Bon Jovi - Acer Arena Monday January 21st 2008

So this week I’ve got 6 shows in 6 nights. Bon Jovi, Rage Against The Machine, Baby Animals (early 90’s Australian rock band that have just reformed), The Nightwatchman (RATM’s Tom Morello acoustic), Big Day Out (Bjork, RATM, Arcade Fire, Silverchair, etc) and on the 6^th day a music festival at a winery 2hrs north of Sydney featuring Jimmy Barnes and a heap of other great Australian bands. Jan 26 is Australia Day, so it’ll be cool to celebrate it with good music in a great location.

Bon Jovi

Acer Arena

Sydney

Monday January 21^st 2008

***as usual, I crap on for a bit. So scroll down to the ###### to get to the show review ***

I’ve mentioned to some of you in the past that Bon Jovi were the first band I got in to as a kid. It was early 1987 and I was 10. A friend had given me a copy of Slippery When Wet after id seen Livin On A Prayer on TV and loved it. I can still remember hearing the Pink Flamingo intro to Let It Rock and doing my first ever air keyboard moves. At the time id only really heard my parents record collection or music from local radio stations. So this was something that id discovered, a band and album that was so different to anything I’d heard before. Sure, later on id learn about the music that influenced Bon Jovi – one artist in particular who id eventually become obsessed with – but as a 10 year old sitting in his bedroom for hours on end listening to Slippery over and over and over it was the greatest thing ever.

Listening to Slippery When Wet now brings back many good memories. I learnt how to air guitar rockin out to Sambora’s solos – the only use my tennis racket ever had! The whole album just rocks - and even though it’s not on my monthly album repeat list - when I do play it, I’m taken back to those days as a 10 year old rockin out in my bedroom.

Bon Jovi as a band have always been a constant in my musical journey. Sure, other artists get more focus at times, but the music of the band stays there and I never get sick of it. They are like the old friend you see every other year, but when you see them it’s just like you saw each other yesterday. There was a period circa 1991 to 1993 where other artists “owned me” – Nirvana and Metallica in particular – and even though those two artists are still extremely relevant to me, Bon Jovi were always there. I lost my way a bit when Jon put out the Young Guns II soundtrack (great album, it needs more Tico, Richie, Alec and Dave though...). I LOVE Richie’s Stranger In This Town solo album. It’s amazing and just blows me away every time I hear it. He has a great voice and this album proved to me who the most talented is out of the Jon Bon / Sambora musical relationship. I do like the 92 album Keep The Faith, some brilliant songs on there. But at the time my attentions were more towards metal or (I hate the words) alternative / grunge music. Also in this 91-93 era I got heavier into Springsteen, so the comparisons developed that exist to this day. Throw in my discovery of Faith No More, Rage Against The Machine, Public Enemy, Anthrax, etc at the time and you can see that my teen angst was released on more heavier artists. But the album is one of their best ever, with stand out tracks being Dry County (the guitar solo in particular) and Keep The Faith (again with the solo!), but there was one song that just stood out at the time, and still does. Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night. Just seems fitting, considering my current circumstances.

Hey man I’m alive I’m takin each day and night at a time
Yeah I’m down, but I know I’ll get by
Hey hey hey hey, man I gotta live my life
Like I aint got nothin but this roll of the dice
I’m feelin like a Monday, but someday I’ll be Saturday night

Life sucks (its Monday, after a great weekend). But I know eventually it’ll be Saturday night, and maybe life wont suck so much.

Like the majority of my favourite artists, I wasn’t able to see them live until much later in their career. I saw Bon Jovi for the first time on their These Days tour in 1995. It was a great 3+ hr show that left me in awe of how great they are live. The These Days album actually took a few years to grow on me as I was more wanting the band to rock (a la New Jersey) than to have an album full of ballads. But in mid 96 the album just hit me. Lyrically it’s just amazing. Its open and raw. Sure, there’s some filler on the album, but it’s one that rarely has a track skipped when I play the album all the way through. The track Something To Believe in never really stood out to me until I heard the live version on the One Wild Night live album they put out in 2001. There’s so much energy and passion in this version that it was like the first time id ever heard it.

