Big Apple Jen ... It's My {Bon Jovi} Life

NYC Hit Squad Kick Off 2012

2012-01-13T12:43:00.004-05:00

Location: The Iridium on Broadway ... via Memphis, New Orleans, New Jersey and ... Ireland?

A night with the NYC Hit Squad is always a riot. Bottom line, this is a group of super-talented musicians who all have/had pretty incredible day jobs and come together a few times a year to jam on some of their favorite tunes.

My sense is that they don't rehearse and just basically go on instinct. And, regardless of Ricky Byrd's tongue-in-cheek comment "we've been together six years now and haven't gotten any better" they always sound pretty damn good.

Their regular slew of great songs -- Soothe Me, Route 66, CC Rider, Tell the Truth (Who's Been Fooling You), Unchain My Heart, etc. -- was nicely implemented by a few that I hadn't heard them do before (I think) ... such as The Weight, You're My Girl/I Don't Want to Discuss It and a fabulous song by the late Howard Tate, Get It While You Can.

As always, Christine Ohlman's "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" captivated the crowd. And in this season of award shows, she once again wins for Best Earrings of The Year. The woman has a style like no other. I'm very much looking forward to her show next Saturday night at the Stanhope House.

Jeff Kazee did his usual fun version of Van Morrison's Domino, this time highlighted by a perfectly apropos snippet of We're Having A Party in the middle ... amusing given that just about everybody on the stage has performed with the Asbury Jukes at some point in their career. He also had a nice turn singing "Delta Lady" by Leon Russell (made famous by Joe Cocker.) Fantastic keys throughout the show, not a surprise.

Always a bit casual and loose, there was a hilarious "stump the Dude" moment with Ricky calling out nationalities with trombonist Neal Pawley coming up with musical quips on the spot. Kudos Neal. Well done.

Hmmm...oh, and every time I looked at Muddy Shews, I kept thinking he was wearing a vintage Jon Bon Jovi t-shirt ... #justsaying

p.s. in actuality, it was Keith Richards. Sorry. My bad. LOL

It was a fun night with great music, friends and a bit of wackiness. I definitely concur with Ken Dashow, radio dj (yes, they still exist!) for Q104.3 here in the city ... thumbs up.

I ended the evening with a little extra New Orleans style by stopping for a quick bite at one of my regular NYC hangs, Delta Grill. The place usually has some great music coming out of the sound system and something with andouille sausage coming out of the kitchen. *sigh*

(insert shameless plug) ... and if you're ever in the REAL New Orleans, stop by family's place, Buffa's, located just off the French Quarter. Get my Uncle Chuck's Bratwurst Jambalaya. Wisconsin meets New Orleans. LOL

Anyhoo, a few more images...

2011: The Year That Was

2012-01-02T12:45:00.017-05:00

With last year now officially done and over, it's time for a quick (not likely) recap of the musical highlights of the previous 365 days.

According to my concert spreadsheet (yes, I'm a geek) and my debit card statement (ugh), I was blessed enough to attend well over 60 concerts this past year. Among other things, this included:

- two trips to the UK (Jovi/Jukes)
- a 24-hour trip to Canada (Jovi)
- a wild and wacky trip to Chicago (Jukes)
- a slew of great benefit events (Baltimore, Starland, Best Buy Theater, Count Basie)
- a week of shows while trying to outsmart a hurricane (Jukes)
- a super-muddy night in Central Park (Wilco)

...and so many buses and trains around the Garden State that NJ Transit should send me a personal, hand-written thank you note. :-)

There were many memorable nights in arenas, stadiums, auditoriums, pubs, bars and clubs, but some simply stand out more than others. Trying to compare the diverse musical styles and diverse styles of venues is virtually impossible. So, in the end it really comes down to your personal musical experience.

Here are 5 of my top shows of 2011...

1. Early Elton Trio (October, Rockwood Music Hall)
Sometimes you find just the perfect combination of material, venue and superior musicianship ... and the result is not a concert, but a journey. From the songs you know every word to (Tiny Dancer, Levon) to those deep cuts that just make you listen. (I am still obsessed with that performance of Madman back in January.)

Good musicians cover a song. Great musicians make it their own.

I hope 2012 will bring a few Early Elton Trio shows, but given the insane schedules of the three artists, it can't be easy to find a date that works for everyone. But, when they do ... I will be the first in line for tickets.

