CARDIFF, Wales (CNN) -- As his physician stands trial in his death, Michael Jackson was honored halfway around the world Saturday in a concert in Cardiff, Wales.
Michael Jackson's three children -- Prince, Paris and Blanket -- were attending the concert and were scheduled to appear on stage later in the show for an acknowledgment from the more than 40,000 persons in attendance, a concert spokeswoman told CNN.
Said Jackson brother Tito, who will be performing in the show, about the three children: "Yes, they have a small piece in the show and they are all here to enjoy the evening."
Another sibling performer, Marlon Jackson, said the event commemorated Michael Jackson's life.
"The message today is have a great time and remember him as a positive person and all the different things that he stood for -- not just his music but the human side of him."
In comments before performing, Smokey Robinson said Michael Jackson would have approved.
"I think Michael would have loved it. I am not sure he is not watching any way and that he is not smiling," Robinson said.
Robinson noted how Jackson's doctor is now standing trial in Los Angeles for allegedly causing Jackson's death.
"i actually wish it was in Los Angeles so that it could really counteract the trial, so that people could have a positive image in their head about what is happening with Michael rather than whats going on with the trial," Robinson said.
The "Michael Forever: The Tribute Concert" was being held in the 75,000-seat Millennium Stadium, but many of those seats weren't being used for the concert.
The spokeswoman described the concert as nearly sold out. Ticket prices ranged from about $54 to about $155, she said.
The concert's first act was Ne-Yo, she said.
The event was billed as "a worthy celebration of Michael's life," in the words of his mother, whom organizers said was also attending the event. But the concert has been mired in controversy since its inception about its timing, which Jackson family members would attend and which marquee performers would appear.
Members of the Jackson family taking the stage will include brothers Tito, Marlon and Jackie -- who will perform together -- and 3T, which consists of Tito Jackson's three sons, the promoters have said.
Michael Jackson's sister LaToya will also sing at the concert, making her "first full concert performance" in nearly 20 years, promoters said.
But sister Janet Jackson didn't attend. Neither did brothers Jermaine and Randy, who both have criticized the timing of the event.
Other artists to appear at the concert include Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera, Gladys Knight, Jennifer Hudson, Pixie Lott, Alexandra Burke, Craig David, JLS and Alien Ant Farm, according to promoter Global Live Events.
Beyonce will make an appearance through a video link, the promoters said.
The Black Eyed Peas, however, dropped out for undisclosed reasons.
The Jackson family has been publicly split over the concert since Tito, Marlon, Jackie, LaToya and family matriarch Katherine Jackson announced their support for it in July.
Brothers Jermaine and Randy opposed the show because it occurs in the middle of Dr. Conrad Murray's involuntary manslaughter trial in Los Angeles, which began last month. Prosecutors accuse the doctor of being responsible for the overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol that allegedly killed Michael Jackson in 2009 at age 50.
"We want to make clear that this does not reflect the position of the entire family," the two brothers said in a joint statement. "While we wholeheartedly support the spirit of a tribute that honors our brother, we find it impossible to support an event that is due to take place during the criminal trial surrounding Michael's death."
Katherine Jackson has told CNN that she understood her children's objections to the timing of the show, but she felt the event was appropriate.
While she said she will attend most of the Murray trial, she traveled to Wales and was in attendance for the tribute.
In a statement on the concert's website, Katherine Jackson said she was "greatly honored" that Global Live Events planned the concert in memory of her son.
"Michael gave his entire life to the world through his love, his music and his devotion to healing the planet. It is with great gratitude for me to give my complete blessing and full support to what I consider to be the one and only Official Michael Jackson Tribute Concert," Katherine Jackson wrote.
"I am positive that this event will be an event great enough in scale, talent and imagination to form a worthy celebration of Michael's life. It is intended to be the biggest, and the best concert event in the world for many years to come. This is how Michael would have wanted it and I am sure it will be exactly that," she added.
A Jackson family source earlier told CNN that the plan to have the Michael Forever tribute carried live on Facebook for $3.99 was canceled because the labels who own the music rights to the Michael Jackson songs to be performed denied broadcast rights to concert producers.
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