Fans who never can say goodbye to classic R&B and pop music ready themselves this Saturday, February 21, 2026 evening at bergenPAC in Englewood, NJ for a rare New Jersey performance by The Jacksons.
The family band, originally known as The Jackson 5, was formed in Gary, Indiana in 1964 and consisted of brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael Jackson. After signing with Motown Records, the siblings became the first group in history to debut with four consecutive #1 hits on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart.
Upon signing with Epic Records, the group changed its name to The Jacksons and went on to sell over 150 million records worldwide, making them one of the best selling recording acts of all time. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and three of their songs — “I Want You Back,” “I’ll Be There,” and “ABC” — were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
With the passing of Michael and Tito Jackson and the retirement of Jermaine Jackson, the current iteration of the family group is typically led by founding member Jackie Jackson and his younger brother, Marlon Jackson.
Inside the BergenPAC auditorium, the lights dim and shouts of “I love you” ring out as a high-energy video of The Jacksons plays on screen. Musicians Brandon Brown on bass, Stacey Sydnor on drums, Billy Wesson on keyboards, and Kyle Bolden on guitar take the stage along with singers TJ Wilkins, Joseph Spencer, and original member Marlon Jackson.
Opening tonight’s show with The Jacksons’ 1981 tune, “Can You Feel It?”Marlon Jackson, 68, sings, “If you look around/The whole world’s coming together now, baby/Can you feel it?” as he, TJ Wilkins, and Joseph Spencer sing and dance while deftly supported by the high-octane Jacksons band on this upbeat R&B tune.
Spencer takes over the lead on the group’s 1978 hit, “Blame it on the Boogie,” where bright harmonies ring out and the crowd happily sings and claps along on the song’s appealing “Don’t blame it on the sunshine/Don’t blame it on the moonlight” chorus.
The crowd cheers and Jackson explains to the audience that although his brother, Jackie, “had a fall yesterday and messed up his knee, so he’s not here with us tonight,” that “didn’t stop me — I still want to party!” After paying tribute to Jackie and the other original Jacksons, Marlon and the band step into brother Michael’s 1979 #1 pop hit “Rock with You,” where he, Wilkins, and Spencer dance in sync while the crowd happily sings along on the song’s rhythmic “I want to rock with you (all night)” refrain.
Drums kick off the funky 1976 Jackson 5 hit, “Enjoy Yourself,” where Marlon sings lead as young fans in the audience dressed in sequined jackets dance at the foot of the stage. Bass and guitar dance along with the vocal trio as the performers imitate the five original Jackson brothers who do the same steps on the screen behind them.
Slick choreography characterizes The Jacksons’ rhythmic R&B tune, “Show You the Way to Go,” where Jackson, Wilkins, and Spencer dance under flashing lights before Marlon has the audience sing the song’s “Let me show you/Let me show you the way to go” chorus for him and the arrangement ends in a flourish.
Concertgoers hoot and holler and the band shifts into the 1980 funk tune, “Lovely One,” where Jackson and Wilkins trade off singing lead as lights flash over the crowd.
In a video montage set to a soundtrack of “2300 Jackson Street,” audience members learn more about the early days of The Jacksons from mother Katherine Jackson, father Joe Jackson, and Motown founder Berry Gordy.
Marlon talks about growing up with his brothers in Gary, Indiana, before introducing a medley of chart-topping Jackson 5 hits. After Spencer handles the lead on 1969’s “I Want You Back,” the crowd joins in singing on 1970’s “ABC,” Spencer’s voice is featured on 1970’s “The Love You Save,” and fans stand and dance to the brothers’ funky 1970 hit, “Dancing Machine.”
Wilkins tosses his mic from hand to hand as he sings the 1971 Jackson 5 hit, “Never Can Say Goodbye.” Then, as images of Michael Jackson appear on the screen behind them, Spencer introduces the 1970 chart-topper, “I’ll Be There,” before Jackson takes over on the tune’s “I’ll be there to comfort you” bridge and hands in the audience sway back and forth as fans sing the song’s anthemic “I’ll be there/I’ll be there/Just call my name and I’ll be there” chorus.
Marlon introduces a video tribute to his late brother Michael, father Joseph, and brother Tito, set to a recording of the poignant Michael Jackson ballad, “Gone too Soon.” Afterwards, he talks about the importance of promoting peace in the world “by understanding one another.”
Shifting gears by insisting, “Now, it’s time to party!” Jackson trades off singing lead and dancing with Wilkins on Michael Jackson’s funky “Can’t Let Her Get Away” before he spotlights his stagemates on vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums.
Fans cheer and the ensemble follows up with the funky R&B tune, “This Place Hotel,” where Jackson and Wilkins support Spencer as he slides across the stage singing, “Someone’s stabbin’ my heart (Heartbreak hotel)/This is Heartbreak Hotel (Heartbreak hotel).”
Following a grand crescendo, the band segues into The Jacksons’ 1978 hit, “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground),” where music lovers sing along on the song’s infectious “Let’s dance/Let’s shout/Shake your body down to the ground” chorus. As the number progresses, fans stand, dance, jump, and “shovel the funk” with Jackson, Wilkins, and Spencer before the performers bow and exit the stage to a standing ovation.
Marlon and Co. return for an encore of the 1982 Michael Jackson Afro-pop hit, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” where fans energetically sing and dance to the groove before Jackson exclaims, “You guys are special! We love you! Thank you, New Jersey!” and he and ensemble bow in front of the standing crowd and exit the stage.
As concertgoers make their way out of the BergenPAC auditorium, several comment on tonight’s performance by The Jacksons. Exclaims Tatiana from Paterson, “They were great! The band was great and Marlon Jackson was fantastic — I really enjoyed it!” Zellie from Paterson concurs, adding, “I thought it was a great show! I never thought I would ever see any of The Jacksons in person, so I was glad I was able to be here tonight in Jersey. It really was fantastic!”
Iman from Paterson insists, “It was a really fun show to see! My brother and I grew up watching The Jacksons’ videos, so it was great to see them live. I don’t know how old Marlon is, but it was fantastic to see him up there singing, dancing, performing, and doing such a great job.” Connie from Woodbury agrees, confessing, “The show was so good, I cried!”
Barri from Brooklyn, NY, acknowledges, “I’m in my 60s now but I remember watching The Jacksons when I was growing up and tonight’s show brought back so many wonderful memories. You could tell Marlon really enjoyed himself. It was great to see the group carrying on the family tradition and keeping the music alive for the next generation.”
Lastly, Evangeline from Union City, reveals, “I’m a long-time Jacksons fan; for years, it’s been my dream to see The Jacksons in person and my dream came true tonight. Marlon was in top form and I loved the band and singers — they put on such an amazing show,” adding, “The Jacksons are one of the greatest groups of all time,” prior to concluding, “They’re legends!”
To learn more about The Jacksons, please go to thejacksons.live. For info on great upcoming performances at bergenPAC — including Air Supply on March 13, Melissa Etheridge on April 10, and The Sugarhill Gang on April 17 — please click on bergenpac.org
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