Jackson death overshadows Motown celebration

It was a non-stop party of Motown magic, but the sad loss of Michael Jackson was never far from people's minds. Tributes and dedications from the Motor City artists of the past 50 years were at the heart of Once in a Lifetime Motown celebrations.

While Martha Reeves, Mary Wilson and The Miracles all dedicated songs to the King of Pop last night, The Commodores asked the packed crowd to observe a 30 second silence in Jackson's memory.nextpage

The concert, part of a nationwide tour celebrating half a century of Motown, arrived at Birmingham's NIA less than 24 hours after news broke of the superstar's death.nextpage

Music fans flocked to the city centre venue still shell-shocked by the sudden death of the 50-year-old singing sensation. And the musical greats from the golden era spoke of their own sadness as they paid personal tributes to the megastar.nextpage

Jr. Walker's All Stars kicked off and got everyone in the Motown party mood, before four-piece The Miracles turned back the clock with classics such as Tears of a Clown, I Second That Emotion and Tracks of My Tears. And they dedicated their performance to the memory of the legendary Jackson.nextpage

The crowd lapped up their 60s and 70s hits and marvelled at their dance moves, which have stood the test of time. Motown's ultimate soul diva Martha Reeves shimmered her way on stage in a red-hot number which fitted her opening hit Heatwave. nextpage

Following a brief interval, the Commodores took over the stage delivering tracks such as Nightshift and Brick House. Their much-loved ballads Easy and Three Times a Lady sounded as fresh as yesterday. The music stopped briefly when the band, who supported the Jackson Five on tour back in the 70s, asked the audience to stand still for a 30-second silence. A hush fell across the arena as music fans acknowledged the tribute, with the crowd applauding yet again any mention of the King of Pop.