First, I have to say I don't think anyone gets what the shows REALLY sound like by listening to bootlegs. They always have some distortion. They also don't give you the feeling you get from being in the crowd and they don't let you get a feeling for what the band's actions/interactions are.

I went to four shows and was very pleased. Their enthusiasm is better than it's been in years. Jon sounds great. They've mixed up the set list more than before. For instance, I saw 11 of the 13 different songs on the US version of HAND during the two Tampa shows.

The TLFR stuff actually has gone over well, I think. I really enjoy the duet version of IBTFY. Jon being in the crowd works well with Always or Bed of Roses because it gives people a chance to shake his hand and it really thrills the fans. Watching people's expressions on the big screen is priceless.

My only disappointments have been that they tend to play Complicated more than I Want to Be Loved when IWTBL is the better song lyrically, musically, and has a better live delivery than Complicated; that Richie sang IBTFY both nights in Tampa. I would have expected one night to be the duet to balance out the set lists; and that they don't represent These Days and rarely play anything from Bounce. They ought to play more songs from the box set too to mix things up. Nobody's Hero would be perfect done as an intro or in place of the IBTFY duet. You Can Sleep While I Dream & Satellite are two others I'd love to hear live. They have such an incredible body of work that there ought to be real SURPRISE at every show. They need to keep us guessing.