2. Bon Jovi (June, Dublin - night 2)
Choosing just one of the 16 shows I went to was a challenge. I mean, really ... the Hyde Park show? Awesome. That Mohegan Sun show in March when Lorenza Ponce opened and then Bon Jovi took the stage with a set list that made me wonder if we had somehow been transported to Europe. (Hey God...in the States...was Jon delirious?) Oh, and that epic night at Madison Square Garden. Three hours. Eight encores.

But, then there was Dublin. My 200th Bon Jovi show brought performances of Bounce, Never Say Goodbye, Love for Sale, Hey God, a cover of U2's Vertigo and the kick-ass combo of Damned/If Loving You is Wrong. We had a fun Q&A session with Jon before the show. And, because of the fan club trip, just about all my Jovifriends were there from Europe, the States and Canada. A good time was had, for sure!

3. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes (November, Cranston, Rhode Island)
Same situation with the Jukes. I attended 23 shows this year and a number of them were truly special. There was that incredible night with Little Steven at the Stone Pony in July. There was a fantastic show in Bristol (UK) where Johnny improvised some of the best narrative I had ever heard. There was the intimate show in Chicago where every member of the band just played like they were possessed. (in a good way. LOL)

So, why Cranston? Because there was a different energy that night. The first show after that preliminary run of Poor Fools gigs, maybe it was just everyone being back together...and Johnny knowing he wasn't going to have to play guitar. LOL The crowd and venue were great and it seemed the set list was designed to make me happy as can be (points to anyone who gets the reference.) I decided at the last minute to jump on the bus and go up for the show. Perhaps one of my best decisions of the year.

Ok, there really wasn't a usable video from that show. (Jukesfans aren't quite as ... ummm ... fervent about videos/photos as Jovifans.) So, instead I chose this beautiful performance from the Stone Pony show. No, that gorgeous sky is not a backdrop. It really was that stunning.

4. Barry Manilow (December, Las Vegas)
Now, before you start making fun, just think...the man has a ridiculous number of hit songs. He is a born entertainer. This was his final show after a seven-year residency. It's VEGAS.

Is it over-the-top cheesy? ABSOLUTELY. Does that make it any less fabulous? Not at all. Because none of that matters when he belts out Could It Be Magic, Looks Like We Made It, Mandy, Copacabana, I Write the Songs, and my personal theme for that trip, I Made it Through the Rain. Perfect.

5. Outside the Box/Southside Johnny/Jeff Kazee (June, The Stone Pony)
Every once in a while, you are just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. That's how I felt about one night at the Pony. First, Outside the Box did a set of their own material (if you haven't bought their debut album yet, do it now. Click Here.) Then, they covered an Elvis Costello album. All that was great.

But, it was the impromptu jam session that followed that made the night special. Sure, it was a bit messy. Maybe out of tune. Some words may have been missed. Didn't matter at all. To me, it was the embodiment of why people become musicians. Simply for the love and joy of music.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

There you have it. A few thoughts on what shaped my 2011. There were good times. There were bad times. And, damn, there was some great music!

So, what's the coming year going to bring?

We shall see.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

p.s. I CAN'T BELIEVE I somehow forgot about Paul McCartney at Yankee Stadium! What the HECK is wrong with me? How was that not on my list? That was an INCREDIBLE night. Seeing a rock-and-roll ICON in a legendary venue. (okay, would have been better in the old stadium, but I digress.) I really wish I had my current phone that night (rather than my old trusty blackberry) because I could have at least captured a few more images as they were quite cranky about cameras. Also wish I would have splurged for a better ticket. In any case, Sir Paul ... my sincere apologies. Please forgive me.

Southside and the Jukes Rock the UK

2011-11-01T12:45:00.002-04:00

So I return to NYC and what happens? It frickin' snows! In October! Geez ... the weather in the UK was better! LOL

Speaking of my trip, you can read all about it over at Jukesnet. I still have one more entry to do, but the first four parts are posted: London, Southampton, Cardiff, and Bristol.

Top Ten Moments of the Tour (in no particular order)

1. Johnny's brilliant narrative of what men must give up in the name of love (Bristol)
2. Getting to catch up with my cousin in London after 20+ years
3. Jeff Kazee's super-cool performance of "I'm A Man" (Bristol)
4. The St. David Spa and Hotel in Cardiff
5. John Conte's bass solo in Southampton
6. Spending time with my friend BJSunnynight
7. FINALLY getting to hear "Some Things Just Don't Change" (Wolverhampton)
8. Not getting killed while crossing the street
9. Shopping at Harrod's
10. UK fashion magazines (a subscription to UK Vogue in the States is like $100!)

