So, I live in a little house near the Stadium. Just moved in, actually. I love this little house, but what I didn’t know is that it came with an awesome neighbourhood perk: cheap-o tix to Stadium events.
Bon Jovi sent around letters to local residents:
THANKS FOR LETTING US ROCK YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD! YOU ARE INVITED TO PURCHASE TICKETS FOR ONLY $10.
Who can argue with that? I like Bon Jovi. My pal Alexis, her visiting friend and I purchased seats in section OO, which is about 7 o’clock to the stage area. It’s far, but it’s not as far as the balcony. We had a good view of the jumbotrons.
Kid Rock opened. He’s bonkers: singing lots of covers (Sweet Home Alabama, Cat Scratch Fever), he played to a perceived audience of “rednecks,” giving the crowd the finger (why did they cheer?) and doing shots of Jim Beam at the turntables. Because he scratches, remember? Also, he plays guitar and drums. Oh Kid Rock– is there nothing you can’t do? Even with his stupid hat, though, he was a real crowd pleaser. I liked it when he sang that Put Your Picture Away song. The woman accompanying him was really good. Did anyone catch her name?
Anyhow, after his set, a little break. There were lots of people there, many wearing Harley or UFC-branded items of clothing, but it was way more diverse than what you’d expect in a “redneck” crowd. Me, Alexis, and Ramona, for starters. A fairly big group of African-Canadian women behind us, and a southeast Asian contingent a couple rows down. Jon Bon Jovi knows no ethnic boundaries, nor prejudice. The Fringe is whiter. Go chew on that tidbit for a while.
It was a great show, too. Off the top, they performed a new song I didn’t know, then another. The video was kind of sweet: running inspirational phrases about hope like “It’s in our hands,” and images of strong leaders like JFK, Nelson Mandela, Lance Armstrong, and… Oprah! I screamed extra-loud for her. Then ol’ Jonny told us all nicely that we would probably prefer standing up, ’cause SHOT THRU THA HEART! AND YER TO BLAME! Giant 40,000 person singalong, whoa, that was frickin’ intense!
It’s kind of amazing to think about: these dudes have been playing and recording for nearly 30 years. Their repertoire is deep, from the ’80s stuff that I super-love, even the later hits like Always and Have a Nice Day and that Can’t Go Home song with the video that makes me cry even though it’s really cheesy. And they really deliver.
Jon Bon Jovi knows that he’s handsome, and that his teeth have special powers. He’d be all scrunchy-faced singing, then he’d peek around his mic, point at the ladies, and WHAM. That dazzling, supernaturally white teeth, and Blue Steel. He has all those rock moves, the hopping on one foot (well, he DID injure his calf muscle the other week…), the Jesus on the cross, the mugging with Richie Sambora, singing-in-the-same-mic move. At one point, giving props to his guitar man, he picked up his microphone stand and pointed it at the guitar. Yeaaaah!
It was a two hour set, and they tried to leave after Lay Your Hands on Me. But nooo! Edmonton knew that it would not suffice! Not ’til Dead or Alive and Livin’ on a Prayer! My voice got all squeaky and hurt singing along to that falsetto-pitch, owie, but worth it.
We all left completely satisfied. SWEETASS!