A review by SticktomyGuns / stuff*spamremove*@brewcrewdesign.com

We've all heard the stories about the legendary Bon Jovi shows at Giants Stadium. How the band is so energetic and how they play their best. I've seen numurous shows in Cleveland and thought no show could hold a candle to the last two I've seen at Gund Arena! Wow, was I wrong!

The atmosphere at Giants Stadium was drenched with excitement...figuratively and quite literally!! The rain began just before Jovi took the stage and it did not let up for over 2 1/2 hours! Jon at one point stated "I don't think the really hard stuff's gonna start for awhile"!

The rain came down so steadily and sometimes so heavy that I could not help but think of that scene from Shawshank Redemption when Tim Robbin's character escapes from prison. He is standing in the drainage ditch knee-deep in water holding his arms in the shape of a cross tilting his head back in the pouring, pouring rain...freedom never tasting so sweet!! Jon, in fact, did that pose!!

Jon's interaction with the crowd is the greatest, bar none! I'm not just talking about how he 'plays it up' either. I mean how he tries to make eye contact with the audience sitting close enough to do so. For instance, how he waved a smiled at the young girl right in front of me in the first row (maybe 7 yrs. old) or how he bantered back and forth with my buddy and I as we pointed at him saying "You're the best" and he was pointing back at us (using both hands, reminding me of Chris Farley's 'Van Down by the River' character) saying "No, you are"! I even got David Bryan to point over the top of his keyboard at us and smile, it was awesome!!

It was great to hear JOEY KEYS (not played in Cleveland) even though many people don't care for that one (no doubt, judging by the flat response from the crowd), I happen to love it!! Oh, and I GOT THE GIRL (also not played in Cleveland) was great! I put my daughters picture in my clear-faced badge holder and held it up during that song! The loudest crowd reaction, though, was at the opening notes of BORN TO BE MY BABY!!

The setlist for this show was among the best this tour has seen, especially the encores! The wedding proposal was very cool making it the second coolest thing I've ever seen Jon do at a concert! I think the guys name was Matt, but didn't get hers.

Is it possible that a Jovi show held elsewhere can even compare to one held in Cleveland, Ohio, home of the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame? I would have never dreamt it possible! However, Cleveland can't hold a candle to a Jovi show held in Giants Stadium in New Jersey!!

BELIEVE THE HYPE!!


Setlist: Bounce / You Give Love a Bad Name / Undivided / Everyday / Livin' on a Prayer / Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars / Keep the Faith / Wanted Dead or Alive / Can't Help Falling in Love with You (Elvis cover - Jon solo) / Bed of Roses (w/marriage proposal) / It's My Life / Runaway / Just Older / Someday I'll be Saturday Night / Joey Keys (w/David's intro) / I'll Be There For You (Richie lead vocals) / Hook Me Up / Born to be My Baby / Sleep When I'm Dead / Raise Your Hands / I Got the Girl / I Would Die For You / Bad Medicine / Shout

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