Here are a few of my favorite images from the shows.

...oh those eyes...

..ok..not the best quality ever, but it was a very funny moment...

..man vs mic..

With the Fall concert season in full swing, things are kicking into high gear here. Looking forward to concerts by Gavin DeGraw, Southside Johnny and the Poor Fools, Outside the Box, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Audra McDonald this month.

As I always say, "so much music, so little time."

Two Great Nights - No Bus Rides Necessary!

2011-10-13T23:45:00.006-04:00

As if y'all didn't know ... I love living in NYC. *faked look of shock* LOL

The biggest reason why is because on any given night, there are dozens of amazing concerts going on around this city. And as someone who lives and breathes music, I know that I will NEVER be without somewhere to go to listen and be inspired. But, that also means there is always the possibility that conflicts may arise. Such was the case this past Tuesday when my favorite conductor was at Carnegie Hall and the Early Elton Trio was performing at Rockwood Hall.

Aries don't like to be forced to choose...
...and BAJ is a textbook Aries. *wink*

So I appeased the "classical geek fan girl" in me and went to the CD signing with Valery Gergiev at Juilliard which left me free and clear to go experience the brilliance that is Jeff Kazee/John Conte/Rich Pagano.

Sure, lots of singers and bands play songs by Elton John. But, that's not what this is.

It's about that perfect combination of the material and how it's communicated. It's not about nostalgia, but about hearing a song you know and feeling like you're experiencing it for the first time. And it's about the performers inviting you to join them on an emotional journey. These guys do this in spades.

I always come out of an EE show feeling mentally exhilarated and exhausted all at the same time. This show was no exception. I actually only took one picture during the entire show (which I tweeted.) Other than that, I just sat and listened and felt the music. Incredible.

Not yet recovered from that show, the next night brought the Jon Bon Jovi and Friends benefit event for Poly Prep Country Day School at the Best Buy Theater. I so love going to that theatre -- it is about two blocks from my apartment. (yay! no buses! LOL)

I had planned on attending this for several months as a friend affiliated with the school had purchased a ticket for me. They eventually opened it up to the general public -- as a result, it was nice to have the opportunity to catch up with many friends who I hadn't seen since the end of the tour.

The show opened with a number of performances by students of the school. Some were actually quite good, including this 11-year old rocker girl doing her own songs ... and with the likes of Jeffrey Lee Campbell (Sting) and Shawn Pelton (SNL) no less. Lucky girl!

As is the case with JBJ charity shows (and why I enjoy them so much), the set list was a mix of Bon Jovi songs and great cover songs like Start Me Up, Sympathy for the Devil, Twist and Shout, Under Pressure, The Letter (My Baby Just Wrote Me a Letter) and this one ...

It's always nice to see Jon truly enjoying himself when he does these events. And I was enjoying myself as well ... even during WSYCGH. Haha.

Although I was sitting pretty far back, I did manage to take a few pictures.

...as you can see, Mr. Bon Jovi dressed up for this one...nice jeans, Jonny. I wonder what his ringtone is. I'm thinking it's not "Living on a Prayer" like the woman who was sitting behind me. LOL

...I love this one with Lorenza...

All-in-all it was a fun night. Certainly gave me my Jovifix ... at least for a while.

And, hey! This week's musical fun isn't even over yet. Friday I get to introduce a couple of my Canadian friends to Outside the Box who will be doing a set or two at Bowery Electric.

So much music. So little time.

Keeping Busy...

2011-09-28T12:05:00.004-04:00

As expected, just because Bon Jovi isn't on tour doesn't mean the guys (and me, too for that matter!) aren't still running around -- whether it's Jon shooting an Advil commercial (I'm assuming you brokered some sponsorship deal for the Soul Kitchen on this one, Jon. Yes?) or Tico hitting the links in support of a good cause (umm ... I could really use some help with my irons, T. Thanks.) As for me, I ran into one of the guys this past weekend at an event down in Baltimore.

For the past nine years, the Casey Cares Foundation has held their Rock 'N' Roll Bash. The event features an all-star band of musicians and raises a ton of money to help kids with life-threatening illnesses and their families. You know the truth about musicians is ... they spend a lot of time hustling for gigs, but are total softees and always the first ones to step up to do a benefit show. Seriously, it's true.

Anyhoo, I knew two of my favorite people (Christine Ohlman and Jeff Kazee) were doing this gig and it's a cause that is important to me and it sounded like fun, so off on the bus I went.

