O2 residency ends - JTers overall opinions

Rock33 · #31 06-27-2010, 09:28 PM

I enjoyed the show i found it to be better than the Lost Highway tour especially Coventry that show Jon didn't seem to be enjoying himself as much. The best one i have seen though was Milton Keynes in 2001, but I'd give it a 8/10. performance was amazing the only let down for me was ticket prices and not wild on the venue. thats just small minor detail.

Irishshin · #32 06-27-2010, 09:30 PM

I loved it. Best shows I have been to in a while. I got to go to three shows - 17th, 19th & 26th. We only went back on the 26th because the 17th & 19th were so good. I've seen the live 11 times now and 19th & 26th are the best shows I have been to. They are sounding so great right now.

Never thought I would ever hear Something To Beleive In or Hard Letting You Go live ever. And I got that. Also hearing Wild Is The Wind, Richie singing Homebound Train, Diamond Ring, Miss Fourth of July, Love For Sale, These Days. It was amazing.

So delighted the opened with Blood on Blood last night, its my favourite song and Iw as waiting for it and it so works as an opener.

Loved hearing Thorn In My Side, Bullet & Love's The Only Rule from the Circle. I never liked Beautiful but after hearing it live I really do now like it.

I don't care, I love Captain Crash and was delighted to get it 3 nights. I do love Bad Medicine much more this time around than any other tour.

I am disppointed I didn't get to hear Something For The Pain & Let It Rock.

The only low points for me were the pricing. And the seats. I don't need a seat!! I cannot wait for the stadium tour where it all (hopefully) go back to normal!

Beaky · #33 06-27-2010, 11:16 PM

Firstly, let me apologise. I am just going to write this, I won't edit it and I haven't planned it. This is purely and carthartic
experience, so you have my apologies if it comes out slightly disjointed.

I wasn't going to post anything as it seemed a little like pissing on everyone's fireworks but when I read someone saying they
couldn't understand why another poster said his love of the band was coming to an end I wanted to put my side across.

I have a real problem. I'm not in awe of Bon Jovi anymore. Now, before you just write me off as a naysayer, as a doom-monger,
let me assure you; I have written one or two posts like this before after an album release has left me feeling dejected but it's
different this time.

I have just seen the band three times at the O2; I've even been down to the Clipper and got tickets signed and seen them upclose.
In 1993, this would have made my life, this would have given Liverpool's fifth European Cup win a damn good run for 2nd best day
ever (behind the wedding day, of course).

In 1993 I would have been in awe of Jon Bon Jovi. He was THE man. Wembley Arena that year was my first gig, followed by the
rock 'n' roll force of Milton Keynes in the summer. They were a current band, a relevant band, a band that was scorched through
the world on the Keep The Faith and Sleep When I'm Dead tours. They played their new music, they believed in it with every single
breath and drop of sweat. The sight of Jon bouncing all over the stage during 'I'd Die For You' and thrashing his Telecoustic
to within an inch of its life on 'Sleep When I'm Dead' was all about watching a band (and more importantly, their front man)
not just having a good day at work but LOVING performing, coming alive onstage and not turning a mass crowd into a huge party.

Yesterday, I didn't care that Jon walked straight to his car, sparing a quick wave for the hundred or so people who waiting for
two hours in the sun to get a photo or a t-shirt signed. I wasn't interested in him. Richie is the man now. The women who
remember Jon as that kid with everything to prove, floating across the stage, his long hair dripping with sweat and clinging to
his head, with no thought of nipping off to get it blow-dried; they still love him and I will always understand why. Jon is your
guy, he's your idol and in your heart you hope to God that there's still a tiny part inside of him that is still that kid with
the 'America' leather jacket, the kid who did it for the love of it.

But I just can't see it in him anymore and this is the first reason why I think these will be my last ever Jovi shows.

Friday night was great, I loved it. Last night we got 'Hard Letting You Go' which was epic. But, I constantly have to remind
myself who that guy onstage is, just to get myself into it because I don't believe him anymore. I don't believe the moves, I don't
believe the smiles. I believe him when he says 'When I'm onstage I am not thinking about the song, I am thinking about the next
song and where it's going to go.' Now, some of you will say he's a perfectionist and you have to accept this. SOme will say I
was 17 in 1993, I got to see a band I'd loved for 5 years for the first time and now I'm 33, so it's a different experience. This
may be part of it. But there's two reasons why I think this isn't the case.

