Re: FINALLY DONE!!! THE ULTIMATE REVIEW- SYDNEY (FIRST SHOW) 21/01/08
 

Hi guys,

It gives me great pleasure to finally post my review. It has taken alot of time. It is very in depth and incorporates alot of things, not only the actual show. I have put my heart and soul into this. I hope you guys like it. There may be spelling errors but i have left it...its all on paper....dont wanna spend any more time because ill be forever.
It would be greatly appreciated if you guys could read every word (i know its a long review). That would mean alot.
Thanks and enjoy (hopefully lol)

BON JOVI- LOST HIGHWAY TOUR 2008

Acer Arena, Sydney, Australia
(Section H Premium)- 21st January 2008


After being blown away by my first Bon Jovi concert in Melbourne, I couldn’t imagine how Sydney could get any better. In fact, Melbourne felt like a blur. It went so quickly. So, my second (and third) Bon Jovi concert would be witnessed in my home town (city), Sydney Australia. My excitement levels skyrocketed since the Melbourne concert. I had goose bumps leading into the second concert because I knew that it was the first Sydney concert in 12 years and that all my friends would be there as well, so the expectation levels were high. I had promoted this event since the band decided to make the trip down under, so I was excited for my friends as much as I was excited for myself. Something deep down told me that that Sydney would be special.

Monday morning arrived and I had to go to work. I planned to leave early at 2.00pm so it could give me enough time to prepare for the concert. I caught a train home from the city, had a brief nap, and then commenced preparations. I bought a cardboard to produce a sign requesting DRY COUNTY and ALWAYS (Original). I guess I felt I had a duty to do everything in my power to make my request known. It was perhaps my only ever chance to do so. Nonetheless, I felt proud of what I was doing. I left home at 5.00pm and headed to Sydney Olympic Park.


I arrived at the venue at about 6.30pm, whereby I got something to eat (Subway) and then went to the Acer Arena. It was an overcast day with little sunshine. I didn’t mind. I actually preferred that instead of 40 degree heat. Prior to entering the arena, I saw my good mate from school Greg and his sister. He was excited about the whole concert. He said that all that would make him happy was if they played Keep the Faith. I told him there was a good chance they would play it. It was quite a surreal feeling preparing to see them for the second time in two days. As this had been a long awaited event, I wasn’t sure how to react exactly. I guess it was just a matter of soaking up the atmosphere and experience.

Everybody that I spoke to was asking me how the Melbourne concert was and all I could reply with was hallelujah/magic. I said it was breathtaking. I couldn’t imagine how it could be topped.

Whilst I was waiting for my friends near the merchandise section, a girl approached me and commented on my request sign and said that her boyfriend had planned to do exactly the same thing for the second Sydney concert and request Dry County and Always. At that point, I knew I wasn’t alone in my quest. It was funny and she wanted a picture with me. I mentioned to her that these two song requests are long shots and would be a miracle if they were played. She asked me whether they played ‘Always’ in Melbourne and responded no with sadness. She asked me if they played ‘Bed of roses’ and my response was identical to the first.

It was 8.00pm and the concert fast approached. I ended up meeting with my friends Steve and Irene, and my sister, Mary. They were so excited. We were making predictions about the setlist, talking about the past and just waiting to experience it all. Steve was a drummer in a rock band and recalled how the first time he saw Bon Jovi was back in 1987 during the Slippery When Wet tour. He said that it was that specific concert that made him wanting to purse the dream of becoming a professional drummer some day and to be like Tico and play in a rock band. He said that till this day, he had never given up on that dream. That was quite moving and I could relate to every word he said.

As I was walked to my door, I heard on the load speaker that bon jovi were about to commence. It was 8.25pm and the rush was building, soon to explode. I quickly ran inside to my seat. I greeted the guys next to me who were from Newcastle. I also greeted the guys behind me who wanted a picture of me and my request sign as well. I assured them I wouldn’t hold it up for the whole night (as I didn’t want to impede their view).

As I waited on the edge of my seat for the boys to come out, I soaked up the buzz and hype that the Sydney crowd exhibited, and really felt at home. The Acer Arena was the perfect setting for a great live show, as opposed to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne, which was a somewhat strange venue.

With the anticipation levels building by the second, the lights went out and the crowd’s response reached maximum level with the knowledge the boys were ready to take centre stage. Then, that moment came. Each band member took their place, and Jon made an entrance to that of a legendary rocking roll star. Like Melbourne, the boys opened with the cover GLAD ALL OVER and I think it was a fitting song to open the show with because I truly believed the band were glad all over to be in Australia. The sound and atmosphere was much better than Melbourne and right then and there, the line ‘Tonight is going to be special’ filled the capacity in my mind.

And finally, after 12 years, Bon Jovi kicked off the LOST HIGHWAY journey in Sydney Australia with the title track. Jon looked fresh and ready to go and it was just a matter of time before seeing what was to be unleashed. I felt the song reflects on where the band is at currently in their career, and after my initial criticism of the new album (due to making the mistake of rigorously comparing it to their old stuff), I had grown to appreciate and like it, and I guess that’s the effect that Bon Jovi has. It’s impossible not to love them. The best part of the song was when Jon charismatically sung: “Oh patron saint of lonely souls, tell this boy which way to go, guide the car, you got the keys, farewell to mediocrity, kicking off the cruise-control and turning up the radio, got just enough religion and a half tank of gas come on, let’s gooooooo” and the “let’s gooooooo” line echoed throughout the entire arena.

As Lost Highway concluded, Jon revved the crowd up with more come ons than the Australian cricket team’s marketing song ‘come on Aussie come on come on’. That was special and at that point, the crowd was at Jon’s mercy. Jon responded to the crowd’s cheers by declaring “Strap in baby, we’re going all the way around tonight” and then ripped into YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME with “Shot through the heart and your to blame, you give love a bad name”. Just witnessing the start of this song and the crowd’s reaction brought shivers down my spine. It was like fireworks being set off. It was incredible. Not one person in the arena was seated, as this song brought the best out of the young and old. Truly a classic!!! It felt like I was watching them in their prime years in the 1980’s. Jon worked the crowd so well and it’s only when you’re actually there that you are able to feel what it is like to be a Bon Jovi worshipper.

