Manchester, UK June 8th 2013 #BecauseWeCan

"It's gonna be one of those nights, I just know it!"

Click On: Sofia, the coolest stage ever!

So this is it. After seven months of planning our time has come! Because visiting London is just a must, we have scheduled some shows in between sightseeing, shopping and good food. I am glad I have learned how to travel nowadays. It ain’t just about the show, except on SHOW DAYS!

Manchester is known to be home of some great gigs and this was no exception, already on the first night, we would get hit with, to me, one of the top shows of the few yet to come our way…. Gotta tell you though, it had been a long time (way too long) without an “open air” show and you tend to space out about all the, line-ups, packing food, waiting rain or shine kind of days, did I mention waiting?

Technicalities a part, there’s nothing like Open Air shows!, and I have a soft spot for the European ground, I am a junkie for amazing set lists - three hour shows - confetti throwing - breathing the Summer air atmosphere those shows bring!

Then BRING IT ON! This was the first time I saw an opening with “Water made me” giving that this is my ultimately favorite song on the new album, I loooove it! Way better opening song than Bad Name if I may say so… “Raise your Hands” can never ever get old, and I guess it’s a regular one on stadium shows; you can’t beat the energy, especially when it’s followed by “I’d die for you”!

The show went on with a solid setlist, and some of my favorite covers. It was pretty cute seeing Jon not only covering Robbie but also having SO much fun with it! Drool….

Click On: Let Me Entertain You

Click On: Roadhouse Blues

And oh the fun, the FUN of “Rocking all over the world” I am pretty sure last time I got that one live was also in British grounds, back in the good old Milton Keynes! Not to mention “Garageland” to leave any diehard fan screaming and all the other ones out for beer break! "Nothing ever felt so right, it was us, those guitars and a Saturday Night" sigh... too much love!

I like it! I like it! I like it here we goooo.... Rockin' all Over the World!

Click On: Garageland

“In These Arms”, “Saturday Night” and the one and only “These Days” were also part of the set, and I tell ya, when your row of shows starts with These Days, nothing can go wrong! That was just the very beginning of all the new “requests” part of the show! My new favorite… God knows I carry my requests every single show, and that night – among other nights – the magic worked!

"Wanted Dead or Alive”

“I’ve seen a million faces (yes I have) and I’ve rocked them all” …  I don’t think I can put down to words how difficult it is for a fan of Bon Jovi to see Jon playing Wanted without Richie. It is just wrong. It is awkward.  Weird. Not to mention it is sad, so very much, sad.  It is also the time Jon thanks everyone for their kindness, support, friendship and (his new word) patience with the ups, downs and ups again. Not to have Richie standing next to Jon, singing his parts to the song so powerful and holding that guitar up next to him in the end of the song, it broke my heart, to pieces. I felt sad for every single fan of the band in there. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Jon, Richie, Tico, Dave or even Alec fan, there is NO ONE that has ever been a fan of this band that will stand and look at the sight of Jon holding that guitar alone and not feel broken. For them, their friendship and whatever it is that happened. Bottom line is, Richie isn’t there. And the look at Jon’s face when this song ends says it all... it is also the song where Jon asks everyone in the audience to "light up" their phones, make a video of the moment, so you look around you and the whole stadium is sparkling with lights, the most beautiful moment of the show and for some also the hardest one. 

Setlist: Water Made Me / Bad Name / Born to be my baby / Raise your Hands / I’d die for you / Lost Highway / It’s my Life / Because we Can / What About Now / We Got it Going on / Keep the Faith / Let me Entertain You / Make a Memory / I’ll be there for you / Captain Crash / Born to Follow / Who says you can’t go home / I’ll Sleep when I’m Dead / Roadhouse Blues / Rocking All over the World / Bad Medicine / Shout

Encore: In These Arms / Garageland / Wanted Dead or Alive / Have a Nice Day / Livin’ on a Prayer

Encore:  Saturday Night / These Days / Always

"In Support of Richie Sambora"

Click On: Jon Bon Jovi with Richie's Doll

Well it’s official; my next shows will be without Richie Sambora. (Unless in a month or so anything changes)

I keep going back and forth on how I feel about all this, it is not the first time Richie walks out in the middle of the tour, and as Jon says “the show must go on”. I have been blessed so far to have seen the band as a whole in all my shows – except one at the O2 arena when David was in NYC receiving an award.

