Friday, June 26, 2009
Fans have spontaneously gathered in many places around the world to both mourn and celebrate Michael Jackson who died yesterday.
In New York, a crowd of 200 people gathered, to dance and sing, under the marquee of the Apollo Theater on 125th Street in Harlem, where the Jackson Five famously performed at Amateur Night, which read “In Memory of Michael Jackson, A True Apollo Legend, 1958–2009”.
In Los Angeles, California, hundreds of fans gathered outside of the UCLA Medical Center where Jackson had been taken by paramedics.
At the Hollywood Walk of Fame, fans gathered at the star for radio commentator Michael Jackson. Jackson’s own star, located at 6927 Hollywood Boulevard, was inaccessible because of the premiere of Brüno taking place at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.
Fans at the 2009 Glastonbury Festival exchanged the news via text message. Ironically, false rumours of such celebrity events have been common at the Festival in past years, as attendees have little access to news services. As a consequence many fans have not believed the news, and will not believe it until it is announced from on stage or printed in one of the Festival’s own daily newspapers later today, as Jackson’s death occurred at 22:26 last night local time. Some people, however, have been playing Jackson’s music backstage, and an impromptu tribute to Jackson was held at the Festival’s “Stone Circle”. The Festival officially begins today, and it is expected that several performers will pay tribute to Jackson.
In Toronto, fans gathered outside of the studio of MuchMusic, which adjoins the street, to watch as a special commemorative programme was broadcast live from the studio.