LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 03: (L-R) Musical director Greg Phillinganes, Tito... ( Ethan Miller )
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Karen D'Souza

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Las Vegas -- The Gloved One lives on.

If you are a serious Michael Jackson fan, Vegas is the new mecca. Hordes of the faithful flocked to Nevada this weekend for the first-ever estate-authorized fan festival coupled with Saturday's opening night of Cirque du Soleil's blockbuster "The Immortal." The fan-fest began Saturday and continues at until at least Dec. 27 when the show hits the road for a 60-plus city tour that moonwalks into San Jose and Oakland in January.

For now, though, Sin City is the epicenter of all things Michael, from the memorabilia to the media circus. On the heels of the lurid trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, the devout are divided about why they worship at the altar of Neverland -- Is it the music? The message? The schadenfreude? -- but there is no doubt that Jackson remains the god of their idolatry. Certainly the outrageous nature of Jackson's legacy fits in perfectly with the Strip, a place where cowboys in 10-gallon hats, cheerleaders in teensy skirts and "Titanic" enthusiasts rub elbows in a gigantic pyramid.

For many Jackson devotees, a chance to bask in the glow of the superstar was priceless. Dot Gordon, a 54-year-old convenience store clerk from Maine, shelled out $2,000 for this trip. She wanted to pay her respects to the King of Pop, and put a check on her bucket list.

"It's a lot of money but if you are a true fan you will pay any price," she said, bedecked in a replica of one of Jackson's sequined ensembles, a tangle of five intricate tattoos covering her calves.

Michael's 2009 death still looms large in the minds of many fans as they stroll through the Jackson treasure trove, which includes everything from a cornucopia of jewelry and costumes to a smattering of Rolls Royces and the gates of Neverland. Viewing the collection fills many with a palpable sense of loss.

"I am too emotional to speak. I think I need to be alone," said Dana Raluca, a medical assistant from Los Angeles, tears welling in her eyes as she looks at a crown Jackson once wore. "It's so powerful being here and seeing all of the things he loved."

Raluca wanted to pay homage to a man she regards as a hero. She plans to catch "Immortal" twice.

"It's so much more than the music," she said with a sigh. "He was more than a pop star, I think he was a prophet and he brought the world together with his beautiful message."

Other aficionados were torn over whether the fan fest was appropriate given the star's longing for privacy.

"I have very mixed feelings," said 52-year-old Birget Drawhorn from Los Angeles. "Michael was a very private person and I don't think he would have wanted all of his stuff open to the public and his kids trotted out to sell stuff. People are just trying to cash in, to milk as much as they can as fast as they can." Indeed, Jacko has shot to the top of the Forbes Magazine list of highest-earning dead celebrities.

His fans' enthusiasm is palpable evidence of how his music lives on.

One couple dressed in matching "Billie Jean" outfits and glittery gloves. A little boy wore the "Beat It" outfit with pride. Who's bad?

Another lad, Fabian Ramirez, a chubby-cheeked 8-year-old from Vegas admired Jackson's video arcade before breaking into the moonwalk: "I like his moves!"

For Saturday night's opening, the Jackson clan was out in full force. Brothers Marlon, Tito and Jackie joined Michael's children Paris and Blanket. They strutted down the red carpet for "Immortal" amid stars from Babyface to Berry Gordy, assorted hotties from "Glee" and "Twilight," James Gandolfini and Allison Janney.

The fact that Jackson was a Cirque buff lends "Immortal" an air of authenticity although the explosive $55 million production still seems like a work-in-progress that lacks focus. Of course, most of the die-hard crowd of almost 8,000 roared its approval nonetheless.

Director Jamie King packs dozens of Jackson's hits into a two-hour festival of flash that spins around countless video projections, hundreds of costumes and several gigantic metallic puppets. Part rock concert, part multimedia megamix, this frenetic spectacle holds court at Mandalay Bay through Dec. 27 before its national tour.

Certainly Jackson and Cirque share an affinity for making the bizarre -- break-dancing Zombies, anyone? -- seem breezy. Here the star's biography is riffed on in a series of eccentric vignettes: Jackson's pet chimpanzee Bubbles skips about. Little boy Michael floats up to the rafters in a balloon. Aerialists and acrobats hurl themselves about to music from "Smooth Criminal" to "Thriller." A scantily-clad cellist rocks out.

The irony is that no matter how eye-popping "The Immortal" is, the fan fest -- which will continue at least through the show's stay in Vegas -- trumps the show for sheer human drama. Legions of misty-eyed fans forgoing the slots to gaze at the pop star's belongings in wistful silence may be the most moving tribute of all.