Richie’s guitar paved the way for RAISE YOUR HANDS, a song which kept the 1980’s rocking roll momentum going and ran deep into the band’s Slippery When Wet era. It was definitely an explosive song that ensured everyone was part of ‘Jovi’s church of rocking roll’. I sung my lungs out to it. The best part was when Jon sang “Raise your hands, when you want to let it go. Raise your hands and you want to let a feeling show. Raise your hands from New York to Chicago. Raise your hands. From New Jersey to Tokyo, ohhhhhh wohhhhhh Raise your hands” with 18,000 hands responding instantly. Awesome!!! True rocking roll!!!

Then, something incredible happened. Never in my entire life had I felt such emotion with what I saw next. It was a reminder of what dreams are all about. With Richie and Tico setting the tone in the background, Jon grabbed the microphone and said “I wanna take you on a little ride with me. I got 18,000 seats on my time machine. It’s warm inside and I got enough seatbelts for everybody. Inside is 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, look out 2000. Its 98, 97, 96, 93, 92, 91, 1989, 88, 87, it’s 1986. 85, 84, 83, 1982, STOP. Back in 1982 off the Long Island expressway just outside New York city, some young punk kid pulls into a parking outside a TV radio station, gets out of his car and kicks the door open and grabs the guy by the collar and says “Hey Mr DJ, I got right chords and a cool melody. What do say you do a little favour for me, cause after three minutes and thirty seconds, what ur gonna see is a rocking roll star””. When he said that (and the way he performed the time warp), I was absolutely breath taken. I felt I was being removed from the face of the earth by this time machine. As I was literally still in Jon’s time warp in the year 1982 (funnily I wasn’t born until 1984), it was a very emotional moment for me personally as a diehard fan because it not only triggered memories of my time as a fan, but also, revealed what the band is all about and how far they have come over the years, from the days of Slippery When Wet and New Jersey and then to Keep The Faith and These Days, and then to the Post 2000 era. It made me realise how one man’s self confidence and belief not only redefined the whole music industry but also, the lives of many, including my own. It was all about ‘the dream’ and to ‘never forget this dream’. 24 years later and they are rocking Australia. What made his time warp even more moving was that he was referring to himself, and to me, it was inspirational to know that this “punk kid” was a bloody confident kid who backed himself and believed in dreams. That carries extreme significance. It was a feeling that I will never forget, utterly unique. Truly special!!! Then, a split second after the words “rocking roll star” softly exited his mouth, BANG, the piano introduction for RUNAWAY was triggered. It just brought shivers down my spine. I really felt part of the band as much as the band was part of me because they have been such a huge part of my life. The band’s journey from 1982 until now has been like an endless roll coaster ride, and I’m so damn glad to have jumped onto the ride back in the year 2000 as a 16 year old kid who was ready to conquer the world.

After that extraordinary performance, the emotions were running high. At that point, I hoped they didn’t play Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars because they had played it in Melbourne at that point in the show. So, I was surprised and pleased when they played THE RADIO SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT. With an unusual track name, it was indeed a great song, and went down really well live. Lyrically, it was superb and it is quite hard to believe it didn’t make any of their main albums. I loved it when the song breaks down to the slow verse and Jon sings softly “The radio saved my life tonight. It was the sad song that the DJ played that made me feel alright, as I drove down that lonesome highway just me and my dashboard light, the radio saved my life tonight….”. It sounded quite moving and triggered the emotions. The lyrics were quite true in reality.

Another song concluded and I was in a dream world. The scream levels were sky high and the crowd was the wildest crowd I had ever seen. Every move the band made was received with holy cries. Not once did they stop. That made the night even more special and the band responded and gave it back a million times. At that point, I was hoping they didn’t sing ‘Summertime’, as I wasn’t a big fan of it. I was hoping to be surprised. As Richie blasted through the next song’s introduction, I was that carried away from the proceedings beforehand that I was slow to recognise the introduction to BLOOD ON BLOOD, as I never in my wildest dreams expected it to be played at that point. When realising, I went crazy. Again, this song is a personal favourite and was special live. The lyrics signify so much, especially about mateship and growing up. It reminded me of my schooling days and my closest friends with which I grew up with, and the 1980’s. It felt good listening to it in Sydney and knowing my mates were there to also experience it. It meant a lot more. The piano in conjunction with the drum and guitar work was awesome. The best part was when Jon explained vocally “Now Bobby, he's an uptown lawyer, Danny doing best that he can, and me, I'm still a singer, in a long haired rock'n'roll band” and smiles in agreement about his own destiny. The crowd exploded when they heard/saw that. One thing I noticed in the Sydney concert that was not evident at the Melbourne concert was that Jon’s voice sounded much better and he wasn’t afraid of trying to reach the high notes. In my opinion, he reached them and sounded good. I guess that’s proof that Jon wanted to give the Sydney fans everything he had after witnessing the gigantic reception from the Sydney crowd at the start of the show and continuously thereafter, and in my opinion, he did. I was surprised from that point of view because I was one of many who were critical (worried) of his current vocal range before the concert (in comparison to These Days, KTF, NJ era) after viewing recent performances on DVD and the internet and felt his voice was weakening. Yet, when hearing him live, he sounded much better. Therefore, it pleased me to come to the conclusion that yes, his voice is ageing, however, not weakening. It is still as strong as ever. My fondest memory of the song was when I heard the live version for the first time. It was an audio file that was recorded at a concert performed in Holland during the New Jersey Tour. What made it special was that before the main song was played, a spine tingling beautiful piano introduction was played, where Jon used it to say a few moving words, as follows “This is a song about innocence. It’s about truth. It’s about growing up and never growing old. It’s about convertibles and endless Saturday nights. And anyone who tries to forget em or tries to put em down I feel sorry for em cause I’ll tell you the truth, those are best times in your life. So when those Saturday nights come, don’t let them go to waste. Turn them up to ten and let that volume blast, and if it makes your mother just a little bit crazy, that’s ok, cause it’s only rockin roll and I like it. So tonight, a dedication, it’s called Blood on Blood”. This specific performance nailed me to the song forever. I must say that the best version I have physically watched on DVD was the Moscow 1989 performance (). That was incredible, quite special.