It’s hard to imagine how it’s all going to go down, I guess Phil X has loads of homework to do for the next week or so since European shows always bring audible after audible, but set list aside, it will be tough to look to the left of Jon and not see the King of Swing. Sad, actually.

One thing is for sure, I am damn tired of all this drama. I do not think it is fair that Richie gets to walk out in the middle of the tour without reasonable explanation. Don’t we fans deserve at least that?  And despite of hearing everyone’s own brilliant idea of what the reason is, to me this is all too strange. The least decent thing to do was to step out of whatever is happening and say something. (youtube, tweeter, facebook, whatever works) We are all waiting patiently.

And Bon Jovi offers the option of ticket refund for those who give up and don’t want to see the shows with a broken band on stage, and I say… No, I am not getting a refund, as long as the last man standing is singing in front of me; I will be there, proudly. Even though I know in my heart it will not be the same...

Yes, the show must go on, but my heart goes to a “band of brothers” 

that once was and I hope it will again be. #comebackSambora

Toronto, Ontario, Canada Round #2 #BecauseWeCan

Toronto, Ontario, Canada February 18th 2013

"The audience in Toronto is getting better and better than Jersey!"

If you're going to a Bon Jovi show in a city where there's a double, always, ALWAYS, choose the last one! It's almost like the band rewards the fans that go the extra mile... "Was anybody here last night?" o/ Gladly my answer is almost one hundred per cent a "Hell Yeah!"!

We get to the arena to find our pit seats - I never get tired to say Thank God for last minute tickets! The set list on this night was much, much better and here's a bit of the "That's What the Water Made Me" ending if you'd like to see! I know I haven't seen such a great ending to a song since "Any Other Day" sigh....

Water Made Me And here's another new one: What About Now

I love the whole acoustic set, the "Keep the Faith" ending with  Richie rocking that guitar and the lights going off! If you are in the pit it's a whole other deal of butterflies in your stomach, you never know where Jon is going to walk about and this time - thank Heavens - he walks right behind us! So close you could actually touch! And who wouldn't? 

I'll Be There for You

"I'll be there for you" was the hit for me on this set, with the additional lyrics and the Ooooohhh Oooooohhh ending, you can't EVER get enough of it! I am not sure what got into me but I started crying... maybe it was because I was seeing the band back on tour for the first time after the surreal Vancouver shows, but I believe it was more like hitting a milestone, I started to remember the time when even just the thought of seeing Bon Jovi live was a like "neverland" on my mind and how far I have gotten so far, beyond anything I have ever, ever dreamed of! Just so thankful...

After incredible closeness, endless touches and smiles, Jon went back to the main stage while still playing the song! How I LOVE when he does that! sigh...By the time everyone makes their way back to their seat, if so, you get to have one or two empty rows in front of you, and that's when you get to blow a kiss and get a killer smile back! Oh Johnny! "Superman Tonight" was so, SO great to hear again and I simply love the energy of "Captain Crash", I am actually surprised they are playing it so much! Good surprised :)

One of the songs Jon usually walks around the stage a lot is "Bad Medicine", and he went all around the catwalk on this one, touching everyone's hand, I really, really hope they bring back the cover songs for this one, that quarter on the jukebox was full of awesome notes! The first encore brought "I'm With You" which is really beginning to grow on me! Most probably my second favorite live: I'm With You

"Those Oldies but Goodies baby!" Jon playing guitar... 
I like it, I like it, I like it!! Runaway

One of my favorite moments of this show was without a doubt on "I'll sleep when I'm dead", it's such a FUN song and I usually just dance away, at one point I was wiggling my head - kinda funny maybe from Jon's reaction - He looks at me, wiggles his head the same way and actually laughs! Oh come on, how cute is it? I actually found a video last night where it happens, here it is if you'd like to see! On 3:14 Sleep When I'm Dead! Thanks Toronto, I should be able to sit still now and wait for June!

