Wednesday, July 30, 2008

LH Magic Memory #5: Dave in Toronto

Anyone who follows the shows would know that Bon Jovi's resident guitar god Richie Sambora gets to take lead vocals on a song each night. There were a few exceptions: Richie got two songs at a couple of shows of the final leg of the Lost Highway tour, and there was one show during the second leg where he didn't sing lead at all.

That was March 13, 2008, at the Air Canada Center in Toronto, when the night belonged to David Bryan. It was Dave who got to sing "In These Arms" in its entirety, while Jon ducked backstage. Richie fans may have been disappointed (and the fact that touring musician Bobby Bandiera performed the guitar solo again instead of Richie probably didn't help to appease them) but there's no denying Bon Jovi's keyboard player can hold a note. Dave's mic appeared to be turned down (his voice is very low in the mix at the start of the song) but nevertheless, a magic memory for this blog. Check out the video.



David also recorded a beautiful version of "In These Arms" for his Lunar Eclipse solo album, which I had to get imported but it was worth it (although I do have to disclose that I'm a pianist myself so if you're looking for distorted guitar riffs and such, it's not the album for you).

Anyway, I mentioned that this particular night in Toronto belonged to Dave... Well, earlier in the show he'd also cranked out the accordion for a very rare performance of "Miss Fourth of July". This was only the second time the song had been played live, and first time on an actual tour.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Rich man's poor if he got no Soul, Pt II

Some Jon-centric highlights from ArenaBowl XXII. Richie Sambora, Obie O'Brien and various members of the Bongiovi family are also present.

Rich man's poor if he got no Soul


Photos by Doug Benc/Getty Images

I don't know much about American football but I do know that as co-owners of the Philadelphia Soul, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora are two happy campers tonight. The Soul have won their first Arena Bowl, beating San Jose 59-56.




But if Arena Football isn't your cup of tea, here's something else to look forward to:
After the game, Soul owner Jon Bon Jovi said he would live up to his promise of performing at a free concert in Philadelphia if his team won the ArenaBowl. The date and time is to be announced.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

LH Magic Memory #4: Mercy in Munich

There were many magical moments during this tour, and I'm slowly going through some of them in this little series. But if I had to pick one moment that shocked me more than any other it would be finding out Bon Jovi had covered Duffy's "Mercy" at Olympic Stadium in Munich, Germany. There were calls coming through during the concert that the song had been played in the "Sleep When I'm Dead" medley but no one really believed it until they heard it with their own ears. And when we did, we were floored because it worked so incredibly well. Truth is, I don't listen to much of the current pop charts (at least not regularly), though I had heard "Mercy" once or twice before Munich without really paying attention.

As of May 24, 2008, I started paying attention.

The video below begins with Jon's "poetry" in the middle of "Sleep" before Richie launches into the riff for "Mercy"......


This next one captures Jon's "Mercy" reprise at the end of "Sleep", and the beginning of "Always", which would finally become a semi-regular feature in the set list again during the European leg.


Duffy recently told Spin Magazine that she realised she was playing in the big leagues when Bon Jovi covered her song:

“It’s a strange feeling when a person at that level is playing a song I wrote.

“It’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, I'm really here now. Bon Jovi knows that I exist.’

“A girl from Wales – that’s all I am, really.”


I can't quite tell from that comment whether or not she realises that Bon Jovi is a BAND but not only do they know who she is, Jon has plugged her album quite a few times. ;) I might even end up buying it! It's not the kind of music I'd normally buy but the singles sound decent and I do try to keep an open mind. So Duffy, if I end up spending some of my dosh on Rockferry, you will have one John Francis Bongiovi Jr to thank for it. ;)

Whole Lot of Leavin'

"Whole Lot of Leavin'" is Bon Jovi's most recent single from Lost Highway, but I thought it was only released in Europe. Later it surfaced VH1 but today, I heard it in Australia for the first time (on 96fm in Perth). This might be old news -- I don't listen to the radio that much nowadays -- but the title track is the only song from Lost Highway that I had heard on the radio here. It was played to death in the two months leading up to Bon Jovi's Aussie tour. The "Make a Memory" and "Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore" videos did get some decent airplay on musicMAX and CMC though.