By that point, I was still coming to terms with where I was and what I was experiencing. It felt so surreal but at the same time so real in many ways. I was on a high after hearing one of my all time favourites and all I could remember crossing my mind at that point was that every single body present at the Acer Arena was extremely lucky, as they were not experiencing any ordinary show. It was truly special.

So, to add to this real life dream, the boys launched another personal favourite and one of the best rock ballads of all time, IN THESE ARMS. All I remember when hearing the piano introduction was screaming out ‘Oh yeahhhh’. The piano introduction was spine tingling. As it commenced, I was literally taken to another world. I remembered the endless live clips I watched of this song, especially from the Keep the Faith tour and always dreamed of being in the crowd. The most striking and heartfelt moment I’ve experienced with this song was when listening to the 1993 Buenos Aires performance, whereby as the song concluded and the piano and harmony remained playing, Jon emotionally sung “If I had you in my arms, as the band begins to play, you whispered those words baby, forever and a day. You said that we’d be lovers until the end of time. You said you’ll be my darling, you’d be forever mine. Oh yeah, it’s ok. It’s alright. Rest your head on my shoulder. Hold me tight. Tell me now my baby, we’ll get on through the night…..We’ve got to, we’ve got to, hoooldd on (and the accapela introduction to Living on a prayer commenced)” (). Words can’t describe the goosebumps I felt when listening to it and is one of the many reminders of why I’m still a diehard hard fan now. When hearing it first hand, I felt the same goosebumps. I was so greatful for getting the chance to hear it for the second time (as the first time in Melbourne felt like a blur) with Jon at his very peak. It was sung with true passion and energy and Jon went for all the high notes and in my opinion, nailed them. Whilst he didn’t sound exactly like he did on the Keep The Faith tour, he still sounded awesome. I guess its proof that Jon was in a tip top mood that night. I felt Jon was more energetic here, and reminded me of how he sung it on the Keep the Faith tour. The band seemed to enjoy playing it live, which is a good sign. The most emotionally felt moment came when he sung the verse “We stared at the sun and we made a promise, a promise this world would never blind us. These are my words. Our words were our songs. Our songs are our prayers, these prayers keep me strong and it's what I believe if you were in these arms”. That lyric defines a true long song, sung and performed so movingly by Jon. Also, the line “Your clothes are still scattered all over our room. This old place still smells like your cheap perfume. Everything here reminds me of you and there's nothing that I wouldn't do” and “These are our words making me strong, Babbbyyyy” was pure raw passion at its best. Superb!! Jon’s voice sounded great when trying to reach the high notes. Magic!!!

Then, the first of the special rarities emerged when Jon started singing the opening verse to Bob Dylan’s hit KNOCKING ON HEAVENS DOOR with just an acoustic guitar. That was an unbelievable surprise. That really hit me somewhere deep and signalled that Sydney was witnessing a special performance. He sung it so smoothly and sweetly. It sounded awesome. Then, as Jon concluded the final line “Knock knock knocking on heavens door”, he raised his acoustic guitar vertically and the introduction for BLAZE OF GLORY surfaced. I screamed out in delight ‘Yeahhhh’ and the crowd went absolutely crazy, loud to the point which destroyed one of my ear drums. The noise made was phenomenal. I guess it was evidence of the song’s popularity and how it is a favourite for many. To be able to incorporate such a famous cover so sweetly with one of their classic songs is just art at its best. I loved this song, mainly because it was one of those songs that is sung with pure emotion and vocal strength and lyrically, it is art, especially with the verse “Each night I go to bed, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, No I ain't looking for forgiveness, But before I'm six foot deep, Lord I gotta ask a favour and I hope you'll understand, Cause I've lived life to the fullest, Let this boy's die like a man, Staring down a bullet, Let me make my final stand.”. To my surprise yet delight, Jon sung it extremely well and was reaching for the high notes during the chorus and especially towards the end of the song when singing the part “Call me young gun, I'm a young gun, yeah, Young gun, yeah...Young gun”. He nailed it. It was a memorable performance.

By then, I was just like ‘WOW’. A hatrick of favourites, what more could I have asked for? I was baffled as to how else I could possibly be surprised (other than Dry County and Always being played). It wasn’t long before my question was answered.

WHOLE LOT OF LEAVING was another song off the new album that was played. It was one of the few songs that I initially liked instantly when the new album was released. It is a great song and was sung beautifully with Jon charismatically throwing the question of the night to the crowd with the verse “You used to live to say you love me. Now you got one foot out the door. It's then you turn around and ask me Do we got it anymore?? (and pauses)” Jon received the answer he was looking for from the screaming response from the crowd.

It proved to be a night of favourites when Jon shouted “2, 3, 4” to kick start BORN TO BE MY MABY. This was one of my all time favourites. It is a special song that represents a key part of my history, as I not only adored and lived in this song, but also, performed it at my Year 12 talent quest in 2001 in front of my school peers from which I still have the audio tape of the performance. It brought back a lot of memories of when my band and I regularly rehearsed it after school. I felt every lyric Jon sung. It’s a song that reflects on the real life struggles faced by the everyday couple (similar to the Tommy and Gina story in Living on a Prayer) and despite the adversities that are faced, true love can never be compromised or defeated. Simply brilliant!! There is no stand out line from this song, as every lyric is gold. The one performance that really inspired and moved me was during the band’s New Jersey tour. Similar to when Blood on Blood was played (as mentioned above), the song was performed in Holland. As the chorus was sung for the final time at the end of the song, Jon added some additional lyrics (with an additional instrument that was extremely touching) and passionately sung “I was made…just to be your man, just to be a friend, just to be a shoulder to cry on, baby take my hand to forever hold on to…my turn (and the extra instrument is played)……to be your man, forever, til the day I die….forever always, baby, you were to be my baby ( the closest version)”

At this point, Jon took a breather and used it to talk to the crowd. He said “It’s been way too long since we’ve been to Sydney Australia. And I can tell you what. Looking around now, I think it was well worth the trip this time, that’s for sure”. The crowd went fanatic when they heard that, as it was quite clear that the boys were overwhelmed by the crowd. Jon pushed the party mode button by playing WE GOT IT GOIN ON. The crowd really enjoyed this song and got heavily involved, especially when Jon wanted to hear the whole of Sydney scream. That sound will forever be cemented in my head.


