A review by Ian

It's five years since I saw the group live (although I did see Jon solo at the Carlsberg Songs and Vision concert in '97)and I'd forgotten just how awesome they are in concert. Delirious and Matchbox 20 were two of the better support groups I've seen and got things going nicely, but they were just wiped out the second the guys came onstage and went straight into 'One Wild Night'! The dodgy weather was instantly forgotten as 65000 went ballistic, and things only got better from there. I didn't get a setlist because I was too busy jumping up and down! The things that you've got to talk about is the bands stage presence, and particularly Jon's. He doesn't so much give the impression of being a rockstar onstage, more the host of a party. At one point - during 'Tequila' I think - he did a lengthy talk to the audience, telling us guys to loosen up and pull a chick. Well, there were three drop dead gorgeous girls stood in front of me, and I gave it a shot. Turns out they were only interested in one guy in the Bowl, and he was from New Jersey! Ah well, on the positive side, I can always tell the story of how I entered a pulling contest with Jon Bon Jovi! I have read some review somewhere about the material being their older stuff, but I'd disagree. We got some tracks from the 'Crush' album, and a good number of classics as well (personal favourites being 'Bad Medicine', "Bed of Roses' and 'Blaze of Glory'). The other reviewer mentioned a future of dwindling audiences. From the way that the crowd was on fire all the way through, forget it - Bon Jovi are going to go on for longer than the Rolling Stones have done. As the best live act that I've seen, I'll be there for as long as they do. I cannot tell you - unless you were there - just how good it felt at the gig, and I've been on a high since.

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