Setlist: You Give Love A Bad Name / Lost Highway / Whole Lot Of Leavin' / Because We Can / That's What The Water Made Me / It's My Life / What About Now / Born To Be My Baby / We Got It Going On / Keep The Faith / (You Want To) Make A Memory / Amen / I'll Be There For You / Army Of One / We Weren't Born To Follow / Superman Tonight / Wanted Dead Or Alive / Who Says You Can't Go Home / Captain Crash & The Beauty Queen From Mars / Bad Medicine

Encore: I'm With You / Have A Nice Day / Runaway / I'll Sleep When I'm Dead / Livin' On A Prayer

Can't leave without giving a shout out though, to my partners in crime Sacha and Bryan who got to meet Richie Sambora and have him not only sing their book but also "Wish them the best!" I love you guys, you deserve every little bit of goodness that come your way! And I also love our timing Saching, just about EVERY TIME! And since we are talking about Encounters, why not remember the BEST ONE yet?

Jon Bon Jovi Toronto Encounter!

"I woke up this morning and I said to myself: What a great f***ing day for Rock and Roll!"

Toronto, Ontario, Canada Round #1 #BecauseWeCan

Toronto, Ontario, Canada February 17th 2013

"I come back to Toronto for one reason and one reason only......I want to make this my new home!"

Well Hello Hello Toronto, so we meet again ! I had a feeling this tour would have a Canadian kick off for me! I wish I could say I am recovered from my last shows on The Greatest Hits tour, well NO, I ain't!
Okaaay, Toronto is known for their kick-ass Bon Jovi shows, it is officially the city I have seen the band live the most, TEN shows! And most of them, the best of my life! 

The band is opening the shows with Bad Name, which is a great change of pace! As usual the shows start rising and making everyone getting off their seats! The highlight of the first set of songs for me was one of the new ones though, "That's What the Water Made Me" was love at first listen for me and this song live is sure the promise of a classic! It is following the steps of another die-hard-fan killer "a little something from an album called New Jersey" - this sentence alone makes me fall to my knees on a show... Ladies and Gents,"Wild is the Wind"! Right there, in front of my eyes...under the same roof I've heard it first!  

Wild is the Wind

The show went on with a mixture of high and low songs, let's hope Jon can fit all the new songs, the most known ones and the classics in a single set list so everyone, including "The Big Guy" is happy! "What About Now" is a pretty cool song live and as well as "Because We Can" it's got a super production on the new stage! The same dynamic as last tour is happening now, but instead of singing, Richie is now doing an amaaaazing solo at the end of "Keep the Faith" while Jon gets ready to walk to the catwalk!

The acoustic set brought "Amen" which is much better live having Jon acting it than I thought it would be!It's actually very good for the eyes and ears! But my favorite of the acoustic set was "The Fighter", from the songs Jon wrote for the new Al Pacino movies, this one it's got the bast lyrics, in my opinion, plus Jon sings it with his - on his own words - "Wing Man Richie Sambora"! They closed the set with "Saturday Night" one of those that never, ever, gets old!

Amen  and The Fighter

"Army of One" and "What's Left of Me" were also part of the set list, it is clear that the band is trying to show off the new album as much as they can! It did feel a bit off for me, not knowing how to sing couple songs by heart on a Bon Jovi show, couple more weeks till the new album is out and we all, including Jon, can loose  it up a bit more!

Setlist: You Give Love A Bad Name / Lost Highway / Whole Lot Of Leaving / Because We Can / That's What The Water Made Me / Wild Is The Wind / It's My Life / What About Now / When We Were Beautiful / We Got It Going On / Keep The Faith / Amen / The Fighter / Someday I'll Be Saturday Night (acoustic) / Army Of One / We Weren't Born To Follow / What's Left Of Me / Wanted Dead Or Alive / Who Says You Can't Go Home / Captain Crash / Bad Medicine 

Encore: Have A Nice Day / Born To Be My Baby /Livin' On A Prayer Encore 2: I'll Sleep When I'm Dead /I Love This Town

The best thing of following a band - besides the shows itself - is the people you meet along the way and the friends you make for life! Often I think about how friends from all over the world ended up in my life through the love we share for Bon Jovi! Most of them - ya'll know there's bad apples anywhere, yuck - are here to stay and I am so forever blessed to have them in my life!

