DeBee1015's World: Bon Jovi: Bon Jovi: Full Circle

Another Good article out of Winnipeg, this time with the writers thoughts on the songs in the set list.

They also have some great photos up. :)

Bon Jovi: Full Circle

By DARRYL STERDAN, WINNIPEG SUN

Bon Jovi

July 17, Canad Inns Stadium. With Kid Rock, Sierra Noble

Sun Rating: 4 out of 5

"I'm gonna take a shower with 40,000 of my closest friends," announced Jon Bon Jovi at the Stadium on Saturday night. Thankfully, it never came to that.

Not that it wasn't touch and go for a while. Had the thunderstorms that deluged the city throughout the day continued for a couple of more hours, they could very easily have put a damper on the long-awaited local stop of Bon Jovi's massive Circle Tour. But whatever prayers were being said backstage — or whatever animals were being sacrificed — it apparently appeased the man upstairs. Shortly before the New Jersey pop-rockers took the stage at 9:30 p.m. — after opening sets by local roots-popster Sierra Noble (who seemed dwarfed by the gigantic setting) and Kid Rock (who was his usual lewd, crude and rude self), the clouds parted, the sun set, and the women of Winnipeg (and their dates) got 135 minutes of JBJ in all his high-cheekboned, tousle-haired, arena-rocking, soccer mom-loving glory. Here's a song-by-song rundown.

Blood on Blood: Words like Love and Brotherhood flash on the video screens, followed by a film of the bandmembers walking toward us in silhouette a la The Circle album cover. The lights go up, the ladies go nuts and the band kicks into this ode to friendship from the 1988 New Jersey album. It's a curious choice; not exactly a household hit. But maybe it makes sense; why open with one of your biggies when everybody is going to spend the first few minutes gawking at the set? And an impressive set it is. Covered by a gigantic semicircular canopy festooned with lights from top to bottom, backed by a massive video screen, the whole affair is flanked by two sound towers with more hi-def screens on the bottom and more lights on top. And of course, there's a circular ramp extending out from the front of the stage, separating us from the suckers (er, sorry, I meant the real fans) who shelled out more than $1,000 for their seats. Jon and lead guitarist Richie Sambora (both sporting black leather jackets) have the whole front of the stage pretty much to themselves. Drummer Tico Torres and keyboard player David Bryan are behind them, covered by fancy-looklng canopies. On either side are longtime bassist (but still not official member) Hugh McDonald and some touring guitarist whose name I can't catch and really don't care about anyway.

We Weren't Born to Follow: The first single from The Circle is decent enough, but the graphics that go with it — stylized pictures of Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Jesse Owens and, er, Lance Armstrong, spliced between inspirational words like Rise, Act Now and Break the Chains — are even more annoying five stories high than they are on the tube.

You Give Love a Bad Name: "This ain't television, baby!" yells Jon to the near-capacity crowd. "Get up outta your seats!" Of course, he says this seconds after a giant closeup of his face was broadcast on a video screen — so it actually is very much like TV, if you wanna be picky. And when you see his mug that big, you notice his teeth are whiter than Chiclets. Seriously, I think they might glow in the dark. If I were lost in the woods with him, I would bash him over the head, knock out those choppers and drop them like bread crumbs in a trail. They're even whiter than his Rod Stewart-style tripod mic stand. The other thing you notice as they dig into this classic: Sambora is already sweating bullets. Dude, it's only the third song. Pace yourself; it's gonna be a long night.

Whole Lot of Leavin': Sambora loses that hot leather jacket (good idea) for this jangly number about hitting the road. Fittingly, the graphics behind the band are shot from the POV of a driver — with Jon's eyes set into the rearview mirror. See, it really is like watching television.

Born to Be My Baby: Considering he blew out his left calf muscle less than a week ago, Jon doesn't seem to be limping much. Granted, he isn't moving around too much either. And you can sort of tell he's favouring his other leg. Still, for a 48-year-old dude with a bunged-up pin, he's doing OK. But not as good as Sambora, whose guitar playing is far more impressive live than on CD. He's showing off some big chops.

Lost Highway: More jangly country, more road footage. It seems clear that McDonald and the guitarist (who seldom even warrants a light) are essentially confined to the back line. And you'll stay there if you know what's good for you, Hugh.

It's My Life: "I like it, I like it, I like it," enthuses Jon at the hysterical masses. "I ain't gonna waste my time talking. Let's just blow the place up." And once they break open this oldie, the place does indeed go off. Sambora rocks the Talk Box; shouldn't Peter Frampton get some royalties for that? Maybe I spoke too soon about JBJ's calf; he's starting to hop on his right leg a lot. Either that or he's trying to start some really lame dance craze.

