Originally Posted by Kathleen

Saw Southside Johnny in Asbury Park at the Stone Pony a few nights ago. This is a band that gives everything they have in a concert. It was the 30th anniversary of their Hearts of Stone album and they started out playing the entire album. Then Southside and Bobby (yes the same Bobby Bandiera - more on him later) did an acoustic set. Then the entire band came back out and they played a full concert. The concert was almost 3 1/2 hours long - and that doesn't count the opening bands that played both inside and outside. The music started at 5:30 and finished at midnight. The Stone Pony had 4 bars set up and a place they were barbecuing and it's one block from the water. It really doesn't get much better than this.

The Southside Johnny crowd was very happy to have Bobby back - unlike the people that bash him on this board. Bobby is buried in the Bon Jovi band - he has an excellent voice but he doesn't sing as well as Jon - and his guitar skills are superb but his style is very different than Richie's. It's a no win situation for him - though I assume he's being paid well. His acoustic guitar work was superb during the acoustic set and his voice and Southside's blend together like Jon and Richie's do. He really shines there, where he simply can't with Bon Jovi.

If anyone is interested I got an excellent recording of the show and it was just uploaded on dime.