Spike Lee's Brooklyn Loves MJ 2014

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Hello hello!
It's been a long time!

Summer has been good to me and Autumn is fast approaching. Can you believe how time flies?

I am back today to share my experience at this year's Brooklyn Loves MJ party, presented by Spike Lee & 40 Acres.
 In previous years, the celebration was held at Prospect Park but, after a few years of cancellations, and a shutdown from Hurricane Irene, Spike Lee and DJ Spinna reunited again on August 24th, 2014 at Restoration Plaza.




The party ran from 12-6 but, I got there around 2pm.  The space was much smaller than the Nethermead meadow at Prospect Park but, the energy was very much the same. I met up with some of my closest friends there. The funny thing about MJFAM, is that we may not speak to each other for months (sometimes even years!) but when we come together for huge events like Brooklyn Loves MJ, it's ALL about love and friendship.

Being around people and all enjoying Michael's music makes it an emotional experience for me.

My favorite part about being at the Spike Lee party, is feeling Michael's energy there. I consider myself to be a spiritual person and I often feel God's presence in my life. I often get those "aha! moments," humbling moments, and a sense of direction on which path I should be taking. But, other than God...  at times, I feel the presence of loved ones that I have lost. 




Although I never met him and have only seen him perform live once, Michael Jackson has had a profound impact on my life. He's been a pillar of strength for me. He's inspired me to never give up chasing dreams and working hard... and just made it cool to be different. His fans are people that I've always felt at home with, because we were all DIFFERENT in unique ways but, all accepted each other at face value. Something I had never really experienced before being a part of this community. 

It's sad to think about the fact that Michael is no longer with us but, when I attend events like Brooklyn Loves MJ, I see the impact that he has had on people and I feel his presence in the air. 

Happy (early) Birthday Michael.
Thanks for bringing so much JOY to the world. 




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hello, summer



I haven't put much time or energy into blogging lately.
It's almost as if when i realized i was not going to LA, I lost the desire to write here.
Totally meant to post my thoughts about Xscape, which is not only an awesome album but,
brought so much life and happiness back to the fan community.

Despite what people think about the MJ estate, posthumous releases and the like, Xscape was like a breath of fresh air. So modern yet SO Michael and true to his style.
Maybe one day soon I can get my act together enough to post a good review of the album! For now, I have to say that I am IN ABSOLUTE LOVE with "Loving You". To me it just encompasses everything fun/free about love and friendship. (CURRENTLY ON REPEAT MODE)

Also, I  FINALLY have a fun trip report coming up that I will be blogging on and
can't wait to share with you guys.

Summer has been going really well for me and we are only two weeks in....

Lots of michaeling WILL be going down this season!

until next time,

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i never dreamed you'd leave in summer


i just knew i would be able to make it through the day as if it were any other day on the calendar.
then, i got in to work and one of my best MJFAM friends that i hadn't heard from in a while, sent me an encouraging message.

the last word of the message was "smile"... and ironically then came the tears.
Michael... i don't know who i would be without a hero like you to look up to.

missing you always.
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Review: Dave Paul's PRINCE Vs. MICHAEL JACKSON party at DROM

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Happy TUESDAY everyone!

Today's a pretty exciting time in the community isn't it? If you have not already heard, a new album composed of songs from the MJ vault, XSCAPE, is being released on 5/13/14. My first thought when I saw the promo was... Uhhhhh we have already heard XSCAPE before! I hope that the rest- if not all, of the album is made of songs that we actually have not heard. I guess we will see... Post your comments below if you have any additional information on this project :)

Now on to the main event...

This weekend I went to the Dave Paul Prince VS. Michael Jackson experience party with about twenty close friends. And yes.... I said twenty. People always ask me , who do you go to these Michael Jackson parties with? When I say I know all of the hardcore Jackson fans there... I am not lying. We all know each other from a past life.

Just joking!

We know each other from Legacy of Love, the fan club I run in NYC with my good friend MJYanaGirl and Thrill the World's NYC chapter. It goes without saying that when we are all there, it's always a fun time but, this weekend at DROM was probably the best Prince VS Michael Jackson event I've ever been to.

the girl was bad. the girl was dangerous. 

I decided to go wearing my new Urban Outfitters t-shirt. I got it in last week and I could not wait to throw it on. I am usually a size 4-6  depending on the brand so, a men's small fit me beautifully. If you're interested, check out Urban Outfitters, they offer free shipping with any purchase $50 or more... Buy one for you and a friend!

