Back in October it was announced that Bon Jovi would be playing in Seattle on March 6th. I got up one Saturday morning early, early and headed to the local TicketBastard to buy tickets for myself and Cassandre and then Cheryl (a girl from my day job who is also a huge Bon Jovi fan) and one of her friends. I was first in line (surprise!) and ended up getting amazing seats?Richie?s side of the stage, 15 rows up and just far enough back that we could see everything and yet were close enough to see the guys sweat. Buying the tickets was a whole ordeal as well as the TicketBastard girl didn?t tell any of us in line that they don?t accept Interac for US concerts until there was only 2 minutes until the tickets went on sale!! Mad dash to the bank machine after making her promise she?d hold my place in line, but I got the great seats. Then, about 3 weeks before the concert I was told that I couldn?t have the night off from rehearsal ?to attend a social function??I completely understand where they were coming from and accepted their decision but I gotta admit that I was a little pissed too because I always know my stuff when a show opens and it?s not me who really needs the rehearsal. When they gave me time off when my Grandad passed I worked extra hard and was more prepared for that opening than any of them. But it would have set a horrible precedent and so I was told ?no Jovi fo you!?. My travelmates were less than happy, especially since I was to be the driver. Then through sheer luck, and probably a lot of praying, scheduling didn?t work out and we weren?t able to rehearse that Monday anyway and so I was able to go!! Yay!!
We woke up early on the 6th to a beautiful day. Got up, showered, got the cd?s packed and we were off. A quick stop at Starbucks and off to Surrey to pick up Cheryl and Jenny. Now I should mention that when Bon Jovi played in Seattle 3 years ago (another amazing show that I attended with my sis Dani and my friend Gen who is also a huge fan) Cheryl and Jenny had tickets and were on their way to Seattle when a rod and piston decided they?d had enough of working and bolted right out the side of Jenny?s motor?on the I-5?right in front of some cows. Needless to say they ended up not seeing Bon Jovi and so were a little concerned about my car. My car is fine and has never let me down, however it needs a tranny flush or something and when the tranny gets hot it sometimes won?t shift down and it will stall when I come to a stop. It always starts again and will always get me where we?re going but needless to say when it did it to us on Monday as we approached the border, Cheryl and Jenny were very very nervous!! The car was fine and continues to be fine and we got there and back without incident. First stop was Bellis Fair mall in Bellingham so the girls could stop at Victoria?s Secret. Then it was off to the Seattle Premium Outlet mall in Tulalip for a little Puma shopping for Cassie. She was disappointed in the selection but ended up buying a really nice pair. She also got a couple of watches. Cheryl and Jenny bought a few things as well. We had a late lunch at the food fair?really yummy stromboli sandwiches?and it was off to the Key Arena. I called Janice and Ashley, two of the fan club members that I know and become friends with?they were still at the Fairmont ?stalking? the boys. We were hoping to all be at the Key to catch soundcheck but it never happened. We got to the Key about 4 and after wandering a bit we finally hooked up with them in front of the arena where they were in a line up to a radio station tent who were sponsoring the concert and were giving out wristbands to the first 100 people to have an opportunity to see part of the concert from ONSTAGE!! Yes, we got in line!! We were about 50 people back and were pretty confident we?d get wristbands. We met some people in the lineup from Vancouver Island and one guy from Burnaby. They were nice and we had a lot of laughs?especially when they found out I was 42 and older than one of them by a month and there I was with my 21 yr old fianc?! He looked way older than me too and both Cassie and Cheryl pointed that out
When they finally came around they didn?t give us wristbands but rather a piece of paper saying to be back there between 6 and 6:15 and the first 100 people then with the paper would receive wristbands. Obviously we went back at 6?and it started raining! Brrrrrr?but we got our wristbands finally and were told we were going to be in Group 2 and so the instructions were to meet behind the soundboard during Bon Jovi?s 4th song and we would then be escorted up to the stage. OMG I was SO excited!! This was like a dream come true!
