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Madonna performs during her Sticky and Sweet tour at the O2 Arena in London (July 04 2009)

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Thanks to JPASC24

Madonna paid tribute to Michael Jackson on Saturday night in the same arena where he was to stage his comeback, dancing along with an impersonator doing Jackson’s distinctive moves.

Jackson, who died last week, was to begin a series of 50 concerts at the 23,000-seat O2 starting July 13.

A picture of a young Michael Jackson appeared on stage while Madonna was performing “Holiday,” then the impersonator came on, wearing a sequined jacket, white T-shirt, white glove and white socks in the Jackson manner.

The music then switched to Jackson’s song, “Wanna Be Starting Something,” and the impersonator worked through Jackson’s moves, including the famous moonwalk. The impersonator didn’t sing.

After the number, Madonna told the crowd, “Let’s give it up for one of the greatest artists the world has ever known,” and the crowd roared its approval.

The impersonator’s appearance would not have surprised anyone paying close attention to Madonna’s Web site, which had a picture of him dancing in rehearsal.

An estimated crowd of 17,000, including the fashion designer Valentino, turned out for Madonna’s concert, the first of two this weekend in London on her “Sticky & Sweet” tour.

In the last dance, Madonna and her dancers all donned jeweled gloves on their right hands in a simple tribute. Behind the stage some words from Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” were flashed up briefly: “If you want to make the world a better place look inside yourself and make a change.”

Yu Yin, a 29-year-old student from Beijing, rated the Jackson tribute as the high point of the concert “because she chose a picture of a young Michael which shows me she has an understanding of his lack of childhood life.”

“I expected a bit more, but it was tastefully done,” said Jane Gadhia, 47, who said she thought Madonna would choose to sing a Jackson song.

In an interview with The Sun newspaper, Madonna had said she was “terribly sad” about Jackson’s death.

“To be able to do what he did at such an early age was unearthly, everybody grew up in awe of him,” The Sun quoted her as saying.

“To work with him and become friends, and hang out with him, was exciting for me. I used to love picking his brains about musical stuff.”

source: ap

Madonna performs during her Sticky and Sweet tour at the O2 Arena in London (July 04 2009)

Madonna with kids at the Kabbalah Centre in London (July 04 2009)

Candy Shop
Beat Goes On
Human Nature
Vogue
Into The Groove
Holiday
Dress You Up
She’s Not Me
Music
Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You
Spanish Lesson
Miles Away
La Isla Bonita
Doli Doli
You Must Love Me
4 Minutes
Like A Prayer
Frozen
Ray Of Light
Give It 2 Me

Madonna credits her “normal childhood” for not falling victim to superstardom like Michael Jackson – insisting having such a credible career so young was “unearthly”.
The Material Girl superstar told the world of her grief after hearing of the Thriller hitmaker’s death last week, confessing to fans she couldn’t stop crying in the hours following his passing.
The tragic demise of her most famous contemporary came as an extra shock as she was putting plans in motion to make a special appearance at Jackson’s London comeback gigs.
But the star will never have the chance to perform with Jackson – admitting it is a devastating blow as she has always looked up to him.
She tells Britain’s The Sun newspaper, “I am so terribly sad about Michael Jackson’s death. I don’t know what artist wasn’t inspired by him.”
“To be able to do what he did at such an early age was unearthly, everybody grew up in awe of him.”
Madonna looks back on her short-lived friendship with Jackson in the early 90s with fondness – insisting she loved to “pick his brains” about his musical talents.
She explains, “To work with him and become friends and hang out with him, was exciting for me. I used to love picking his brains about musical stuff.”
And Madonna recognises she became a completely different person to Jackson despite similarities in their phenomenal success – blaming his tireless entertaining schedule when he was just a child.
She adds, “Obviously we have very different personalities – he was a lot more shy than I am. That’s because I was allowed to have a normal childhood and he wasn’t, so there was a vulnerable side to him that made you want to take care of him and protect him.”
However, Madonna insists she will always remember both sides of Jackson – admitting the star completely changed when he stepped off stage.
She says, “He was a real paradox, one of the world’s greatest performers and obviously very confident on stage, but in real life he was shy and you really felt for him. ”
Madonna will pay tribute to Jackson with by involving a Jackson lookalike in her Sticky & Sweet tour when it returns to London’s O2 Arena on Saturday.

source: pr-inside

Madonna performs a Final Dress Rehearsal for Sticky and Sweet tour in London O2 Arena (July 03 2009)

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