Bon Jovi in Vienna: Come on see, hear, feel the real thing.
So, I made it back from the Bon Jovi concert. Soaking wet. It rained like it never rained before and the show was THE BEST SHOW I HAVE EVER SEEN, FROM ANYONE.
The show started at 8, I was about 3rd row in the normal tickets category, slightly to the left of Jon (and the right of the crowd). The show started out quite slow and I felt the big hole that Richie left behind. Some songs sounded just weren’t quite right and some of “their” songs made me sad with Jon singing alone. Also Phil X is just too heavy metal for me. Well, he IS good, don’t get me wrong, so the people decided not to go because Richie is not there (other than straight out Richie fan) actually missed out. He made things heavier than normal. BUT! But, because of that, some songs just lost the spirit and the love and the feelings. At some songs where Richie’s presence was still too big in them, the screen actually showed only Phil’s hands or leave his head in the shadow, kinda like so you can imagine it was Rich instead but it wasn’t working for me. They are just straight out too heavy. THEN IT RAINED AND EVERYTHING EXPLODED! Jon himself sang under the rain the whole show. He was soaking wet, his guitars were wet, every step he ran, every kick he made, water was splashed everywhere. Jon was not even covered with the roof of the new ass spanking awesome car, he was in the rain, just like the rest of the crowd. And he gave everything he had. Anyone who knocked him and told him to retire should have been here and see this. Any “performer” who lip synced should have been here and see this. Jon played like he never played before, he actually had something to prove today, he proved it and actually even more. When I’ll Be There For You started, I was like “this is Rich’s song, Jon doing it feels wrong”. But you should have been there and see what I saw. Jon and 55000 people sang their hearts out under the heavy rain and I almost shed a tear, it was just beautiful. Everyone were so damn wet and everyone gave everything they had. Later came Last Man Standing and I took off the hood of my jacket. What we had there was special and I wanted nothing to cover my ears when that song was being played. Jon looked like that was the last show of his life, and if that was, he has one hell of a legacy (of course it wasn’t, it’s just a figure of speech). Also, the images of Jon singing in the sunset and Jon playing electric guitar wearing a cap while being soaking wet under the heavy rain, they are epic. Also noting that Jon acted really thankful and sincere today.
As quoted from Jon today: “It’s like I’m having a public shower with 55000 of my best friends today and I love it. Come here babes, I have a surprise for you.”
“Come out from under the bridge, you two chicken shits, you chickened under the bridge while I and 55000 other people are soaking wet. You chicken shits, you stood there under the bridge all dry drinking your beer, get out here. What more do you want? Should I get you an umbrella? Look at everyone standing under the rain like real men. And women too. Actually, there are about 45000 beautiful ladies here today for me, and about 10000 guys here today, trying to get lucky with one of them. Face it guys, they only love me, they are here for me alone.”
“I would like to thank everyone for being so loyal, for believing in us, for being with us through highs and lows.” (kinda like that). He said it a couple times.
Special shoutouts for David Bryan and Tico Torres for playing above themselves as well.
Score:
David Bryan - keyboard and vocal: 10/10 not only he played amazingly, his backing vocal filled quite a bit of what Richie left behind. David outdone himself.
Tico Torres - thunder and lighting (as Jon said): 9,5/10, played his ass off.
Phil X - lead guitar: 8/10, this guy should stop trying to outdo Richie and stick to the plan, sometimes I feel like he tries to make everything heavy just for the sake of it and not really get into the songs. Also I have a feeling that he doesn’t get the song because sometimes he smile or grinned and ruined the mood of sad or “full of feelings” songs. Or may be I’m bias because I am a Richie fangirl. Overall though, he did ok.
Bobby - 2nd guitar: 8/10, he tried so hard and we should cut him some slack but…
Jon Bon Jovi - lead singer: 11/10, gave everything he had and some more, I wonder what does he have left for tomorrow’s show because it’s gonna be sooooo god damned hard to top today’s show.
Richie Sambora - lead guitar: -9001/10. Did not play.
Crowd: 11/10. Amazing
Setlist: 8/10. So so.
Overral: 10/10. Music was good, crowd was good, the lost of Richie was felt but because of the heavy rain today, everything went way better than expected. If it was just a normal dry show and Jon had nothing to prove (after the Sofia show), may be, just may be, this would have been just 8/10 (what I wanted to give before the rain).
If Richie was here today, this would have probably been 15/10.
Also to anyone not going to today’s concert: YOUR LOST! GOD IT WAS AMAZING! I’m still cold and wet and covered in mud and the smell of horses and all I have to say is 10/10, would die again. Now I need to go get a warm shower before I get sick. I have another Bon Jovi show in Munich to catch today.
Also now that Jon had pointed out that I only love him (although I love Richie slightly more than him and Elton John more than both of them…), should I sell everything I have and pursue my one true love?
