Janet Jackson's Tour Down Under Still Plagued with Problems
So far, Janet Jackson's Australian tour has not delivered the artist "Up Close and Personal" as promised.
Aussie fans were left disappointed on Sunday night when Jackson cancelled her concert last minute at the Sydney Opera House.
One hour before her scheduled appearance at the famed venue, it was announced that the concert would not be pushing through due to Jackson's vocal cord problems. The short notice meant most fans had already arrived when the announcement came.
"It is with regret that Dainty Group announces that tonight's Janet Jackson 'Number Ones: Up Close And Personal' concert at the Sydney Opera House cannot proceed," the official statement said. It was released just minutes before the concert was scheduled to begin.
Doctors reportedly ordered Jackson to rest for a few days before completing her Australian tour. The next - and final - stop of the tour is on Tuesday night at the same venue.
Promoters say there are no plans to reschedule the concert, but ticket holders are assured a full refund. Tickets for the non-event had been sold for more than $300.
After the cancellation, Jackson's Facebook page was bombarded with an outpour of disappointment, anger and support.
"I just cried the whole way home last night," one fan wrote in a lengthy post. "We did a 5 hour round trip to go to see her to be told at 8pm, the starting time!" She added, "What hope do we have of seeing her again in an intimate venue like that with the seats we had."
This is not the first time Jackson's Australian tour has been interrupted. Last week, Jackson flew back home to the U.S. for the trial of brother Michael's doctor Conrad Murray.
Murray is accused of involuntary manslaughter for causing the star's death out of negligence. He is currently awaiting the jury's verdict. If determined guilty, Murray could be sentenced up to four years behind bars.
Jackson returned to Australia on Wednesday in time for a concert in Melbourne. Instead of the three concerts planned, promoters squeezed it in one big show that underwhelmed most of the audience. The show, held at the Rod Laver Arena on Thursday, started late and featured the veteran singer for less than an hour.