1. I touched on it above, in my opinion Jon does not do this for the love of it anymore. I feel Jon does it because he wants
to be the best in his professional field. He has a massive amount of pride in his JOB. He delivers on that level 100% and I
cannot fault him for that. I can also see why fans who just LOVE this band unconditionally can get past this but I can't. I need
that edge, that 'chip on the shoulder' Jon favours mentioning. I am in business, I can relate to Jon The Businessman but I don't
want to, I want to relate to the Jon who gets his ass out there because he loves the songs, loves the buzz and loves playing off
of his amazing band. I don't feel that. Your arguement might be 'Are you blind? He rocked the O2!!' But there are several
differences between someone who has to get themselves up for gigs, then works themselves hard to prove something to themselves
compared to other artists (I won't name anyone, it won't help) who would rather be taken out back and shot than get to the
stage where they have to pump themselves up for a gig. Jon doesn't go out there and do this naturally anymore. He goes out there
to work and he's damn good at his job. Again, that might be okay if it weren't for my next issue.

2. The songs, the setlists, the shame of actually sitting down last night. I've never done that. I've been knee deep in mud at
Milton Keynes, watching someone 2 people away actually take a shit in the middle of the bowl and STILL I wouldn't move.
I've been in countless queues for numerous hours and never once sat down or even bent my legs because this band knew how to
structure a set list. I gigged myself for many years and Bon Jovi taught me all I know about structuring a set. Then they
open with Blood on Blood. Nah. Crackin' tune, I love it and it should be in the set but no.
For anyone who says I am harkening for the old days I would argue that right up until Lost Highway, this band always opened with
a bang. Lay Your Hands, I Believe, Prayer, Bounce and numerous others. Blood on Blood belongs as the third or fourth song in the
first section of the set. I completely agree with those who say it hobbled the first section of the set and following it with
Born To Follow just further delays the 'ass-shakin' process. I also grumbled a bit when they made so few changes from Friday to
Saturday for the first hour but that wouldn't be so bad if the songs they kept were any good.

Jon comments that he can't play Hey God every night as his audience are hedonists, they need to be the party band. I agree to a
certain extent but here's my dilemma; The bands success in the live arena and in the charts over the last few years have all come
from two avenues; the 'It's My Life' route or the 'Who Says' route. So you can guarantee that the four new songs they've written
will be another 'I Love This Town; or 'Have A Nice Day'. Full of 'Yeh-yeh yehs' and 'Come ons'and 'Salrights'. This is where my
band live now. My band who wrote 'I'll Be There For You', 'Social Disease', 'Just Older'. When they do dip their toe in the water
and try something off the beaten track, it comes out like Bullet; and because I love to see a glimpse of that side of the band,
I lap it up, even though the song doesn't really have a riff and is just 'All I Want Is Everything' mixed with 'Faith' but with
far less groove and imagination. As I was listening to it live Saturday, I was completely underwhelmed. I was gutted. If they
are putting effort into writing these songs, it doesn't show and they come across as lazy but because the have such a strong core
of die-hard fans, it doesn't matter, as long as they write another song like 'Crash' that is lyrically shocking and musically about
four levels below what this band are capable of. Simplicity may well be genius but don't beat us over the head with it EVERY SINGLE
NIGHT. (Also, if you want a party song, try 99 In The Shade or at least swap one or two each night with One Wild Night or something, to keep us guessing)

Okay, the rant is over. Most will disagree and being as this is all based on opinion, I will disagree with your disagreement and
say you're just Jovi blind. I thought I was but it turns out I just loved the band and now I don't.

Here's a thought that may go some way to proving both my points: I wave my arms and sing during the end of Captain Crash, which
kind of makes me exactly what I am accussing Jon of being. I do it because I have seen this band so many times that I've witnessed
the famous 'Jon mood' on several occassions and I am so worried that if we don't wave, he might get into a strop and just stick
to the usual, basic set. He might stick the bottom lip out and not bother putting the effort in.
Does that sound like Jon to you? Be honest now...