Dave and Marco (yes there were two DJs!) played all of the favorites from "I wanna be your lover" and "I want you back" to "Cream" and "Billie Jean". The party started jumping with non stop dance music from the beginning but, around 2am there was the sweet spot! They played DSTYGE and WBSS and all of my friends got on stage and danced their butts off! I even got up there for a few songs but, I really had no clue what I was doing, ha.


mjfangirl & my dancin' friend S

mjfangirl & my groovy friend I

mjfangirl & my lovely friend M


The highlight of the night was a little after 3am for me. To be honest, most other people had left by that point and it was mostly Michael Jackson fans at the venue. Dave Paul ended the party with my favorite Prince song "Adore" and a bunch of MJ music that you rarely ever hear in a party setting. Come on... Where else are you going to hear "I Can't Help It"... "Everybody" by the Jacksons... AND the full version of "I Am Love"???

Dave Paul knows that the Michael Jackson fans love and support his parties and in turn, always does something special for the fans!


photo courtesy of photographer Kurt W/ via FB

billie jean


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Seeing Captain EO at EPCOT!

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I went with a good friend of mine to Florida to attend Brad Sundberg's In The Studio with Michael 
Jackson seminar. I have too many thoughts about that seminar, so I will leave my review on that for a different post. Today, I want to take you guys into my experience seeing Captain EO at EPCOT with Brad Sundberg, Matt Forger, and a group of really enthusiastic fans (and now, new friends!).

If you have never seen Captain EO, I first want to say that, it's more than just some cool short that Michael did in the 1980s. Captain EO was the first of it's kind, the first 4D film, complete with surround sound, 3D effects, and laser lights.




 Here's an excerpt of what's on the Disney World webpage about it:


"Executive producer George Lucas and director Francis Ford Coppola changed the world when they released Captain EO in 1986. A revolutionary filming process using twin 70mm polarizing projectors and “4D” in-theater effects made it the most expensive film per minute ever produced at the time, costing an estimated $30 million and clocking in at 17 minutes.

...Screening in the same Imagination! Pavilion Magic Eye Theater where it aired from 1986 to 1994, Captain EO features show-stopping musical numbers, original songs written by Michael Jackson and dazzling choreography that will take a new generation of Guests on a journey to the stars."


And I've got to mention again...  Michael Jackson as the star :-). Even though (as Matt Forger joked)  it was those three that got the credit, it really was the efforts of many that brought Captain EO to life. So grateful to have been there with Brad and Matt and to hear about how much work and team effort it really took.



At the park we listened to stories (and enjoyed a few rides) together. Of course, we also watched the film as a group a few times. I have been to EPCOT before but, this was my first experience watching the film with other fans. Let me say, if you have never had the chance to see Michael up close and personal on the big screen, going to see Captain EO will be awesome for you. One of my favorite things was being able to see Michael interact with Hooter (fix it Hooter!!) and sing the EO version of "Another Part of Me". One of my favorite songs but, even more upbeat and fun on the ride.

Laughs, behind the scenes of Captain EO


My most memorable moment from the trip to EPCOT was hearing a story about Michael's dedication and work ethic. So there was this scene during which he was to be hoisted in the air and singing "We Are Here To Change the World".  The scene just called for him to lip-sync, but unbeknownst to everyone on set, he was singing with all of his might and LOUD. When the director suddenly called "CUT!", Michael kept singing (as anyone would when performing and haven't realized yet that the music is off). The people on set were taken aback when the music shut off and here Michael was, singing his a** off.  So... Why he was singing 100%, when all he had to do was lip-sync?

Well, to Michael- the way the neck looked when fully emoting, compared to just lip-syncing was something that needed to be captured. Otherwise, he was afraid that the singing wouldn't look authentic.

This was a scene that was eventually cut from the final film but, it was touching to hear about how Michael was such a perfectionist. Talk about going the EXTRA MILE!





Anyway, I hope to get back to Disney and see it at least one more time this year but not so sure if I'll be able to save up the money or have the time to make this happen. If you haven't seen Captain EO at Disney, RUN and don't walk to your nearest park (it's still open in Disneyland and in Tokyo Disney too)!

me in my EO outfit
Don't forget to follow me on  Instagram and say hello on Twitter

Have you ever seen Captain EO? What was your favorite part of the movie?


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Every wonder in this world to me


a treasure time won't steal away.



 ahh, happy hump day !

 My work life has been SO crazy lately but, I have a lot of fun things coming up - including some hardcore Michaeling! One of my good friends is celebrating a milestone birthday so, much partying is in order. And of course, since we are all going to be MJ fans at the party, we are probably doing to be doing a lot of MJ -lovin' activities.

I am also super happy because for the first time everrrrr, my blog was featured and a single post got hundreds of hits in a day. Special thanks to Who's Bad for the feature, it means so much to me that you guys read and enjoyed my review.



Moments like this make me really excited and want to dedicate more of my energy and time into blogging about my experiences both at MJ fan events and as a fan in general. I am open to covering lots more events and subjects in the future so, if you have a suggestion or want me to review something or post about an item in my collection, even write about a part of living life as a Michael Jackson fan... leave a comment below :)


Be sure to follow MJFANGiRL on social for more! 

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Who's Bad the Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band Review (03.07.2014)

Life has been nothing short of crazy lately but, as most Michael fans know, nothing soothes the soul like a good dose of Michaeling. 


the Who's Bad guys

The first time I went to see Who’s Bad was in 2011, at BB Kings here in NYC. That day just happened to be my birthday so, it was a special treat for sure. At the time,  I had just made a ton of great MJ fan friends and seeing this band was just one of many events that we frequented. Recently my life has changed so much in terms of what I do on a day to day basis, so this time I really had to push myself to go. After working almost a 70 hour work week, I found myself sitting at my desk on a Friday night still having paperwork to do. At 7:30 I finally pulled myself together and made my way to Brooklyn to meet up with good friends of mine.

The show was slated to start at 8pm but, Who’s Bad didn’t come on until 2 hours later. The opening act was pretty cool though (Kwame Bones) and performed lots of fun songs like Stevie Wonder’s “Superstitious” and the Rolling Stones “Satisfaction”. When Who’s Bad came to the stage, we were totally amped up and ready to ROCK!

The Who’s Bad show has several points that make the show super enjoyable and something that I will see time and time again. First of all, the band is awesome. It’s one thing to listen to Michael Jackson music in a club setting but, to hear the music played live and to see band members interact, dance, sing background vocals, AND play instruments is pretty much unheard of. The two background dancers were also a great addition especially for songs like "They Don't Care About Us," "Thriller," and the Drill. 

I have to talk about Taalib York, the lead and main tribute artist who performs as Michael.

I have never been a fan of the tribute artist or the “impersonator” in general but, I was so impressed and touched by Taalib’s performance. On stage he seemed to be himself and wasn't on stage trying too hard to be Michael-esque, had on just the right amount of makeup, and didn't try to change his speaking voice (that I could tell) to mimic Michael’s in any way. That being said, Taalib captured the essence of Michael Jackson and totally embodied his spirit and on stage personality- not to mention his interaction with the audience was great. He is also very down-to-earth and came down to take photos and chat with family, friends, and fans. I left Brooklyn Bowl last night with an extreme feeling of gratitude. I believe that when Taalib is on the stage, he is a vessel for Michael’s performing spirit to shine through. For that, I am grateful that he has dedicated a part of his life to doing this show for the past ten years. Not every tribute artist can evoke that type of feeling in a fan (and I’ve seen my fair share of these type of shows).  

Overall, it was an exhilarating time and just what I needed. They perform all of the hits and even some unexpected songs. I would love to hear see them perform some different songs but, that may come in time I suppose. I plan on seeing them again whenever they come to town and recommend the Who’s Bad Ultimate Michael Jackson tribute band show to any and all MJ fans.


(love this place)




(me with Taalib)

You guys, going to see that show last night was like hitting the reset button for me. I just needed it. I needed it and I am so thankful to have the passion and love for Michael in my life that I do. It's something that has kept me sane and helps put so much into perspective for me. What has your experience been with tribute bands? Have you ever seen Who’s Bad before?


Be sure to follow MJFANGiRL on social for more! 





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My Dave Paul's Prince Vs. Michael Jackson Experience Party review

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love my friends


penny loafer love

she says I am the one!

after a crazy fun night

I went to a Dave Paul Prince vs Michael Jackson party a couple of years back for the first time. I had fun but, I also got tired of the 5-6 minutes of time that my friends and I spent just standing around waiting for Michael Jackson songs to come back on. (Sorry Prince fans!) At that point, I'd told myself that I would not be attending any more of these types of parties.

Now 2 weeks back, I was in some serious need of quality time with my MJ family. The big talk amongst the community here was this MJ vs Prince party, so I decided to head out to join everyone else, despite my decision from years back. The event was held at South Street Seaport's newest venue ーan inflatable disco cube!

I will have to apologize to him in person one day for complaining that he played too much Prince that time a few years back... because this time I had a BLAST! I had so much fun. It seemed that he played all of the favorites plus some unreleased tracks from both artists! I feel that the vibe of his parties has changed dramatically since that very first time (for the better) and this event was an equally good experience for Michael Jackson and Prince fans alike. Loved it and can't wait until March 29th when he comes back to NYC!



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