Tonight Ill dust myself off
Tonight Ill suck my gut in
Ill face the night and Ill pretend
I got something to believe in

And I had lost touch with reason
I watched life criticize the truth
Been waiting for a miracle
I know you have too

Though I know I won’t win
Ill take this one on the chin
Well raise a toast and Ill pretend
I got something to believe in

So Jon put out his second solo album in 1997 – Destination Anywhere. There’s some great songs on there, and compared to Young Guns, I feel that this one was best left alone to Jon and a crack band of studio musicians (Dave Stewart and IIRC, Bobby Bandiera). I really dig August 7 4:15, Destination Anywhere and Midnight In Chelsea. Jon toured the album here and it was a great show – Bobby was in the touring band as well. Sambora put out a great solo album in 1998. I saw two shows on that tour, and was lucky enough to meet the man after the first show. He was nice. Great shows, again he had a great live band. Goia Bruno was his percussionist and backup singer. Total hottie.

Ill skip over the One Wild Night and Bounce albums. Great albums – especially Bounce. They played one show in Australia for the One Wild Night album, great show. And they sort of toured here as part of the Bounce tour - they headlined a touring festival named Rumba that had Pink, Shaggy, Sugababes, etc on it. They played a 45min set. I boycotted, like most fans did. And I stand my decision to this day. But I want to get on to last night’s show.....

Tickets went on sale on Yvee’s birthday – November 15. It was a weird time for me, I was lucky enough to be here at home with her to enjoy our time together. But anything that was related to post Christmas 2007 I just didn’t care about. I just wanted to live in the moment. And that’s what I did. I didn’t worry if I didn’t get tickets to see Bon Jovi. I just didn’t care. They’ll be back one day, and even if they don’t I don’t care. It’s more important to be with my girl. So I ordered the tickets and we got good ones without the problems other people did (4 presales, fan club presale, general on sale, scalpers, etc made it a tough ticket to get). The Acer Arena sold out in 10 minutes – 18,000.

I had seen a few setlists, courtesy of Tony’s blog. Some of the reviews of the tour were mentioning boring setlists, Jon’s voice was shot. Richie was ‘out of it”, etc. But I had other things on my mind, so I didn’t pay the reviews too much attention. I also went into blackout mode in early January when the band hit Japan for the shows there. I didn’t want to ruin any surprises. The band hit Melbourne last Saturday night and I couldn’t help read the setlist and reviews over on the official Bon Jovi site. Looked like a great setlist and the reports were that the band rocked, just a bad crowd full of casual fans.

So, the show.......

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I’m normally pumped to see my favourite bands. But not at the moment. I was looking forward to the show, but if they cancelled or I couldn’t make it I couldn’t care less. Well that was until 8:24pm last night.

The band hit the stage with a Dave Clarke Five cover song. Sure it’s a decent song, but my god - the crowd!!!!. It was the loudest I’ve ever heard. And it wasn’t the usual pre pubescent girls, 45 year old mothers reliving their mid 20’s before life kicked in or 30 year old obsessive fans like me all screaming. It was all 18,000 of us. And the band had just walked on stage and were only playing a cover song! This was going to be a rockin evening!!!! Lost Highway was next and it was great. Touring violinist Lorenza Ponce was a great addition to the live sound, especially on songs off the Lost Highway album. And she’s rather easy on the eye wearing that torn Bon Jovi shirt! You Give Love A Bad Name was great. I was 10 years old again doing the air guitar in my bedroom again. ROCK AND ROLL!!!!.

And then it happened. Richie swaps guitars after Bad Name. And then starts the intro to Raise Your Hands. Oh My God. I never thought I’d hear it live. I’d read they’d played it recently. But this?? This was awesome! As a BJ fan for 20 years you always know who the more serious fans are when they play a track like this. People who are more casual fans (or Jon Bon Lovers as I like to call em) just don’t know these tracks. It was so cool. I think I burst a nut I was singing so hard. And for the first time since the Guns shows last year (ok, I know it’s not Guns, but at least it sounded like Guns) – I air drummed. Yes, arms flailing. Feet tapping. Stick twirling. Tico and I were in synch. If he pulled a hamstring last night, id be the obvious choice. I haven’t played drums in years, but I’m so there if ever called on. Anyway, back to reality....

