All-Mattering Review of March 23 Philly - Discuss
 

in honor of SEB

quick note: ILTT was played bc it was Philly i honestly believe....

I am going to stick to my guns (no pun intended) here...
Last night - on account of some good old and new friends and a special moment for a fan plucked from the top tier behind the stage to third row and touching jbj....an interesting experience was had....

Some of you by now know that i indeed take full credit for the new tours better setlists...(in a good way) and know how much i bemoan the fact that yes indeed this is the fourth tour in a row where people will think its becoming a broadway play with the exact same show and production giving way over musicality and song choices - nobody here has been more steadfast in the setlist issue...However, they have changed it up more so far this tour than the last 5 and added some rare songs, so lets be fair...but it does seem to still slip back, as last night...

That being said...even Kathleen (who is probably still lost on her game day high forgetting the actual reality of the setlist problems and jbjs recent USA interactions (or non) with the crowd) assumed i thought the concert was awful based on the setlist...

And here belies the problem with READING a setlist and BEING at a show - and I have been to plenty - i dont post a ton but those who do know where i stand on these issues....

AGAIN that being said...

I thought last nights show was phenomenal. There was one main reason....JBJ himself. Now it has been quite a long time (aside from the Alice Tulley Hall experience) that he has actually GENUINELY interacted with the audience and you could just TELL he was having a fun time. I DO NOT think it was because i was literally like 10 ft away (mostly stage) and its very interesting to hear some of the overall crowd reactions from those of you in the back. But in the first 15 songs of this show JBJ was JBJ - which one is real i dont know...i think this one is...he was joyful, playful, bantering with the audience, and really AUTHENTICALLY was having a great time - and it wasnt a put on...i was close enough to tell - for those of you more interested in him dancing around and putting energy out instead of actually paying attn to the singing...well, honestly, he more than delivered on both. He literally gutted it out and he sounded AMAZING - i would say at the very least on par with the end of last tour if not better...and that is saying A LOT.


That to me made up for the unbearably stagnant setlist. I will make one caveat - to me personally, this was my first show and so a lot the songs were new to ME - One thing about JBJ that i LOVE is he always plays the new songs - this tour actually being the first where its only usually around 5 - most huge bands dont even do that and he sould get the credit he deserves for that. I'm a huge fan of LH but the over abundance of those songs was surprising, but JBJ knows what he is doing and when you FINALLY TALK TO THE AUDIENCE AND EXPLAIN WHY A SONG IS IMPORTANT TO YOU AS HEARTFELT AS HE DID BEFORE THEY TORE INTO LTOR and people STILL mass exit to the bathroom, as was stated from those in the back - well, that might explain the lack of six songs in the entirety (only 24) but still the energy was there. I am really disappointed in the fan reaction (that i was unaware of at the time from my lofty perch) because i really thought if he did exactly that - talk to the audience and explain where the song comes from (and i truly feel that he believes these songs are close and important to him as evidenced by the fact that he so unfortunately rarely does such audience interactions) that people would stay and LISTEN...and i was apparently wrong...and we know how sensitive he is to the bathroom exits (as i would be, right or wrong - the problem with a band with so many hits, blah blah such a problem :) but it is... That is intrinsically sad to hear from the others because i was down there - I KNOW he meant it and I KNOW how much he wanted to get his message across...I personally feel they should master the version from last night (intro mini-speech included) and THAT should be the next single/video. Just raw Jovi, no overproduced video montage/storyline sameness...

The band was super-tight - and they can play on auto-pilot because they are so tight, but from my ridiculous vantage point they were NOT on autopilot for most of the show. From Bobby hamming it up for his right-next-to-me wife and the local fans, to Tico slamming it out, consistently really the driving force behind the full frontal live assault that is a Jovi show while also joking with the band members, to Hugh bobbing his head in rhythm with his infallible backbone to the music and Dave smiling and crowd-pleasing with his new audience-view perch and still lower-in-the-mix-than-you-would-think-by-his-facial-expressions microphone screaming and beautiful playing highlighting the musical ensemble. Except for Richie - and again Kathleen and even her husband - and yes i am calling them out on a post-game high that is unfortunately lasting since MSG :) are missing this. Richie could be on total auto-pilot and deliver a world-class performance up there with some of the greats and is very well respected for it. The problem is he is ON auto-pilot. And I love Richie but something is wrong. From the Inside The Actors Studio performance with JBJ playing the LOAP solo to Dave playing the Wanted solo (as beautiful as it was), something is wrong. I hope he is ok. Could be meds or something that he is dealing with that just needs more time but he seems barely capable of playing any slide guitar, he seems to consistently struggle with the ST solo, to messing up countless times last night, to not even being able to read the TELEPROMPTER during his one song, LYHOM, which honestly if he doesnt know by heart by now, he should at least be able to READ it. He is a much better frontman than that and goes right to the gut of it. It can easily be missed because he is so versatile and sounds so beautiful and soulful when singing, but he is a guitar player as well. And a Great one. And something is wrong. And i hope he gets better soon and solidly, as a person first.