Anyway, it's always nice to hear a Jovi song other than "Livin' on a Prayer" on the radio every now and then, so I thought I'd post about it! The "Leavin'" video was a bit controversial when it was released a couple of months ago -- Some fans didn't like the style or feared a rift between Jon and Richie Sambora -- but I love it. It's dark, mature and artistic... The only Bon Jovi video I can think of (off the top of my head, at least) where Jon doesn't flash his blinding pearly whites for the ladies. The vocals were also re-recorded live, which gives the whole video a raw, emotional touch.



Bon Jovi (especially Jon) gets compared to the Boss too often but I wonder if "Leavin'" was at all inspired by Bruce Springsteen's "Brilliant Disguise" video? Both use live vocals instead of the studio version; both shot in black and white; both focus on a guy in a room with a guitar; both very cool. :)

Friday, July 25, 2008

Vote for Slippery!

VoteNumber1.com is currently taking fans' votes for the best 80s album. It's down to the final four (and I'm filthy about Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA being eliminated last round!):

Appetite for Destruction - Guns N' Roses
Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi
Escape - Journey
Back in Black - AC/DC

Appetite's a great album but I think you know where my vote went. Click here to have your say -- You can vote once a day, and the album with the lowest number of votes is eliminated each week.

Meanwhile, stay tuned for more of my Lost Highway tour Magic Memories. ;)

Thursday, July 24, 2008

LH Magic Memory #3: Chicago 3rd show

Yesterday I said Kansas City was arguably the best set of the main North American leg. Of course it's all subjective but the third night in Chicago a couple of months earlier would certainly rival it. Check it out.

Chicago, Illinois, USA - United Center (26/2/08)
LOST HIGHWAY
YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME
RAISE YOUR HANDS
EVERYDAY
I'D DIE FOR YOU
JUST OLDER
I LOVE THIS TOWN
I'LL SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD w/ Jumpin' Jack Flash
WILD IS THE WIND
WHOLE LOT OF LEAVIN'
BORN TO BE MY BABY
KNOCKIN' ON HEAVEN'S DOOR (Bob Dylan cover)
BLAZE OF GLORY (feat. Daughtry)
WE GOT IT GOING ON
IT'S MY LIFE
BAD MEDICINE w/ Shout
THESE DAYS (Richie)
LIVING IN SIN w/ Chapel of Love
I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU
BED OF ROSES (This Left Feels Right)
WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME
HAVE A NICE DAY
KEEP THE FAITH
LIVIN' ON A PRAYER

Encore:
BLOOD ON BLOOD
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
TWIST & SHOUT (Topnotes cover; better known versions by the Isley Brothers and the Beatles)
TREAT HER RIGHT (Roy Head cover)

I've highlighted the rarities and gems; the only real downside to this set (not including the TLFR version of "Roses" which was rectified later in the tour) is the fact that they finished on two covers. The show was almost three hours long. Throw in "I'd Die For You" and all those New Jersey songs; Richie singing something other than "There For You", and "Just Older" (best song on Crush) and you have one killer set for the diehard.

THESE DAYS with the King of Swing, Richie Sambora, on lead vocals


WILD IS THE WIND

Virtual JBJ tour

MasterCard is currently offering "Roots of Rock" virtual tours as part of its priceless.com promotion. Basically you click on certain parts of the "map" and information pops up. Similar to Encyclopedia Britannica. Click here to "tour" Jon Bon Jovi's home turf. But remember, just because they're giving you a free tidbit, doesn't mean they aren't just after your money so be aware of that if you feel like getting sucked into something. ;)

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

LH Magic Memory #2: Kansas City 2nd show

The second magic memory I'll be recapping takes place two days after the first.

The date is April 22, 2008. The place is Kansas City, which is apparently in the US state of Missouri (not Kansas??). Bon Jovi had played there five days earlier, with two other cities in between. Maybe they felt they had to go the extra mile. And what a mile it was! Just take a look at this set list.