Well, the Jon that made me want to be a front man, the Jon that I would have punched an OAP to get an autograph from would have
put just seen that as a challenge and worked ten times harder to win me over. Those days are, sadly, out of reach.

Johny · #34 06-28-2010, 12:09 AM

I don't have guts to read all of the criticism here. Even if I got probably the third worst setlist (nigh 9) I really enjoyed the show! Richie was on fire rocking out and Jon was enjoying the show very much, nothing close to autopilot. There were some bad things (not using the catwalk, all of the crappy party songs, lame crowd even in the pit etc etc) but seeing the band was amazing for me. Perfect performances, perfect sound.

Yvonne · #35 06-28-2010, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by letitrock

It's Hard Letting You Go was very poignant for me because I nearly snapped and walked out of the show once Have A Nice Day started.

I know that feeling all too well!

steel_horse75 · #36 06-28-2010, 01:15 AM

One thing.
10 nights should at least mean 10 different openers.
Blood on blood dont work as opener.
Raise your hands, let it rock, prayer, lyhom, homebound train, i beleive, hey god, one wild night, divided and hand all work as openers to name a few.

ticos_stick · #37 06-28-2010, 01:52 AM

I personally thought my show on the 17th was poor. I can't comment on the others and believe rating shows on paper is stupid.

I think from the perspective of Jon it was a failure, I don't think any show sold out truly and the last few nights tickets were more or less given away.

Dawn · #38 06-28-2010, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beaky

Firstly, let me apologise. I am just going to write this, I won't edit it and I haven't planned it. This is purely and carthartic
experience, so you have my apologies if it comes out slightly disjointed.

I wasn't going to post anything as it seemed a little like pissing on everyone's fireworks but when I read someone saying they
couldn't understand why another poster said his love of the band was coming to an end I wanted to put my side across.

I have a real problem. I'm not in awe of Bon Jovi anymore. Now, before you just write me off as a naysayer, as a doom-monger,
let me assure you; I have written one or two posts like this before after an album release has left me feeling dejected but it's
different this time.

I have just seen the band three times at the O2; I've even been down to the Clipper and got tickets signed and seen them upclose.
In 1993, this would have made my life, this would have given Liverpool's fifth European Cup win a damn good run for 2nd best day
ever (behind the wedding day, of course).

In 1993 I would have been in awe of Jon Bon Jovi. He was THE man. Wembley Arena that year was my first gig, followed by the
rock 'n' roll force of Milton Keynes in the summer. They were a current band, a relevant band, a band that was scorched through
the world on the Keep The Faith and Sleep When I'm Dead tours. They played their new music, they believed in it with every single
breath and drop of sweat. The sight of Jon bouncing all over the stage during 'I'd Die For You' and thrashing his Telecoustic
to within an inch of its life on 'Sleep When I'm Dead' was all about watching a band (and more importantly, their front man)
not just having a good day at work but LOVING performing, coming alive onstage and not turning a mass crowd into a huge party.

Yesterday, I didn't care that Jon walked straight to his car, sparing a quick wave for the hundred or so people who waiting for
two hours in the sun to get a photo or a t-shirt signed. I wasn't interested in him. Richie is the man now. The women who
remember Jon as that kid with everything to prove, floating across the stage, his long hair dripping with sweat and clinging to
his head, with no thought of nipping off to get it blow-dried; they still love him and I will always understand why. Jon is your
guy, he's your idol and in your heart you hope to God that there's still a tiny part inside of him that is still that kid with
the 'America' leather jacket, the kid who did it for the love of it.

But I just can't see it in him anymore and this is the first reason why I think these will be my last ever Jovi shows.

Friday night was great, I loved it. Last night we got 'Hard Letting You Go' which was epic. But, I constantly have to remind
myself who that guy onstage is, just to get myself into it because I don't believe him anymore. I don't believe the moves, I don't
believe the smiles. I believe him when he says 'When I'm onstage I am not thinking about the song, I am thinking about the next
song and where it's going to go.' Now, some of you will say he's a perfectionist and you have to accept this. SOme will say I
was 17 in 1993, I got to see a band I'd loved for 5 years for the first time and now I'm 33, so it's a different experience. This
may be part of it. But there's two reasons why I think this isn't the case.