To say the night was a lot of fun would be a huge understatement.

The band is led by saxophone superstar Mark Rivera who has been playing forever with Billy Joel and Ringo Starr. In addition to Christine (SNL band) and Jeff (Jukes, etc.), the line-up included Tommy Byrnes (Billy Joel), Anton Fig (Letterman), Jeff Carlisi (.38 Special), Derek St. Holmes (Ted Nugent) and Hugh McDonald (y'all know who he plays with, I guess.)

They alternated sets with two tribute bands...High Voltage (ACDC) and Bad Medicine. I will admit, I had some great laughs watching the Bon Jovi tribute band. The frontman really did have some of Jon's moves down, including the Godforsaken "it's alright" section of WSYCGH. Haha.

But anyhoo, the all-star band played three sets I think and covered a slew of songs like Hungry Heart, Brown Sugar, Some Kinda Wonderful, Born to Run and just about every song that has the lyrics "rock and roll" in it. LOL. I really enjoy watching great musicians who are obviously enjoying what they do. And these guys were having a blast.

Master of Music Ceremonies, Mark Rivera

Mark, Tommy Byrnes, Hugh McDonald

Christine Ohlman (and the best earrings ever!)

Jeff and Tommy

Tommy and Hugh

Jeff and Mark

Tommy and Hugh

I loved Christine bringing up a ton of women on stage and doing Brass in Pocket by The Pretenders.

And though I have seen Kazee do this song a few times, I think it was the best version of Van Morrison's Domino yet.

The band played for hours. There was open bar and buffet (including some kick-ass fried green beans!) The venue was really cool (the Ram's Head Live) and I met a ton of fun people of all ages who gave me a million suggestions as to what to see during my whopping two free hours in Baltimore on Sunday. LOL Pretty darn good night.

So, I HIGHLY recommend if you're in the Baltimore/DC area, you should check it out next year -- it seems to usually take place in October. The ticket price is extremely reasonable (hey, we're Jovifans, no ticket price can shock us. Haha.) Oh ... and, if you don't live there, make a mini-trip out of it because there actually is a lot to see ... and the Inner Harbor area was awesome.

What's next? October is insane - Early Elton Trio at Rockwood Hall (yay!), MEMPHIS opening in Memphis (and we say good-bye to Chad Kimball as 'Huey' on Broadway. *sigh*) Then it's five shows in the UK with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. But, I'm kicking off the month with the annual Light the Night walk for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I truly appreciate all of you who have given to this campaign. THANK YOU! Anyone who would still like to donate ... see the box in the upper left corner of the blog.

Until later. Rock on!
xoxo
Big Apple Jen

---------------------------------------------------------

p.s. Thanks for all the messages in the last couple of days re: me vs the marble staircase. Outcome of bout ... stairs:1, bajg:0, wrist: -1. I'll be fine. Torn ligament. No surgery. :) No bassoon for 4-6 weeks, though. *pout*

Forces of Nature Tour 2011

2011-08-28T16:26:00.004-04:00

Greetings y'all ... hope you are well ... and safe. This whole Irene Hurricane/Tropical Storm has certainly walloped the East Coast of the U.S.

I've been on a road trip around the Northeast (nice timing, huh?) with my friend Tasha ... 4 Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes shows in 5 days basically. You can find my reviews, pictures, etc. over on Jukesnet.

But here are a few quick words on how things have gone so far...
1. War protest in Pittsfield, MA
2. Hurricane Emergency Kit ... beer and Slim Jims?
3. Kazee's Crossing Guard Service
4. Naked BBQ?!
5. Dog vs Pool

...and we're only halfway through the slew of shows! LOL

So follow these links to see what the heck I'm talking about:

Part 1: Pittsfield, MA
Part 2: Freeport, ME

Black and White in Living Color

2011-08-22T14:15:00.004-04:00

note: we take a break from our regularly scheduled Jovi/Jukes ramblings for this special report...no worries, I'll be back with more Jovistuff soon

I will admit it. I am quite addicted to (most) pianist/singer/songwriters. They’ve always resonated with me. Not quite sure why … maybe it’s because I can actually play the piano and I can’t play guitar. Seriously! I suck. And, what’s that about? I can play the frickin’ bassoon – which admittedly most people can’t – and yet, the “every man’s instrument” that the average bloke can at least decently strum while sitting around a campfire totally befuddles me!? Ugh. Ok … rant over. Moving on.

Back to the subject at hand.