Kansas City, Missouri, USA - Sprint Center (22/4/08)
LOST HIGHWAY
BORN TO BE MY BABY
YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME
ONE WILD NIGHT
RUNAWAY
JUST OLDER
I'LL SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD w/ Gimme Some Lovin' + Start Me Up
BLOOD MONEY
BLAZE OF GLORY (feat. Chris Daughtry)
WHOLE LOT OF LEAVIN'
MISUNDERSTOOD
ALWAYS
WE GOT IT GOIN' ON
IT'S MY LIFE
BAD MEDICINE w/ Shout
I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU (Richie)
MAKE A MEMORY
BED OF ROSES (This Left Feels Right version)
WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME
HAVE A NICE DAY
HEY GOD
LIVIN' ON A PRAYER

Encore:
I LOVE THIS TOWN
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE

To understand how amazing that is, "One Wild Night" and "Hey God" had not been played since 2001. Jon even dedicated "Hey God" to the YouTubers.
We were still pinching ourselves over "Always" being played in Des Moines and there it was again. And while the song pales compared to the others I highlighted, "Misunderstood" was a surprise too. For a diehard it was arguably the best set list of the North American leg.

ONE WILD NIGHT



HEY GOD


MISUNDERSTOOD


BLAZE OF GLORY... As was the case for most of this leg of the tour, Jon sang "Blaze" as a duet with Chris Daughtry, whose own band was Bon Jovi's support act.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

LH Magic Memory #1: Always in Des Moines

Well, the tour may be over but we can still relive some of those magical moments that made it so special... and that's exactly what I intend to do on this blog (in no particular order). God bless YouTube and all the wonderful people who take it upon themselves to record history! ;)

The first of my "magic memories" is the performance of "Always" in Des Moines, Iowa on April 20. To put it into context, Bon Jovi had not performed the electric version of this song since 2003. They performed the This Left Feels Right version during the Have a Nice Day tour and hadn't played any version during the Lost Highway tour. Diehard fans were certain the original "Always" would never be played again. Deep down, we knew Jon simply couldn't hit those notes anymore. I reckon Bon Jovi themselves thought the song had been permanently retired too.

Then the impossible happened. Take a look at the video below. Jon's a little tentative (In later performances, he moves around more freely) but he is nailing it. I remember first reading it had been played and shaking in disbelief; waiting what seemed like an eternity for even snippets of fan videos to be uploaded; and then watching, spellbound, with an immense heart-warming pride. It's not something that every fan can understand but just watch and see. :)

Monday, July 21, 2008

Feeling snubbed

On face value, this has to be one of the more humorous things I have read. The Sun reported that Bon Jovi's UK support band The Feeling are upset at being "ignored". This quote attributed to bass player Richard Jones takes the cake: "We were treated like a support act, which was strange considering we were a billed band."

Uh mate, you WERE a support act. I hope The Sun took those boys out of context or twisted their words or fabricated the details.... otherwise this is pretty embarrassing.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Perth concert review

In my first two posts it seems like I've been criticising the band. It won't be the last time that happens but I only do it because I rate them and like to see them produce their best. I would follow Bon Jovi to hell and back but that doesn't mean I have to be blind and ignore the flames. ;) And a Bon Jovi song would never ask me to lose my capacity for independent thought over my love of a band. It's MY life and I'm gonna believe and hit the gas and stick to my guns everyday and you can sleep while I dream... and I think you get the point. :P

Besides, the Lost Highway tour will always have a special place in my heart because I finally got to see my first concert, in the flesh. Here's my review originally posted on The Squat Pen vs Dullsville. I've added some little "editor's notes" in this repost.

Concert Review: Bon Jovi
Subiaco Oval
January 25, 2008
By Lee-Ann Khoh

In early November last year, The Today Show’s entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins announced that Bon Jovi were coming to Melbourne, Sydney, and little old Perth for the Lost Highway Tour. It had been 12 years since the New Jersey band last toured Australia, and 15 years since they had been to Perth, but if ticket sales were anything to go by, they are still as popular as they were in their days of supersize hairspray.

