the shoot, we went into a production hole that we would only be able to emerge from once we were done. Many, many late nights later we had a solid round of content to present to Janet for approval.

Here's where some project explanation needs to happen. The whole show, which you should try to see if it comes near you, is based on a futuristic blade runner-like scenario, and there are forces battling for Janet's very soul. Our job was to turn Janet into good and evil versions of herself showing the struggle, but also be very techno-apocalyptic in style for both the good and evil characters...which according to Janet we nailed.

Some hefty sound design support was provided by the superstar Guy Baker over at Digital One.

Janet Jackson set for tour kickoff
Wardrobe malfunctioning pop star gets ready to launch her Rock Witchu Tour in Vancouver before taking it across the globe

Chantal Eustace
Vancouver Sun

Monday, September 08, 2008

Pop star Janet Jackson doesn't recall much about Vancouver other than a trip to a local dentist and plenty of early morning coffee runs.

Still, Ms. Jackson (if you're a Nasty Boy) will kick off her Rock Witchu Tour here Wednesday at GM Place.

"We love Canada and it was just a good place to start," Jackson said of her Vancouver choice, speaking in her familiar soft pitch. "We just decided to do it again, kind of kick it off on the West Coast."

Michael's younger sister admitted, despite spending about two and a half weeks here in 2001 rehearsing, she didn't get to know the city much.

"Every morning, that was our treat, we'd all go to Starbucks," she said, during a conference call with reporters.

"And I went to the dentist. I needed a teeth cleaning . . . We had no time, really, for anything else."

The 40-something hasn't toured since then.

Being on the tour is harder than people think, she said.

"I don't think people realize how much goes into it and how much it can really take out of you," she said. "You really have to have a passion for it."

Has her style changed since her last tour, seven years ago?

"I don't think my approach really has changed at all. It's just about hard work," the singer said.

"I've always been a hard worker. That's how I was raised. Everyone in my family's like that. I don't think I'll ever be any different."

Jackson, who has sold more than 100 million albums in her career, said this will be the hardest show she's ever done.

"It's just nothing but hits from front to back," she said, including songs from her latest album, Discipline. "It's a completely different show. It's very much upbeat. It's a dance show."

Fans can expect to see Jackson, known for her sculpted midriff, perform in about nine different costumes throughout the two-hour performance.

This won't be easy, she said.

Jackson, who is responsible for the phrase "wardrobe malfunction" -- Justin Timberland famously ripped her top during 2004's Superbowl halftime show exposing her right breast -- said the Rock Witchu Tour requires a lot of fast costume changes.

"I'm doing a couple of things that I've never done before. Normally with a tour, you normally underdress. So it makes your quick changes very quick," said Jackson, describing the practice of layering costumes.

"Well, we're not doing that. We have nothing on underneath. It's full dress from head to toe -- shoes, pants, everything."

Jackson said she is intrigued by the future and hinted that this influenced her costumes and the overall look of the show.

As for kicking back while on tour, the singer, dancer and actress said, she is happiest on her bus watching television or movies, reading books or scripts, and visiting with the dancers.

"I know a lot of people like to take private planes so they can get to the next city fast so they can just relax but the bus relaxes me," Jackson said.

"I love the bus rides."

Before presenting her brothers with the award, Janet said her family was her greatest commodity and that she was proud to salute her siblings for their accomplishments in the music industry.

Following the acceptance of the icon award, the Jackson brothers posed on stage for photos with father Joseph, mother Katherine and sisters Janet, LaToya and Rebbie. The Jacksons did not perform.

Janet Jackson to kick off world tour
Gay icon promises all the hits, lots of dance
By KEVIN NAFF, Washington Blade | Sep 4, 3:50 PM

Janet Jackson will kick off her long-awaited "Rock Witchu Tour" Sept. 10 in Vancouver, her first tour in more than seven years. Jackson talked to the Blade today about what fans can expect.

"This show is for the fans," she said, adding that she will perform about 30 tracks during the two-hour show. "It's a nice mix from 'Discipline' and all the other albums."

She noted that the show is focused on dance tracks and that she hopes to give concertgoers an escape from their problems, citing the current state of the economy.

