Opinions of HAND tour so far?

I was also at both of those show as well and was extremely happy, sure there are always going to be songs you want to hear that you didn't (Id Die for You, Undivided) etc and there are always songs that you can do without (Bells of Freedom, Captain Crash) What is nice is there are a lot of people that love those songs.
I also got my tickets through Ebay but I was happy with my selection...i will never sit back 30 rows again and will always pay a little extra if needed.
Hopefully they play Summerfest in July


cW

I saw six shows on the arena legs of the tour and have to say now that it is all over I'm really impressed with what the band did this time out. My first show was the Magical first night in Minneapolis.Two things blew me away that night Jon's voice, he sounded better than I have heard him in probably five or six years, and the sound overall. I don't know if they bought Mr Eisenhauer some new toys to play with, or if he has finally gotten comfortable with BJ's music but the sound was excellent at the shows I saw.

I went back and looked and I got at least one song I hadn't heard yet or before at every show I saw, in some cases two or three, which is very cool in my book.

The new covers were great, the Tom Petty cover really worked in it's slot to introduce HAND, Treat her Right was pure fun no matter where they put it in the encores and Great Balls of Fire was a cool surprise for me in Vegas.

The acoustic stuff went over really well at the shows I saw. BOR did better than Always, I think that one is just to big a hit to be changed up, I think there are too many "memories " attached to it for people. I loved the rearrangemnet of BOG, I'd like to see this song stay around awhile.

The breakdown in Bad Medicine with the Shout teaser and the Gloria insert made what for me was becoming a slightly tired classic a blast all over again, plus since you never knew what was going to come out of Jons mouth during the break, it was fun to see each time. The timeline back to 82 as the intro to Runaway was cute too, Jon's facial expressions were priceless!!!

JOn in the audience. I got to see the opener done two ways, from the stage, where it was good, and from the FOH which was brilliant. It just set the tone for the show when Jon started the night singing to the "cheap seats". Jonny's church of Rock and Roll at it's best IMO. At the two early tour shows there was a sound issue with this but by the time my third show came around they had it down pat. Becky was right watching the expressions on peoples faces on the screen when Jon wanders through the audience during BOR was almost wi=orth the price of addmission in itself.

The stuff that impressed me: Jon and the bands passion for what they were doing this time out. During the Bounce tour I saw a band of proffesional musicians out doing their job, it certainly wasn't bad, but it was a bit paint by the numbers.
This time I saw a band that was in love all over again with their new music their fans and with playing live.

Jons voice. Whether he quit smoking, which I strongly suspect he has, or he went back to his voice coach and reworked somethings or both, the mans voice is in excellent shape. I was impressed when I first heard it back in November, I was blown away when I heard it in March. I've seen BJ a ton of times over the years, Jon has always stuggled with his voice as a tour went on. Between the allergies, singing too hard and too much, getting sick etc.... usually by the 52 show in he's having some issues, but this time his voice was even better 52 shows in . He sounded better in Vegas than at any other show I saw, so whatever he doing I hope he keeps it up.

The band. Once again the band I really love to hear play. They were having fun this time really getting into what they were playing and with being with each other, and it showed. Richie did have a couple of quiet nights at my early tour shows, his playing was excellent but he seemed to be trying to get "lost " in the music, we all know what he was trying to get away from thinking about now. By the last couple of shows I saw he had figured out how to channel whatever emotional upheaval was going on in his world into his playing, he was playing as well as I have ever heard him by Vegas.


The stuff I didn't like. Please please make I'll Sleep When I'm Dead go away!!!
I never liked this song and 14 years later it hasn't gotten any better. I still say Blame it on the Love would be a fitting and cool replacemnet for this one.

I think I was at my fourth show before I got to hear Welcome. Should be there every night. Novocaine and I wanna be loved could have been in the set more often.

I would have loved to hear Something to believe in or lie to me from TD, I honestly believe Jon's voice is in good enough shape to do this records songs justice again, but I've resigned myself to the fact that TD won't ever really get much live play in the US. Guess I'll have to make a trip to Europe one of these days.
I think thats about it. For me this has been the best tour I have seen since KTF.