Jackson ‘together again’ with Houston
Janet Jackson turned trauma into transcendence for her song “Together Again,” a joyous tribute to people who lost their lives to AIDS. It became her eighth No. 1 single and a fan favorite.
Friday night at NRG Arena, Jackson brought that same exuberance to a sold-out World AIDS Day concert. She’s a longtime activist and fierce ally to the LGBTQ+ community. The show was hosted by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and featured appearances by Houston native Debbie Allen, who introduced Jackson and worked with her on the “Fame” TV show; and actor Blair Underwood, who received the AHF’s lifetime achievement award.
“This cause has been a very big part of my life, of my career. I’ve always advocated for AIDS awareness. And to the (LGBTQ+) community, you mean so, so much to me,” Jackson said before starting the show. “Ever since I’ve been a recording artist, this is something I’ve fought for and I will continue to fight for.”
Among the crowd were rapper Willie D of the Geto Boys, U.S. congresswoman and Houston mayoral candidate Sheila Jackson Lee and civil rights attorney Ben Crump. Jackson Lee is facing state Sen. John Whitmire in a runoff election Saturday that will decide who becomes the city’s next mayor.
Jackson kicked off, of course, with “Together Again,” and set a celebratory tone for the show. Jackson told the crowd she released the song 26 years ago to the day.
The 90-minute set was a trimmed version of Jackson’s Together Again tour, which played The Woodlands in June. She was backed by a full band, four dancers and rarely stopped moving.
Jackson is a masterful performer, and one of her strengths has always been a deft balance of superstar charisma and unassuming charm. She commands the stage with sharp choreography and follows it with a sweet smile between songs.
Packed together in a single set, Jackson’s catalog of pop, dance and R&B hits is truly astounding. The slow burn of “That’s the Way Love Goes” was an early standout and inspired one of the loudest singalongs. The “Control” hits — “What Have You Done for Me Lately,” “Nasty,” “When I Think of You” and “The Pleasure Principle” — still pulse with urgency and were accompanied by much of the original ‘80s choreography.
There were surprises, too. Jackson dedicated “Because of Love” to “all my diehards” and even included “The Best Things in Life are Free,” a 1992 duet with the late Luther Vandross. Every song, every dance sequence felt like a celebration.
Jackson’s dedication to AIDS awareness and the LGBTQ+ community extend beyond music. She has advocated for safe sex since the ‘80s and been honored by the Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD and amfAR for her work. Her 1997 album, “The Velvet Rope,” deftly explored gender and sexuality at a time when it was virtually unheard of by mainstream acts.
Jackson sat at the lip of the stage and slowed things down during “Come Back to Me” and “Again.” She’s truly an underrated balladeer and smartly uses her vocal limitations as a tool to add nuance and emotionality.
The songs of “Rhythm Nation 1814,” arguably Jackson’s greatest album, closed the set, along with a run through “Scream,” her fiery duet with late brother Michael Jackson.
“I want us to always stay strong, always give and always move forward to better days,” Jackson told the crowd before ending with “Better Days,” a deep cut from 2001’s “All for You” album.
With Jackson providing the soundtrack, that brighter future seems all but guaranteed.