Jovitalk - Bon Jovi Fan Community - BON JOVI rocks Manchester

Well the whole thing was new to me. I haven't been in a stadium even before, the local rugby ground is about 18,000 at top capacity so being in a stadium and turning around to find 50,000 people behind me, I thought, would be a bit daunting (crowds aren't my favourite thing) but I was too immersed in the show to care.

The GC queue was a disaster; I got there and got my ticket from the box office about 1:45, went straight to the end of the queue, conveniently located beside the box office, and the queue was fair enough, snaked around a few times. We kept getting asked to move up, along the line, but around 2:45 someone, for some reason, decided we should all collapse the queue idea and surge sideways and thus dissolve any semblence of order. The security people were utterly hopeless, standing back and not doing anything, and when they did at last each one was contradictory to the last, thus I can only presume they all think they are in charge and don't consult anyone else.

Anyway, it sort of fixed itself, we got our wristbands (yellow/green colour) and got in a bit late due to a safety issue with the stage but we went in and the gold circle was not even half full. We got to about 40ft back, I couldn't believe how close we were, and when the opening act, local band The Gecko, started people crowded forward even more so we were maybe 25ft from the stage, just slightly off center on Richies side. The opening band did a few tracks and it seemed only a few people knew them so they didn't get a lot of response more than a welcoming the small band, almost out of pity type applause. Nickelback came on and though their set seemed a bit plain and they didn't seem to really enjoy it a lot I recognised enough songs to enjoy it, as I said never having heard live music really on this scale before.

When Bon Jovi came on the stadium had filled out a bit more, people obviously choosing to miss the openers, and they got a thunderous cheer and applause. Funny how a surge of people in the GC ran to the back to film Jon's arse during Last Man Standing, I found it funny anyway, and after turning to get a brief couple of photo's I just watched the band. After Last Man Standing they suprised probably everyone by doing Rocking All Over The World, people seemed happy enough, waving along. I wasn't really into it yet and felt a bit silly waving about so didn't. You Give Love A Bad Name was next, and as I haven't been to any shows I can't complain about songs like this being a bit tired now, used only before to bootlegs this is so very different, feeling it and not just hearing a recording. Having seen so many videos, bootlegs and whatever of the band for the past 6 years that I've been a fan it was quite interesting to actually see them right in front of me like that. I'm not one to be 'star-struck' but it was quite cool to finally see them in person like that.

Anyway, after You Give Love A Bad Name came Captain Crash & The Beauty Queen From Mars, and I know some probably don't like it but I do and the whole waving arm thing is almost funny when you're in the middle of it, though the whole thing of 'seeing' Captain Crash in the audience is a little boring. Next was I'd Die For You, one I've always liked but thought it was perhaps a bit old now, though still entertaining nevertheless, though Jon attempting a solo is never a good thing. Born To Be My Baby, a good one to sing along to and I love that solo, I found myself watching Richie probably more than Jon and the others at times, he really does pull some faces at times. Story Of My Life, not bad, I thought Jon sounded a little odd, not exactly nasal sounding but a bit high, but I thought he sounded good throughout really, but in terms of Have A Nice Day songs I perhaps would rather have had Novacaine or Bells Of Freedom or something.

I'll Sleep when I'm Dead, did sound a little boring, but by now I was getting into it more, singing along, waving my arms about a bit. After that Jon did a bit of speech about the DJ who played that song back in 82, launching into Runaway and at the end thanking that DJ "wherever you are". Almost as a continuation of that came The Radio Saved My Life Tonight, one of my favourites from the boxset, though it would be better if sung in the right key, but still a nice enough song anyway. Next was Just Older, one of my favourites from Crush, and I love that solo so seeing it played 25ft away was amazing. I was a little dissapointed when In These Arms started and David didn't do the first verse, but it wasn't too bad, though of course Jon can't do it the same as he used to.

Then began the predictable 3; Have A Nice Day, Who Says You Can't Go Home and It's My Life. Have A Nice day got a good reaction, people singing along, waving and such. Jon started Who Says You Can't Go Home with a little speech about how much he was enjoying it in Manchester such that the sentiments of the song may not quite fit at the moment. I was suprised how much I enjoyed It's My Life because whenever I've heard it on bootlegs it seems to be lacking something, but being there, perhaps the crowd around me or whatever, I enjoyed that. By then I was really into it, shouting along and not just singing, and whenever I didn't have my camera out I had both arms in the air.

Jon stepped out then and Richie took center stage to sing I'll Be There For You, and whereas I can't deny I'd like to hear him do Mr Bluesman or Undiscovered Sould I thought he sounded great singing that, his voice seems so much deeper and more rich when you're there, plus he's in control so just plays extra pieces and a bit more of a solo, and he even did the scream too!

Jon came back on and they launched into Complicated. It sounded probably better I think than I was expecting; I don't hate it, but it is the type of song I can't listen to a lot. Next came Bad Medicine, and I must say I really enjoyed that and I know it is one people sometimes say that they'd glady see go, but if I was going to more shows it is one I'd like to hear again. They threw Gloria into it aswell, after a bit of acting from Jon, where he spoke of a supposed mistress, talking of stiletto heels and the like before grabbing the lens of a camera nearby, looking into it and shouting "stop stalking me bitch!" which got a good laugh. After that they did a bit more of Bad Medicine and then the Shout teaser, a bit more of Bad Medicine then properly into Shout. There weren't many still people in the GC for that. Straight off that they went into Raise Your Hands, everyone pumping their fists along to that, sounded pretty good, plenty of energy, even though it was almost the end of the main set and about 2 hours in the show.

The last song of the main set was Livin' On A Prayer, getting a lot of the audience going, more likely the ones who aren't big fans and just there for the hits; many of whom were still singing Livin' On A Prayer when we got out at the end. Sounded pretty good, though with most of the audience doing it you can't hear the band quite as much anyway.

They went offstage for a moment and someone ran out and taped 2x A4 lyric sheets at the base of Jon's mic, so we were expecting something perhaps old, and when Jon introduced it as they hadn't really played it in Europe much we weren't sure, but it turned out to be Welcome To Wherever You Are. I can't say I don't like it, but I'd worked myself up to something else so perhaps didn't enjoy it as much due to that, I don't know. We were, of course, hoping for Dry County, but they went straight into Someday I'll Be Saturday Night, full blown electric version, the crowd seemed to go for that one too, I enjoyed it, perhaps more than I would if it had been acoustic.

They went off again and we were expecting perhaps something random and then Wanted Dead Or Alive, but we saw 2 guys run on with more lyric sheets; 5x A4, so we had a damn good idea what was coming. I had already enjoyed myself so far, so whatever came next I would have left feeling pretty damn happy, but Dry County is my favourite song, Bon Jovi or otherwise, so the instant it began I was grinning from ear to ear. Most people didn't realize what it was until the keyboard part started, but even then it didn't get a lot of applause, they obviously realize there are at least some die-hard fans out there who will appreciate it. I was singing at the top of my lungs through this, loving it, I'm very much hoarse now. Jon messed up a line in there somewhere, but what my friend and I noticed is that he didn't seem to dodge the notes as much at the end of some lines. He did on a couple, but compared to the recordings I've heard of Dusseldorf and Dublin he sounded a lot better, I haven't seen the Munich performance so can't say if he has just been practising it (though not remembering the words) but he really did sound a lot better......