Bon Jovi Macau set lists 25/9/15 & 26/9/15

Bon Jovi played two consecutive nights in Macau, which is a special administrative region of China and therefore not subject to the same rules that resulted in the cancellation of the planned concerts on the mainland. Here's what was played.

Macau - Cotai Arena - September 25, 2015

1. That's What The Water Made Me
2. You Give Love A Bad Name
3. Born To Be My Baby
4. Raise Your Hands
5. We Got It Goin' On
6. What About Now
7. Lost Highway
8. Whole Lot Of Leavin'
9. We Don't Run
10. It's My Life
11. Because We Can
12. Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
13. Wanted Dead Or Alive
14. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
15. Who Says you Can't Go Home
16. Keep The Faith
17. Bad Medicine

Encore:
18. Captain Crash And The Beauty Queen From Mars
19. Have A Nice Day
20. Livin' On A Prayer

Macau - Cotai Arena - September 26, 2015

1. The Radio Saved My Life Tonight
2. Runaway
3. You Give Love A Bad Name
4. Born To Be My Baby
5. We Got It Goin' On
6. What About Now
7. Lost Highway
8. Whole Lot of Leavin'
9. We Don't Run
10. It's My Life
11. Because We Can
12. Someday I'll Be Saturday Night - acoustic
13. (You Want To) Make A Memory
14. Wanted Dead Or Alive
15. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
16. Who Says You Can't Go Home
17. Keep the Faith
18. Bad Medicine

Encore:
19. Have A Nice Day
20. Livin' On A Prayer

Matt O'Ree joins Bon Jovi; China cancels shows

It's been an interesting few days in Jovi Land. Oddly enough it's happening while I'm out of town so I'm blogging about it on my mobile phone.

First, multiple reports emerged that the Chinese Government had cancelled Bon Jovi's planned concerts in China and Macau. The reason appears to be related to Bon Jovi's use of footage from the Tiananmen Square Massacre in the music video for We Weren't Born to Follow, as well as a picture of the Dalai Lama that appeared on the big screens during The Circle tour. Bon Jovi isn't the only foreign artist who's been cancelled in China, and I just feel sorry for music fans there, as well as people who'd made travel plans. Bon Jovi is now playing a show in Bangkok instead.

Then it was revealed that New Jersey musician Matt O'Ree is joining Bon Jovi on tour. He is replacing Bobby Bandiera as the touring rhythm guitarist, while Phil X will continue as lead guitarist (live at least; John Shanks played on Burning Bridges). Despite sometimes raising the wrath of fans, Bobby's been playing with Bon Jovi for a decade, and with Jon for almost two decades, so I'm not sure whether this change is permanent or not.

What do you think about this development?

Jon Bon Jovi sings Chinese love song

Jon Bon Jovi has sung a Mandarin love song, The Moon Represents My Heart. It was done to commemorate the Qixi Festival (aka Chinese Valentine's Day), which falls on the seventh day of the seventh month of the Lunar calendar. Bon Jovi will play their first ever shows in China in September.

The song was popularised by Teresa Teng, whose music my father loves. So now I have to go and tell him that some white kid from New Jersey is speaking (singing) better Chinese than me, a woman of Malaysian Chinese heritage... Thanks Jon! :P In all seriousness though, I think it's pretty cool that Jon has done this. Not only is it a nice gesture for Chinese fans, Mandarin isn't exactly the easiest language to get your tongue around.

Jon Bon Jovi Sings Chinese Love Song for Valentine’s Day in China