Friday, March 8, 2013

Bon Jovi -The "Because We Can" Tour

My birthday was a few weeks ago, and this was my present.

By 6:30 p.m. the line stretched from the Time Warner Cable Arena down the sidewalk to the BOA parking garage where we were parked and had u-turned back up the sidewalk.  The forecast was for rain that evening, but mostly it was a cold wind accompanied by an occasional light mist.



The show was supposed to start promptly at 7:30 but, for whatever reason, did not start until 8:10.  As the lights went down and Bon Jovi took the stage, nearly 20,000 screaming fans rose to their feet.  Amid the thunder was heard "Shot through the heart and you're to blame", the chorus of the well-known "You Give Love a Bad Name".



A packed house.

They performed a number of songs from their new album "What About Now".  Among those were "Because We Can" and the title song "What About Now".  They were on stage for nearly 3 hours, and while the sound quality at the Time Warner arena left a lot to be desired, the band put on a fabulous show.



So many lights.




Behind them on stage was a video wall made up of forty 80-foot polycarbonate plastic columns covered in 3d fabric.  Using 10 hi-def video projectors they can create all sorts of amazing backgrounds.  This wall is automated and the columns move up and down independently from one another.


Skyline on the video wall.

There were 20 songs on the set list (click for links to videos), plus another 7 in three encores.

We arrived just in time to get in line, so "dinner" was high-dollar concession food eaten standing up in the corridor.  

After getting out of the parking garage, we went looking for some place that served "real food" at midnight.  After trying at a place that had stopped serving at 12, we were directed to Skyland's, a 24-hour restaurant.  It's not often we finish up our dinner at 1:30 a.m., but hey, a good time was had by all!

12 comments:

  1. That looks like it was a blast! Great shots.

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  2. Sounds like you had a great time. Now you might have to change your blog name to "From a Bed of Roses to Rainbows." ;)

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  3. I am thoroughly jealous. I am a big fan of Bon Jovi. He is going to be in Kansas City in April but we are out of town that week. Never fails!

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  4. Hi Linda .. happy belated birthday .. what a memorable time you ... plenty to remember - cheers Hilary

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  5. That's awesome. I've seen them twice and loved each show. Sounds like they are still rocking!

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  6. There's nothing like seeing a band live. Glad you had a lovely time.

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  7. Bon Jovi always delivers a great show... looks like you had an amazing time!

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  8. Bon Jovi always delivers a great show... looks like you had an amazing time!

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  9. Wow. I envy you. Sounds like a great concert and it's always fun to have a late-late dinner afterwards.

    I didn't see the links, but it didn't matter...your photographs and story was enough fun.

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  10. Cheryl- Thanks, it was!

    Hilary- That's a good one. ;)

    Cheryl- Check their schedule - they may be somewhere else you could travel to. Good excuse for a vacation!

    Hilary- Thank you!

    P.J.- They are indeed still rocking!

    Babs- You are right about that. Even though the sound wasn't really good, the experience was great.

    Nicky- We certainly do, and we did.

    Meleah- You said it!

    Sara- It was, although it did make for a long day. The links are little arrows next to the song titles on the "set list" link. Most of you you have to click again to go to youtube.

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  11. This is late, of course, but happy birthday, Linda! I'm glad you had a great time at the concert.

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