So on a balmy Friday evening (which looked and felt more like mid-afternoon) I sauntered into WA’s Home of Football to witness its transformation into Jonny’s Church of Rock ‘n’ Roll. After perusing the merchandise stand, having my water bottle confiscated by officious security staff, and reacquainting myself with just how desperately Perth needs an upgraded sporting facility, I settled into my seat in section D7 on the ground level and waited for things to kick off. As daggy a reputation as Bon Jovi may have, the cross section of fans pouring in were as diverse as one could get. The audience, male and female, spanned some three generations. Some were especially dressed for the occasion, with band shirts and slogans covering every Jovi era since the mid-80s, and even a few oversized wigs and bandannas reminding us how it all began.

Support act The Violet Flames, who won the coveted gig through a 96fm competition, began their set at 7:30pm. People were still streaming into Subiaco Oval and clogging up the aisles but the open spaces and large crowd did not faze them at all. Their catchy rock melodies sounded crisp and strong (even more impressive given Subi’s poor acoustics). Lead vocalist Jackson Proud confidently chatted to the crowd and got them (or at least those who had found their seats) clapping and singing after him. There was enough promise in that half-hour set to suggest that we may someday talk about the Flames in the same breath as Eskimo Joe or the John Butler Trio.

At about 8:10pm, as twilight descended upon the hallowed turf of Subiaco, Bon Jovi took to the stage, almost 20 minutes ahead of schedule in order to beat the venue’s 10:30 curfew. Greeted with a standing ovation from fans, young and old, the band launched into a smooth rendition of Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues”. Half the crowd had probably never heard the song before, but no one on ground level seemed to care. Some in the stands needed to be pushed to their feet, but lead singer Jon Bon Jovi quickly took care of that.

“Sorry it took us so damn long to come back to Perth,” Jon told the hungry audience in his Jersey drawl. “Wouldn’t mind makin' it up to ya.” With that, his band launched into “You Give Love a Bad Name”, the first of a series of crowd-pleasing hits that included “Blaze of Glory” (performed as a medley with Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”), “In These Arms”, “It’s My Life”, “Have a Nice Day”, and of course “Livin’ on a Prayer” and "Wanted Dead or Alive", but “Bed of Roses” and “Always” were conspicuously absent, as noted by several people after the show. (NOTE: I know Jon didn't have the vocal confidence to perform them at that stage of the tour. But I wrote this review with a casual fan/non-fan in mind and since everyone I spoke to or overheard missed those particular songs, I had to mention their absence when writing the original review.)

An infectious cover of “Shout!” was weaved into “Bad Medicine” – something Bon Jovi has been doing for years – but watching footage does not compare to the electricity of being amongst a crowd that has waited 15 years to see it. Jon handed the lead vocals to his right-hand man, guitarist Richie Sambora, for a well-received bluesy rendition of “I’ll Be There For You”. It was evident that these were the songs most people had come to hear.

Of the new material, a spirited performance of latest title track “Lost Highway” was the only song that two-thirds of the audience recognised (Not surprising, given it’s the only song from the latest album to have received any airplay here). “We Got It Going On” made the transition from lame studio track to live party rocker, with Jon replacing Big Kenny’s “sermon” on the record with his own: “Brothers and sisters, I come before you today for one reason and one reason only. I gotta know: Can Australia scream?” – Perth promptly answered in the affirmative. “Whole Lot of Leaving” provided another opportunity for showmanship, in the succinct line: “Do we got it anymore?” – a cue for Jon to pause dramatically, lap up the cheers, and offer a cheeky shrug that had girls and their mothers squealing in the aisles, before signalling for the band to continue. On the other hand, the vocals in “Summertime” were often lost in vast expanses of Subiaco. (ANOTHER NOTE: Maybe it was just me, but Jon just sounded really low in the mix during the song.)