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: Just as the first notes fall, so do a few raindrops, prompting Jon's shower comment. While I'm sure most of the women in the crowd would welcome a little tub time with Jonny Boy, I'll pass, thanks. Especially if he tries to drop the soap. Anyway, those canopies over Torres and Bryan seem like a pretty good idea now. On the plus side, the rain never goes beyond a spattering. Even better: This is a fairly rocking number.

We Got it Goin' On: "Put this thing into second gear," Jon tells the band. So they do, with the help of the ’60s-style R&B of this Lost Highway cut. "Brothers and sisters," Jon continues. "There's only one way to hold off the rain tonight ... Scream!" So they do. Hey, whatever Bon Jovi wants, Bon Jovi gets.

Bad Medicine: In the middle of this oldie, the band plays jukebox, tossing in covers of Roy Orbison's Oh, Pretty Woman and the Isley Brothers' Shout. Mr. Extra Guitarist is permitted to come down off his perch and into the spotlight for a moment. He appears to be a decade older than the others, and either has the worst hair or the worst toupee I've ever seen. No wonder he's in the back in the dark.

Lay Your Hands on Me: Jon takes a break while Sambora steps up to the mic for this gospel-tinged number. The women next to me sit down for the first time in the show. Sorry, Richie. Maybe you just aren't that cute anymore. Or maybe they're just Heather Locklear fans. Anyway, dude does a pretty righteous job with the song and the solo. Can't give it up for the cheeseball starburst video effects going on behind, though. Looks like something left over from Jimmy Page's segment in The Song Remains the Same. All that's missing is the laser pyramid.

Bed of Roses: Sambora — who has now donned some sort of crazy bolero-style hat — introduces the tune with some mournful licks as white spotlights pinwheel around. Jon returns to duty at the front of the runway, working the ladies in the front row. Midway through the song, the hard-drinking dude in front of me falls flat on his butt. Guess he was just overcome by the emotional honesty of Bon Jovi.

I'll Be There for You: We're still in ballad-land. This time Sambora — still rocking that hat — joins Jon on the runway to share the mic. Midway through this one, a woman two seats over from me takes a tipsy tumble. Either Bon Jovi fans can't hold their liquor or there's some serious overservice going on at this gig.

When We Were Beautiful: JBJ launches into a rambling introduction about how oil spills and war and the economy make you "sort of bummed out." And people say he's not deep. He goes on to point out "we're all interdependent human beings and we need each other more than we've ever needed each other." Not sure what all that has to do with the song. But let's let the lyrics speak for themselves: "Sha la la, sha la la hey! Sha la la." I think that says it all, really. Couldn't have put it any better myself.

Runaway: Bryan's pumping piano drives this ancient pop-rocker. The accompanying graphics feature pictures of New York's Broadway, which makes sense for two reasons: 1) It figures in the lyrics; 2) This one sounds like something out of a rock musical.

Work For the Working Man: To display his solidarity with his coworkers, Jon humbly allows bassist McDonald and jimmy Joe Rent-a-Guitarist to come to the front of the stage and join in on the song's chorus — as long as they promptly return to their places, apparently. Remember, kids: There's no I in team, but fame ends with me.

Have a Nice Day: Yeah, it rocks. But it's still one of Bon Jovi's dumbest songs. What's next? Hang in There? I'd Rather Be Golfing? World's Greatest Mom? On the plus side, Sambora is playing a pretty cool-looking double-neck Telecaster. And that hat is definitely growing on me. I may have to get one. Then I will change my name to Tuco. Tuco Torres.

Who Says You Can't Go Home: I know this was a massive hit, but I still can't hear this Lost Highway single without being reminded of Sam Cooke's Cupid. Anyway, speaking of going home, we're definitely heading into the home stretch now. Jon is looking pretty tired, and that left leg is getting more air time than Lindsey Lohan.

Keep the Faith: Jon shakes the maracas for this gospel-rock closer. At the end, he says, "Thank you very much" to the crowd — then repeats it while looking heavenward. As he oughta.

Wanted Dead or Alive: Encore time. And time for 40,000 people to belt out the words, "I'm a cowboy / On a steel horse I ride." Sadly, that doesn't make them any less ridiculous. But it looks pretty cool when lights cut through the for and smoke that's been spewing out of the stage-side towers.

I Love This Town: Jon reminisces about the band's previous visits to Winnipeg — including a 1984 stop as the opening act for "a German band called The Scorpions" — before doing a little late-show pandering to the crowd. At this point, who's going to mind?

Livin' on a Prayer: You knew it was coming. It starts a cappella. It turns into a full-blown stadium anthem. Sambora rocks the Talk Box one last time. Jon sings about Tommy and Gina. Everybody else sings along. I'm halfway to my car — sorry, my steel stagecoach — as the last chords ring, followed by the strains of Strangers in the Night, crooned by another Jersey boy named Sinatra.

Set List: