Reeve Carney performing at The Green Room 42. Photo Credit: Markos Papadatos
On Sunday, July 21, 2024, Broadway actor and musician Reeve Carney performed his Michael Jackson tribute show at The Green Room 42.
Dressed in his Michael Jackson attire and hat, Carney kicked off his set with “Billie Jean,” and it was followed by “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” from his Off the Wall album, which was Jackson’s first No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot R&B/Soul charts.
Carney revealed that this was his first time doing Michael Jackson songs, and that he wanted to do a show of this nature for quite a while now.
He continued with the mid-tempo and refreshing “The Way You Make Me Feel,” and after a sip of water, Carney took us on a trip down memory lane to 1970 in his Jackson 5 days with “ABC.”
Reeve Carney performing at The Green Room 42. Photo Credit: Markos Papadatos
Equally fun with “Beat It,” when everybody sang along with him, while “I’ll Be There” was soothing and beautiful.
It was followed by “They Don’t Care About Us” and “Childhood,” which was the theme from Free Willy 2.
Carney shared the story of how he got to meet Michael Jackson and being a part of the recording process of this song with the New York City’s Children’s Choir.
“Thank you guys,” Carney said, following the warm reception, and immediately broke into “Earth Song.”
Carney praised the fans for being an “amazing audience” and he subsequently thanked them for being here.
He concluded his show with Jackson’s signature song “Thriller,” which featured a surprise towards the end… Veteran Broadway star Patrick Page joined him on this classic tune (where Page narrated Vincent Price’s part), and it was sheer bliss.
“Reeve Carney brought the ‘King of Pop’ back to life with his Michael Jackson show,” said Chrissy Antosca, fan and attendee.
Reeve Carney performing at The Green Room 42. Photo Credit: Markos Papadatos
The Verdict
Overall, Reeve Carney’s Michael Jackson show was entertaining, vivacious, and a great deal of fun.
Carney was able to showcase a great deal of respect to Jackson’s artistry, and any artist that he covers. He proves that he is one of the most underrated artists out there. His Michael Jackson set garnered two thumbs up.
For more information on Reeve Carney, follow him on Instagram.
Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal’s Editor-at-Large for Music News.
Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 21,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time “Best of Long Island” winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the “Best Long Island Personality” in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.