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Lord of the Jovi Realm · 07-09-2008, 02:13 AM

**CONCERT REVIEW**
Onto the main event – we have seen Bon Jovi in Michigan a number of times and they have always been special shows in one way or another; Auburn Hills 2000 got “Damned” for the only time that tour. In 2001 Grand Rapids got the greatest show of this decade (link here), and Detroit got a 2 night onslaught later the same year, and the Comerica Park stadium show in 2003 was an unprecedented success with the inclusion of the Goo Goo Dolls and Sheryl Crow.

All American Rejects played their set to a very sparse crowd. There was a banner hanging from the ceiling of the arena that said BON JOVI SOLD OUT 11 TIMES, but as the openers played I thought there was no way this was a sell out it was 75% empty floor to roof. AAR were pretty good, I don’t know any of their songs but the crowd seemed to like them. They were definitely high energy and almost seemed desperate to get a positive response from the audience. At several points the banter onstage went like this
Singer: “ how ya doin De—Troooit?!”
crowd: wooooooo..
Singer: “ how ya doing’ for BON!! JOVI!!! DE!! TROIT!!!!?
Crowd: <maniacal apeshit cheering>

They have more energy can possibly healthy for humans, I pulled a muscle just watching their antics. The singer can sing, but seemed to have a bit of trouble keeping the other guys on pitch for the harmony bits. There were at least 50 cell phones recording video throughout the AAR set, check a youtube near you for more details.
They did announce they were playing a new song from their forthcoming album, which also seemed to get good response. Joe really liked the band.
It seemed like they played a longer set than most openers I have seen for the Jovi’s, maybe 10 tunes. Very talented keyboard player. They complemented Bon Jovi lots of times.

There was an ad to text message a song request on the large video screen prior to the Jovi’s taking the stage.

Lost Highway – started kind of slowly like the band was waiting on Jon to come out, band sounded good and tight.
Four smaller video screens with one huge screen above them.
Jon: black leather open front jacket with designs all over it in black, black jeans, black takamine with initials
Richie: black shirt, button front open, black sparkly vest with tails, multiple necklaces, sunglasses, black and white sambora lumpy guitar 2 buckers and a trem, corded, black jeans.
Dave: jeans and a black leather suit jacket with large Canadian maple leaf on back (I think) 3 banks to the right and 2 to the left, he also spits off the back of the stage constantly J
Lorenza: black, black, silver belts, violin
Tico: covered in cool, hiding behind Pearl skins with “HITMAN” in heart and dagger logo, he has a very short haircut now. Sideburns daring all near to question his authority at their own risk, gloves
Hugh: all black, shades, Sadowsky, P bass, orange Gatorade and 2 kinds of bottled water at his back
Bobby: all black like his idol Hugh J, pearl shaped axe black and white, nearly as ugly as richie’s.

Born To Be My Baby – crowd is really fired up and into it, this is gonna be a good show I think. Even the people behind the stage are dancing. Lights projected from below the rear stage make cool designs and the reflective surface of stage reflects the video from above.
Smokin’ Solo by Richie, damned ugly guitar, but it sings. Jon is lit so brightly that he looks a little pale or washed out..

You Give Love A Bad Name –

Summertime –

Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen From Mars – Richie Blond strat tortoise guard, 2 hummers, entire audience is into this song swinging back and forth all the way up into the balcony, a great crowd favorite despite diehards protests.

Runaway – once upon a time Waaaay back in 1983!
Crowd is nuts from the first keyboard lick, great mix of guitar and keys, richie’s cord keeps getting stuck on his pedal board, Tico, Hugh and Bobby are having a conversation throughout song and laughing, jon seems inspired and on fire, whatever happened North of the border didn’t seem to follow them to “that state up North”
Great guitar tone for the solo, and not the standard solo, ad libbing, hell yeah!!!!
Jon on Black Tele gold hardware and plays the outro solo SWEEEEET!! Richie is singing with gusto
Jon makes guitar god faces during his solo

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead – cool video work on screens whole crowd is clapping with intro, it’s ****in’ LOUD in here. Singin’ the Oh Yeahs
Jon and Richie together at the mic
Richie dark blond 335 Gibson, lorenza on stage, at some point Dave lost the jacket but has long sleeved brown shirt on, Jon tele still,
Tasty key licks in break, guys keep poppig up in the middle of the stage from the rear.
Jon does his boogaloo shoes dance and claims to have a pocket full of quarters and a jukebox full of hits and then asks the band what to play and then asks them if they are gonna play in his key tonight (!!!) starts to laugh into

Twist and Shout – spirited, crowd loves it, richie is chewing gum and jon is doing spirit fingers then he points at Bobby, then asks all the band members individually if they have a song for him then calls Bobby down to the front of the stage and calls him a Brian Jones Lookin Mother****er and Bobby kneels down with his guitar and starts to play

Start Me Up – jon does all the jagger dances he is on FIRE tonight and seems to be having a great time, does a jagger impression while singing, really nice, richie walks to the edge of the stage to slap hands with a bunch of fans

Sleep reprise – they finish it up, Jon is having problems with his in ear system I think, he has his eyes closed a lot and keeps looking down into the pit on stage
Great camera work, Jon plays the outro solo on this one too then he and Ricie cut some heads DAMN this is pretty impressive 2 JON SOLOs both good in one show