CityLife

I saw Jackson in Liverpool, but I don't think the Manchester show would have been substantially different.<br /> <br /> I can't believe a Liverpool crowd was better behaved than a Manchester one, but there was no heckling at the Philharmonic and Jackson's between-song banter was laid back and informative. Far from rocking softly, he opened with a storming Boulevard, continued with his cod-reggae Everywhere I Go (wonder what his black backing singers and musicians make of his funky chops?) and played a variety of electric guitars throughout, only occasionally sitting down to the piano or strapping on an acoustic.<br /> <br /> The favourites were (nearly) all here: a beautiful Fountain of Sorrow, For a Dancer, The Pretender and of course These Days. His backing band was the best collection of musicians I have ever seen him play with. Special mention must go to the two "backing" singers whom Jackson generously allowed plenty of the spotlight. The absolute high point was About My Imagination, sung mainly by one of the girls and which closed the first half - it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.<br /> <br /> The introspective, sensitive singer-songwriter image is a myth - Jackson is just a great musician with a wealth of great songs to sing.<br />