Then, Jon walked over to the microphone whilst the entire crowd was screaming and declared “This is more like the Sydney I remember…..I’m just getting warmed up people, I’m just getting warmed up. You ain’t seeing nothing like this in a long time baby. Daddy’s home”. Here, the song that all Aussie fans had been waiting for, ITS MY LIFE was delivered in style. The introduction was just crazily electric and the song really brought the house down. It was unreal to witness it in such an arena, truly a highlight any place, anywhere. Since it was one of their biggest ever singles, people of all ages went wild. I always felt that the song was a declaration of a person’s attitude towards life. I feel it’s one of those songs that you don’t just listen to it when you’re going through a phase/period, but rather, a song that applies every single day. I’m always moved when he sings the line “It's my life and it's now or never, Cause I ain't gonna live forever. I just want to live while I'm alive”. It’s such a reality in my life.

With just a blink of an eye after Its My Life ceased, Jon cried out “Is there a doctor in the house” and the piano introduction to BAD MEDICINE surfaced, with the crowd’s reaction signalling a major health risk to all the fans that literally went into hysterical mode. It was at this point in the show which revealed Jon’s ability as a performer/entertainer, and not only as a singer. It was truly entertaining and exciting to watch. His acting skills were incorporated in the performance but the amazing thing was that whilst it appeared to be acting, in actual fact, it wasn’t. Jon was performing what he was feeling, therefore, making his performance real and breathtaking, especially when asking the crowd to “save me”. He was unstoppable and when incorporating SHOUT in the performance, it took the show to a whole new level. It’s quite amazing how at his age, he appears fitter and stronger than someone in their 20s.

By that point, everyone was breathless, including Jon. He decided to take a break but that didn’t mean we earned one as well. Things were just getting better and better. He gave the microphone to his “esteemed colleague and my dear friend, my right hand, the one, the only Richie Sambora”. When Jon said “This song is from our 1995 album…It’s the title track…It’s called THESE DAYS”, I was about to collapse. I screamed out in joy. Everyone in the front area heard me. It had always been a dream to hear THESE DAYS live, especially the piano introduction, which always gives me goosebumps. I would say out of all of the songs the band has produced and whilst there are many inspirational songs, the four main inspirational songs that have had a pivotal impact of my life are Dry County, Something to Believe In, Santa Fe and These Days. From the moment I heard it back in 2000, I was swept completely. I was blown away when watching the 1996 Yokohama performance (). But the most emotionally filled footage I’ve seen of the song being played was during the extra video at the end of the Live from London 1995 DVD when Jon said (while the piano introduction was playing in the background) “It was always just people, and that was all it ever was. And you know, the greater claim that we seem to be getting for These Days, I’m not gonna take that anymore seriously, but I know that there’s 72,000 people out there tonight that like those lyrics and they are Tommy and Gina and they are those people you know, and that’s more important to me than the critic”(). To me, that clip does not only relate to the band at that point in their career (whereby These Days was arguably their most successful album and the 1995-1996 world tour was their biggest and most successful tour), but relates to many universal themes and also, personal themes too. It is a special song that features in so many personal memories during my lifetime and my association with Bon Jovi. Whilst I had become so used to Jon’s vocals singing this song (as I have heard it over a thousand times), I embraced Richie’s voice and loved the style of singing he brought to the song. He makes it his own. I just couldn’t believe how each song/period during the concert was outperforming what preceded it. As Richie took the microphone and the piano introduction commenced, he said “How’s ya day? Thank you guys for coming out tonight! You know, through the years, you write a song and as the years go by, the lyrics mean a little something different. And I had pretty tough year about a year ago and I just wanna thank you guys for helping me get through that ****************. Thank you. This one is for all of us, cause all we got is us, these days”. I almost surrendered to my emotions and cried, not only because I emotionally felt for Richie and his recent tough period, but also, because the song too helped me get through some tough times. The piano introduction has always been the most inspirational sound that I’ve ever heard. It always reminds me of the world that we live in, and how to reach your goals in life, you must reach for the stars, as they “aint out of reach”. Richie’s voice was breathtaking. The best part was during the second verse with the lyrics “Jimmy shoes busted both his legs, trying to learn to fly. From a second story window, he just jumped and closed his eyes. His momma said he was crazy - he said momma I’ve got to try. Don’t you know that all my heroes died, and momma, I guess Id rather die than fade away” and the final lyric towards the end “There aint nobody left but us these days”. Simply unforgettable!!!

Now, at that point, I had no expectation, thought, prediction as to what was going to occur next. I’ve always been a firm believer that dreams do come true but I never knew that a dream of a dream can also come true. I was about to witness the surprise of my life.

As Richie finished singing These Days, I sensed that the noise levels in the area I was seated in increased dramatically. Girls were screaming. The arena was pitch dark, so I couldn’t work out exactly what was going on, but had feeling something was going on. Little did I know that Jon was within proximity and was going to be performing with his acoustic guitar on a little stage right in front of my very eyes (literally 10 metres). The lights were switched back on and there he was, right in front of me with his acoustic guitar and pulling the surprise of my life.