We entered the Key Arena in a huge mass of people and went straight to the T-Shirt booth. I bought a khaki green T-Shirt that says Have A Nice Day on the front and Bon Jovi on the back, a necklace with the smirk on it for my rearview mirror in my car and a black, zip-up hoodie that says Bon Jovi on the front, has the smirk on the left sleeve and says Have A Nice Day on the right sleeve. Unfortunately they only had the hoodie in XL but I bought it anyway and it?s SO comfy! Next stop was at the concession for food?not a huge selection but decided on foot long hotdogs and beer?stadium food!! Guess what? I got ID?d!! I was like ?really?? hahahaha!! Then the guy went to hand Cassie a beer and she?s like ?Don?t you want to see my ID?? and he says ?Oh yeah, okay? (he?s not originally from North America) then looks at it and says to me ?Whoa! She young!? obviously surprised we were together. It was pretty funny. We ate and then found our seats were just as I assumed when I bought them?.AMAZING!! The opening act was a local band called Martyr Love or Mortar Love or something like that and they sounded pretty good. Typical new rock band in the vain of Treble Charger or Sum 41. Decent singers and during the closing of their last song they trashed part of the drum kit which was funny, but I don?t think I?d rush out and buy their album. There was about a ? hour between bands and when the lights went out the place went NUTS! Here?s the set list?
LAST MAN STANDING: During the opening the band was onstage and then Jon started to sing but?where was he? Cassie taps me on the shoulder and points to the soundboard where Jon is on a little platform with his guitar and mic and he?s singing from there! Wow the people in the very back had front row seats!! The sound was really good and the electricity was incredible. I had goosebumps and Cassie cried a little. At the end Jon jumped down and walked around the arena finally ending up on the stage just in time to step up to the mic and?
YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME: Of course the place went crazy again. We sang and danced and I could tell this would be an incredible evening. The band seemed to be in a zone and looked like they were having a blast.
EVERYDAY: Not the normal 3rd song on the set list this tour so it was a great surprise to hear it so early. We waited until near the end before we left to go to the soundboard?a quick check of our wristbands and we were on the floor. We got to the soundboard and were put in a holding area to the right hand side.
BORN TO BE MY BABY: Another surprise!! One of my all-time fave songs. The view from the soundboard was actually really good. We got the full effect of the video screens and I decided that if for some odd reason I had to watch a Jovi show from back here it wouldn?t suck so bad.
THE STORY OF MY LIFE: This song was kind of a miss for me as we were being herded through the crowd on our way TO THE STAGE. Oh my gawd it hit me all of a sudden that I was going to be ONSTAGE WITH BON JOVI!! I was so excited I didn?t even realize they had split our group in two and that Cheryl wasn?t in our group. We got to the stage and made our way up the side stairs and we were right at the front!! Oh my gawd David Bryan is less than 10 feet from me!! And I could reach out and play with the knobs on Bobby Bandiera?s amp but of course I don?t. I pull out my cellphone, which I just upgraded to and it has a camera and a video camera in it (how lucky is that?!) just as the band starts?
I?LL SLEEP WHEN I?M DEAD: David Bryan looks right at me as I start to shoot video and he shakes his head like ?no dude, you can?t do that? but I think oh yeah? Just try and stop me?the sound it horrible onstage. The guys all have in-ear monitors so there are only 3 or 4 monitors on the whole stage, plus we have Bobby?s guitar blasting beside us but I don?t care. I?m on the freaking stage WITH BON JOVI. I think I cried.
RUNAWAY: The original Bon Jovi hit, although it was recorded before Jon had actually put the band together and he used all studio musicians but Hugh is now in the band playing bass and he played on the original track so that was cool.
THE RADIO SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT: From the box set! I think I was the only one in our group that seemed to know the words and I shared a couple of moments with David Bryan as I sang along and he gave me the ?yep, if you know this one you ARE a fan? smile! Cassie took my picture and I took hers.
I WANT TO BE LOVED: The song was part way done and we were ushered off the stage and had to go back to our seats. On our way back we noticed that there was a lady on the side of the arena opposite ours that was on a little platform and had a spotlight on her and she was doing sign language to all of the songs! Very cool!
NOVOCAINE: Another from the new album. Not one of my favorites but it?s okay. It worked well in concert and gave the crowd a bit of a rest from the high energy that had preceeded it.
I?LL BE THERE FOR YOU: Jon left the stage after introducing Richie who sang the lead on this with David doing Richie?s harmony parts. This is how it was originally recorded during the Slippery sessions and it?s cool to see Richie doing some singing again. A bit of a strange song choice though considering he?s getting divorced hahahaha.
I WON?T BACK DOWN: Jon comes back to the stage and brings his acoustic and starts singing this song. I?m not sure why they?re doing it but sure enough, the crowd is singing along. Except for me. I don?t really like this song and I?m not a huge Tom Petty fan either, but it?s only a short version and they kick hard into...
