JANET JACKSON LIVE!! | WALNUT CREEK
Janet Jackson – Walnut Creek Amphitheatre, Raleigh, NC
Extreme Restrictions, Abrupt Changes, and a Missed Opportunity for Fans
Our coverage of Janet Jackson’s performance at Walnut Creek Amphitheatre on August 1, 2018, unfortunately did not go as planned. What should have been a straightforward assignment turned into one of the most restrictive and disappointing experiences we’ve encountered at a major concert.
Our job is simple: capture the artist’s performance in its purest form and share it with our subscribers and fans around the world. We do this not only for those who want to relive the night, but also for fans around the world who cannot attend and rely on us to show them what the experience was like. We document music history as it happens — preserving moments, performances, and artistry for the people who love these musicians most.
Leading up to the show, we were informed that media would be allowed to photograph the first three songs and then receive review tickets to cover the remainder of the performance. This is standard for many artists and allows us to provide complete, fair coverage. However, upon arrival, those guidelines changed repeatedly — from three songs, to two, to one, then down to 30 seconds, and finally up to 90 seconds. Each update came without explanation.
When we were escorted to the designated photo area, two large members of Janet Jackson’s team positioned themselves on either side of the media group. Janet walked out to a plain black backdrop with no lighting effects except for a single strobe that followed her movements. She delivered a short spoken intro with minimal movement and an occasional vocal note. As we began photographing, the atmosphere felt tense and heavily controlled due to the intense and aggressive behavior of her team.
Before the 90‑second window had fully passed, one of the men grabbed the back of my hoodie and violently pulled me toward him, sternly telling me that my time was up and to leave immediately. Another photographer was also physically pulled by the back of their shirt. It’s important to note that our 90 seconds were not up — a venue representative had set a timer on their phone to ensure we stayed within the allotted time. None of us attempted to push past that limit, making the aggressive tactic entirely unnecessary.
We were rushed out of the front‑of‑house photo area near the soundboard. As we exited, we saw the backdrop drop, the lights ignite, and the full production begin with dancers and musicians — only after media had been removed.
Because of these extreme limitations, we were not provided review tickets and were unable to witness or document the actual performance. We cannot offer details about the show, the production, or any additional photographs beyond those taken during the restricted 90‑second window.
We are unsure why Janet Jackson’s team approved coverage under such severe and abrasive conditions, or why these restrictions were enforced so aggressively. What we can say is that this experience prevented us from delivering the coverage our fans expect and deserve.
To everyone who was looking forward to our full review and photo gallery — we’re sorry. This is all we were allowed to capture, and we have no review of the performance itself.