1. I touched on it above, in my opinion Jon does not do this for the love of it anymore. I feel Jon does it because he wants
to be the best in his professional field. He has a massive amount of pride in his JOB. He delivers on that level 100% and I
cannot fault him for that. I can also see why fans who just LOVE this band unconditionally can get past this but I can't. I need
that edge, that 'chip on the shoulder' Jon favours mentioning. I am in business, I can relate to Jon The Businessman but I don't
want to, I want to relate to the Jon who gets his ass out there because he loves the songs, loves the buzz and loves playing off
of his amazing band. I don't feel that. Your arguement might be 'Are you blind? He rocked the O2!!' But there are several
differences between someone who has to get themselves up for gigs, then works themselves hard to prove something to themselves
compared to other artists (I won't name anyone, it won't help) who would rather be taken out back and shot than get to the
stage where they have to pump themselves up for a gig. Jon doesn't go out there and do this naturally anymore. He goes out there
to work and he's damn good at his job. Again, that might be okay if it weren't for my next issue.

2. The songs, the setlists, the shame of actually sitting down last night. I've never done that. I've been knee deep in mud at
Milton Keynes, watching someone 2 people away actually take a shit in the middle of the bowl and STILL I wouldn't move.
I've been in countless queues for numerous hours and never once sat down or even bent my legs because this band knew how to
structure a set list. I gigged myself for many years and Bon Jovi taught me all I know about structuring a set. Then they
open with Blood on Blood. Nah. Crackin' tune, I love it and it should be in the set but no.
For anyone who says I am harkening for the old days I would argue that right up until Lost Highway, this band always opened with
a bang. Lay Your Hands, I Believe, Prayer, Bounce and numerous others. Blood on Blood belongs as the third or fourth song in the
first section of the set. I completely agree with those who say it hobbled the first section of the set and following it with
Born To Follow just further delays the 'ass-shakin' process. I also grumbled a bit when they made so few changes from Friday to
Saturday for the first hour but that wouldn't be so bad if the songs they kept were any good.

Jon comments that he can't play Hey God every night as his audience are hedonists, they need to be the party band. I agree to a
certain extent but here's my dilemma; The bands success in the live arena and in the charts over the last few years have all come
from two avenues; the 'It's My Life' route or the 'Who Says' route. So you can guarantee that the four new songs they've written
will be another 'I Love This Town; or 'Have A Nice Day'. Full of 'Yeh-yeh yehs' and 'Come ons'and 'Salrights'. This is where my
band live now. My band who wrote 'I'll Be There For You', 'Social Disease', 'Just Older'. When they do dip their toe in the water
and try something off the beaten track, it comes out like Bullet; and because I love to see a glimpse of that side of the band,
I lap it up, even though the song doesn't really have a riff and is just 'All I Want Is Everything' mixed with 'Faith' but with
far less groove and imagination. As I was listening to it live Saturday, I was completely underwhelmed. I was gutted. If they
are putting effort into writing these songs, it doesn't show and they come across as lazy but because the have such a strong core
of die-hard fans, it doesn't matter, as long as they write another song like 'Crash' that is lyrically shocking and musically about
four levels below what this band are capable of. Simplicity may well be genius but don't beat us over the head with it EVERY SINGLE
NIGHT. (Also, if you want a party song, try 99 In The Shade or at least swap one or two each night with One Wild Night or something, to keep us guessing)

Okay, the rant is over. Most will disagree and being as this is all based on opinion, I will disagree with your disagreement and
say you're just Jovi blind. I thought I was but it turns out I just loved the band and now I don't.

Here's a thought that may go some way to proving both my points: I wave my arms and sing during the end of Captain Crash, which
kind of makes me exactly what I am accussing Jon of being. I do it because I have seen this band so many times that I've witnessed
the famous 'Jon mood' on several occassions and I am so worried that if we don't wave, he might get into a strop and just stick
to the usual, basic set. He might stick the bottom lip out and not bother putting the effort in.
Does that sound like Jon to you? Be honest now...

Well, the Jon that made me want to be a front man, the Jon that I would have punched an OAP to get an autograph from would have
put just seen that as a challenge and worked ten times harder to win me over. Those days are, sadly, out of reach.

Hi ,

What you are saying has always been there, but you have only just seen it. You grew up and began to understand what running a business empire is like.....

