death of a pop legend
More than 28,000 fans packed into the municipal stadium for the Costa del Sol's date on the 'Bad World Tour'. Were you there? Leave your comments below
26.06.09 - 14:22 -
Jackson on stage in Marbella in 1988.
Michael Jackson’s first concert in Spain was more than 20 years ago in Marbella. The singer performed to more than 28,000 fans in the town’s municipal stadium in August 1988 as part of his ‘Bad World Tour’.
Jackson arrived at the Los Monteros Hotel in the early hours of August 3rd 1988, surrounded by bodyguards. He had asked for a dance floor to be set up in his suite and for the plants to be plastic so as not to deprive him of oxygen. He moved with an entourage of around 150 people (chefs, tailors, hairdressers...) as well as a complete medical team.
The changing rooms at the municipal stadium had been converted into a luxury dressing room.
Queues had formed all around the stadium since midday although the singer did not appear on stage until 10 p.m. The stage took the form of a black box with enormous sound speakers and two video screens. Even back then the singer used a crane to “fly” over the crowd during the song ‘Beat it’.
Reports of the event speak of a grand concert, spoiled a little by some initial sound problems although these were a triviality alongside the image of Jackson himself, his dance steps and his magic that filled the arena. On that summer night in Marbella Michael Jackson sang ‘Thriller’, ‘Billie Jean’, ‘Bad’ and many other hits to a crowd that included much of the Costa del Sol ‘jet set’.