Yes, they get me every time – those black and white keys - from Elton John to Michael Feinstein, Billy Joel to Barry Manilow (oh, be quiet … they’re good songs!) And then there’s the “newer” generation of pianist/songwriters … like the fabulous (and quite adorable) Gavin DeGraw.

But today I’m writing about one of my new favorite artists. I was introduced to Jon Regen through the Jukes' Jeff Kazee (yet another pianist/singer/songwriter.)

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you’ve seen me posting about Jon Regen’s new album, REVOLUTION. In a stroke of brilliance, he started streaming the yet-to-be-released cd in its entirety on his website sometime back. What a great thing! How often do you have the opportunity to listen to a full record before buying it? I liked the concept because it’s usually the obscure track (rather than the single) that you end up falling in love with … right?

So after listening to it for a few weeks, I finally sent Jon a message asking when exactly I could buy it so that I could finally turn my computer off. Being the nice guy he is, he immediately drops a signed copy in the mail to me. Yay! Now, I could have “One Part Broken, Two Parts Blue” on constant repeat! (When you buy the album, you will, too. Trust me.)

Born in New Jersey (what is it with me and Jersey musicians?! haha), to me, Regen’s music really just captures the feel of New York City so well. It's this great mix of jazz and pop, a beautiful way with words (check out "Spirits of the Soul" *sigh*) and a groove that just gets into you.

Gotta love that line: You hold me close then you push me away...there's a doctor you should see about your split personality. :-)

So, in short I'm telling you ... go buy this album. Period. Right here ... click right here.

And if you live in/near NYC, join me at The Blue Note on September 12th for the cd release show. You know how to reach me ... @bigapplejen on twitter.

P.S. And well, since I did mention Gavin DeGraw… if you haven’t heard his new single “Not Over You” where have you been? It’s all over the radio. His new album is coming out in September as well. Yay! Check out this great acoustic version with him and Billy Norris. Glad to hear Gavin is recovering well and looking forward to seeing him back on the road.

Not Just Another Walk in the Park

2011-08-14T22:02:00.004-04:00

Greetings friends! Sorry for the delay ... I've been looking for my writing mojo for the past couple of weeks now. If anyone sees it, please send it back my way. :-/

Regardless of my inability to string together words these days, I figured I better just keep plugging along or I'll be still writing about the Bon Jovi UK trip from June while I'm packing for the Jukes UK trip in October!

Anyhoo, on to Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park.

It seemed that everyone and their brother was coming to this show and it was fantastic to meet up with so many friends - from the Netherlands to Italy to Australia to Germany. Though entry was a bit of a disaster (NOT the fault of the fan club, but the local security who had no clue/care what the process was) I was lucky to get a spot in the third-ish row surrounded by some absolutely AMAZING ladies from the UK.

(don't forget! you can always click on the pictures to make them larger)

(yeah, that white arrow in front of Jon's mic stand ... that would be me!)

I will not lie. It was a long day. I hadn't really slept well since I arrived and was still quite sick at this point (as could be told from my food intake for the day, which consisted of three french fries and four cough drops.)

But, the weather was absolutely gorgeous and the sun was shining ... good thing, because the red jacket just isn't right without the Michael Jackson sunglasses (sorry, Jonny ... it's growing on me ... really it is. LOL)

But, before we get to Jovi, I must mention that helping the day to move along, we were treated to several other artists prior to "our boys" coming on stage -- including Vintage Trouble (who was the support act for every show I saw) and the legendary Ray Davies, among others. But, the artist that really grabbed me was an American guitarist/singer/songwriter named Lissie.

I'm looking forward to checking out her stuff a bit more...an interesting mix of folk and rock...and definitely that "indie" spirit.

So, eventually Bon Jovi took the stage. By now, most of you have seen videos of the show, the special that VH1 Classic did on the event or listened to the live radio broadcast (either that night or since.) Therefore, you already know that it was a spectacular night. The crowd was fantastic ... of course it helped that you had all the fan club members together right at the front, which simply created this incredible singing force! :-)

And for a guy who was very much in need of knee surgery, Jon Bon Jovi was running around that stage, jumping and "dancing" (haha) for a good three hours. Richie's solos were on fire, Tico was pounding as hard as I've ever heard and David was ruling the keys with his blond curls blowing in the breeze. In some ways it felt like the Lost Highway Central Park show ... on steroids. LOL

Here are just a few of the ridiculous number of pictures I took during the show ...

...the great Ray Davies (if you watch the VH1 Classic footage, you can see our friend @DavidsRosie rocking it out in the front row! Yay!)

