NY Post Article

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/38689.htm

SWINGIN' IN THE RAIN

By DAN AQUILANTE
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August 9, 2003 -- 'SLIPPERY When Wet," the title of Bon Jovi's best- known, most loved album, also described the band at the first of its two-night, sold-out gigs at Giants Stadium.
In the hammering rain that got harder as the 21/2-hour, open-air affair played out Thursday night, band leader Jon Bon Jovi, best known for his hooks 'n' looks, added heart to that winning combination.

While this kind of total, unrelenting dousing might have thrown a wet blanket onto most outdoors entertainments, Bon Jovi had the smarts to embrace the wash right along with his fans.

He didn't even try to stay dry beneath the Plexiglas stage hut. Instead, he slid, splashed and frolicked like a kid.

The energy of adversity was transferred to the stands, the upper decks and on the field. All over the stadium, wet T-shirts, glistening skin and loud-fast rock 'n' roll lent the gig a crazy, sexy kind of hedonism.

And Jon Bon Jovi definitely dug it.

When the rain was falling hardest, he got a goofy, mischievous grin on his kisser and told the crowd, "Now I know what it's like to take a shower with 60,000 people."



His famously fluffy hair was matted to his noggin, his shirt was plastered to his chest and he had to wipe the rain from his eyes, but the guy was obviously enjoying the rub-a-dub-dub rock outing.

Even if Bon Jovi hadn't play the kicking concert he did, the event had a built-in power that carried it over the top.

It was as if he and his guitar-ace sidekick, Richie Sambora, instinctively knew that if they played as hard as the rain fell, everyone would go home smiling.

It worked.

Early in the set, hits like "You Give Love a Bad Name" won over the Jersey fans. Bon Jovi at the Meadowlands has the same synergy as a Nathan's dog and fries in Coney Island. There's only one other band that can rock that joint that way.

Despite the crunching power of the rockers in the early set, the pivotal song in the first half of the show was the neo-western ballad "Wanted: Dead or Alive" that paired Bon Jovi and Sambora on dueling acoustic guitars. Their strums complemented each other and they reached some very pretty harmonies with the help of a house choir of 60,000.

Tunes from the band's year-old disc, "Bounce," received warm applause, but it was those down-the-Shore anthems - "Living on a Prayer," "Runaway" and "Bad Medicine" - that really gave the late show its power.

How good was Bon Jovi at Giants Stadium?

Well, when the band took its final bow, at least 80 percent of the house was still in the stadium - despite the deluge.

"Duelling acoustic guitars", I love that

Keep On Rockin'

The Daily News wrecked them. That review made me angry.

But Jim Farber is the head of the music world at the NY Daily News and Jim Farber hates, hates, hates and despites the band, especially Jon. So even if the reviewer had something good to say, my guess is Farber would have a say as editor.

Well that is interesting information, thank you. I thought it was a bit harsh on their part and was wondering what the problem was.

I had no clue about that either but that would explain the review. I was wondering why it was so negative. Actually - most of the article was complimentary except for this paragraph

"In the face of such enthusiasm, it feels a tad unsporting to point out that Bon Jovi's whole career is built on hoary clichés. But the truth is, from "Runaway" to "Wanted Dead or Alive" to "Keep the Faith" to "It's My Life," there's scarcely a single original idea to be found, either musically or lyrically.
Still, clichés are clichés for a reason, and Bon Jovi serves them up with no apology. Indeed, the band revels in its shtick. "

Kathleen

pile of tosh

I would think it would be better for him to go to the "teenypopper boy band" concerts. If he doesn't like Bon Jovi, then why did he review about it? Is he trying to make people hate Bon Jovi? Whatever it is, he should just relax at a concert where HE and other "teenypoppers" can have fun at. It's nothing much, but I just HATE people who HATE Bon Jovi.

He's a music journalist, he's told where to go to and what to review. The whole idea of critiquing a product is that you are neutral and honest in your evaluation. I'd much rather the guy was honest about what he thought than blatantly lying to please the masses. I can respect that.

the world would be boring if every1 agreed