One note as a techie - the complete dorking off of the there-is-just-no-way-to-call-them-5 screens, (more like 100) was absolutely astounding and i have to believe (and kinda know from certain crew members on this and other tours), pretty unprecedented in the top 5 global touring act circuit and certainly for those outside of that. A ton of money, and human commitment and orchestration has been put into that part of the show and it is truly something to see. Don't get me wrong a Pearl Jam show and a Black Crowes show with nary a screen but nary an idea of what the setlist might contain wins everytime, but alas those bands arent anchored by being the biggest selling tour in the world and millions expecting the hits.

Overall the concert was great last night. And that may be the problem. I too have friends that say "I saw that show, it was called the Bounce Tour, and then the Have A Nice Day Tour, and then the Lost Highway Tour...and that is dangerous...but if you step back..its only dangerous to a point. They continue to sell out and 90% I'd say (Stepping down gradually from the previous 99% over the past 4 tours) went home thinking its a great show. ets me honest - the foks on this board, while the numbers are startling make up at most 1% of an audience at a particular arena show and i hasten to think its even that at a stadium show so lets all keep that in the proper perspective here. I DO think there is that erosion factor that I hope somebody in the organization is noticing or realizing by reading some of these boards that in fact CASUAL fans are indeed getting bored at increasing, though still relatively small numbers. That is not a good trend, especially for an act getting older in an industry in steep decline. Had i known the setlist that was about to befall us i would have had a frank chat with Obie and Mike both of whom i spoke with before the show - and I will be at Giants if this isnt a one-off problem because of the fact that they jammed-in the free concert and may be conserving energy and that could explain the entire setlist from last night - though not the pure high-octane energy level. And that point shouldn't be lost - lets see what happens tonight and for the next several dates...and then we can judge. That just-added free concert for the Philly Soul fans really could have changed what is usually an UNUSUALLY good setlist for Philly on past tours...(one of the reasons i hauled down there!)

So, all in all, a good reset on my recent Jovi struggles as a hard-core fan since I was ten and Runwaway showed up on my MTV. If Jon and the band can keep the flavor and behavior of last night's show, the tightness of band and get Richie some more help or time to heal, we re-approach greatness...until then a great reminder of the intimacy that took a too-long holiday and hopefully has come back to its comfortable home in Bon Jovi Land.

Commence tomatao launches....

This goes against every video I've seen on YouTube of the new tour. He looks like he's genuinely back in his groove to me. I'd be interested to know if this was a one-off issue or whether I'm really missing something from what I'm seeing.

I'm interested in what Jon said before LTOR. I love that song as well, glad to hear he genuinely does as well.

Thank you, that just backs up what I've said in two very negative threads.

Isn't it obvious from the reports we've seen, that when the audience appreciates the band, they get 5 extra songs.
The lazy Americans should get up from their seats and then they can get a longer set.

interesting idea - i wonder if anybody has a copy of the setlist - i wouldnt think its that hardcore but who knows...

and on richie - im on an island so i could be wrong but pay attention...to me its a stark difference, subtle, but stark if you follow closely....but again so far i havent found anyone who agrees...although i think kathleen and hubby came around a little after rewatching the actors studio...but they didnt last night...but ask them today - the high may have worn off :)

after watching Richie bumble the lyrics and vocals on Homebound train tonight after doing a killer version a week or so ago, and also watching him mess up a ton of times on guitar parts, I am seriously worried about Richie

Sadly I think you are on to something

Dave:(

I totally agree with this, but that said- Jon shouldn't be so fickle. Not just because he should realize there's plenty of diehards at each show who deserve a show of appreciation from the band, I don't like that logic (even if it's true). The point is, if this band wants to reach full artistic respect in SOME way, they should be giving more effort than you see on the average night; and not caring how the crowd reacts.

When We Were Beautiful sounded amazing last night, I don't care that the dumbass crowd was indifferent, it still rocked. And the band should just continue to put out amazing performances and not worry about losing a crowd or, in the certain case of Jon, being fickle.

Also, while I can't comment on something being wrong with Richie, I will say he certainly seemed subdued last night and was definitely never really in it.

Wrath - how do we not meet?

Dave - was Jon as up and loose and enjoying himself as much as last night? - it sounds like he was...im really glad for you that you saw a different show - i CLEARLY would have enjoyed night 2s setlist but i stand by everything i wrote, and it was a lot :) If we was as up and loose like resigning Roadhouse Blues by himself and the band joining in type stuff that is really impressive - thats 75? songs in 48 hours? You have to give it up when its more than deserved and it clearly is and the trend is awesome.

Interesting your take on Richie...welcome to the island of hoping he is okay...J playing leads is back to actor's studio type situation and that is not good...though again nobody but us seems to notice...but we are superdorks :) or at least i am...

itll be interesting to get Kathleen et all and their all mattering opinion (where the high wears off :)

Glad you saw both - let me know if its interlaced or progressive my man! ;)

Good to see someone else recognizing the screens are a different animal this time around with a lot of sweat and dedication going into them.

Great review overall! I'd like to see more of these around here.