Shout out to Sachinha, Bryan and Cassie - the Toronto Fantastic Four! Mel, Luca, Stefania and Steffi, it was so great seeing you all! Here's to the European Summer! Hear Hear! o/ 

Festival d'été de Québec!
Quebec City, Canada, July 9th 2012 

"Good evening Quebec City on a beautiful Monday night!" 
"I got me a ship, and it only got 80.000 seats in it! Anybody want to take a ride?" 


Oh Quebec City! Who knew right beside your walls I’d see such an amazing Bon Jovi show eh?

And it was, amazing! But first things first, we arrived at the Plains of Abraham in the morning, the summer on the East coast is really kicking in and the hours were loooong… there was already some people waiting when we arrived and in the beginning it was alright to wait up laying on the grass under a shady tree. But of course, throughout the day, lots more people started to arrive and the “line up” was far from organized. Everyone would just move around and sit wherever they please even if it was right in front of someone who was there long before.

I guess that was just a hint of what was to come, in the afternoon all hell broke loose and everyone was squeezed together under a burning sun, some people were already standing, being that we still had to wait for about 6 hours longer.It kind made us re-think all our plans for next tour, the arena shows made me forget all this trouble of waiting and waiting… long story short, they opened the gates at 6pm and it was completely chaos, people were running other people over, running for their lives, leaving all their things behind, pushing, screaming… I have NEVER seen something so badly organized in my entire life. We ended up getting a front row to the side, not as close as we wanted, but we had to choose between chaos or watching the show.

Little bit of the entrance chaos: Festival d'été de Québec

Anyway, after freaking twelve hours of waiting the band hit the stage! And then you forget all about it… the show opened with Raise your Hands and the whole 90.000 people went nuts!  They show went on with the greatest hits, which is expected for a festival, but the energy on stage was amazing. The band, especially Jon was on fire! Adding lyrics to every song, getting everyone on their feet, even more so than usual.

One of the best Keep the Faith I have ever seen and the additional lyrics on I’ll be there for you…. it felt just like old times. Before the song started Jon called Richie saying it was almost his birthday “Richie is 21 again and single, I am selling him to the highest bidder on Ebay or the cutest girl in Quebec, whatever comes first” … cute!

Click On: Keep the Faith

Click On: What's your bid on Richie?

Click On: I'll be there for you

On Wanted Dead or Alive, Jon sang Happy Birthday to Richie and invited him to the mic to sing part of the song saying “the birthday king…” it was priceless, really was. It’s so good to see how the chemistry of the band is so good and they all seemed so very happy to be playing together again.

Click On: Happy Birthday to You! 

The show went on with an amazing Saturday Night and Bad Medicine with Jon going down to the audience, singing Old Time Rock’n’Roll and closing with Shout! I love how much energy he had on the show…”I am having fun, it’s allowed” “Don’t get tired on me now” classic Jon Bon Jovi at his finest….

Click On: Saturday Night

Click On: Runaway

The show ended after 2 hours and 15 minutes of good old rock and roll, screaming fans begging for more, an iconic guitar solo before Livin’ on a Prayer with Jon saying “The album is done… I would play a new song to you, but instead this classic one would have to do it” And it did it… just FINE!

Thank goodness this album is ready, because my dancing shoes are already packed!
Bring it on 2013!

Setlist: Raise Your Hands / You Give Love a Bad Name / Born to Be My Baby / We Weren't Born to Follow / Lost Highway / It's My Life / Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars / Runaway / I'll Be There For You / Wanted Dead or Alive / Happy Birthday to You / Keep the Faith / We Got It Goin' On / Have a Nice Day / Saturday Night / Who Says You Can't Go Home / Bad Medicine / Old Time Rock 'n' Roll / Shout!  / In These Arms / I'll Sleep When I'm Dead / Livin' on a Prayer / I Love This Town

A Night for Jon Bon Jovi and Friends!

New York City, USA October 12th 2011

Greetings from New York City! On my very first, much awaited, Jon Bon Jovi and Friends Show!
And I am more than happy to report, it rocked!

I ain't talking about ticketing because I'd like this to be an upbeat post, but let me just state,
"Dear backstage with Jon Bon Jovi: Next time don't just release last minute fan club tickets to an event,
just because you couldn't sell out the place. Thank you."

