Bon Jovi
Martyr Reef
March 6, 2006 - Key Arena - Seattle, WA

Okay so I went to see Bon Jovi again. I used to be embarrassed by enjoying an "80's hair band" but now I'm out of the closet with it. Actually, nowadays it seems like a lot more people are just accepting of the fact that they're still around and going strong even if their style of music isn't their cup of tea. Listening to them brings back my childhood.

Arriving at the Key Arena there were actually quite a mixture of people in attendance. Young and old. From all sorts of backgrounds. I think it was their VH1's Behind The Music special when I first heard the concert hall being considered something like a modern church. Sure Bon Jovi doesn't have quite the lyrical (or musical depth for that matter) as other bands, but they have this kind of easy going "feel good" songs. That simplicity I think is what brings everyone together and makes it generally a happy crowd. 

The opening band, Martyr Reef, from Marysville, Washington won the opening band slot for the show. They were pretty much straight on rock. I didn't catch all of their set. Not bad, but then again they were amplified so loud I had no idea what was really going on. We were sitting in the back end of the arena with a straight on view of the stage. Above the opening band was the huge corporate sponsorship from Sprint. The audience was invited to send text messages to the giant screen (which I guess also distracted from the opening band). There were some funny ones on there, but also some distasteful ones regarding mullets and of course those hitting on the recently found single Richie Sambora.

I went to get a show program...wasn't that a fight.

When I got back to my seat my brother noticed that there was a bunch of security at our end of the arena. He started to wonder if the band would pop out from the back. Now sometimes I read prior concert reviews, but I opted to be surprised this time around. What a surprise it was! Jon walked out to the small platform behind the sound booth. Call me a dork, but I was shaking with excitement since he was right there. They opened with "Last Man Standing" from their new cd. The rest of the band at this point were on the main stage. 

Jon made it back to the stage and they went into a old favorite "You Give Love A Bad Name." There was a lot of songs performed from Slippery When Wet and of course Have A Nice Day. Personally the new album isn't one of my favorites and I missed a few songs that they chose not to perform, but all is all in a concert experience. 

Although the last time the stage looked a lot cooler with their satellites and projected screens the setup this time was a lot nicer for those in any seat in the house. A big screen projector and colorful light displays that seemed very 80's arcade looking.

Prior to playing their first breakout single "Runaway" it looked like Jon lost it as he was counting back the years until 1982. Good song though.

I think one of the best moments of the night was when Richie took the stage and sang "I'll Be There For You" with an amazing electric guitar. He commanded the audience. That followed with a small Tom Petty cover of "I Won't Back Down" as an intro to "Have A Nice Day." Did I mention I hate the little red smirking icon? I cringed when I first saw the album art. This thing was EVERYWHERE. Sambora flipped off the audience during this number. Then they did their new single "Who Says You Can't Go Home." I heard something that they had a guest vocalist for this on past shows, but not for this one. Then another anthem like tune "It's My Life" after which the stage went dark.

Then Jon popped out onto the audience level again to be "one with the fans" over on stage left. I can tell people on the other side were feeling as if they've all gotten the shaft. It was with the audience Jon walked around and did "Blaze Of Glory" and "Bed Of Roses" acoustically with the rest of the band remaining on stage. I'm pretty sure one of his security members grabbed his butt. Anyways during "Blaze Of Glory" my brother pointed out that it looked like a scene from the movie Rent. When seeing Rent in the theatre during the song "What You Own" actor Adam Pascal (who sported Jovi-like hair) is seen driving through Santa Fe. My brother commented then it looked like a Bon Jovi video. What was projected on the giant screen during "Blaze Of Glory"? Yup. A desert scene with Jon integrated in there. The similarities are uncanny. Plus the Roger character has a song called "One Song Glory"? Hmm. I tried to take a photo to illustrate the point to compare with the movie screen caps below.

"Bad Medicine" "Raise Your Hands" and "Livin On A Prayer" ended the set. There were actually a couple of fake outs so I'm not sure if they're technically considered multiple encores. Here's what rounded out the show..."I'd Die For You," "Wild In The Streets," "Wanted Dead Or Alive" (which had a wicked intro may I add), and ended with "Treat Her Right." During that last song Jon ran back into the crowd to the back of the arena (to which a mob broke out) but he made it safely back into the underground corridors of the arena.

Pretty good show. Better with the fact that a drunk group of people were not trying to squish me into a tiny area of the next seat over.

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