The Jacksons
Chicago Stadium
Chicago, IL
September 5, 1981
Soundboard Recording

JEMS Transfer: Master Cassette > Nakamichi RX-505 azimuth-adjusted playback > Sound Devices USBPre2 > Audacity 3.1 capture > iZotope RX10 Advanced and Ozone 9 > FLAC

01 Introduction
02 Can You Feel It
03 Things I Do For You
04 Off The Wall
05 Ben
06 This Place Hotel
07 She's Out Of My Life
08 Motown Medley Introduction
09 Motown Medley: I Want You Back > ABC > The Love You Save
10 I'll Be There
11 Rock With You
12 Lovely One
13 Working Day And night
14 Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
15 Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)

Known Faults: Very start of "Rock With You" missing/joined in progress

JEMS is delighted to present another true master cassette transferred soundboard recording of The Jacksons, this time live in Chicago, September 5, 1981.

The show was part of Triumph tour, named for The Jacksons 1980 album of the same name, though it doubled as an Off The Wall concert given Michael didn't tour on his own behind his breakthrough solo masterpiece.

Nonetheless, the Chicago shows features five Off The Wall songs including the singles "Rock With You," "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "She's Out Of My Life," the title track plus "Working Day And Night," all performed in excellent versions with Michael in fine vocal form, stronger than the recently released Memphis '79 soundboard tape.

Triumph itself boasted a legitimately great single in Can You Feel It, though oddly the song did not break through in the US despite being a hit in Europe. For my money, it is the last great Jacksons song and it opens the show here after a pre-recorded video is played which we have omitted. Two other Triumph singles, "Lovely One" and "This Place Hotel," feature along with the group's 1978 gem "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)" which closes a short but stirring set. A requisite trip back to Motown is also successfully taken (we've left out another pre-recorded video with Ed Sullivan footage).

Lesser quality audio of the show has appeared on YouTube. This is the first optimized transfer of the mono master cassette, correcting azimuth, AC hum and other issues. This is arguably the best live Jacksons recording and performance of the era yet to surface. Samples provided.

Massive thanks to Walrus for liberating this tape with a major assist from By-Tor X-1. JEMS greatly appreciates being partners in bringing the rare music they track down to the masses. Professor Goody tuned the pitch for you and mjk5510 handled post production.

BK for JEMS