Soooo, the venue was very intimate, it has been a long time I have seen a show in a place like this, which you would think makes a
Row P ticket seem a bit more conforting? What? Well, no. Not really. The only thing I have to say is...

Thank God for the loose security of Best Buy Theater and the majority of the non-die-hard-fans around me, when we could actually move over to the first row tier. Now that's more like it!

Being that I am a junkie for all Jovi cover songs, when Jon opened the show with "Help" my heart stopped a little bit...
just beautiful, most beautiful... the show went on with a great laid back atmosphere, despite the fact it was a charity event, where I actually thought everyone would just sit still. The crowd was having fun and so was Jon! "So you wanna be a Rock and Roll Star"
was also a cover I really wanted to watch live, and it was a great ice breaker followed by "Bad Name" that put everyone up on their feet
and off to better seats lol

"Under Pressure" was a great surprise and I am still feeling it...it's not every night you get Jon Bon Jovi covering Bowie and Freddie. Very very emotional!!!

Click on : Under Pressure

The show went on with some Jovi songs here and there, but since the whole band was not present it feels weird having "Wanted Dead or Alive" and no Sambora. So I'd rather stick to the covers...

"Simpathy for the Devil" on its fullest was, at least for me, one of the highlights! "Glad all over" with no major injuries this time phew! "Old Time Rock'n'Roll" and a song, that any die fan would die for... "6345789" was a classic!


Click on: Simpathy for the Devil

Click on : 6345789

Now... before the closing with "Twist and Shout" can I just say how I loved listening to "Living on a Prayer" acoustic? Someeeoneeeeee tell me... this night was for real? As a Jon Bon Jovi fan, it was so amazing to hear songs I never thought I would in a completely different atmosphere. Because ya know we all take what we can get! Worth every second :)

And Cassia, my friend, you are my one and only witness, to let me know that everything that happened after the lights went on was true, it's either too surreal or too good to be true, in any way... I'll take it! The Frank Sinatra singing and dancing on Times Square afterwards...well, that was just needed! (some things are better left unsaid) Come on, sing with me... "I want to be a part of it... New York...New Yooooork" !

And I'll leave you with just a boy and his guitar (sigh) : Teenage Wasteland

Setlist: Help / Rock'n'Roll Star / Bad Name / House Party / Lost Highway / Pretty Woman / Chain of Fools / Born To Follow / Under Pressure / Glad All Over / Wanted Dead or Alive / Simpathy for the Devil / Start Me Up /  Baba O'Reilly / Sleep When I am Dead / Who Says / The Letter /  Old Time Rock'n'Roll / Prayer Acoustic /  6345789 / Twist and Shout

Cheers to Jen Big Apple for the best pizza in New York!

It Feels Like Home Vancouver Round #2

Vancouver, BC CANADA March 26th 2011

I want to take this time to thank you all very much for your kindness, support and friendship…

So, this is it… the best show of my life. Where it all came together for an amazing, unforgettable night. As if last show, and what went on after that (ha!) was not unbelievable enough!

I get to my seat, God bless the last minute tickets! To find a beautiful view in front of me… because I had to, I just had to be first row in my city babe! After our signs to “Something to Believe In” and “These Days” I thought I’d just hold both the whole show… and see what would happen!

The show started from the back with “Last Man Standing” and Jon opened with a speech to welcome the Round #2 announcing there were lots of different songs to the set list, and pointing to my These Days sign I was holding. Oh yeah! At least I knew they’d play one of the songs! Ha… Welcome to Round Number Two Vancouver!

Well the show went on to have a great set; “Raise Your Hands” ,“Captain Crash”, “Livin’in Sin” and “Squeeze Box”… The speech of Bad Medicine was one of the craziest I’ve ever seen, if you need someone to get you in trouble babe, I am right here! Just Saying… but I believe he can manage this on his own.

Raise Your Hands

Living in Sin

Just Awesome! Trouble Speech + Hot Legs

Well as perfect as everything was going, it was the encore that took my breath away and was the perfect finale of fourteen amazing shows in the couple last years, as I held my “Something to Believe In” sign the song started and I couldn’t help but say “Thank You” about a million times…one of my absolute favorite Bon Jovi songs being played in front of my eyes, crying is an understatement, I sang it with all my heart and soul every single word to it…the eyebrow wiggle and look I got by the end of the song was just the last shot, the following song was “Wanted Dead or Alive” and I am happy I could look at Jon, thank him and get a nod, yet again… thank you Jon!

