Michael Starring Ben

Michael Starring Ben comes to York Barbican on Friday 16 October, with the show starting at 7:30pm. It's a tribute to Michael Jackson, fronted by Ben Bowman, who's billed as the UK's ultimate Michael Jackson tribute star. He's not just singing the songs; he's gone for the full package, with the look and the sound of the King of Pop and the dance routines to match. The show is built around that—the singing, the costumes, and the choreography—and it's backed by a live band rather than a backing track.

The setlist works through the greatest hits of both Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5, so you'll hear Beat It, Billie Jean, Thriller and Man in the Mirror among the rest. It's a broad run through the catalogue, from the early Motown days with the brothers to the solo records that made him a global name. The live band keeps the sound full, and the dance routines are a big part of it—the kind of thing that's hard to get right without a proper stage and a full band behind you.

Bowman's approach is to get as close to the original as possible, and he's spent a lot of time honing the routine to the point where audiences are said to believe they're watching Michael Jackson himself. It's a theatre production rather than a simple gig, so the costumes and the movement are as much a part of the night as the music. The show isn't associated with or endorsed by the Michael Jackson Estate, and under-14s have to be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over. It starts at 7:30pm at York Barbican on Friday 16 October.