A review by JT / midnite@capital.net

The show on the 03 of this month in Albany was as good as any other I have seen. This is the 8th or 9th time I've seen the band since 1990 when they held their Brotherhood Tour at the Saratoga Equine Center (and sold a record 25,000 tickets for the first concert ever at the race track). I had ok seats, but they still sounded great and the stage design was simply fantastic. I've been to well over a hundred concerts and it was one of the best (yet simple) sets I've seen. A somber note started the evening when it was announced David's father had passed away. The band seemed to devote their energy and show to the memory of David's dad. Not a bad set list, although I would have liked to hear Never Say Goodbye, Bed of Roses, Lay Your Hands and Blood on Blood (my Bon Jovi favorites) instead of Someday... and a few others, but Runaway, Wild in The Streets and a near perfect Wanted Dead or Alive, certainly made up for any shortcomings. When you have followed the band for many years (as many of us have), when you see Richie pull out the double neck guitar, you know it's going to be a perfect ending to a near perfect night. Richie's lead vocal on I'll Be There For You was a complete yet pleasant suprise, although the crowd seemed a bit confused at first as they were unsure of their supporting role in the song. As all his visits to the Capital Region, Jon and the band seemed to feel right at home and fed off the enthusiasm of the crowd (despite a Monday night), as did the crowd appreciate the bands energy, despite rumored recent sicknesses for some of the band members. I'd really like to see some photos other people took, feel free to e-mail them to me if possible. Once again, Bon Jovi has shown that despite the "death" of rock-n-roll and through grunge, rap, pop and other uncultured musical genres, they have and will continue to have staying power with their music and dedication. Not too many bands can claim they were able to sell out the Saratoga Harness track (1990), let alone land a concert there. For a band with great music and an even greater fan base, to sell out the Pepsi Arena should come as a surprise to no one. Not then, and certainly not now. Well done boys....Hope to see you in the area again!

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