Remember when a major artist like John Lennon could die and the next day a living artist of large standing, like The Boss or Neil Young, could quickly learn a Lennon song and perform it live, in tribute to the recently deceased artist? Beyonce does.

Even U2 made an effort at paying tribute to Michael Jackson in a recent concert. Skip to about the 1:50 mark to hear Bono launch into a little bit of Townsman BigSteve‘s nomination for the Last Decent Michael Jackson Song.

Maddona, who probably hasn’t sung in public since lord knows when, couldn’t quite muster the energy to belt out a chorus of “Wanna Be Starting Something,” but she brought out a Michael Jackson impersonator to come onstage and dance to the song while it was piped over the PA.

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.

Man, that’s fucking moving!

The funny thing is, prior to the concert, she had the balls to pump up this thing.

“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.

Following the jump, Mr. Mod ponders an Important Question…
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There’s no way I’ll have fun with this death. This guy got all the slings and arrows coming to him, deserved or not, during his life. Those half dozen great Jackson 5 songs, topped off by this historic robot dance, which debuted on the above performance of “Dancing Machine,” are more than any of us will ever do in our lifetimes let alone before we reached adulthood. That Off the Wall album had some songs I liked, then came Thriller. Most of that stuff bored me, but I was in quite the minority. All sorts of nonsense and horrible accusations followed, but I kind of liked that “Black or White” single. It seemed to me the last time he ever dared letting it all hang out.

I’m sure more dirt than ever will be uncovered. Meanwhile I’ll contemplate my Farrah poster and replay this robot dance sequence.

This was a sad bit of news you may have heard about already: former Wilco multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett was found dead in his sleep in Champaign, IL. Summerteeth is still the one Wilco album I like playing, and I know he had a large hand in that one. I know he was kicked out of the band during the making of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, a story that was (I believe) central to that documentary that came out on the band around the time of YHF‘s release, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart. I was not a big fan of that album, and I have still not seen the movie. I do own a Bennett/Edward Burch album, The Palace at 4 am, which I like best among all Wilco-related albums I own next to Summerteeth, so I’m guessing I was a Jay Bennett fan more than anything. I’ll have to check out the rest of his solo catalog. Too bad I didn’t appreciate more of his stuff in his lifetime.

NEXT: Rock Town Hall’s Official Eulogy…
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