HAVE A NICE DAY: Well, if the crowd had been lulled they were wide awake again now! The place rocks and I shoot another short video with my phone.
WHO SAYS YOU CAN?T GO HOME: The country song from the new album. It?s good and it works and the crowd is digging it but I prefer it with Jennifer Nettles. Still, it?s funny to know that Bon Jovi have a top ten hit on country radio!
IT?S MY LIFE: This one is definitely one of Jon?s faves and you can tell. He poured it all into this one. The band was in amazing form and sounded SO incredibly good. I love to watch Tico during this one but Jon had most of my attention as he was so into it. When it ended the stage went completely dark for what seemed a long time but was probably no more than 15 seconds. David starts playing this haunting little keyboard thing and the next thing we know Jon is over on the other side of the arena from us on a little platform in the audience with his acoustic! I bet those people had no idea when they bought their tickets that they?d be front row for 2 songs either!
BLAZE OF GLORY: The ?This Left Feels Right? version. The backdrop on the stage shows video of mountains and valleys and what seemed to be the place the video had been shot. I don?t mind this version but if they stick to the set lists they?ve been doing I know what?s coming next and I?m not looking forward to it?
BED OF ROSES: Yep, my all-time fave song and they?re doing the TLFR version however to me it?s more like ?This Left Feels Wrong??still it?s my fave song ever and I love it and I sing. And I cry a little.
BAD MEDICINE: The band is back and on fire and the crowd is once again lit up and loving it. Especially Cassie who has now heard her two favorite Bon Jovi songs back to back. They go into a short bit of ?GLORIA? by Van Morrison which works kind of well and then back into the song. Jon?s yelling ?Wait a minute! Wait a minute! I?m not done!? in a warm up that the end is in sight.
RAISE YOUR HANDS: Wow! What a surprise! I think I was as shocked by this one as I was when they played it at Giants Stadium 5 years ago. The crowd eats it up and Jonny is being the rockstar of old and completely working the crowd.
LIVIN? ON A PRAYER: The ultimate crowd pleaser. It cooks and the huge ending and then?Goodnight!! NO! NO! More more more!!! The crowd screams and screams?I know they?re coming back?they always do?and they haven?t played Wanted yet?but they make us work for it.
Encore:
I?D DIE FOR YOU: Wow! Another one off Slippery! We rock and the band is cooking again?or is that still?
WILD IN THE STREETS: And ANOTHER off Slippery! I wonder if it has anything to do with that album being recorded in Vancouver and that probably 1/3 or 1/2 of the crowd is from there tonight? Still, Tico is back in a zone and I just love watching him play this song. He pounds so hard yet makes it look so easy.
KEEP THE FAITH: Another perennial favourite that makes the crowd go crazy. I wonder how the boys can do it. They just keep going and going. And when it ends Jon asks us to please raise our voices in the singing of the Bon Jovi National Anthem?
WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE: The crowd sings the entire first verse then Richie sings the second verse before Jon takes over and takes us home. The final moment is here. Jon and Richie side by side, lifting their guitars in unison and playing that final D chord. It?s over. I?m crying. It?s been incredible. Being on the stage was the most amazing thing ever. Being here with Cassie is the best. If this was to be my last show I?d be happy. I think it?s been better than Giants Stadium. But then Jon doesn?t quite leave the stage. He keeps looking back at the crowd. And of course they scream everytime he does! Finally he motions for the band to come back onstage. ?How can you leave this?? he asks them hahahahahaha.
TREAT HER RIGHT: The old Southside Johnny classic. It?s not original but it?s fun and Jon let?s Bobby take the guitar solo which is cool because he?s basically done squat all night and I?m wondering why they even have him on this tour. Other than the fact that he looks like Al Pacino. But really, do Bon Jovi need Al Pacino on guitar to draw a crowd? I think not. Anyway, the song ends and they say thank you and they?re gone. We stop by the T-Shirt booth on our way out so Cassie can get one of the hats she wanted but they?re sold out now.
The drive home was uneventful although we did kind of have to go out of our way to get water and gas. We got home late and tired and worn out but it was SO worth it!! Cassie is now converted and wants us to win the lottery so we can just follow Bon Jovi around hahahaha! Cheryl and Jenny loved it and were so glad they finally got to see the band. It was just an incredible experience and like I said if that were the last show I was to see, I?d be a happy man.
Not that I went onstage, but that I got a pass to get behind the barricade to front row.
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