I have been a huge Michael Jackson fan for as long as I can remember, so when I heard that his tribute band was coming to the Akron Civic Theater, I quickly made plans to attend. My boyfriend and I made a night out of it and had a blast at the concert.

The concert began with an elaborate opening, the band performing an instrumental compilation of some of Michael’s classic hits. After a few minutes as the crowd began to fill in, Talib Abu, who was dressed in full Michael attire, performed “Jam” as his first number. He pulled out all the stops, imitating all of Jackson’s iconic dance moves. After this song, the crowd erupted into applause. 

The hits didn’t stop all night long. He went into songs like “Rock With You,” “Smooth Criminal” and “Beat It” during the first act. Throughout the show, he interacted with the audience. He asked members what their favorite MJ songs were and complimented their Michael themed costumes. Abu left the stage a few times in order to change costumes, including one similar to Michael’s blue and white outfit from the “Smooth Criminal” music video.

While Abu’s voice wasn’t too similar to Michael’s, he still sang every song beautifully in his own style. His dance moves were identical to Michael’s and the audience was impressed through and through to how similar Abu’s mannerisms were to Jackson’s. But Abu wasn’t the only part of the show, his talented band backed him up, along with two talented backup dancers. The talent of everyone involved in the show was unmatched, and when Abu broke into one of Michael’s most iconic songs, “Thriller,” the whole crowd was on their feet. The crowd was so energetic that the band did one more song as an encore, “Man in the Mirror.” 

The energy in the crowd was still high, and the excitement was even greater when the band and Abu announced that they would be meeting fans after the show. I immediately got in line and got the chance to meet Abu and the band! They were all extremely kind and were interested in the fact that I had performed on the Civic stage as well. 

Overall, the experience was pleasant and energetic. It’s amazing to see Michael’s impact and the crowds his music and likelihood still draw today. The talent was so impressive and strong, and I would recommend seeing them if you ever get the chance!

Ava Branz is an opinion writer. Contact her at [email protected].