Sunday, December 8, 2013

Bon Jovi Melbourne set list 7/12/13 + Review

Bon Jovi began their Australian tour last night for the first of two shows in Melbourne, and I was there. Were you in the crowd too? I'll share my thoughts on the show below, but here's what they played:

Melbourne, Vic, Australia - Etihad Stadium - December 7, 2013
  1. That's What the Water Made Me
  2. You Give Love a Bad Name
  3. Raise Your Hands
  4. Lost Highway
  5. Whole Lot of Leavin'
  6. It's My Life
  7. Because We Can
  8. What About Now
  9. We Got It Going On
  10. Keep the Faith
  11. (You Want To) Make a Memory
  12. Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars
  13. Born to Be My Baby
  14. We Weren't Born to Follow
  15. Who Says You Can't Go Home
  16. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
    / Jumpin' Jack Flash - Rolling Stones cover
    / Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis cover (David Bryan vox)
    / Run Run Rudolph - Chuck Berry cover
  17. Bad Medicine
    / Shout! - Isley Brothers cover
  18. encore:
  19. In These Arms - David Bryan vox on 2nd verse
  20. Runaway
  21. Wanted Dead or Alive
  22. Have a Nice Day
  23. Livin' on a Prayer

As you can see, especially if you've been following the set lists on this tour, there were no surprises (unless you count the Christmas song, but it is December now). Jon has been below his best vocally for much of the tour, and was again tonight... I don't know how much casual fans picked up on it, but Jon's voice cracked a few times, squeaked very noticeably during Faith, and he compensated by changing the timing of songs, speaking instead of singing in parts, sometimes skipping whole lines for the band or crowd to sing. Dave and Bobby in particular, and Phil to a lesser extent, really saved his arse.

Jon's nose was really red and I know I personally have been struggling with allergies in Melbourne the past couple of days so that could be a factor, since the stuff you take for hay fever etc tends to dry up your vocal cords, which obviously isn't good for a singer. But it doesn't change the unfortunate fact that his voice has been off all year. He also wore a jacket for the whole show, which surprised me given he's performing in an Australian summer.

I was further back than I have been for Bon Jovi before and from this perspective, there were very noticeable ebbs and flows. The girl next to me spent most of the night texting and I saw her update her Facebook status to something like "Basically every Bon Jovi song after 1999 is a pile of shit with wank juices" -- Given I love a lot of stuff from 2000 onwards, I disagree with the sentiment but they are picking the wrong songs, especially if they're not even going to mix anything up anymore. You really don't need all those Lost Highway songs. I love Memory, but it doesn't belong in that spot after everyone has got back on their feet for Faith, but at least it was a single that a few people seem to know... Whole Lot of Leavin' is just an energy sapper. So is Born to Follow, which certainly shouldn't follow Baby -- the choruses are almost identical. If you're going to play a song from The Circle, make it something good like Thorn In My Side or Love's the Only Rule (but I guess Jon's not going to change things when there are only a handful of shows left). And no one knows Because We Can! Stop trying to turn it into a singalong... It hasn't worked at any other show. While we're on that topic, Who Says wasn't a hit outside of North America and Jon should try to remember that.

From the Sleep medley to the end, the energy was right up and it's a shame they can't keep things at that level for the whole show.

Despite my comments, I actually had a really good time. I wasn't expecting any surprises, which is the way to go this tour. It was nice to have Bon Jovi as my first event at Etihad Stadium. I also got to hear David sing live for the first time.

Kid Rock was the main support act in his first ever Australian tour. I could take or leave his music but he is one entertaining mofo. Can't help but love his energy. Angie McMahon was opened after winning the Telstra Road to Discovery competition and she was lovely, but I do feel for support acts.

Anyway, I'm back at Etihad tonight for Round 2 so hopefully Jon took care of himself last night and fingers crossed for a good show.

3 comments:

  1. I hope you get a better show tonight! Finger's crossed for more rarities and less Lost Highways.

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  2. I love hearing a perspective on their shows from someone outside the US. I'd love to see them perform in Europe some day just because I know the fans there are fans or different songs than we are in the US. I actually had no idea that "Who Says..." wasn't a hit outside the US. Of course, it's the country version that was the big hit here, but it's still a crowd pleaser in the US. Thanks for the review!

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  3. last years concert was better, sorry Jon, time to hang the mic up and grab a walking stick.

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Thanks for giving me your time.