My review of Bon Jovi @ the O2 17th June 2010

I still have no voice left after singing my heart out the other night. I wish I hadn't bothered...

Just a few points about the arena set-up.

No.1 The screens are way too small and are showing animations 90% of the time. I go to a Bon Jovi show to see the band, nothing else.

No.2 The sound is too low. I want to feel the music as well as hear it. I was expecting a lot better.

Now for performance,

I think Jon was hungover from the night before, he was rushing through the set and even missed out the medley in Bad Medicine. He also said towards the end "I had a late night in Paris last night" Good excuse

The placement of some of the songs killed the atmosphere on a night the crowd were pretty up for it. Just as the audience were getting pumped up they played a dull song. It didn't feel like a rock show at all. The acoustic set was ok, but rather than go back into the main set with a rocker they went for WWWB..... Christ, I never saw so many people run for a piss / sit down in my life.

All in all it was a huge let down and by far worst show I've seen in a while from any band. My brother who's been a fan since forever was even more upset by what he saw than I was. On the Thames Clipper on the way back no one talking about the show, everyone just looked slightly dejected, I also heard I guy saying "That was the worst concert ever"

On paper the set looked good but in reality the whole show was very poor. I don't think I can be bothered with them for a while after this. I might take in a 2011 date if they decide not the rape the fans again.
Thumbs up to The O2 though. A fantastic venue

Gotta love our totally different views of the same show

I could see why people not as into the band would dislike the setlist, the acoustic bit was pretty long and containing some rare/unknown songs. The people around me were well into it.

The screens are smaller than I imagined, and the stage is quite low down to accomodate the rear seating. I also thought the sound was a little low near the back of the arena.

But that's the thing, I knew all the songs but they just didn't work. Why pump out so many box set songs in one night? God knows how the newer fans felt.

I was around the middle, I was really underwhelmed with the sound. I want to leave a rock concert with ringing ears.... I think being in the pit might have made it different, but from a the stands and further a field it just wasn't working. A good 10% of the crowd left before the encore.

The one thing I was impressed with was the crowd interaction, mind included. I was walking around London yesterday sounding like a cross between Madge Bishop and a slowly deflating balloon

Well, it was only one Box set song right ?

You are correct about that.

I guess this is why Jon's setlist-writing job isn't so easy. I'd have been over the moon for this show.

Interesting how people can have different views on the same show. Had an absolute blast at the gig - though I should add I was 2nd row in the pit which I know does warp your perspective. Friend of mine went, sat in the B-blocks - not a Jovi fan at all and said they loved it - including the acoustic set.

Aloha !

I can actually understand where ticos_stick is coming from. I don't fully agree with him but especially his comments on the flow of the setlist have been things that I didn't understand either. At many shows Whole Lot Of Leaving has been the 4th song. That just didn't work. Same with the set on the catwalk. First a "solo" song, then a big ballad, then 2 slow acoustic songs. That kills the momentum. Same with it not being a rock show. Jon likes these mid-tempo songs like Crash, Who Says, WWWB, WWBTF a little too much. So yeah, even though I would've loved that setlist, I can understand how people would be disappointed with it. Even the die hards.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

And I guess I don't mind the sections that other people consider "slow" or "boring," because I like songs like Miss Fourth and WWWB so much.

It is funny how opinions differ, I loved the show although it was a little bit ruined for me by the drunk group in front of me. I had a couple of friends who went to the show, one of whom only knew IML and Prayer lol but she really enjoyed it - not bad for someone who only knew 2 songs!

I concur, a few slow songs are pretty fine by me in a rock 'n' roll show. I like them playing really obscure stuff as well, it's more risky than just pumping out the famous songs and leaves the crowd to judge the songs as they hear them being played.