Poor venue aside, the band’s performance was as hot as the weather. Sambora is an underrated guitarist, probably due to Bon Jovi’s lack of “music cred” among hard rock critics and fans, but his passion was there for all to see, and the crowd volume went up a notch during his solos. Meanwhile, Jon Bon Jovi isn’t so wild in the streets these days, but the maturing rock star is still prone to some silky stage moves and flashing those unnervingly pearly whites, and can still put on a great show. His vocals did begin to strain during the key change of “Livin’ on a Prayer”, but the 30 000 people singing along with him barely noticed. A silent tribute to the late Heath Ledger came in the form of Jon’s “Joker” shirt during the encore, a reference to Ledger's role in the upcoming Batman film. Regular encore track "I Love This Town" felt particularly poignant given Ledger's love for Perth. (NOTE: I think I pulled that comment out of my arse. I was actually quite disappointed when they started playing "I Love This Town" because I knew it would be the last song. I'm also not a huge fan of playing that song in the encore; it works best earlier in the set.) From a fan perspective, the set could have benefited from a few rarities; something from the darker These Days album, and perhaps the 100 000 000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong box set, but how well that would have gone down with the hits-hungry crowd is another question altogether.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - SUBIACO OVAL (25/1/08)

SUMMERTIME BLUES (Eddie Cochran cover)
LOST HIGHWAY
YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME
RAISE YOUR HANDS
RUNAWAY
STORY OF MY LIFE
SUMMERTIME
BLOOD ON BLOOD
IN THESE ARMS
BLAZE OF GLORY w/ Knockin' On Heaven's Door
WHOLE LOT OF LEAVIN'
BORN TO BE MY BABY
WE GOT IT GOIN' ON
IT'S MY LIFE
BAD MEDICINE w/ Shout
I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU (Richie)
HAVE A NICE DAY
KEEP THE FAITH
SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD
WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME
LIVIN' ON A PRAYER

ENCORE:
THE LAST NIGHT
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
I LOVE THIS TOWN

Saturday, July 19, 2008

My dream MSG set list and why it would have rocked

Just so you know, I'm not an arrogant person in real life, despite that bold title. ;)

In my previous post, I included my "dream" set list for the second Madison Square Garden show. I came up with it as if Bon Jovi were releasing a single show in its entirety for the first time, instead of chopping up both nights and packaging them together (as is most likely). With Jon's voice in better condition than it has been all decade, the show would have been a great way to commemorate the band's silver anniversary. Previous Bon Jovi live videos have been restricted by the limited space of VHS... I don't know how much space there is on a DVD but I wouldn't mind the band one day releasing a single gig on two discs, like Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Live in Barcelona, where the encores were on a separate disc. Also, while I did stack this dream set with songs I enjoy, I tried to think of the audience too. I prefer "Right Side of Wrong" to "Undivided" but selected the latter because the former would be a mood-killing ballad and a lot of other diehards don't even like it. I prefer "Bed of Roses" to "Always", but selected the latter because it was their biggest worldwide single. So it wasn't a purely selfish exercise for me. ;)

Anyway, I promised you the reasoning behind my set so here it is.

Main set:

LOST HIGHWAY
Obviously the title track from the album and was played at every show this tour. It also opened most of those shows, except when the band has opened with a cover song. Despite the fiddle, it's a classic Bon Jovi "freedom" song and a nice way to kick things off.

YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME
Bon Jovi's first big hit usually comes early in the set.

RAISE YOUR HANDS
It was either this or "Born to Be My Baby" for me. One gets people going with "nananana" and the other by getting them to raise their hands. While I prefer "Baby" as a song, it's been played at most if not all proper shows since 2001 and is already on the Crush tour DVD.

BLOOD ON BLOOD
Classic track from a classic album (New Jersey) that deserves to be on an official DVD. An excellent version of this was actually performed and I hope it's included in the final product.




