Cover band hails King of Pop in Station Square

‘ ‘ ‘ Michael Jackson has secured his place in music history as a pop phenomenon, but he’s… ‘ ‘ ‘ Michael Jackson has secured his place in music history as a pop phenomenon, but he’s fallen out of the limelight in recent years. ‘ ‘ ‘ On Thursday night, Pittsburgh saw a resuscitation of the 1982 MJ, courtesy of the Michael Jackson cover band, Who’s Bad. ‘ ‘ ‘ Straight out of Chapel Hill, N.C., Who’s Bad channeled the King of Pop in its incredible cover of Michael Jackson. It took the stage at the Hard Rock Cafe in Station Square. Joseph Bell, the lead vocalist, looked like Jackson. His hair is curly, and with a little makeup, you forget that Michael ever left the stage.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Complete with two fans puffing up his white dress shirt, Bell moonwalked across the stage, gyrated his pelvis and worked it with Vamsi Tadepalli and Ray McCall on saxophone and trumpet. Thankfully, he left crotch-grabbing to the original. ‘ ‘ ‘ Who’s Bad moved through both time and a costume closet, changing from the Jackson 5 Michael, with platform shoes and an Afro, to the infamous glove and hat-wearing ‘Thriller’ Michael. Just like Mike, Bell spun his way to success, busting out moves in four-inch heels that wowed the audience. The band put together a medley of Jackson 5 songs that got the audience pumped up and asking, ‘Do ya’ll remember these?” ‘ ‘ ‘ Although Michael was a one-man show, Who’s Bad is a creative combination of raw musical talent and a disciplined approach to the music.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ This faux prince of pop learned to share the stage with other talented musicians ‘- something the real deal has always had a hard time doing. Bassist Darion Alexander set the stage on fire alongside the quick fingers of guitarist Patrick Cross. He punctuated the songs with extended solos and showcased the talent behind Jackson. ‘ ‘ ‘ Who’s Bad and the audience shared the same enthusiasm for Michael Jackson. Audience members knew every song. The man next to me would often add Jackson’s pause ‘mdash; a breathy snap ‘mdash; at the end of the verse. The audience was on its feet for ‘Billie Jean,’ singing the song sometimes louder than Bell. Crazed fans ran to the front of the stage, dancing and waving their hands.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ As the night wound down, I swear that a full moon shone down on the stage. I could imagine Bell’s hands growing, his nose becoming a snout, transforming into a ‘grizzly ghoul.’ Transformation complete, this cover band made the powerful switch from pretend to real, thrilling the audience. Bell’s red jacket was hijacked from the ’80s, and the pop gods bestowed upon him all the powers necessary to dance,’ sing and entertain. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Thriller,’ ‘Billie Jean’ and ‘Beat It’ are fodder for creative and talented young musicians all over the world. Who’s Bad does Michael justice, bringing not just the music, but also the flair, of the great King of Pop.