Jon started his whole Springsteen / Elvis shtick taking us back to 2006, no 2005, no 2004, no 2001, no 1999, no 1995, no 1993, no (ok, it’s boring to type). We went back to 1983. And I knew it would happen. Jon starts to tell us about the Jersey Turnpike and NYC radio stations and how he begged the DJ to play his song. And cue David Bryan and the intro to Runaway. Ladies and Gentlemen for the first time ever I pulled out the Air Keyboard in public. Now I gotta fill in for Richie, Tico AND Dave. It was great to finally hear it live. Id developed nodules in my throat by the second verse. But I was amazed at the many people in the crowd who didn’t know the song.

Radio Saved My Life Tonight was next. Nice song. I could have taken it or left it. Up next was Blood On Blood. I really dig live versions of the song, the album version on New Jersey lacks the power of the band on stage so you can see that they are in this together. I always think of a quote Sambora made once about the band “ä good band isn’t about the best musicians, or the most technically perfect players. It’s about good friends playing good music together”. True dat.

Up next was In These Arms. Now this is a song that has been in my head for a few months now – repeatedly. I’ve always loved the song. And the chorus - about a relationship where one person has left – I feel is one of the bands best boy meets girl / girl leaves boy songwriting achievements – and there’s plenty of those in their catalogue:

Id hold you
Id need you
Id get down on my knees for you
And make everything alright
If you were in these arms
Id love you
Id please you
Id tell you that I’d never leave you
And love you till the end of time
If you were in these arms tonight

But the bit of the song that hit me like a freight train last night was this:

Your clothes are still scattered
All over our room
This old place still smells like
Your cheap perfume
Everything here reminds me of you
And there’s nothing that I wouldn’t do

To be in your arms

I’m at home alone now after 4 weeks being away with some good friends – the kind you wish were family. And I enjoyed being there. But I had to come home eventually. And I come home to an empty house. Empty cause my girls not physically here (spiritually – that’s another story). But everything of Yvee’s is still in the place she left it. Shoes, jeans. Hairbrush. Makeup. There’s even a pile of clean washing off the clothes line she brought in before she went to hospital – in early October. It’s still there in our room. “Everything here reminds me of you. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do....”

Jon started Knockin On Heavens Door next, then into Blaze Of Glory. I’m happy either way on this. I just wish that Richie or Dave had the level of success with their solo albums that Jon had. Whole Lot Of Leavin was next. Me like. A lot. Probably my second favourite song off the new album (after Lost Highway);

I close my eyes and picture your hand in mine
I still hear your voice it takes me back to that time
Where I can find a reason to be strong
Seems like lately there's a whole lot of leavin' goin' on

I get a lot of Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night feel about the song. And that’s a good thing. When I heard about the band doing a “Nashville influenced” album I was a little cautious. But this?? This is gold. This is the band opening up. This is songwriting that will allow the band to progress to a longer career if that’s what they want to do. To make another Slippery or Faith would be a mistake. Sure some fans won’t / don’t like the new stuff. Screw em. You got into the band at whatever stage of their career cause they made a song or album that you felt a connection to. The band didn’t make that song or album for you. They made it for themselves. If you now don’t like the new sound / song / album / whatever, either ignore it or go away. I have the same problem with Metallica “fans”.

Hopping off the soapbox once again.....

Born To Be My Bay was great. I helped Dave out on the keys again. I’m getting better at my Air Keyboard by this stage. The girl next to me looked at me funny. We Got It Goin On was after BTBMB. Not a big fan of the song, but it’s a good sound. I like Richie’s scratch backup vocals during the verse. It’s My Life had the place rockin hard. I looked up to the 3^rd tier of the arena and everyone was having a blast. It’s a good sign that people in the bad seats were having just a good a time as those in the best seats. Bad Medicine was cool, but they could lose Shout. Been doing it that way for about 15years. But I’m wrong. Shout probably had the most people jumping up and down throughout the entire show.