It Freaking Happened!!! Something to Believe In!

Well and then, my favorite song, that I kept missing this tour, “These Days” which for me has the most killer beginning of any Bon Jovi song, that keyboard notes take me high and my heart just goes with it, to top it off someone threw on stage a Canucks Hockey Shirt and the arena came down when Jon put the shirt on…it was beautiful and so emotional to hear this song on my very last show, the song that got me to know Bon Jovi, my very first album, my very first love…the most special lyrics. Sigh… well, no…it’s not over yet, Jon came walking to our direction and stared at me… and I lost my mind on “Jimmy jumped” when he takes a jump right in front of me and stares just to find my hand reaching out to him and he, the amazing self he is… reaches down and touches it back. No need to say this is and will always be my very best song! The Oooohh Oooohhh at the back was something I had never experienced and I wish I could say I don’t have tears running down my face as I write these words. Click On: These Days

Well the show ended with Livin’on a Prayer and with a video of the Bon Jovi crew partying in Vegas, Jon thought it was funny and was laughing through it, a surprise for the “Big Guy” on the last show of this leg of the tour

This was my last show this tour and probably for a while, but I couldn’t help but smile when the lights went on. For every show, every touch, every song, for every little piece of memory…I am just thankful. My heart is filled with love for the best band in the world, and I am so, very happy to have had the chance of meeting Jon, Richie, Tico and Dave, for the pictures, the words I said to them (even if stumble ones), the friends I made along the way and the countless nights of fun! Thank you BON JOVI, for your lyrics, your amazing shows and for touching so many lives. Jon, I still hope someday, if I ever meet you again I will get my words together to tell you you’ve written the soundtracks of my life. This tour could not have come to an end any other way. Until we meet again… my love goes out to you!

See you on the Road! You know I’ll always come back for more love.

Setlist: Last Man Standing / You Give Love A Bad Name / Born To Be My Baby / We Weren't Born To Follow / Lost Highway / Whole Lot Of Leavin' / It's My Life / Runaway / Raise Your Hands / We Got it Going On / Bad Medicine / Hot Legs [Rod Stewart cover] / Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals] / (You Want To) Make A Memory / Living In Sin / Chapel Of Love [Dixie Cups cover] / Squeeze Box [The Who cover/acoustic] / Someday I'll Be Saturday Night [acoustic] / Who Says You Can't Go Home / Captain Crash And The Beauty Queen from Mars / Work For The Working Man / Have A Nice Day / Keep The Faith

Encore: Something To Believe In / Wanted Dead Or Alive / These Days / Livin' On A Prayer

Ps. Shout out to Leticia that flew North for, I believe I have the right to say, one of the best weekends of her life! Thanks for being there for me with the cheap wine! Teale that I finally met, you’re a sweetheart and I hope to see you again soon and to Cassia, my partner in crime… “You and me, we are invincible together”.

Thank You God. <3

It Feels Like Home Vancouver Round #1

Vancouver, BC CANADA March 25th 2011

“A lot of history in this beautiful town… a lot of history”

I think I’ve never been this emotional for a show in my life, maybe my very first one, if so. I’ve been all over the place to see Bon Jovi, and this was the first time they came to me, to my streets, my world…and there really isn’t anything like HOME!

Vancouver is the city of Slippery When Wet and Keep The Faith… it’s the city of Livin’on a Prayer, it had to be special. It just…had to be.

 Click On: Jon Talking about Vancouver!

I guess listening to the sound check was a hint of what there was to come… I can’t explain how amazing it was to listen to the band playing Love’s the Only Rule, Richie doing solos with his new guitar and Mystery Train… yeah…I said Mystery Train. Dream come true!

After the backstage tour, we went back to our seats and I had brought about a hundred “Something to Believe In” signs, to my surprise, someone else had brought the other song I was going to ask “These Days” so we just placed all the signs in every chair inside the pit…*big thanks to everyone that helped the request to be granted!

