WHEN JON BON JOVI said the rain 'was the angels crying because they couldn't
get a ticket' my thoughts this gig was going to be a cheesefest were fully
justified.
But credit where credit's due.
Everybody enjoys a bit of cheese at times and there is no one better at it in
the rock world than this mighty foursome.
Jon, guitarist RICHIE SAMBORA, keyboard whizz DAVID BRYAN and
drummer TICO TORRES had 72,000 crazy German fans at Munich's Olympic
Stadium like putty in their hands from start to finish with a barn-stomping,
sing-a-long, two and a half hour set.
I like the fact they don't take themselves too seriously.
I was a select group of journalists invited to this second date of their
European tour to promote their recent, and more country-themed album, Lost
Highway.
However instead of sticking rigidly to their more unfamiliar materal, I was
delighted to see they genuinely still enjoy blasting out their old hits.
And even though he may be getting on a bit now, Jon is still a winner with the
ladies, showing off his gleaming white teeth and energetic dance moves in a
leather jacket that exposed his bare chest underneath.
Living On A Prayer was, and was probably always likely to be, my personal
highlight on a hit-packed evening.
The audience was like a sea of bobbing lights as they shone their mobiles into
the sky.
Other stand out moments include a bizarre rendition of DUFFY'S Mercy, a
blazing version of THE BEATLES' Twist And Shout, classic hit Medicine
and recent track I Love This Town, which was played to a backdrop of videos
that fans had sent in.
And proving just why he is considered one of the best musicians in the world,
Richie was mesmorising on each of the TEN guitars he used throughout
the night and more than held his own on a solo of I'll Be There For You.
As the rain poured down, Jon opted to cover up his famous mullet with a
baseball hat.
He had a hairdyer backstage to cater for such hiccups he but chose not to use
it.
In fact, we was so relaxed and caught up with the atmosphere in 'Munich, my
second home' that Jon frequently strayed from the set list, calling out
random tracks (they have 150 rehearsed) to keep his gang on their toes.
After pleas by the crowd he also rallied his bandmates to complete a second
encore featuring Blood On Blood.
Cheesy, yes. But lots of fun.
Bon Jovi comes to the UK on June 11.
