[bj4ever]

Hey, I was wondering if any of your had ever witnessed a moment during a show where the momentum suddenly shifted for some random reason (for the better)?

I just had a random flashback to a 2013 show in Montreal, I remember Jon being somewhat static and he seemed bored to start off the show, but then some lady jumped on stage, kissed him during make a memory and then I probably saw the best performance of Born to be my baby I've seen live. He was all over the place, even went in the crowd, got a flag with a face of younger him and wore it to finish the song.

Bon Jovi - Live at Centre Bell | Incomplete In...

(50m40s mark, not sure if there are better videos out there)

Anyone else with similar stories?

[Supersonic]

Aloha !

Bon Jovi in Gelsenkirchen 2008. First show of the European tour. A pretty good but standard show overall. Then Always got played while not being on the printed setlist. After Always Jon turned to auto pilot and zoned out making the show a rather boring experience.

Bon Jovi at New Meadowlands 2010 night #4. It was clear there was tension in the band and with every minor **** up Jon got his panties in a twist even more. Richie made several mistakes, Jon's vocals were flat and things got worse and worse. The bland setlist on top of Jon's nasal vocals with Richie getting stressed out over Adolf Jovi was awful to see. Karma eventually found its way with Jon straining a muscle during a song no one wanted to hear though. The odd thing is that in hindsight Jon's strained muscle turned him on but by then we'd already left the venue.

Bon Jovi at Twickenham 2008 was another one of those. Both shows were boring. They both look great on paper but I've seen many better shows with worse setlist. During the second show from the moment Jon came on stage it was clear it'd be more of the same. Then I Believe got played and he had to turn himself "on" for it. Once the show was done everything returned to the same.

Bon Jovi in Milan 2013. Main set was dreadful. No one could be arsed to do something even remotely special. When the crowd showed their banners Jon didn't move a muscle and the whole thing of "You're going to make a man cry" was cringe-worthy. The entire show I realized Bon Jovi without Richie were done because the one saving grace wasn't there anymore. Then the encore came and Jon made a 180 and delivered. It was clear the band were done but that was Jon trying to sell the band.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

[mo_rizwan]

I remember The O2 - Night 1 (2010)

I bought a ticket purely because it was the opening night (and there was no other reason whatsoever). I should've realised the band was going to be on auto-pilot on this night. Obviously what didn't help was me knowing how the shows were gonna be by collecting and watching a lot of bootlegged DVDs of previous shows. I even remember posting (on here) that I might regret it if tomorrow is a better show.

To this day, I regret not buying a ticket for Night 2....the only show (out of the 12) that got Dry County. But that wasn't the only reason.....

This was the contrast of both shows:

Night 1:
Blood on Blood
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Born to Be My Baby
Lost Highway
When We Were Beautiful
Captain Crash & the Beauty Queen From Mars
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine (with Roadhouse Blues)
It's My Life
Love's the Only Rule
Lay Your Hands on Me (Richie Sambora on Vocals)
Hallelujah
I'll Be There for You
Something for the Pain (Acoustic)
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night (Acoustic)
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Work for the Working Man
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep the Faith

Encore:
In These Arms
Wanted Dead or Alive
Livin' on a Prayer


Night 2:
Last Man Standing
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Just Older
Born to Be My Baby
Lost Highway
Superman Tonight
Captain Crash & the Beauty Queen From Mars
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine (with Hot Legs)
It's My Life
Lay Your Hands on Me
(You Want to) Make a Memory
Bed of Roses
Diamond Ring (Acoustic)
Something for the Pain (Acoustic)
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Runaway
Work for the Working Man
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep the Faith (with Sympathy for the Devil)

Encore:
Dry County
Wanted Dead or Alive

Encore 2:
Always
Livin' on a Prayer


Granted....I got an Amazing show in Hyde Park a year later, but I'm always gonna regret attending Night 1 and skipping Night 2 of The O2 Residency.

[bonjovi90]

Munich 2013:
The first songs were flat and boring. Raise Your Hands sounded empty 'cause Phil missed a lot filling licks Richie used to deliver and the crowd had already zoned out during Bobby's two-note solo at the end of Water (which felt like it went for two minutes). Before IML, Jon went for his typical "are you with me out there?" and got zero response from the audience. He probably had to work really hard to control his facial expressions.
Afterwards, he shifted up a few notches, delivering a really strong performance and keeping the crowd on their feet, especially later in the set. I actually had expected the show to go down the drain that night...

[Dave88]

Udine 2011

It was the band's return to Italy after 8 years, and all Jon had prepared was a poor, 17-songs setlist. He had the airport to stay open late specifically for his private jet, as his plan was to deliver a sub-par 1h30min set and then fly out to some Greek island with his family for a few days of vacations (next show was Athens 3 days layer).

First 3/4 songs were the usual suspects with the same ol' banters etc. Then Follow got played. It was the 4th or 5th song into the set and the one where the crowd surprise was displayed. From that point on, I've never seen such a connection between a band and its audience at any concert of any artist. Never.

Setlist and videos can't describe how it felt to be there. We all felt part of something special.

10 years have passed. Ah shit, how time flies