IN THESE ARMS (David Bryan singing first verse)
Keyboardist Dave Bryan co-wrote this song and is an excellent musician in his own right. I thought his talents deserved to be showcased on an official DVD, particular since Richie Sambora gets to sing a song every night. Alas, it was not to be ("In These Arms" was performed on the second night but Jon sang the whole thing). Still, I'm hopeful this will make the final cut. JoviTalk regulars will understand the song placement too ("BOBITA").

WHOLE LOT OF LEAVIN'
Another track from the Lost Highway album which was performed at all the shows, probably due to the "Do we got it anymore?" line, after which the band pauses and Jon laps up the cheers. Good song.

I'LL SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD w/ Mercy + Start Me Up
"Sleep" has (somewhat unnecessarily) been considered a staple song by the band since the early 90s. On its own, it's no longer very exciting for the seasoned concertgoer, but it's amazing how much life is injected into the song when you insert a cover or two and turn it into a kickass medley. I chose "Mercy" by Duffy and "Start Me Up" by the Rolling Stones, a seemingly bizarre combination which has been done a few times this tour. The first time was in Munich and was one of the truly brilliant surprises of the tour.

WE GOT IT GOIN' ON
Another Lost Highway track that was played at every show. I personally think it's a pretty lame song (especially those god-awful lyrics in the chorus) but the talk box is cool and it creates a great party atmosphere when performed live.

BLOOD MONEY
BLAZE OF GLORY
"Blood Money" is a short acoustic song from Jon's solo record Blaze of Glory, which was written as a soundtrack to Young Guns II. This was another great treat for anyone who got to experience it and is the perfect intro to "Blaze".

I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU (Richie Sambora on lead vocals)
Apart from one of the Toronto shows when Dave sang "In These Arms", lead guitarist Richie always gets to show off his vocal talents for at least one song while Jon ducks backstage to change his shirt and blow-dry his hair. At some shows he has sung "These Days" or "Stranger In This Town" (the latter being one of his own solo songs) but there is no doubt that "There For You" gets the best crowd reaction. It was a hit song but not to the extent where having someone other than Jon singing it would be considered blasphemy. Richie's bluesy voice also suits the song.

LIVING IN SIN
DIAMOND RING
When "Living in Sin" has been performed this tour, part of "Chapel of Love" has been used as an outtro. It sounds fine but I thought it would be cool to use one of their own songs. In the end, "Sin" was performed on the second night (with "Chapel of Love" again) and I'm hoping it will be on the DVD but wouldn't be surprised if they cut it.


ALWAYS
Performed in its original electric glory during this tour for the first time in five years. What's more, Jon has been nailing the vocals and Richie's solos have just got better and better. While a casual fan watching the DVD won't realise how significant its inclusion is, the diehards will. This was performed on the first night and I'm sure it will be on the final product.

HEY GOD
The opening song from the These Days album, which is largely unknown in the US. It deserved a run though, because a) one of the magic moments of the tour was when Bon Jovi shocked all of us by playing it for the first time since 2001 and b) it's such a great rock song that you'd have to be half dead not to get into it. :P

DRY COUNTY
An epic masterpiece that, like "Blood on Blood" should not be left off an official video any longer. It was performed on the first night. It was also performed in Wembley '95 but cut from the Live in London video... but that was in the days of VHS; there are no excuses this time! ;)


IT'S MY LIFE
The song that introduced the band to a new generation in 2000.


WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME
A song that won Bon Jovi their first Grammy and made them the first rock band to have a #1 song on the country charts. Does not need to be played at every gig outside North America (I don't know if Jon has realised that it wasn't a hit anywhere else) but this is New York. At any rate, it deserves to be on a DVD, regardless of what you think of the song ("It's alright!" - pun very much intended, and there goes my second major cliche of this blog's existence).

UNDIVIDED
Written in the aftermath of September 11, "Undivided" was played once this tour. Jon preceded it with a bit of a political speech and I dared him to say it again on an official release, knowing it wouldn't happen because he's scared of alienating fans. But I picked this song because a) I thought the Bounce album should get some representation, b) "Undivided" is a cool rock song, and c) Jon's voice is a hundred times better than it was for most of the Bounce tour so why not show it off?