All I could remember saying to myself was ‘this can’t be true’. The following question became a headline in my mind ‘Out of all the sections in the front area to choose from, how in the bloody hell did we managed to end up facing each other with a 5-10 metre distance barrier?’. I was shell-shocked. That was too good to be true. There I was, holding my camera and not knowing how to return back to reality. I couldn’t fathom the fact that he was that close. He was a singer and role model I’ve always looked up too and I was given the chance to see him perform his magic in front of me. I knew right then and there that I was blessed and I was thanking God for making my dream a reality, after years of living in the recorded performances and not experiencing the real thing. Surprisingly, it never crossed my mind in the past that this would ever happen or I would be in such a position, so it was definitely a new and unique feeling, never before envisioned. Looking back in hindsight, just that moment in the show made up for not hearing my two all time favourites, Dry County and Always. In fact, when I heard the first few acoustic beats of (YOU WANT TO) MAKE A MEMORY, I had no choice but to accept the fact that he was there in front of me, and I excitedly did. I also waved my cardboard sign in front of him to see my request. It was the closest that I could ever get it. I’m pretty sure he saw it because other people from further away saw it (including some friends). I was proud with what
I was doing. As I write this review, I watched a Triple M interview with Jon following the Sydney shows, and he made a few comments regarding the signs that were present at the Sydney shows and how he it affected his singing when trying to read a sign and sing a lyric. It was extremely funny the way he explained it. He said that he had to fight with himself to not read any signs, but ended up doing so. It reminded me of how I put my sign right in his face. It would have been a miracle effort to have not read it, as it was as visible as you can get. Nevertheless, (YOU WANT TO) MAKE A MEMORY sounded great, but I don’t think the crowd prefer it as much as they would prefer their old ballads. In my opinion, I believe it was the most fitting song because it defined that whole moment. An unforgettable memory was definitely made. Every line sounded superb, especially when he pulled off the high note when singing “you wanna make a memory” towards the end of the song.

Then, from a distance, I saw Richie make his way to the stage where Jon was. I couldn’t control emotions because once I saw that, I knew they were going to sing I’LL BE THERE FOR YOU, one of the best ballads of all time, together acoustically. It was just too hard to believe and it was one of my all time favourite songs. So there I had it. Two of the greatest musicians with two acoustic guitars playing one of the best ballads of all time, and the question remained, could it get any better than that? It was too good to be true. And then, both acoustically commenced the masterpiece, which was done so beautifully. Whilst I loved Richie singing this song as the main vocalist, I love it when Jon is on the lead vocals with Richie backing up. They combine so well, and melt when they sing the verse(s) “And Baby you know my hands are dirty. But I wanted to be your valentine. I'll be the water when you get thirsty, baby. When you get drink, I'll be the wine…” and “And I wasn't there when you were happy. I wasn't there when you were down. I didn't mean to miss your birthday, baby. I wish I'd seen you blow those candles out…” That just literally blows me away every time I hear it because it’s just raw passion at its best and I was just so happy to have witnessed it being performed right in front of my eyes. It couldn’t get any better than that. I couldn’t believe that two of my idols were playing right in front of me. It just felt hard to believe. I spent years worshipping their music in my studies, at work, at the gym, at home, overseas, in my free time and in my dreams and all that became reality. Both Jon and Richie ability to engage the crowd in the song was beautifully, especially towards the end when everyone was singing “ohh wohhh ho”. Probably the best version I have heard/seen of this song was the Yokohama 1996 performance, mainly because of the additional lyrics Jon sung towards the end, which went “I’ll be there for you, baby if you want me to, I’ll be anything you need to me, baby just call my name cause I’ll be there for you. I’ll be there for you, through the pouring rain, and the driving snow. Baby, I’ll come home again, just call my name, and tell me that you want me, need me….” (). Mind blowing!!!

To complete a memorable hatrick of ballads, Jon decided to deliver arguably the most lyrically superior Bon Jovi love song, BED OF ROSES, to his beloved Sydney fans (note that it was only played at this concert during the entire Australian tour). By that point, the word ‘phenomenal’ (and all words similar) was not part of my vocabulary, because by the time I’ll Be There For You finished, I thought that it couldn’t be used anymore, as a new word would need to be used to describe anything that topped the I’ll Be There for You performance. And there I was, listening to the piano introduction to the TLFR arrangement of Bed Of Roses, and baffled as to what word would be fitting to define that point in the show. Simply, one word was all that was needed- Ultimate. My dream was exceeding expectations. Suffice to say, I love the original version of the song. Looking back, the most passionate version of the song being sung was the 1993 Milan performance ( the closest performance). Jon’s voice was just flawless, giving every lyric that little bit extra. In saying so, I really do believe the TLFR arrangement was breathtaking. To experience every lyric of this legendary ballad up close was the ultimate dream for any diehard fan (or any fan as a matter of fact). It is definitely a powerful ballad and would stage a good fight against Always and I’ll Be There for You (and others) in determining the ultimate Bon Jovi ballad. From the moment the song commenced with the first verse “Sitting here wasted and wounded at this old piano. Trying hard to capture the moment this morning I don’t know. Cause a bottle of vodka is still lodged in my head and some blond gave me nightmares, I think she’s still in my bed, as I dream about movies they won’t make of me when I’m dead”, through to the main chorus “I want to lay you on a bed of roses. For tonight I sleep on a bed on nails. I want to be just as close as the holy ghost is and lay you down on bed of roses”, and until the climax and best part of the song “When you close your eyes, you know Ill be thinking about you. While my mistress she calls me to stand in her spotlight again. Tonight I won’t be alone but you know that don’t mean I’m not lonely. I’ve got nothing to prove for it’s you that I’d die to defend…” Speechless!!


As they concluded the most remarkable performance ever witnessed by a Sydney crowd, Jon reloaded his rocking roll bullets with HAVE A NICE DAY. Again, it was a crowd and personal favourite. From Richie’s powerful electric guitar introduction til the last lyric, I sung my heart out like there was no tomorrow. When singing it, I reflected on certain stages of my life in the past where this song was applicable. One of the funniest moments was when Jon sung the line “when the word gets in my face, I say, have a nice day” and the camera pointed to Richie raising his middle finger. It appeared on the big screen. That’s class in a very unique way.

Hugh’s bass beats introduced KEEP THE FAITH, a song that went down really well live. It was full of energy and the lyrics were extremely relevant. It’s a song that really emphasises the importance of always believing, and not letting the corruption of present day society dictate your life. My favourite lyric is when Jon pronounced with aggression “I’ve been walking in the footsteps of society’s lies. I don’t like what I see anymore and sometimes I wish that I was blind. Sometimes I wait forever to stand out in the rain, so no one sees me crying trying to wash away the pain. Mother father, there’s things I’ve done I can’t erase. Every night we fall from grace. It’s hard with the word in your face trying to hold on, trying to hold on.…” That is such a strong lyric and that’s essentially why I love this band, because they are able to produce such meaningful and relevant lyrics and perform them exceptionally.

