By Don Chareunsy
Superstar singer Janet Jackson, a five-time Grammy Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, premiered her residency “Janet Jackson: Las Vegas” on Dec. 30 at Resorts World Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas, and Vegas Prime Magazine attended the concert five nights later as the first concert of 2025.
Jackson, who sounded fantastic – as did her band – and looked fantastic – as did her all-male dancers – in her black vinyl and plaid era, was very well-received by fans, receiving thunderous applause and long standing ovations throughout the two-hour evening (her New Year’s Eve concert was reportedly 30 minutes longer). Her setlist is an astonishing 40+ songs.
The first handful of songs were obscure, but they were dance-heavy and got the audience going. Then it was a high-energy, electric show, with fans singing along to hit after hit, including “Rhythm Nation,” “Nasty,” “What Have You Done for Me Lately,” “Control,” “All For You,” “Black Cat,” “That’s the Way Love Goes,” “Love Will Never Do With You” and “Together Again.” It was a hit parade!
Three words to describe “Janet Jackson: Las Vegas” at Resorts World: pro-duc-tion. There was multilevel staging, multiple LED screams, costumes, choreography and pyrotechnics. Miss Jackson returns for six shows Feb. 5, 7-8, 12 and 14-15 (yes, Valentine’s Day), and it’s a concert that is absolutely worth a second visit. (She also performed Jan. 3 and 4 to start the New Year.)
Jackson made special note of her first No. 1 hit “When I Think of You.” Celebrity guests in attendance at Jackson’s opening night Dec. 30 included actor-director Tyler Perry and actress Tasha Smith. It wouldn’t be surprising if Jackson adds more dates to her Resorts World residency.
Bonus: All the die-hard fans dressed to impress for Jackson and living for her many hits. For tickets and more information on Jackson’s upcoming performances, go to RWLasVegas.com + AXS.com.