Well, I, of course also had my Canada Flag that came with me to every Canadian show this tour, from east to west I carried this flag with me to show the band… and little did I know…

Now…one thing at the time! Jon made the most gorgeous speech about Vancouver and I had tears in my eyes and warmth in my heart every time, “I will always have a soft spot for this city” and how much this city meant to the band… for me? Just priceless!

Love's The Only Rule had the most gorgeous opening... and it was touching to see the Japanese fans holding their "Pray for Japan"signs up when Jon says "My Japanese friends...my love goes out to you", I did, however missed Jon coming down to the circle... I guess I'll have to smooch you some other time Jonny!

Between a holly good seat, speeches, songs, tears, a kicking set list, it was a really amazing night… Mistery Train acoustic in front of my eyes brought me to tears as well as Bed of Roses touching Jon’s hand… and a Richie’s high five before Love for Sale… I need to say that, one of the things I love the most about Bon Jovi, is how they have so much one on one contact with their fans, anywhere, in every show, everyone can have their own small moment with the band that means the world to them…

Click On: Mystery Train

Like, when the band took my flag that my I asked my friend to throw on stage for me, and open it in front of a stage full of people, and you just stand there, numb, crying…and with a state of happiness that takes over you, a special moment that no one can ever take it away from me, the band of my life playing in the city I love the most holding my flag… I still haven’t cried it all out yet.  Click On: The Band Holdin My Flag!

That was the best “Always” of my life afterwards, one that I meant every word… “I will, indeed, always love you”

As I walked out of the arena, the pit was filled with wishes of songs and with my flag around me, I could only wish… that my last show this tour, would bring me Something to Believe in… sigh…

ps. Shout out to my friend Marina for her very first Bon Jovi show! You should come back for more babe... ya know Jon likes the view of you! Ha!



Setlist: Blood On Blood / You Give Love A Bad Name / Born To Be My Baby / We Weren't Born To Follow / Lost Highway / When We Were Beautiful / It's My Life / Runaway / The More Things Change / We Got it Going On / Bad Medicine / Oh, Pretty Woman / Lay Your Hands On Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals] / Bed Of Roses / I'll Be There For You / Mystery Train [acoustic] / Love For Sale / Who Says You Can't Go Home / I'll Sleep When I'm Dead / Start Me Up [Rolling Stones cover] / Blaze Of Glory / Love's The Only Rule / Keep The Faith

Encore: Have A Nice Day / Wanted Dead Or Alive / Livin' On A Prayer / Always

And last, but not least... some shots from the backstage tour!
 

Holly Montreal Round # 2 "Si Merveilleux"

Montreal, Quebec CANADA February 19th 2011

"I like it I like it I like it!"

So welcome the one of the best nights of your life! The best band and one of the best shows…ever! To begin with a ninja move ha! when you end up at the first row outside the circle and the best seat of the four shows that week! Amaaaaaaaazing close and basically no one in front of you… that’s what I am saying!

I have a theory, if I may, when the show opens with “Happy Now” you can expect a pretty awesome show! Jon’s speech on “Radio” was to leave any diehard fan with teary eyes, I know I did… it was so passionate and real. As a friend of mine says… “It’s for things like that we can stop loving this band” Indeed.

Well the energy was intense, the crowd was again going insane and you could feel every note… when the band was in the circle with “Living In Sin and Chapel of Love”, I can’t believe how wonderful it is to be so close you can touch them… I swear they are worth every penny I’ve ever spent on them (which was countless may I add) and can I get an Amen for Blood on Blood Acoustic in front of my eyes?

Now, “Love’s the Only Rule” is not only one of the best songs every written but Jon going down to the audience makes my heart (literally) skip a beat. I’ve witnessed it a couple times this tour, but we somehow keep missing each other… being when I am in the circle he’s not! But just to see the contact with the fans and coming out on the other side so close to us again…sigh…who’s got a heart? I believe mine is still in Montreal!

The band leaves the stage leaving a breathless yet screaming audience begging for more…and they come with “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” with three, I said three… cover songs in the middle! One after the other before our eyes…holly holly Quebec, Canada!

Well, as wonderful as the show was, it got me wanting more… and all I can say is that maybe Jon and I will meet inside the circle in the city I’ve been expecting to see them my whole fan life… and I’ll be the one asking, begging and pleading for more These Days songs…

Click On: Best Radio Saved My Life Ever!