What makes you think others dont see autopilot moments it but still enjoy the show... so what if Jon just points to the crowd at the same spot everynight... the smile isnt so bright...its a show... you buy a ticket to a show , you get to hear the songs you have been listening to...

A residency and going more than one night will take the edge off your 'special' moments. Jon will appear to be in autopilot and it will be more noticable. At least the setlists changes make it less repetitive. Are you going for his voice or his personality?

Jon doesnt need the money , so you are saying he does it now for ego alone now ... its one hell of a tour just for ego !

He loves putting on a show... you just want that show to feel like its the first time he has ever performed it, not so polished, no autopilot... after 25 +yrs and a 12 dy residency you wont get that.

Dawn

ticos_stick · #39 06-28-2010, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beaky

Firstly, let me apologise. I am just going to write this, I won't edit it and I haven't planned it. This is purely and carthartic
experience, so you have my apologies if it comes out slightly disjointed.

I wasn't going to post anything as it seemed a little like pissing on everyone's fireworks but when I read someone saying they
couldn't understand why another poster said his love of the band was coming to an end I wanted to put my side across.

I have a real problem. I'm not in awe of Bon Jovi anymore. Now, before you just write me off as a naysayer, as a doom-monger,
let me assure you; I have written one or two posts like this before after an album release has left me feeling dejected but it's
different this time.

I have just seen the band three times at the O2; I've even been down to the Clipper and got tickets signed and seen them upclose.
In 1993, this would have made my life, this would have given Liverpool's fifth European Cup win a damn good run for 2nd best day
ever (behind the wedding day, of course).

In 1993 I would have been in awe of Jon Bon Jovi. He was THE man. Wembley Arena that year was my first gig, followed by the
rock 'n' roll force of Milton Keynes in the summer. They were a current band, a relevant band, a band that was scorched through
the world on the Keep The Faith and Sleep When I'm Dead tours. They played their new music, they believed in it with every single
breath and drop of sweat. The sight of Jon bouncing all over the stage during 'I'd Die For You' and thrashing his Telecoustic
to within an inch of its life on 'Sleep When I'm Dead' was all about watching a band (and more importantly, their front man)
not just having a good day at work but LOVING performing, coming alive onstage and not turning a mass crowd into a huge party.

Yesterday, I didn't care that Jon walked straight to his car, sparing a quick wave for the hundred or so people who waiting for
two hours in the sun to get a photo or a t-shirt signed. I wasn't interested in him. Richie is the man now. The women who
remember Jon as that kid with everything to prove, floating across the stage, his long hair dripping with sweat and clinging to
his head, with no thought of nipping off to get it blow-dried; they still love him and I will always understand why. Jon is your
guy, he's your idol and in your heart you hope to God that there's still a tiny part inside of him that is still that kid with
the 'America' leather jacket, the kid who did it for the love of it.

But I just can't see it in him anymore and this is the first reason why I think these will be my last ever Jovi shows.

Friday night was great, I loved it. Last night we got 'Hard Letting You Go' which was epic. But, I constantly have to remind
myself who that guy onstage is, just to get myself into it because I don't believe him anymore. I don't believe the moves, I don't
believe the smiles. I believe him when he says 'When I'm onstage I am not thinking about the song, I am thinking about the next
song and where it's going to go.' Now, some of you will say he's a perfectionist and you have to accept this. SOme will say I
was 17 in 1993, I got to see a band I'd loved for 5 years for the first time and now I'm 33, so it's a different experience. This
may be part of it. But there's two reasons why I think this isn't the case.

1. I touched on it above, in my opinion Jon does not do this for the love of it anymore. I feel Jon does it because he wants
to be the best in his professional field. He has a massive amount of pride in his JOB. He delivers on that level 100% and I
cannot fault him for that. I can also see why fans who just LOVE this band unconditionally can get past this but I can't. I need
that edge, that 'chip on the shoulder' Jon favours mentioning. I am in business, I can relate to Jon The Businessman but I don't
want to, I want to relate to the Jon who gets his ass out there because he loves the songs, loves the buzz and loves playing off
of his amazing band. I don't feel that. Your arguement might be 'Are you blind? He rocked the O2!!' But there are several
differences between someone who has to get themselves up for gigs, then works themselves hard to prove something to themselves
compared to other artists (I won't name anyone, it won't help) who would rather be taken out back and shot than get to the
stage where they have to pump themselves up for a gig. Jon doesn't go out there and do this naturally anymore. He goes out there
to work and he's damn good at his job. Again, that might be okay if it weren't for my next issue.