MAKE A MEMORY
A surprising choice for lead single from Lost Highway. Stunningly beautiful in its simplicity. "Memory" was played both nights and should be on the final release.

HAVE A NICE DAY
"Have a Nice Day", "Who Says" and "It's My Life" have been the key singles from this decade. "HAND" sounds a lot better this tour too.

LAST MAN STANDING
If "Just Older" was their anthem from the Crush album, this should be their anthem from Have a Nice Day. There was no HAND tour DVD and the electric version of this song should have been considered for one now.

LIVIN' ON A PRAYER
The crowd's enthusiasm makes it a good song to close the main set.



Encore:
I BELIEVE
Cool surprise when it surfaced in Twickenham at the end of the European leg. Quite a few people also rate this as the best Bon Jovi opener so I thought it would be good to open the encore with it.

RIDE COWBOY RIDE
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
"Ride Cowboy Ride" is a neat 90-second acoustic song that would work as an intro to "Wanted" the same way that "Blood Money" works for "Blaze".

THESE DAYS

Jon shocked us with how well he sang "These Days" this tour (If you're brave, there are YouTube clips of how he sounded on it back in 2003). He could have showed the world on a DVD. Unfortunately, there weren't even any songs from the These Days album performed at MSG.

NEVER SAY GOODBYE
Might seem too cliche but it would have been a fitting way to end the tour IMO. Also, it was apparently on the set list for Twickenham, and scrapped in favour of "I Love This Town" and a cover of "Twist & Shout".

Audibles:
BED OF ROSES
After torturing many a diehard fan with the This Left Feels Right version of "Roses", the original version as it appeared on Keep the Faith was played again midway through this tour. So its story is similar to that of "Always". I went with "Always" in my main set simply because it was the bigger hit. "Roses" was played on the first night though, so let's see if it will make the DVD. :)

HALLELUJAH
It may be a cover but Jon sings this better than anyone, including Leonard Cohen and Jeff Buckley. An audible because it was performed on the first night and was included on Bon Jovi Stripped.

SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN
From These Days, which is Bon Jovi's best album IMO. Apparently this song was also meant to be played at Twickenham and it would have been good to hear it if Jon was up to it.

IN & OUT OF LOVE
This was a long shot, given Bon Jovi never plays anything from 7800 Fahrenheit anymore. However, it was soundchecked earlier this tour and would have been a great treat for us diehards (and a fun song for casuals). It also appeared on the Cross Road compilation album so at least some casual fans would be familiar with the song.

SOMEDAY I'LL BE SATURDAY NIGHT
An audible only because it already appears on the Crush tour DVD. Great song.

Notable omissions:
BORN TO BE MY BABY
I basically subbed it with "Raise Your Hands".

BAD MEDICINE
Has been performed at nearly every show as a medley with "Shout!" for about 15 years, and a lot of seasoned concertgoers are sick of it. It's already on Live in London and Crush tour DVDs (although "Shout" was edited out of the Crush DVD). Find another medley song to interchange it with (e.g. "Twist & Shout", "Shake a Tailfeather") and it will be special for everyone again.

KEEP THE FAITH
It's already on a DVD but in hindsight I should have at least included it as an audible. Jon dancing around with maracas usually goes down well, and I'm very happy that "Faith" has been a regular on this tour. Actually I hadn't even realised I didn't include it. Whoops. I guess that's why Jon's writing the set. :P Anyway it was performed both nights, and I hope the "jungle scream" on the first night gets on the DVD.

RUNAWAY
Bon Jovi's first single and another one that will probably be on the DVD anyway, given it was performed both nights (On the second night, it was played instead of "Always" on the planned set). There is a piano arrangement of "Runaway" on the Crush tour DVD but the original version has never been released on one. Like "Faith", I probably should have included it in the dream set.

OTHER LOST HIGHWAY SONGS
Perhaps I should have included more songs from the album, given it was the Lost Highway tour. My main reasoning is that many of the other album tracks are a) not well known, b) not well received. I do like it personally but it's not exactly a party album. Secondly, there was already a Lost Highway: The Concert DVD where they played the entire album in order.