...I never get tired of this shot...

...or this one...

...and the photo master, David Bergman, at work...

...and the guitar master at work...

...one of the absolute best moments of the night..."Hey God!" ...enough said...

...an ELECTRIC performance of "Keep The Faith"

Hey, Hugh...don't hide back there!

..ahhh, there he is!

Honestly, I haven't thoroughly reviewed the photos from the second half of the show, but flipping through, this one stood out for sure! Loved that vest, Richie!

Richie really was just incredible that night ...

...and Jon is right...that opening from Tico is all it takes. Speaking of Tico, a few shot of the elusive one ...

...they did play right up until the curfew or within the few minutes after (when they won't be paying hundreds of thousands in fines)...

...but even an amazing night like this one had to eventually come to an end...

I can't really describe the whole experience -- but it felt like you were part of history in some way. It is definitely a night I will never forget - watching a band I absolutely love along with my friends (both old and new) in a gorgeous setting on a perfect summer evening. *sigh*

Well, perfect until you try to get 65,000-plus people out of a park! But, that's a story for another time. LOL

I still have a lot to cover of my trip - there's Bristol and the two Dublins! So, come back ... I promise it won't be so long until the next post. *wink*

The Great Chicago Fire of 2011

2011-07-24T17:20:00.002-04:00

Greetings friends! I have NOT forgotten about y'all ... just been busy. I promise to wrap up my UK/Ireland Bon Jovi trip (complete with LOTS of pictures) this week. But, in the meantime, if you want to head over here, you can read about one hot night in Chicago.

Be back soon!

Day 3: Mission Impossible...?

2011-07-15T14:50:00.017-04:00

Now…where was I?

Oh, yes. The show and sight-seeing in Edinburgh was truly wonderful, but time to move on to the next destination … LONDON!

Besides the Bon Jovi concert in Hyde Park, I had only one goal for my time in this great city – to visit Wimbledon.

Growing up, there were two sporting events that were absolutely sacred in our house … The Masters (golf) and Wimbledon (tennis). As for tennis … living in New York City, I have attended the U.S. Open many many times. The excitement and energy of the hard courts in Flushing Meadows is incredible. Night matches there are simply electric. But, the grass courts of Wimbledon … that’s pure magic.

After an utterly sleepless first night in London (it was midsummer during my trip, therefore it was totally light out at 4am. huh! who knew?! And remember, I'm still sick as a dog), I headed to The All England Lawn Tennis Club via the tube (which sounds much more refined than “the subway” by the way.)

Though I had joked that I was up all night devising a plan to stalk Roger Federer, the truth was that I had no plan at all! All I knew was that I wanted to be there. And actually, on the train there were constant announcements that if you didn’t have a ticket to not travel to Wimbledon because the queue was extremely long (at least 6 hours to get in … if you get in at all.) But, being the insanely stubborn person I am, I didn't quite listen.

Upon arriving, this is what I found...

...wouldn't it be great if it was this organized for Jovishows? #JustSaying LOL

It was quite apparent there was no way I was going to get in ...

But I would be happy to just see the entrance ... or the souvenir shop ... anything! So, I walked up to one of the gates hoping for even a glimpse of the venue I have loved my whole life.

...there aren't any tickets available for MONTHS so not sure why they actually have a sign LOL...

...finally, the guard says "Miss, your ticket please. You can enter here." ... ayyyy, NOW WHAT?!

Well, they always say honesty is the best policy. So, I went that route. I told him I was from the States and didn't have a ticket. I told him that I have watched Wimbledon my whole life and to just be able to see it and breathe the same air was a dream come true even if I didn't get to see a match. He asks why I didn't get a ticket and I tell him that I wasn't sure if I'd be able to attend because I am traveling the UK going to Bon Jovi shows. His face lights up and he starts asking me all about the shows! (100 million fans can't be wrong!)

Next thing I know, he opens the gate and let's me in! (that's the top of his hat ... don't wanna jeopardize his job ya know!)

He tells me we have ten minutes and he can show me around a little but I can't stay for any matches (COMPLETELY fair as I don't have a ticket and people have been waiting days to get in.)

OMG OMG OMG! I can't breathe ... this is awesome. So, he walked with me and shared a few of his stories about meeting different players. And my dream is realized -- I'm actually standing on the grounds of Wimbledon. My dad would be proud. *sigh*

After my mini-tour, he takes me back to the gate where I shock the *&%$ out of him with a hug and thank him profusely. He tells me to sing extra loud at the Hyde Park show and off he sends me.

