When I saw Bon Jovi in Munich in 2006, my first Bon Jovi concert, I had compared the concert experience to how important orgasms were to Sex and the City’s Samantha. If you are unfamiliar with the show, Samantha is the blonde chick who worships sex.

Oh, yes- a Bon Jovi concert is THAT GOOD. It was the Have a Nice Day tour, and I had flown from Oslo to see the show. I had been a fan since I was 12, and enough was enough. It was an awesome concert. The band had sung 25 songs, stayed on the stage for 2,5 hours and rocked the Olympic stadium.

 

Yesterday, they were in Istanbul, in a stadium for over 50.000 people. And this time, I wasn’t just merely in the field, but much closer to the stage. In fact, Jon and Richie sang two songs right in front of me.  And even though Jon had a knee surgery in the week, and even though he is 49, he was as energetic and hyper as ever. Jon remains to be my favorite front man ever. And I had the opportunity to see David Coverdale (of Whitesnake, twice), Joe Elliot (of Def Leppard, twice), Vince Neil (of Motley Crue),  Mike Tramp (White Lion), Klaus Meine (Scorpions, twice) among others. And while they all rocked the hell out of me, Jon Bon Jovi – as a front man and Bon Jovi as a band- is just something else.

Jon has more energy, more interaction with both the audience and his band. He tells the stories behind songs, jokes, makes fun introductions to the songs, dances and drives the audience wild. Yes, this has a lot to do with the fact that apart from the bassist Hugh McDonald, Bon Jovi members have been performing together since 1984. Jon and Richie have been writing hits together since 1984. And well, I have to admit the catchiest lyrics also belong to Bon Jovi. Most of the audience knew all the lyrics to almost all of the songs. And when they couldn’t keep up, it was because they were out of breath after all that singing and dancing.

Jon places great covers in the middle of his own extremely popular songs.  For instance when he wore the Turkey/Bon Jovi uniform made for him, he instructed the band to play something “pretty” appropriate, and they played Pretty Woman. Yeah, yeah, Roy Orbison sang it well. But it just is even better sung by Jon, at a stadium concert. Yes, we knew the lyrics to that too.

He also sang The Rolling Stone’s Start Me Up, perfectly imitated Mick Jagger’s famous/weird strut, in a lovely tribute. Yeah, we knew that song too:)

 

There were three huge screens: 2 on the sides, and one massive one right behind the band. The sound system was great, and the playlist just kicked ass. Here’s a list of all the songs I remember from last night:

 

–          Raise Your Hands (from Slippery When Wet, 1986) – They started with it! And Jon added Istanbul to the lyrics.

–          You Give Love a Bad Name (Slippery When Wet, 1986)

–          Bad Medicine (New Jersey, 1988)

–          Blood on Blood (New Jersey, 1988)

–          Born to Be My Baby (New Jersey, 1988)

–          I’ll Be There for You (New Jersey, 1988)

–          In These Arms (Keep the Faith, 1992)

–          Bed of Roses  (Keep the Faith, 1992)

–          Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night (Cross Road, 1994)

–          Have a Nice Day (Have a Nice Day, 2005)

–          Who Says You Can’t Go Home  (Have a Nice Day, 2005)

–          We Got It Going On (Lost Highway, 2007)

–          Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars (Crush, 2000)

–          We Weren’t Born to Follow (The Circle, 2009)

–          Diamond Ring (These Days, 2005)

–          Keep the Faith (Keep the Faith, 1992)

–          I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (Keep the Faith, 1992)

–          Wanted Dead or Alive (Slippery When Wet, 1986)

–          Living on a Prayer  (Slippery When Wet, 1986)

–          It’s My Life (Crush, 2000)

–          Always (Cross Road, 1994)

If you were there last night, and realize I skipped a song, please feel free to add.

**

It was the best concert performance I’ve seen, and it was even better than my previous Bon Jovi concert because I was much closer to the stage. Jon smartly commented that 18 years was too long, indicating the first time they came to Turkey. But hey, I am sure they will make an effort to come back sooner. After all, here were are – countries away from their hometown New Jersey, and knowing the lyrics by heart- whether the songs are from 1986 or 2009. The youngest audience members were about 11, and the oldest were about 60. Many fans had been to the Istanbul concert in 1993.

Jon Bon Jovi was once asked the question whether his job was better or the President (of the USA)’s. And he didn’t hesitate to say that his was better. After all, he “got to keep the house and the plane”. Oh, he also gets to keep the fans. I was 12 when I became a fan. I am 26 now. And they still rock.

And even though I had sweated like I’d run a marathon, and my feet hurt from all the dancing and my voice went after all the singing and screaming, I’d have gladly stayed for another 20 songs. I’d say he has an awesome job, along with his band mates. And they freakin’ rock at it.

And thanks to the band’s lead-guitarist Richie Sambora who got out of rehab just in time to be at this concert with us. It would not have been the same without him. Jon and Richie just might be the best rock’ n roll duo.

All I can say is, Blame it on the Love of Rock n’ Roll. And Blame it on the Love of Bon Jovi!

🙂

P.S.: This review was written wearing the tour T-shirt bought at the concert yesterday.

 

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