2. The songs, the setlists, the shame of actually sitting down last night. I've never done that. I've been knee deep in mud at
Milton Keynes, watching someone 2 people away actually take a shit in the middle of the bowl and STILL I wouldn't move.
I've been in countless queues for numerous hours and never once sat down or even bent my legs because this band knew how to
structure a set list. I gigged myself for many years and Bon Jovi taught me all I know about structuring a set. Then they
open with Blood on Blood. Nah. Crackin' tune, I love it and it should be in the set but no.
For anyone who says I am harkening for the old days I would argue that right up until Lost Highway, this band always opened with
a bang. Lay Your Hands, I Believe, Prayer, Bounce and numerous others. Blood on Blood belongs as the third or fourth song in the
first section of the set. I completely agree with those who say it hobbled the first section of the set and following it with
Born To Follow just further delays the 'ass-shakin' process. I also grumbled a bit when they made so few changes from Friday to
Saturday for the first hour but that wouldn't be so bad if the songs they kept were any good.

Jon comments that he can't play Hey God every night as his audience are hedonists, they need to be the party band. I agree to a
certain extent but here's my dilemma; The bands success in the live arena and in the charts over the last few years have all come
from two avenues; the 'It's My Life' route or the 'Who Says' route. So you can guarantee that the four new songs they've written
will be another 'I Love This Town; or 'Have A Nice Day'. Full of 'Yeh-yeh yehs' and 'Come ons'and 'Salrights'. This is where my
band live now. My band who wrote 'I'll Be There For You', 'Social Disease', 'Just Older'. When they do dip their toe in the water
and try something off the beaten track, it comes out like Bullet; and because I love to see a glimpse of that side of the band,
I lap it up, even though the song doesn't really have a riff and is just 'All I Want Is Everything' mixed with 'Faith' but with
far less groove and imagination. As I was listening to it live Saturday, I was completely underwhelmed. I was gutted. If they
are putting effort into writing these songs, it doesn't show and they come across as lazy but because the have such a strong core
of die-hard fans, it doesn't matter, as long as they write another song like 'Crash' that is lyrically shocking and musically about
four levels below what this band are capable of. Simplicity may well be genius but don't beat us over the head with it EVERY SINGLE
NIGHT. (Also, if you want a party song, try 99 In The Shade or at least swap one or two each night with One Wild Night or something, to keep us guessing)

Okay, the rant is over. Most will disagree and being as this is all based on opinion, I will disagree with your disagreement and
say you're just Jovi blind. I thought I was but it turns out I just loved the band and now I don't.

Here's a thought that may go some way to proving both my points: I wave my arms and sing during the end of Captain Crash, which
kind of makes me exactly what I am accussing Jon of being. I do it because I have seen this band so many times that I've witnessed
the famous 'Jon mood' on several occassions and I am so worried that if we don't wave, he might get into a strop and just stick
to the usual, basic set. He might stick the bottom lip out and not bother putting the effort in.
Does that sound like Jon to you? Be honest now...

Well, the Jon that made me want to be a front man, the Jon that I would have punched an OAP to get an autograph from would have
put just seen that as a challenge and worked ten times harder to win me over. Those days are, sadly, out of reach.

Very well put sir. At least you're being honest, and I agree with you whole heartidly.

The wow factor has gone. I think they should have called it quits after The Lost Highway tour and went their separate ways for a while because it's become stale.

Bounce7800 · #40 06-28-2010, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ticos_stick

Very well put sir. At least you're being honest, and I agree with you whole heartidly.

The wow factor has gone. I think they should have called it quits after The Lost Highway tour and went their separate ways for a while because it's become stale.

But I dont think the music has gone stale like with The Circle as its a great record, and vocally Jon is in better shape than ever and Richie has sorted out his problems so I would see no reason to. Unless it means a Richie solo album and tour of course...

O2 residency ends - JTers overall opinions

Tour Discussion