From the Jackson 5 to solo stardom: Michael Jackson in Cleveland
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Michael Jackson on the 1988 "Bad Tour." Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Michael Jackson wasn't a prolific touring artist and only released a handful of albums during his prime.
Why it matters: Despite that, several landmark moments in his career brought him to Northeast Ohio.
Driving the news: "Michael," the biopic tackling Jackson's rise from a poor kid from Indiana to becoming the biggest pop star of all time, arrives in theaters Thursday.
- The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will host a Michael Jackson Fan Day on Saturday.
Flashback: We're looking back on Jackson's history in and around Cleveland.
1973: The Jackson 5's first world tour stops at Public Auditorium in July, a month before Michael's 15th birthday.
1974: The group plays seven consecutive nights (July 29 through Aug. 4) at Front Row Theater in Highland Heights.
- The Plain Dealer sponsors a contest in which five local teens get to have lunch with the Jackson 5 at a local restaurant.
1984: Michael joins his brothers for the "Victory Tour," which stopped at Cleveland Stadium for back-to-back nights in October.
- Radio station WMMS had to guarantee the Jacksons $2.7 million for the concerts, which drew more than 102,000 over both nights.
1988: Michael Jackson plays two nights in October at Richfield Coliseum on the "Bad Tour," his first trek as a solo artist.
- The shows sold out in a matter of days, with 38,000 fans paying $23.50 per ticket.
1992: The Cleveland Orchestra sues Michael Jackson for $7 million for using its recording of Beethoven's "Symphony No. 9" on his "Dangerous" album without permission.
- The suit was later settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
1997: The annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions come to Cleveland for the first time, with the Jackson 5 among the honorees.
- The entire group, including Michael, attended the ceremony at Renaissance Cleveland Hotel but opted not to perform.