Then came one of the highlights of the set. Jon left the stage and Richie came to Jon’s mic. He thanked us for the support during the issues he has had over the last year. Mentioned that they would have been here earlier if it wasn’t for him. I noticed a Keith Richards like dreadlock on the right side of his head. Looks funny on him. Richie then sung These Days. It’s a great tune and its one of their best songs of the 90’s, but it lacked the passion Jon has when he sings it. It also sounded like Richie’s voice was shot. I recorded it on my camera so ill transfer to the PC and check it out. Richie did I’ll Be There For You in Melbourne without Jon and the reviews were that it was a real tear jerker. Oh well, could just be my ears (that were fcuked by now – not from the band, but from the screaming crowd!)

Make A Memory saw Jon run through the crowd onto a small platform about halfway back on stage left. Jon stayed there while the band played on the main stage. I didn’t know the band did this. It’s becoming the “thing to do” lately. Foo, Stones, U2, etc. It’s cool. Then Richie ran out and the two of them sang I’ll Be There For You. Damn cool. Out of the 18000 people at the show there were about 17,500 camera phones, so there’s bound to be some good You Tube footage of the two songs on the smaller stage.

Bed Of Roses sucked. A real low point. It was done in the style of their 2003 mistake of an album This Left Feels Right. Just blows. They take perfectly good songs and rework them so that they suck, and then put out a CD and DVD. Yes I own both (and the bootlegs of the Borgata Casino shows), but that’s just cause I’m a completist when it comes to collecting their stuff. And I have OCD. I took the opportunity to look around the arena and saw just how many people were in to the song. So I’m in the minority I guess.

Have A Nice Day brought me back to enjoying the show. The band didn’t tour the HAND album here, so it was good to hear the track live. I’m not a big fan of the album, but there is some great standout tracks – this being the best in my opinion. Keep The Faith was good, Richie stuffed the solo up. I always get into friendly arguments with other fans when it comes to the guitar solos. I want them like the album. Some prefer them to be similar to the album, with a free form component. Screw that. I’ve spent hours stuck in traffic perfecting my air guitar technique to certain Bon Jovi songs – this one in particular – and I want to rock it. But yeah, it was great.

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead was cool. I’m getting 4-5 hours of sleep a night since mid October. So I’m livin the life of the song. Except the rockin party lifestyle. Having the Stones’ Jumpin Jack Flash played was also cool. Reminded me of the These Days tour when they had the big blow up characters on stage during Bad Medicine and they band would also play JJF with Shout. Who Says You Can’t Go Home was also good to see live. Not the best song on the album, but great live. I noticed how many people knew the song. I think it’s great that after 25 years people are still into the old stuff as well as the non single released stuff off the new albums.

Livin On A Prayer was the last song before the Encore. It rocked. Hearing the crowd sing the intro to the song and seeing Jon stand there watching us sing was a great moment. Before he started to sing, Jon said “and that’s why we keep coming back here to Sydney” After Prayer, possibly the loudest ever encore break id ever heard from a crown.

I thought they’d do Wanted, maybe Hallelujah and that’s it. But I was floored when they started Id Die For You. Again, its 1987. I’m 10 years of age. In my bedroom with my tennis racket. And I rocked it hard. Me and Richie were trading licks. I helped Tico out on the drum break before the chorus. It was great. Things slowed down for Hallelujah. It’s not a bad song. It’s just after the energy of Id Die For You, it was a big come down. People started to leave. But they hadn’t played Wanted. There would be a riot if they didn’t play it. And next up they did. Richie nailed the solo on this one. I was there to help out if he needed, but he did fine without me. This is my favourite BJ song of all time, and it’s great to see the band and crowd having such a great time playing it and singing along. I love This Town finished the show. Not the best way to finish a set, but the message was there to us.

All in all, it was a great 2hr 45min show. My third Jovi show. And I’d have to say it was the best show id seen them play. The band looked like they were having a good time, though after some 2500 shows in 25years I think they could fake it if needed. It was good to see Bobby Bandiera get the spotlight a few times. Lorenza adds some good vocal harmonies to songs, though the violin gets lost on the majority of the louder / rockin songs. Jon’s a great front man and knows how to work a crowd. But last night he didn’t have to. We were his.

So that’s show 1 of 6 out of the way. I’m leaving now to go to tonight’s show – Rage Against The Machine. And after last night’s show, I’m uber pumped for this one. Been waiting to see these guys since 1992.

AMP UP AND AMPLIFY

ab