A review by Andy / torregga@freesurf.ch

Yesterday's concert in Zurich has been great, much better than the Crush show you've all seen on DVD. The guys rocked us for 2 hours, which isn't a long time for their standards, but since it was so hot (around 32 degrees) and since the show was so intense, we couldn't complain !
Let me start my review by telling you about the support bands. Southside Johnny was great. His music sounds like Bruce Springsteen's, so you have to enjoy it ! During his show Jon was sitting behind the stage (I could see him 'cause I was on the left of the stage) dancing and drinking loads of water. Hugh was there, too ! Then Jon joined Johnny for the last 3 songs of the set, and they rocked ! Unfortunately many people didn't understand that the man with sunglasses and the cowboy hat was Jon Bon Jovi... so they went on chatting and sleeping... too bad !
Then it was up to Gotthard, a swiss band, and they put up a superb performance. Good rock, very well played, and all the 40000 people in the stadium were with them ! People of Munich and Vienna, you'll love Gotthard !

At 20:09 the great show started, sun still high in the sky, with the classic elevator scene. I'd like to comment every single song now.

1)One wild night. Really rockin'. The sound was good since the beginning, only Richie's guitar was too low.

2)Raise your hands. It was great to hear it live ! Very well performed, and the audience seemed to know and enjoy it. Still some problems with Richie, it was hard to hear his solo. As usual, Jon added Zurich to the cities in the song. One of the highlights of the show.

3)You give love a bad name. The crowd went crazy ! The guys played a heavier version than last year, and we could finally hear Richie, too ! Great, everybody was singing along.

4)In these arms. I think this was the weakest song of the show. Don't misunderstand me, it was nice to hear it live after too many years, but it was a plain version, with no surprises. Too much like the one on the album.

5)Born to be my baby. This one was better than last year's, too. More rocking. Very good !

6)Captain Crash... Altough I don't like it too much on Crush, this song is very good live. I really enjoyed the end, with the long instrumental part.

7)Just older. Jon had some problems with his earphones, so he was late to start singing. Anyway I appreciated how the guy continued playing waiting for him start singing, then they all started the song. You can call it experience !

8)Wild is the wind. Great beginning, with Jon and Richie playing guitars, very intense. The song was played a little slower than on New Jersey, I found it more dramatic. Really really good !

9)Blaze of glory. Very powerful, great videos on the maxi screens. Tico did a great job there.

10)Wild in the streets. Last year people weren't involved in this song, this time they apprecieated much more. All the stadium clapping hands was quite a sight !

11)It's my life. Another highlight ! Well performed, everybody jumped and sung. Many people hold their cell phones high so that people who couldn't make it to the stadium could hear the song, too !

12)Saturday night. Started like on the OWN album, then it went faster. Very long version, nice musical parts, very very good !

13)Lay your hands on me. Great to hear Tico and David's solos after some years ! Unfortunately, we didn't have an extended version, but it was quite good anyway.

14)I'll sleep when I am dead. Jon didn't make us sing, and there were no covers inside, so quite a plain version, but the surprise was getting closer...

15)Rockin' all over the world. Now, that WAS the HIGHLIGHT of the show. Every single soul in the stadium jumped and sung his lungs out !!! The guys looked really impressed by the reaction of the crowd ! Excellent !

16)Bad medicine. Never ending version ! And much better then the one on OWN.

17)Shout. What can I say ? It wouldn't be a BJ show without it !

18)Wanted. New introduction by Richie, but much too short... They let the crowd sing all the first verses, but it didn't come out too well. I've heard better versions.

19)Keep the faith. Richie had some problems with the guitar, so he joined in after the first half of the song. Tico was superb ! Very good !

20)Prayer. It started like in the 1993 tour, with Jon singing the first verse alone. It was a hell of an end, after more than 2 hours the guys and the crowd were still jumping. Great !

As you can tell, an hell of a show !! And Jon said they'll be back next year ! I am already counting the days...

back to tour information page