Happy Wednesday y'all (yes...y'all...see?! that's what happens when I hang out with Fiction Mistress ... my Southern New York City accent comes out ... well, I DO work all the way down on Wall Street. LOL)
Anyhoo, here I am back in the Big Apple - counting the days 'til my next show (which would be in less than a week ... Philly.)
So here are just a few brief (yeah, right) thoughts on my time in KC. I will try to keep it to two words. (By the way ... thanks to all who followed the play-by-play on Monday night. Hope you had fun.)
TWO WORDS: BLOWN AWAY.This was my first real official concert of The Circle tour. Sure I was in Hawaii ... and we DID get some pretty fabulous stuff ... but in terms of production, etc. it was more of an open rehearsal than "a show." So, this was my first opportunity to view the set-up and all the technology everyone has been talking about. I was absolutely mesmerized by the screens they are using for this show. I figured I wouldn't get the full effect given where my seat was (pit, row 4) but, seriously, these things are frickin' awesome. I LOVED the venetian screens they used for the Lost Highway tour ... but this set-up ... THIS is extraordinary.
Okay...first off you have the big screen up top that can break into just about any combination you can imagine. Every time I thought I'd seen it all, they would surprise me again. Then you've got those "robot screens" that flip, rotate, shift everywhere ... and that stairway/platform it makes for Jon to go behind the stage. Awesome.
Only one negative thing to say about 'production.' (two words) LESS REVERB. Jon Bon Jovi is sounding fantastic -- particularly on When We Were Beautiful, which was outstanding. (I can't use that word without laughing ... remember that "On the Road" segment when Rew had everyone just saying "out-standing"? Still cracks me up.) Anyway, the reverb they are adding in is just too much. One of the things I've always loved about this band is their rather pure sound - not overly processed. (Also, it totally messes up FM's videos LOL)
TWO WORDS: ROCK ONSo, I know, I know ... the setlist was rather vanilla, pretty darn standard. But, this was the first time I got to hear Richie do Homebound Train live. And I will tell you ... it was certainly worth the wait (ok, maybe not a 15-year wait, but darn close.) And, it was my first time hearing this version of Something for the Pain. I loved having all the guys come out (more on that later), though sorry that David was having some accordion issues (welcome to live performance folks. LOL) And how cute is it that Jon had Tico really take a bow, saying "you all have waited 25 years to see him ... THIS is Tico." LOL
TWO WORDS: HI GUYS
So, I was blessed (read: spoiled) to have a pit seat for this show. And because I was near the end of the row, had the opportunity to get right up beside the circle each time (thanks Matt Bongiovi, who made sure we got a good spot.) As a result, I had some really great moments with HRH which will remain etched in my mind for a good long time. (And yes, girls I did wash my hands. LOL) I am glad to be a fan of a band that actually remembers the people they have met/seen often and is happy to interact with them. Though, I could SWEAR David was laughing at me during my less-than-enthusiastic hand-raising during Who Says.
Speaking of David, isn't this a beautiful picture? (It is of course, one of Fiction Mistress's ... I'm assuming during Hallelujah ... I was focused the other way ... with HRH's tush right in front of me. LOL)
TWO WORDS: JOVIFRIENDS FOREVER
So ... some have asked "why Kansas City?" Well, because like I said in my previous post, this is where my PIC (partner-in-crime) got caught up in the world of Jovi. Yes, this trip was all about the Fiction Mistress. Without Kansas City, she and I would not be friends (wahh...don't even want to THINK about that.) Hopefully she will write more about it on her blog ... in the way only SHE can ... including our random Jovi-encounters, the tattooed restaurant manager and other fun tales.
Well, that's all for now. Will be back again soon. :-)
