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Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
My Review
Although I became a Bon Jovi fan in 1986, it wasn't until 1993 that I finally saw the band in concert. That was when the Keep The Faith tour brought Bon Jovi to Halifax.
TV interview with Jon
The afternoon of the concert, I was channel surfing past the CBC supper-time news as they mentioned that a live interview with Jon was coming up. You can imagine the scrambling as I searched for a blank tape and set up the vcr. Then I sat in front of the tv to wait. Nothing short of Jon walking into my living room could have enticed me to move. And when Jon appeared on the screen a silly, happy grin formed on my face.
Here's the transcript of the interview:
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Linda: There will be thousands of screaming fans at the Halifax Metro
Centre tonight. That's because rock superstars, Bon Jovi, have come to town. [clip of "I Believe" video] They're just finishing their Canadian tour in support of their latest cd, Keep The Faith. Tonight they're promising to give their audience a great rock 'n roll show, but they're asking their fans to bring something in return. [shows Jon sitting in stands at Metro Centre. He is wearing a dark, long-sleeved sweater. During interview camera switches between Jon and Linda.] Jon Bon Jovi joins us now from the Metro Centre. Hello, Jon Bon Jovi. Welcome to Halifax. Jon: Hi Linda. Thank you. Linda: What is it that you're asking of your fans tonight in exchange for your concert? Jon: Well, first of all, I want them to come and have fun. But what we're doing in the meantime is collecting some food for the local foodbank and we've been doing it across all of Canada. It's been very helpful, because as you know, ah, the foodbanks stock their shelves at this time of year to last the entire year. And so when we're coming in and out of every town we're trying to do a little goodwill. Linda: What kind of a response have you had? Jon: It's been phenomenal. Ah, it's been overwhelming and, the, the people from the foodbanks have been contacting us on a daily basis to say how overjoyed they are with the help that they've received from the local people. Linda: Why did you choose the foodbank charity? Jon: Well, this time of year, ah, I think that there's a lot of folks that are needy. I think that, ah, knowing as much as I do about foodbanks that they, ah, they stock their shelves, like I say, for the whole year at this time of year, and ah, by our coming to a town and having 8 or 10 or 12 thousand people everywhere we go that's a lot of an opportunity, a lot of opportunity for people to bring canned goods. Linda: Was this a personal choice of yours? Is this a particular charity you're interested in yourself? Jon: It's something that we've decided collectively as a band to do across, ah, Canada. Linda: Now this is a big night for fans in Halifax. We don't get a lot of big acts here. Why are, why did you decide to go on such an extensive tour? Jon: Well, the ah, the enormous success of the Keep The Faith album throughout Canada has led us to, ah, here to Halifax, and I thought I'd been everywhere, but there's actually few arenas in the world that I've missed, so I'm looking forward to the audience tonight. Linda: Now you folks have been doing this for quite a number of years, you're no stranger to touring. Does it ever, does the shine start to wear off this after a while, or are you still looking forward to an exciting night tonight. Jon: Oh, it's been, ah, it's been a helluva tour. We've gone to 37 countries around the world, ah, in the last 10 months, and this is short compared to most tours that we do, but, ah, I'm very excited about being here. If I wasn't, I'd go home, you know, and I look forward to coming to places that even I've never been to. Linda: What kind of show are you looking to put on tonight? Jon: Simply the greatest rock 'n roll show that this town has ever seen. Linda: Well that's a big promise. Ah, good luck to you. And thanks for coming out. Jon: Ok. Bye bye, now. Linda: Ok. Bye bye. |
The Concert
During the interview Jon said we would get "the greatest rock 'n roll show that this town has ever seen" and that was exactly what we got!
I wish I had taken notes, and in particular written down the setlist, but I didn't, and now I'm trying to remember everything almost 9 years ago.
I do remember that the concert opened with "I Believe" and ended with "Livin' On A Prayer". Also played were "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Bed Of Roses", "Keep The Faith", "Wanted Dead or Alive",
"Bad Medicine", as well as, Elvis Presley's "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You".Jon and Richie seemed to be in very good moods. One particularly cute moment I remember was during a long guitar solo. Richie was really getting into it when Jon came over beside him, put his fingers up to his nose then pointed at Richie as if to imply that his guitar playing stunk.
And then, way, way, too soon, it was over. The music stopped. The band left the stage. The lights came on. The crowds cleared out. And a combination of after show euphoria and depression began to set in.
I wish I had taken a camera, but I didn't. I did keep the newspaper review.
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Bon Jovi gives Halifax hard-rock workout by Tim Arsenault Entertainment Reporter You didn't even get through the lobby doors of the Metro Centre Tuesday night and you could tell that Bon Jovi's concert wasn't going to be a typical arena rock show. Signs actually telling fans it would be O.K. to take pictures? 
A handwritten note at the ticket windows announcing that the show was actually starting 15
minutes earlier than it said on your ticket?A couple of souvenir T-shirts selling for a palty $10? (Mind you, one was from the 1987 tour.) Still, this was definitely not business as usual. Even the stage used by the five-piece New Jersey band was unique, with two runways jutting out from the sides to almost where the hockey red line would be. But the only sport in the building on this night was the constant jittery shadow boxing of lead singer Jon Bon Jovi. He promised a two-hour aerobics workout to the near sell-out crowd and he delivered almost on the button. It's only when you start discussing the band's material that the wheels fall off the thing. You could say the band's lyric writers never met a cliche they didn't like, what with all the beds of roses and blazes of glory that were bandied about. And this is a side issue, but what the heck does that line about French kissing the morning mean? But the entire band played like musicians who were just hitting thier stride at the mid-point of a tour rather than winding up about 11 months of touring and collecting more passport stamps than some foreign ministers. There are a lot of bands trying to make a buck doing the mainstream rock thing but perhaps only a Bryan Adams puts it all together any better than these guys. If conviction and ability count for anything, Bon Jovi is way ahead of the pack. It's fortunate to have quality musicians to help sell this stuff, particularly lead guitarist Richie Sambora and drummer Tioc Torres. If you were playing Spot the Influences Tuesday, you could have had a field day. The band took the stage - with Jon donning a Jesus Was a Black Man T-shirt - to a tape of Gary Glitter's Rock and Roll, probably the only time that song's been heard lately without any intended irony. Bon Jovi also sang all or part of the Rolling Stones' Jumpin' Jack Flash, the Isley Brothers' Shout and the Beatles' Help. As far as being a front man, Jon has obviously seen more than a few shows by his fellow Jersey native Bruce Springsteen. He's got that stocky swagger down but added his own '90s Sweatin' to the Hits factor. And Jon's not quite the storyteller the Boss is. His big advice: say in school. But Bon Jovi's own best songs are classics in a way. Take Livin' On A Prayer, arguably the band's best song and the set closer Tuesday night. Soaring singalong chorus, simple us-against-the world philosophy and you're headed to Hitsville. |
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