So there you have it. Thanks for reading, haha. No point dwelling too much on the past though... I'm happy for the actual DVD to be a composite of the two shows (the gems were split over both nights). I just hope they make it something really special, and include the rarer tracks that were played, instead of another Greatest Hits DVD like Live in London.

Until next time,

The end of the Lost Highway

Bon Jovi. Always. It's my life. Say whoa yeah!

Now that I got my first cliche out of the way, this is my new blog centred on New Jersey rock band Bon Jovi. I write this a few days after they wrapped up their Lost Highway world tour with two nights at Madison Square Garden in New York. Here are the set lists from both nights.

Night #1 (July 14, 2008)
LOST HIGHWAY
BORN TO BE MY BABY
YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME
CAPTAIN CRASH & THE BEAUTY QUEEN FROM MARS
RUNAWAY
SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD w/ Twist & Shout
BLAZE OF GLORY
WHOLE LOT OF LEAVIN'
ALWAYS
ANY OTHER DAY
WE GOT IT GOIN' ON
IT'S MY LIFE
KEEP THE FAITH
I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU (Richie Sambora lead vocals)
(YOU WANT TO) MAKE A MEMORY
BED OF ROSES
DRY COUNTY
HAVE A NICE DAY
WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME
BAD MEDICINE w/ Shout

ENCORE:
HALLELUJAH (Leonard Cohen cover)
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
LIVIN' ON A PRAYER

Night #2 (July 15, 2008)
GLAD ALL OVER (Dave Clark Five cover)
LOST HIGHWAY
BORN TO BE MY BABY
YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME
SUMMERTIME
RAISE YOUR HANDS
I LOVE THIS TOWN
SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD
LIVIN' IN SIN w/ Going to the Chapel
WHOLE LOT OF LEAVIN'
IN THESE ARMS
ANY OTHER DAY
WE GOT IT GOIN' ON
IT'S MY LIFE
KEEP THE FAITH
I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU (Richie vocals)
(YOU WANT TO) MAKE A MEMORY
BLOOD ON BLOOD
SOMEDAY I'LL BE SATURDAY NIGHT
HAVE A NICE DAY
WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME
BAD MEDICINE w/ Shout

ENCORE:
RUNAWAY
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
LIVIN' ON A PRAYER

I followed both concerts on JoviTalk as they unfolded and a lot of diehards were a bit disappointed with the second night. It's expected (though not confirmed) that the band could take a significant break after this tour.... A possible greatest hits release, some solo albums, perhaps more acting roles for Jon Bon Jovi. The MSG shows are set to be released on a DVD and this was a chance to sign off on this very successful tour with a real bang. The band's 25th anniversary is coming up too and diehards have never had a truly special concert DVD.

I suggested the following setlist for the last show, posting it on JoviTalk and BonJovi.com to generally positive peer reviews.

LOST HIGHWAY
BAD NAME
RAISE YOUR HANDS
BLOOD ON BLOOD
IN THESE ARMS (Dave on first verse)
WHOLE LOT OF LEAVIN'
SLEEP w/ Mercy + Start Me Up
WE GOT IT GOIN' ON
BLOOD MONEY
BLAZE OF GLORY
I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU (Richie)
LIVING IN SIN
DIAMOND RING
ALWAYS
HEY GOD
DRY COUNTY
IT'S MY LIFE
WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME
UNDIVIDED
MAKE A MEMORY
HAVE A NICE DAY
LAST MAN STANDING
PRAYER

Encore:
I BELIEVE
RIDE COWBOY RIDE
WANTED
THESE DAYS
NEVER SAY GOODBYE

Audibles: Bed of Roses, Hallelujah, Something to Believe In, In & Out of Love, Saturday Night

To me, the above would have provided something extra special for the diehards without isolating the casual fans. Incidently, quite a few of my suggestions were actually played (probably a coincidence though) -- just none of the ones that required any extra effort. In my next post, I'll go through why I picked the songs I did.