I was really anxious to catch some good shows during my six months' state here at the States and I was more than happy when I found out that BON JOVI would be in town one of those days. Ok, I cannot consider myself a die-hard fan of the band from New Jersey but I can remember myself listening to them on recorded tapes in my room after I got back from school. So, let me try to describe what happened to me that cold Sunday at the United Center Arena that is the home of the mighty Chicago Bulls.
Well, I arrived half an hour before the door opening and I found myself behind a pretty long line of fans freezing my ass out! To my surprise the fans were mainly comprised by families with their kids that have come to spend the night with Jon.
After I got myself a nice t-shirt I made my way to my seat; the arena is BIG place and as I found out it can host almost 19000 fans during a match day. The stage was really big and the light show should be amazing!

Right on time DAUGHTRY got on stage and they did receive a enthusiastic welcome. Apparently, this band is well known in the States and has already scored some excellent selling numbers with hits like Feels Like Tonight, Crashed or the quite mellow Over You. Unfortunately, their sound was at least boring to my ears and gave me the feeling of I've heard that before. The rest of the audience did not share the same ideas with me and thus had an excellent time with the five guys from North Carolina. After almost 45 minutes DAUGHTRY left the stage and that was the time when I stopped yawning.

It was time for BON JOVI and after 20 minutes the stage was ready to welcome Jon and his company. BON JOVI entered the stage in great enthusiasm performing the homonymous track from their latest album Lost Highway. Despite the fact that I almost buried that album in my review I found my self singing along with the rest of the crowd. Yes, BON JOVI look like they did 15 years ago. Actually, they only thing that Jon misses is some hair but I can assure you that the rest of the package is there! You Give Love A Band Name was next and that was it! I made a hearty time travel some years ago and I sung my lungs out. The enthusiasm was pouring out of the speakers along with the flawless sound. The light show was even more amazing with the four enormous screens that were changing shape and size according to every song. Raise Your Hand was next and everybody did so while Runaway could bring some tears into my eyes if I was not a tough guy! I am telling BON JOVI are in an excellent form despite the fact that they overused the country influences in their latest album.

Jon was running up and down the stage and did some classic moves that spread waves of enthusiasm in all the ladies. The band surprised us with the up-tempo song Bounce and the track with the lyrics that apply to me I'll Sleep When I Am Dead. The screens along with the impressive light show turned the Arena into a starlit sky creating an excellent atmosphere for Captain Crash & the Beauty Queen From Mars. I was completely caught off guard with the U.S. audience that as I mentioned in the beginning was mainly comprised by whole families, because they were loud as hell. I mean everyone was singing the lyrics showing additional affection to the new ones. The band raised the Arena's temperature some additional degrees with the classics Born To Be My Baby, It's My Life and Bad Medicine where things got really loud! The time has come for Jon to take a short break and for Richie to take over the vocal duties. He performed the homonymous track from his solo album Stranger In This Town that in some strange and unknown reason also applied to my residence here in Chicago. His voice and guitar laid down some bluesy melodies that to my surprise was the perfect time for some to get something to drink; hell it was their loss.

The lights went down and after a while there was Jon with his classic guitar singing inside the ecstatic crowd the mellow (You Want To) Make A Memory and the emotional I'll Be There For You with Richie on his side. Things got fire again with Keep The Faith and Livin' On A Prayer with the trademark talk box effect!

The band left the stage after this one and everyone knew that they would come back. The audience became even louder and after a while the band returned with Someday I'll Be Saturday Night where Jon said some words about their old days when they where rehearsing in a small bar and were just getting started. Then, the back side of the stage was once again raised showing a western sun and as you probably guested Wanted Dead Or Alive was next! This excellent night came to an end with I Love This Town with some Chicago images that were shot the same day on the screen. You can imagine what happened to the more than 20000 fans when the Chicago Bulls logo was upon the screens!

So, that was my first and hopefully not the last BON JOVI concert that is already carved into my mind. I am telling you, these guys are going through their second puberty so if they're close in your town be sure that you won't miss them.

Here's the setlist:

Lost Highway
You Give Love A Bad Name
Raise Your Hands
Runaway
Bounce
I'll Sleep When I Am Dead
Captain Crash & the Beauty Queen From Mars
Misunderstood
In These Arms
Whole Lot of Leavin
Born To Be My Baby
We Got It Going On
It's My Life
Bad Medicine
Stranger In This Town
(You Want To) Make A Memory
I'll Be There For You
Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Have A Nice Day
Keep The Faith
Livin' On A Prayer

Encore:

Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
Wanted Dead Or Alive
I Love This Town

(distant photos by me)

DAUGHTRY

BON JOVI