Michael Legend, a Tribute to Michael Jackson at Teatre Apolo, Barcelona Review

After the success of the movie Michael, Catalonia seems to be experiencing a Michael Jackson renaissance. This time, we went to see Michael Legend, a tribute to the King of Pop produced by Mundo Tributo Producciones. The show opened in 2009 and has been seen by more than one and a half million spectators.

Ben Jackson portrays MJ in the show, with a unique likeness not only in appearance, but in mannerisms and movements. He performs complex dance moves that emulate those of the King of Pop flawlessly. Voice-wise, he also resembled MJ, although he did have some issues with pitch, completely understandable given the demanding nature of the dance moves.

This tribute was staged essentially like a concert, with videos, dance performances and some Jackson 5 medleys in between. Adding to the immersion, Ben Jackson engaged with the audience several times to the delight of everyone.

Onstage, there was an incredibly talented band, as well as four dancers. I would have liked there to be more dancers on stage as, firstly, they weren’t used enough for my liking, and secondly, having only four felt a bit sparse at times. Two backup singers complete the lineup and perform some solo songs as well.

I found it really cool that the company made some original renders and recreated some of the music videos, such as “Smooth Criminal”, with Ben Jackson in the title role. However, I found that they looked pixelated and had a strange green tint: perhaps it was an issue with the screen, as they all looked the same. The videos worked really well, especially when accompanying some of the choreography.

As for the costumes, Michael’s jackets especially looked really good, but I would have liked some of his most iconic and extravagant costumes to be featured as well.

The show features MJ’s most iconic songs, which are always a treat to listen to, as well as his most famous choreography; the legendary “Smooth Criminal” anti-gravity tilt was especially impressive!

Overall, Michael Legend is a great time, and a good tribute that captures the energy of Michael Jackson’s performances, even if I would have liked to see just a tad more polish in some areas. 

Michael Legend has now ended its Barcelona tour at Teatre Apolo, but it’s stopping in Ávila on August 25, and will surely be back for yet another successful season very soon.

★★★