"It's a big show," she said, "a completely different show. It's very much upbeat. The kids say it shouldn't be called the 'Rock Witchu Tour,' it should be called the 'History of Janet Tour.'"

As for the vibe and style of the set, Jackson said she's intrigued by the future so the set design will incorporate futuristic elements. Her costumes will be more elaborate than in the past.

So far, 24 North American dates have been announced, but Jackson said that more U.S. dates will be announced soon and that she's in talks to take the tour all over the world, including possibly Europe, Asia, Australia, Russia and the Middle East.

The show will be recorded, she said, possibly for a television broadcast, then later packaged with older tours and material for sale. Specifically, she mentioned that her 1990 "Rhythm Nation Tour" was recorded in High Definition, but never released to the public.

"When I did 'Rhythm Nation' in Japan, I recorded the show in HD back then and they were trying to explain to me what HD was - that was 1990," she said. "I'm assuming I was the first person to do this in concert. It trips me out to see HD catch on so many years later. We're trying to put a nice package together for the fans."

Jackson urged fans not to believe online rumors about her set list. One purported list leaked by blogger Perez Hilton was a very early version and "not the final list," she said.

LL Cool J will open the show in select cities and Jackson praised him as an "icon in his own right."

"He's legendary when it comes to what he does," she said. "He has a great body of work and I love his new single; he's an entertainer. I wanted someone else who could really entertain the people and he's a sweet guy."

Her last album "Discipline" opened at No. 1 and generated two singles, "Feedback" and "Rock With You," but a reported dispute with record label Island Def Jam brought a halt to promotions for the project. Jackson said she wasn't sure if she would work with IDJ again, but confirmed there will be no further singles released from the album. But that doesn't mean there won't be a new Janet single in the near future.

"I may just cut something new and throw it out there while I'm on the road," she said.

And which acts does Janet like to see perform live? She cites Prince, The Time and Jill Scott as her favorites, as well as her brothers.

"Jill Scott puts on such a beautiful show and it was very inspirational to me," she said.

The "Rock Witchu Tour" marks a long-stalled return to touring. Jackson said she was in rehearsals for a tour two years ago in Atlanta while filming Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married," but that IDJ asked her to postpone it and record a new album, which she did.

"We were so excited to go out last time," she said. "The kids were so excited, it was sad - we had our crying session."

This time around, however, everything fell into place and Jackson said she's developed a close-knit relationship with the "kids" (her dancers) and the rest of the team responsible for the show.

"I'm very family-oriented so there's that connection that has to be there first," Jackson said. "There's such a wonderful group of people. Every tour I've done the group has gotten better and better. This is the closest group I've ever had."

Label Deal In Doubt, Jackson Hits The Road
Janet Jackson Dissatisfied With New Album Promo

September 04, 2008, 3:50 PM ET
Gary Graff, Detroit

After the disappointing showing of her latest album, "Discipline," Janet Jackson is again raising questions about her relationship with Island Def Jam.

"I can't say if we'll be working with them in the future," Jackson said today (Sept. 4) during a conference call with reporters to promote her upcoming Rock Witchu Tour. "I don't know what the future holds between the two of us."

She did not elaborate on her comment, which echoes remarks she made to SOHH.com in June about the performance of the album.

"Discipline" was Jackson's first for Island Def Jam after leaving Virgin Records; she says she even agreed to scratch a tour for 2006's "20 Y.O." at the label's wishes in order to record it. Executive produced by Jackson and her boyfriend, Island Urban president Jermaine Dupri, the album debuted at No. 1 in March with 181,000 copies sold. It's shiftedNielsen SoundScan, and spent just 14 weeks on The Billboard 200.

Jackson was upbeat about the tour, however, which kicks off Wednesday in Vancouver. She described it as a "two hours of dance" on a stage set that has "a taste of ... the future." The repertoire will span her career and, according to Jackson, was drawn from requests made on her call-in line for fans.

"This show is all for the fans," Jackson told Billboard.com during the call. "They tell me what they'd like to hear, what they'd like to see, what they want. And this is what I'm trying to give them."

Jackson said fans will also get their wish f