Life has been nothing short of crazy lately but, as most Michael fans know, nothing soothes the soul like a good dose of Michaeling. 

The first time I went to see Who’s Bad was in 2011, at BB Kings here in NYC. That day just happened to be my birthday so, it was a special treat for sure. At the time,  I had just made a ton of great MJ fan friends and seeing this band was just one of many events that we frequented. Recently my life has changed so much in terms of what I do on a day to day basis, so this time I really had to push myself to go. After working almost a 70 hour work week, I found myself sitting at my desk on a Friday night still having paperwork to do. At 7:30 I finally pulled myself together and made my way to Brooklyn to meet up with good friends of mine.

The show was slated to start at 8pm but, Who’s Bad didn’t come on until 2 hours later. The opening act was pretty cool though (Kwame Bones) and performed lots of fun songs like Stevie Wonder’s “Superstitious” and the Rolling Stones “Satisfaction”. When Who’s Bad came to the stage, we were totally amped up and ready to ROCK!

The Who’s Bad show has several points that make the show super enjoyable and something that I will see time and time again. First of all, the band is awesome. It’s one thing to listen to Michael Jackson music in a club setting but, to hear the music played live and to see band members interact, dance, sing background vocals, AND play instruments is pretty much unheard of. The two background dancers were also a great addition especially for songs like "They Don't Care About Us," "Thriller," and the Drill. 

I have to talk about Taalib York, the lead and main tribute artist who performs as Michael.

I have never been a fan of the tribute artist or the “impersonator” in general but, I was so impressed and touched by Taalib’s performance. On stage he seemed to be himself and wasn't on stage trying too hard to be Michael-esque, had on just the right amount of makeup, and didn't try to change his speaking voice (that I could tell) to mimic Michael’s in any way. That being said, Taalib captured the essence of Michael Jackson and totally embodied his spirit and on stage personality- not to mention his interaction with the audience was great. He is also very down-to-earth and came down to take photos and chat with family, friends, and fans. I left Brooklyn Bowl last night with an extreme feeling of gratitude. I believe that when Taalib is on the stage, he is a vessel for Michael’s performing spirit to shine through. For that, I am grateful that he has dedicated a part of his life to doing this show for the past ten years. Not every tribute artist can evoke that type of feeling in a fan (and I’ve seen my fair share of these type of shows).  

Overall, it was an exhilarating time and just what I needed. They perform all of the hits and even some unexpected songs. I would love to hear see them perform some different songs but, that may come in time I suppose. I plan on seeing them again whenever they come to town and recommend the  Who’s Bad Ultimate Michael Jackson tribute band show to any and all MJ fans.