Michael Jackson tribute concert deadline

Jul 15, 2009, 5:00 GMT

Randy Phillips is desperate to stage a Michael Jackson tribute show on the pop icon's birthday.

Randy - who is chief executive of AEG Live, the company behind the London comeback shows Michael was due to perform - worries he hasn't got enough time to organise a glittering celebration on August 29, which would have been Michael's 51st birthday.

Randy said: "The number one item I'm discussing is presenting 'This Is It' the production, hopefully with the Jacksons and maybe his sister Janet, and other artists.

"We have to make some hard decisions this week otherwise it will be too late to even contemplate doing anything on August 29."

Randy is keen for the show to be broadcast around the world, just as Michael's memorial was last week.

He added to digital radio station BBC 6 Music: "What we're thinking about is one massive tribute that's broadcast around the globe. We've opted to go to broadcast television, either cable/satellite, or traditional broadcast."

Meanwhile, it has been claimed Michael had been planning to emulate Fred Astaire on the 'This Is It' tour.

The 50-year-old star wanted the shows to feature routines in the style of his favourite dancer and had been studying his famous moves.

Dance instructor Dormeshia Edwards - who was helping Michael rehearse for the tour - told the New York Daily News newspaper: "Michael kept saying he was working on a big project, and it was just known as 'the project'. He was studying styles, trying to figure out what he might want to do.

"He would take four-hour sessions to learn one count of eight, and he would make sure he was completely comfortable with each routine before he moved on.

"He had such a love and respect for dance. You could see there was thought behind every moment."