Click On: Chapel Of Love

Click On: Bon Jovi Going Rollin' Stones!

Setlist: Happy Now / You Give Love a Bad Name / Born to Be My Baby / We Weren't Born to Follow / The Radio Saved My Life Tonight / Lost Highway / The More Things Change / It's My Life / We Got It Goin' On / Bad Medicine / Hot Legs / Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals] / Living in Sin / Chapel of Love [The Dixie Cups cover] / I'll Be There For You / Blood on Blood [acoustic] / Someday I'll Be Saturday Night [acoustic] / Who Says You Can't Go Home / Work for the Working Man / Runaway / Have a Nice Day / Love's the Only Rule

Encore: I'll Sleep When I'm Dead / Start Me Up [Rolling Stones cover] / Jumpin' Jack Flash [Rolling Stones cover] / Dancing in the Street [Martha and the Vandellas cover] / Wanted Dead or Alive / Livin' on a Prayer

Encore #2: Keep the Faith

Let me just send some love to my awesome rocking friends, Cassia, Sacha and Bryan. THANK YOU for an amazing week, for flying with me and touching the sky! This road trip, the encounters, the tattoo, the laughter, good times and the awesome shows would never be the same without you guys! We really are the Fantastic Four and I'm glad we all have the same love! We are truly blessed and I am, especially, for having friends like YOU! See you on the Road!

Oh and I can forget to mention meeting Anne my fellow Canuck from the Capital City and Jen Nagel (finally)!

Bon Jovi in Vancouver…I might need to start a how-not-to-die-of-happiness program!!!!!!
Woooooo freakin hoooo!!!

Holly Montreal Round # 1

Montreal, Quebec CANADA February 18th 2011
“I only wish the crowds in New Jersey were as good as Montreal!"

So, when you’re a fan hunting down good shows… you get to experience crowds in many different places! I have my particular favorites, and I also believe it has to do with how much you like the city you’re in. I mean, shows in London will always be one of my tops because I absolutely love it there and if you take a look at set lists… so does Bon Jovi! And don’t even get me started on how much I’ll flip out in Vancouver!

That being said, I’ve never, ever seen an audience like Montreal! Which by the way was the very first place I’ve seen a Bon Jovi show in my life, maybe that’s why I got hooked? That among others, they dance, they scream their hearts out and the band can totally feel it! And so you get… longer shows, amazing set lists and endless fun! So if you’re a fan… you might want to schedule a little visit to the Great White North!

Back to what matters, the show had no opening act (yay) considering that this tour the opening bands kinda sucked! It was so great that by a chance of faith we were all sitting together, the four of us! The show started with “Last Man Standing” from the back of the arena and it was pretty amazing yet again, they were on a roll up to “Bad Medicine”! Then Richie got the stage for “Lay Your Hands”…

Click On : Squeeze Box

Click On: Dry County Solo

But the best part, in my opinion, after “What Do You Got” they came back with “Squeeze Box”, it was so beautiful and it got everyone back on their toes…as my friend said it was pure adrenaline, followed by Something for the Pain Acoustic and Saturday Night… with the whole band standing in the circle!

“No Apologies” was so special, with the four of us standing together, hand in hand across this land our voices shouting out!... I believe we were the ones jumping and singing this song the most on that arena!

The band left and came back for a long encore… “Dry County” is always a treat and so will always be “Livin’on a Prayer”

Setlist: Last Man Standing / You Give Love a Bad Name / Born to Be My Baby / We Weren't Born to Follow / Lost Highway / Whole Lot of Leavin' / When We Were Beautiful / It's My Life / Runaway / We Got It Goin' On / Bad Medicine / Oh, Pretty Woman [Roy Orbison cover] / Lay Your Hands on Me / You Want To) Make a Memory / What Do You Got? / Squeeze Box [The Who cover/acoustic] / Something for the Pain [acoustic] / Someday I'll Be Saturday Night [acoustic] / Who Says You Can't Go Home / I'll Sleep When I'm Dead / No Apologies / Have a Nice Day / Keep the Faith

Encore: Dry County / Wanted Dead or Alive / I Love This Town / The More Things Change / Livin' on a Prayer