As Keep the Faith concluded, Tico drummed into I’LL SLEEP WHEN I’M DEAD, a definite live inclusion. Sometimes, the lyrics to the songs are overshadowed by its party nature and rhythm. Indeed, it’s a song that Jon uses to get the crowd involved. It was definitely fun. Jon really earned top dollar as a performer here. The rolling stones hit JUMPING JACK FLASH & DANCING IN THE STREETS was also incorporated in the performance and was received well by the crowd. The whole Acer Arena was just buzzing and everyone was really enjoying themselves. I don’t think one person wanted to go home. In my opinion, the song really goes down well live with the way it is performed. However, I’ve always had the feeling that if the song was remade in a slow/ballad type style, the way the lyrics would be delivered would add a whole new dimension to the song, similarly to how some of the songs for TLFR were remade. For a lyric like “Until I’m 6 feet under, baby I don’t need a bed. I’m gonna live while alive and sleep when I’m dead. Till they roll me over and lay my bones to rest, I’m gonna live while I’m alive and sleep when I’m dead”. That is such a relevant lyric that should be embraced by all humans, because these days, it’s so easy to let life get the better of you. Ultimately, as long as one is alive, then one must make the most of their time alive, because once dead, there is no going back, hence, dwelling on the problems of life must be combated with embracing the positives, the simple things.

When Jon started singing “its alright, it’s alright”, WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T GO HOME was due. It had become a staple song for every live show. Whilst it wasn’t one of my all time favourites, I could see why the song was relevant lyrically and why the band enjoyed playing it at every concert. I was moved when ¾ through the song, it slowed down to a point where only the piano was played, and then Jon smoothly sung “It doesn’t matter where you are. It doesn’t matter where you go. If it’s a million miles away or just a mile of the road, take it in and take it with you when you go, take it in, take it with you when you go, who says you can’t go home”. It is a reminder that no matter how far away you are from your home, something will always bring you back. In a way, it’s a tribute to the band, who have spent many years of their life on the road, but had never forgotten their roots in New Jersey.

Then, the moment came. The pinnacle moment of a Bon Jovi show arrived. It’s what every fan had been waiting for. As Jon started singing in an acapella arrangement “We’ve got to hold on to what we’ve got, cause it doesn’t make a difference if we make it or not. We’ve got each other and that’s a lot for love - well give it a shot. Ohhhh, were half way there. Whooaho Livin on a prayer, Take my hand and well make it - I swear. Whooaho Livin on a prayer”, to introduce LIVING ON A PRAYER, 18,000 enthusiastically joined in and sung with and without Jon (and without the band). At one point, it was just the crowd singing the verse and once completed, Jon declared “Now that’s why I keep coming back to Sydney Australia”. The crowd went mad. Never in my 23 ½ year existence had I witnessed a louder crowd. The only time similar was the U2 concerts in Sydney 2006, whereby each concert at Telstra Stadium had 80,000 people. I must say, the crowd capacity at Acer Arena was only 18,000 but the noise level was equivalent to that of a U2 concert with 80,000 people singing along to Sunday Bloody Sunday, Where The Streets Have No Name and With Or Without You. Quite incredible!!! Jon’s voice was superb. It was a special feeling to be witnessing this legendary song in my home city Sydney, especially the piano/harmonic introduction, which was just spine tingling. As I was listening to Jon singing it first hand, I couldn’t help reflecting on the past and how the song was pivotal in helping me overcome some tough periods. The most explosive lines that just produced a powerful shock to the heart, mind and soul were “Gina dreams of running away. When she cries in the night, Tommy whispers, baby its okay, someday…” and “We’ve got to hold on ready or not. You live for the fight when its all that you’ve got”. The latter line sends me back in time to when the boys played this song on the Slippery When Wet tour back in 1986-1987 period and after that line was sung, fireworks were set off going into the chorus (). That is just out of this world. Even though I was only 2 years old at the time (therefore not experiencing the real thing), I definitely watched it many times on DVD and have heard stories from those who were lucky to be there during that period, like my mate Steve back in 1987 when they performed in Sydney. Whilst there were no fireworks in 2008, the delivery of the song itself was just fireworks, and it was crystal clear that every person in the crowd had been touched by that song at least once in their lifetime, and for those that had heard it for the first time at Acer Arena, they too would have been moved by such a song. It’s a song that reveals one of the most well known stories created in music about the ordinary working class man and woman and the struggles that couples encounter during times of hardship. This legendary song typifies the artistic geniuses that both Jon and Richie are in being able to create a fictional story in a song that is apparent and existent in the lives of many. It’s a song that has inspired people across every age group and every generation since its release in 1986. 22 years later, it still raises the roof top of every arena. That’s the sign of a legendary song.

By that time, Jon supposedly farewelled us by saying “Thank you all very very much. We’ll see you all tomorrow night. Bye bye!” and produced his multi million dollar smile to the crowd. I knew they were returning for an encore, but what I didn’t know was what was going to be included in this encore, which had me on the edge of my seat anticipating surprises and rarities.

With the crowd increasing their pleas for the band’s return, it wasn’t long before the spotlight was on Jon and his electric guitar for the commencement of I’D DIE FOR YOU. I’ve always loved this song mainly for its lyrical power, as exemplified with the following “I might not be a savior and I’ll never be a king. I might not send you roses or buy you diamond rings. But if I could see inside you maybe I’d know just who we are, cause our love is like a hunger and without it, we would starve. In a world that don’t know Romeo and Juliet, boy meets girl and promises we can’t forget. We are cast from Eden’s gate with no regrets. Into the fire we cry… I’d die for you, I’d cry for you, I’d do anything, I’d lie for you, you know it’s true, Baby Id die for you….” My favourite version of this song is the Yokohama 1996 acoustic version. That arrangement was breathtaking, especially in the way the lyrics were sung, which in my opinion, enabled the meaning of the lyrics to be expressed more effectively and added a whole new dimension to the song. However, with the original version, to effectively express the lyrics powerfully, the vocals and beat of the song need to be aggressive and passionate, because effectively “I’d die for you” is a strong statement.

In anticipation for a special song, the slow piano introduction to the legendary Leonard Cohen cover HALLELUJAH emerged. Belinda Carlisle’s song ‘Heaven is a place on Earth’ was never more apparent and relevant than at the Acer Arena, Sydney, Australia on 21st January 2008 at approximately 11.00pm. Word’s cannot describe this performance, which in my opinion, matches the same level of passion and emotion as the Wembley 1995 performance of ‘Always’ ), the Yokohama 1996 performance of ‘Something to believe in’ () and the Dortmund 1993 performance of ‘Dry County’ (). To try and explain the magic of this performance would be like a Father trying to explain to a childless person the feeling of witnessing the birth of your own first new born child. Unless it is experienced, there is no point. One thing that should be mentioned is that Jon really proved his vocal strength when he held the last Hallelujah note for 13 seconds. Mind-blowing and unforgettable!!! The lyrical superiority of this song is extraordinary, with my favourite being “Well, maybe there's a god above but all I’ve ever learned from love was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you. It's not a cry that you hear at night, it's not somebody who's seen the light, it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah…” It was a blessing to witness this legendary vocal performance by Jon of a legendary cover song, which reinstalled my confidence in Jon’s voice and took me to our world far far away from the current world we live in. The following is one of Leonard Cohen’s famous quotes regarding the meaning of the song- “Hallelujah is a Hebrew word which means "Glory to the Lord." The song explains that many kinds of Hallelujahs do exist. I say: "All the perfect and broken Hallelujahs have an equal value." It's, as I say, a desire to affirm my faith in life, not in some formal religious way but with enthusiasm, with emotion....It's a rather joyous song. I like very much the last verse. I remember singing' it to Bob Dylan after his last concert in Paris. The morning after, I was having coffee with him and we traded lyrics. Dylan especially liked this last verse, "And even though it all went wrong, I stand before the Lord of song with nothing on my lips but Hallelujah."” (LC 1985)

As the crowd was still speechless, the band decided to play their national anthem, WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE, and produced another moment where the crowd reacted crazily. The song can sometimes be misinterpreted by its title. It’s really a song about the band’s life on the road, with "I walk these streets. A loaded six string on my back…" referring to Jon’s six string guitar and “I’ve seen a million faces, and I’ve rocked them all” referring to the many concerts where they blew their fans away. The lyric “I’m a cowboy on a steel horse I ride. I’m wanted, dead or alive...” runs deep into Jon’s life, as quoted by him during the time warp, as “a rocking roll star”. The performance was fantastic, especially Richie’s solo vocal part “I been everywhere, still I'm standing tall” and how he combines with Jon. Musical geniuses!!!

By that point, I knew the end was near, which was quite saddening. I just hoped they didn’t end with Twist and Shout like they did in Melbourne, but rather with a classic rarity. However, to my surprise, I LOVE THIS TOWN was to close the curtains to a memorable night. Whilst I could have done without it, it was a fitting song lyrically from the band and great to hear live. I really loved it when he sung “There's shoutin' from the rooftops dancin' on the bars, hangin' out the window and drivin' in their famous cars. You want it? You got it. You ready? I'm on it. Come on now, here we go agaiiinnnnnn....” The beat surrounding that verse was awesome. As the final lyric “That’s why I love this town” was sung, the show sadly ended with the blink of an eye.

Eighteen thousand people were left with no room to complain. Surprisingly enough, there wasn’t a huge plea for the boys to keep kicking on. The crowd let the boys end the show at their own accord. In saying so, the crowd was more than satisfied with what was delivered. Once the normal lighting returned, most people were on their way out. However, some people, including myself, couldn’t leave, or more like, didn’t want to leave. The ultimate memory was made. As I eventually left my seat, I saw one of my good mates, Steven, in another section still seated with his friends. He too was left speechless. He cracked me up when he said “I could see your Fcking sign from here...” We left the arena and I located some of my good friends from high school (who weren’t sitting with me in the front section). They were not diehard fans. They were mild fans. God only knows how long I had been promoting this night, and telling them they were going to experience an unforgettable night. They didn’t understand until 21st January. Here is one piece of feedback (via email) from my good mate from school, Daniel, which summarized the show from the point of view of an ordinary member of the crowd and not a major fan: “Brilliant concert! They stayed true to their word about playing their greatest hits. Only let down for me and many others was not playing ‘Always’. I was disappointed there. Thought he might have finished with it. Imagine if he did? The roof would have blown off the joint. I gave it 9/10. Loved singing along to all of it. Living on a prayer was gangbusters! The whole place was hoarse with screaming out the lyrics. Blood on Blood was tops too. I bought a program and a tour poster. Going to get it framed with my ticket so one day I can put it up in my Bar along with all my memorabilia! Haha…… It was definitely something special, that’s for sure. I read on the Bon Jovi website last night that they played 27 songs Monday and only 25 last night. Plus the whole vibe, sense and buzz that it was his first time back in Sydney, held a special feeling and aura about the show and his presence. Goosebumps did occur regularly throughout the night I must admit. I would have died if he sung Always. That’s my only disappointment. I can’t fathom as to why they left it off the play list as the song was one of their most successful….. And Jon’s voice? Nothing wrong with his apparent failing vocal cords! No hint or sign of weakening. Jon sung as strong as I’ve ever heard. He was on song and in form vocally. He held on to notes, raised the pitch and could continuously make key changes without hassles. Superb! The night couldn’t be explained any simpler.

In conclusion to this masterpiece, I must admit that I have learned many new things about the band. The experience has redefined my love for Bon Jovi. As I write this review, it comes after witnessing three concerts- Melbourne and two Sydney shows. Whilst every single show was amazingly special, the first Sydney concert was, without doubt, out of this world. In closely watching each of the three performances, I can honestly conclude that they gave their heart and soul in each show, with the first Sydney concert witnessing something extra special. Not at one point did they disappoint and therefore, I was left with no regrets, including the fact that they didn’t play my two diehard requests, as I knew that what they delivered was as good as it could ever be. My initial obsession and desire of wanting to hear ALWAYS and DRY COUNTY was due to the fact that these two songs are the main symbol of my love for the band and essential form part of the initial period of being a fan. Ever since watching the Always performance for the first time on the Live from London 1995 DVD (video back then) and watching 72,000 people being hypnotized by this legendary performance of their greatest ever song was truly unforgettable. Every single bit of emotion and passion that a human being can ever exhibit was produced in that performance. What blew me away was the additional verse Jon added towards the end when singing “Through the wind, through the snow, through the driving rain, I’ll crawl all the way to you baby, baby, baby….to be back in your arms. Just to taste your kiss and just to hear say baby, are you all right on a night like this…yeah”. Legendary!!! As for Dry County, this song runs deep into my history and some of the struggles I’ve encountered in that time. From the first time I heard it’s introduction, I instantly felt attached to it and in many ways, have lived in the song due to its lyrical relevance. In particular, it was the following lyric that really pinpointed the struggles I was experiencing and was at core of what I feeling “I cursed the sky to open. I begged the clouds for rain. I prayed all night for water for this burning in my veins. It was like my soul is on fire and I had to watch the flames, all my dreams went up in ashes and my future blew away…” It was through these lyrics that I was able to relate them to my experiences. It was through this song that I was able to see Jon Bon Jovi (through his lyrical genius) as a role model and inspiration, particularly before Richie’s guitar solo during the Milton Keynes performance in 1993, when he charismatically and powerfully said “Everyday a man wakes up and everyday a man who has to pour himself a cup of coffee, take a good long hard look in the mirror. And sometimes what he looks at he doesn't like and sometimes what he sees it makes him angry and sometimes what he sees it makes him sad. Sometimes what he sees is himself and that disappointment just gets into you, and it just rips at you, little by little, piece by piece. And sometimes you can just lay down, you can just play the game, you can just take the cards that they deal ya, you can just pretend that it's all over. But not me!”, and similarly in Wembley 1995 “There are times in a man's life where he has to face up to the truth because it seems in this world, this life is based on two things: love and fear. And there's people out there, in our world, that are gonna question everything you do, every single day, every single night. But when you lay down tonight, you'd better know one thing: if you believe in yourself, there ain't nothing, there ain't nobody that’s gonna tell you that it ain't gonna happen for you. And I’ll tell you one thing right here, right now: I've laid down long and hard enough baby!” For me, that was the ultimate Bon Jovi piece of inspiration/motivation in conjunction with the final note of Something to believe in. Words can’t describe the effect it has had on me and the countless number of times where I’ve listened to it religiously. The initial and most striking effect that these piece(s) have had on me was back in the 2001 year during my final year of High School. Without doubt, it proved to be the most decisive year of my life that had ultimately determined where I am now. Whilst enduring this difficult period and attempting to create a future for myself out of nothing, these lyrical pieces proved to be the drug I needed to get by and succeed (even though it may sound like a cliché). I declare this with my head held up high. I vividly remember how on the day of my final and most important exams for the year, I used to place my Sony earphones in my ear and religiously listen to Something to believe in, especially the final high note (particularly the Yokohama 1996 version) and Dry County at full volume before eventually entering the exam room. I felt like I was literally being injected with some miracle drug because after I had listened to the songs, I was ready to reach the stars. It was something that proved to be a vital formula associated with my academic success in my final year of high school (only- before that, I was just the average student) and also, my University and Post Graduate studies. Also, I still constantly listen to it whilst working and during special isolated periods in my life where I might be struggling personally.

The three concerts enabled me to learn a lot about the band and how they conducted a live show, especially Jon. It was a dream fulfilled to be at the shows and experiencing the performances first hand after many years of living in the DVD or Video. Leading up to the Australian leg of the Lost Highway tour, I usually referred to concerts from the These Days and Keep The Faith tour to prepare me psychologically, as these concerts are at the heart of my love for the band, because it was during the band’s peak period when Jon’s voice was at it’s very best and witnessed the release of some of their greatest songs (i.e. Always, Bed Of Roses, Dry County, These Days etc). After coming out of all three concerts speechless, I learned something really important. I learned that to live in the past would be a great sin. I fell victim to that mistake leading up to the Australian tour, but was revolutionized when experiencing the real thing. The era of Keep the Faith and These Days is well cemented in Bon Jovi’s wonderful history, but cannot be repeated. It is history. The Lost Highway era is indeed, quite different to what the band originated from, but it’s a positive step leading into the future, as the continual discovery of lyrical art is at the heart of being a musician and surviving in the industry. The current phase that the band is living must be embraced. I for one have definitely embraced it after very harsh criticism early in the release of Lost Highway. Looking in hindsight, I made the mistake of comparing the Lost Highway album to their old albums and assessing its quality based on that. That was a mistake. I realised that to do that, it would be easy to overlook and appreciate the quality of the new album in its own right. It is obvious that the new songs are different to songs from These Days, Keep the Faith, New Jersey etc. However, it didn’t mean that they are not great songs. I guess the problem that I had initially was that I was comparing and benching the songs to their old music when in actual fact, they cannot be compared. For example, when I initially heard TIL WE AINT STRANGERS ANYMORE, it didn’t blow me away like ‘Always’ did when I first heard it, and songs like Bed of roses, In These Arms, I’ll Be There For You etc. But one day, I played it and listened to it with an empty history. I didn’t want to compare. I just wanted to hear it and feel the lyrics for what is. Guess what? It has become one of my favourite BJ songs and I hoped they played it during their Australian shows. The effect that the shows had on me was quite incredible. It was like being reborn again, with the love for the band being renewed. After 23 ½ years of existence, 2008 witnessed the fulfilment of a lifelong dream, a dream to experience a full Bon Jovi concert dream, and as that roller coaster ride continues into the future, I’ll be still riding in the front seat. God bless Bon Jovi!!!!

Congrats, I think you just posted the longest review in the history of JT.

lol thanks. What does JT stand for?

You're welcome. And JoviTalk.