Bon Jovi – There’s only one first time!

You can keep all the other bands and acts touring today, Bon Jovi is the band for me! Friday night was my third time seeing them. All I wanted was to hear good music and dance the night away. I did not leave disappointed.

This is the band whose music I would lay in bed and listen to on the radio my dad bought me as a kid. I would literally hold the radio in my arms so that they would be singing into my ear. Even after all these years, their songs still speak to me. When I doubt myself, Stick To Your Guns runs through my head. When I miss my friends, it’s Blood On Blood. Most importantly, they remind me to Keep The Faith.

What made Friday incredible was that the band was loose and really excited to be on stage. I’ve been to other kick off concerts before and they usually feel like dress rehearsals when all the technical kinks get worked out. Not Bon Jovi, though. From the moment they took the stage it was evident that they came to let loose and shake their money makers! If it’s possible with 17,000 people or so, it felt like a backyard party with everyone just wanting to get lost in the music for a few hours.

Just when I didn’t think I could be amazed any more, Jon sang Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. This is the single best performance I have ever seen live. I’ve always loved Jon’s voice, but he went to a different level when he sang this song. There are no words to describe what it was like to witness not only him singing it, but the reaction of the crowd. It was a collective moment of wonderment.

I was too far away to get any good pictures and there were too many screaming fans to get clear video but here’s the set list and some videos I found online from Friday night.

Set List
Blood On Blood http://bit.ly/dA1vkG
We Weren’t Born To Follow
You Give Love A Bad name http://bit.ly/btBwCF
Born To Be My Baby
Roulette http://bit.ly/chd92k
When We Were Beautiful
Lost Highway
Superman, Tonight
We Got It Goin’ On
It’s My Life
Homebound Train (Richie)
Hallelujah (my favorite song of the concert) http://bit.ly/8XLDCz
Bed Of Roses http://bit.ly/aFOZ72
Something For The Pain http://bit.ly/d37oPn
Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night http://bit.ly/bTnCEx
Work For The Working Man
Bad Medicine
Who Says You Can’t Go Home
Love’s The Only Rule

Encore
Thorn In My Side
Wanted Dead Or Alive http://bit.ly/bWwpQC
Livin On A Prayer http://bit.ly/dhbZaa