Wow. That was pretty cool.

I spent a little time in Wimbledon Village (which was complete chaos because Andy Murray was due to play that day) and then headed back into the city.

After walking around Covent Garden and grabbing a bite to eat...

...I headed over to Picadilly Circus, sort of the Times Square of London...

Not too surprisingly, I felt very comfortable in London. I'm a city girl. I just needed a lot more time there to explore. I'm looking forward to returning in October for the Jukes tour.

I eventually made it back to our hotel to meet up with the girls for dinner and a bit of shopping for Saturday's grand activity.

Next up: the BIG concert ... Bon Jovi/Hyde Park/Hard Rock Calling ... bring on the crowds!

Day 2: Castles, Whiskey and Cough Drops

2011-07-11T13:25:00.012-04:00

...sorry for the delay in posting. Crazy, fun weekend. DJ3K!

Okay ... onto Day 2 of my Bon Jovi UK adventure.

The concert in Edinburgh had been fantastic. The crowd fabulous. The set list wonderful. The confetti ... EVERYWHERE! LOL But, unfortunately, it had rained ... a lot - cold, windy rain - and that wreaked havoc on my flight-weary body so that by the next morning, I was downright SICK ... yep, fever, cough, congestion, achiness. UGH!

But the show must go on!

Another lesson learned quickly while "on tour" ... there are two kinds of days: sitting ones (concert days - in the queue) and walking ones (non-concert days - sightseeing.) So, after a quick stop at the pharmacy to get me some heavy-duty meds, we got on the bus and headed off to check out the city and Edinburgh Castle, in particular.

..after walking the winding streets of the city (including meeting an extremely funny guy who was dressed up as Braveheart), we finally made our way up to the castle...

...the entrance...complete with quintessential moat! (no alligators, though, I checked. LOL)

They are in the midst of preparing for the world-famous Edinburgh Festival so lots of construction going on ...

I would love to be able to come back to experience the military tattoo ... must be an amazing sight!

(obviously not my picture. haha)

After all that walking and picture-taking, we just had to stop for a drink, yes? And what better place for a slightly-ailing American than The Scotch Whiskey Experience!? We opted out of the barrel ride through the production facility and headed straight for the cafe.

...ahh, it looks like an innocent cup of coffee, but ... woohee!

Of course...we had to also try some straight whiskey...you know, for medicinal purposes! *wink*

But, soon enough it was time to get back to the hotel to pick up our bags and head to the airport. I really wish I'd had more time in Scotland. The people there were incredibly kind and the city of Edinburgh had so much more I wanted to explore. I will be back!

Next stop: LONDON...and a dream come true!

p.s. Amusing side note: during the concert, Jon Bon Jovi mentioned that he wanted to move to Scotland...Jon did you happen to see this on your way to the venue? Look! Each of the guys could have their own wing! It was right across the street from our hotel. I thought it would make a really cool music conservatory. Can you imagine the heating bill for that thing?! But, still ... c'mon lottery numbers!! Haha.

...oh, and just so that you don't forget what's still coming up...

Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park...

A rainy night in Bristol...

...and of course...the two Dublin shows.

Stop 1: Edinburgh (via Paris and Dublin)

2011-07-06T14:00:00.004-04:00

So, where do I begin?

Well, if it's Tuesday, this must be Scotland! (points for whoever gets the cinema reference! *wink*)

I like to travel. Really, I do. And generally, I travel pretty well. But, admittedly, after three flights (NYC to Paris; Paris to Dublin; Dublin to Edinburgh) I was VERY happy to finally arrive at my destination.

I think it was the 7-hour layover in Dublin that was particularly annoying -- THOUGH I did end up hanging at a pub watching Wimbledon (go Roger!) while drinking my first pint of Guinness. By the way, it is ABSOLUTELY true that Guinness in Ireland tastes infinitely better than Guinness in the States. Seriously, it's like two completely different beers.

Nonetheless, I was relieved to finally land in very rainy Scotland (rain: that would become the ongoing theme of this trip) to the welcoming cheers from the crazy Gs. For those of you new to the blog, that would be my much-loved German girls with whom I've had many wild and wonderful adventures.

