Marlon, Tito and Jackie Jackson will return to their hometown of Gary, Indiana on Friday, February 18 for the kick-off of their 2022 international tour at Hard Rock Live, Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana’s new state-of-the art performance venue. Doors open at 7 p.m. for the 8 p.m. concert. The Jacksons took part in the Grand Opening of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana’s $300 million entertainment complex on May 14, 2021, but have not performed in their hometown in several decades.
The Jacksons will take fans back to the days when they sang and danced to favorites such as ABC, I’ll Be There, Can You Feel It, and Blame It On the Boogie to give the audience an evening to remember.
“I’m looking forward to welcoming the Jacksons to the Hard Rock Live stage on their return trip home,” said Matt Schuffert, President of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana. “The Jacksons are beloved by the residents of Gary and remain an important part of the city’s cultural history.”
The Jacksons, who were originally known as the Jackson 5, recently celebrated 50 years as one of the most successful groups in music history. The group found international success at Motown in 1969 where their first single “I Want You Back” reached No. #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Jackson 5 made music history when 4 debut singles all reached No.#1 and sold in excess of 200 million records. In 1976, the group left Motown for Epic Records and changed their name to The Jacksons. When the Jackson brothers reunited for The Victory Tour in 1984, it became the highest grossing concert series on stage in the United States. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1977 and in 1980 the group was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The Royal Family of Music – the Jacksons – are featured prominently through the property beginning with an impressive 37-foot-tall guitar marquee at the entrance modeled after Joseph Jackson’s famous guitar that changed the world and was the start of the Jackson 5. Upon entering the casino, guests are greeted by a stunning guitar chandelier modeled after the same guitar. The memorabilia chosen is very Jackson and Gary, Indiana centric. Over 30 pieces of Jackson memorabilia include Joe Jackson’s famous guitar that changed the world and started the Jackson 5; outfits worn on stage by the Jacksons; Michael’s famous sparkly glove; and THE red leather jacket from the Beat It video.
Inside the Hard Rock Live lobby is the Jackson Tribute Exhibit where each family member is represented with their own artifacts and stories about their time growing up in their childhood home at 2300 Jackson Street in Gary.
Fans visiting the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana may also want to visit the casino’s Hard Rock Café to order the popular chicken sandwich that was created just for this location by Marlon, Tito, Jackie and Jermaine Jackson. “The Triumph” sandwich is a chicken breast in a honey brushed homemade crispy batter with red onion, pickles, lettuce and a spicy aioli sauce served on a toasted bun.
The new Hard Rock Live performance venue is outfitted with state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems. The sound equipment features an L-Acoustics K2 line array system with KS28 subwoofers and KIVA-II front fill. Hard Rock Live has excellent sightlines and comfortable seating for up to 1,954 guests.
Ticket prices are $65 and up for reserved seating. Ages 21 and up. Contact Ticketmaster at https://www.ticketmaster.com/the-macksons-tickets/artist/1702061
Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana is located at 5400 West 29th Ave. in Gary, IN, directly adjacent to the I-80/94 Burr Street Interchange.+