We stayed at the most adorable bed and breakfast place, not too far from the concert venue (good thinking, Rike!) Contrary to the picture, no ... the place wasn't tilting, that was me. LOL

After a traditional English breakfast the next morning, we headed over to Murrayfield to get our numbers and pick up our tickets. I learned quickly the importance of breakfast on show days ... because once you got in the queue, you more often than not didn't end up eating too much the rest of the day (as can be told by the Hyde Park show, when I basically had four cough drops all day. LOL) I also learned that from the hours and hours of waiting to get into the venue, fan club members overseas truly know and take care of eachother. Throughout this whole trip, I was happy to meet so many people I had known online either through the club, this blog or on Twitter.

We finally were allowed to enter and I staked out my spot in the first row. I was blessed to be surrounded by some super-fun fans which certainly helped pass the time as we waited for the local band (Val Verde ... who were great) and the support act (Vintage Trouble) to take the stage. At some point, it started raining (of course, this is Scotland!) and pretty much continued on and off throughout the rest of the evening.

I was anxious to experience Bon Jovi in the UK, having heard all the stories about overseas fans and set lists, etc. etc. etc. I was definitely not disappointed. The show was fantastic ... the energy, completely different than in the States. I do still feel that having all the diehard fans together in the front (of either the diamond circle or the golden circle) makes a big difference. But, whatever the case, I was smitten from the first moments.

Of course, I hadn't seen a concert since Jon Bon Jovi injured his knee in Helsinki so I was curious as to exactly how much he was able to move around. In true Jon fashion, nothing was slowing him down. And, the rain wasn't slowing the crowd down in the least. Oh, I FINALLY got to take part in the whole confetti/Capt Crash chaos -- I am pretty sure I'll be finding confetti in my stuff for months to come! LOL

I had a blast joking around with David during Who Says You Can't Go Home (this became a nightly occurence as I was wearing my NY Yankees cap at every show. LOL) And, what a treat to get Wild is the Wind (have always loved that song) and a fantastic version of These Days. But, the utimate moment of the night ... hearing (in its original form for the first time since I think 95/96 for me) this incredible song! (video by Deweyjovi - great meeting you in the pit that night! *smile*)

Because of the rain, I wasn't able to take quite as many pictures as I normally do, but here are a few of my favorites ...

(it's not perfect but I sort of like how Jon is clear and Richie and Bobby are blurred a bit)

...and here's the throw...

...another successful maracas catch! LOL ...

...Jon encouraging the crowd to make even more noise...

By the end of the concert, I had fallen in love with Bon Jovi all over again ... their energy, the songs, the brotherhood and, regardless of Jon being in obvious discomfort with his knee, the aura that just surrounds one of the greatest frontmen in the history of rock.

And, that was just day ONE of the trip!

p.s. I already thought of at least 5 things I wanted to put into this post ... so come back tomorrow. LOL #SoManyMemories!

2011...Halfway There

2011-07-04T10:07:00.012-04:00

Greetings fellow music fans! Happy Fourth of July to my American friends -- and happy Monday (ayyy...sorry) to my other buddies.

So ... I have returned from my crazy Jovi UK/Eurotour adventure. And what an adventure it was! I certainly will be sharing stories and pictures from the road over the next week or so. An unforgettable 10 days for sure.

But, given that we are halfway through 2011, it's time for my mid-year pick for performance of the first six months. There have been some truly great evenings since we rang in the new year -- from the Kronos Quartet at Carnegie Hall (awesome!) to Elvis Costello at the Beacon Theatre. There have been Jukes shows and Jovi shows, small chamber music concerts and big festival rock-n-roll shows.

In the end, though, there were TWO shows that stand out. The first made it in just under the wire on June 30th. Yes, I'm talking about Bon Jovi in Dublin night 2.

As many of you know, that was my 200th show (I'm trying not to think about the $$$. LOL) and more than anything I really wanted to hear Bounce. Jon Bon Jovi will never know the personal significance that song has for me (some of you do) but it marks more than just a concert milestone for me and will always hold a special place in my heart. Anyhoo, I do believe Mr. Rockstar may have been trying to screw with me a bit during the fan club event as when he said they were trying to decide between Happy Now and Bounce he just smirked at me. Stinker!

Well, given that we all know he lies (heck, even he admits it, right?) ... I was pleasantly surprised that they opened the show with "my" song. Wanting to just enjoy the moment, I didn't record or take pictures during it. Luckily, many other people did ... here's a great clip by Jovigirlfm (who always takes great video!)

But, it wasn't only hearing one of my all-time favorite songs that made this such an extraordinary concert. It was the incredible combination of the set list (Damned/If Loving You is Wrong, Love for Sale, Hey God, Never Say Goodbye all in the same show!!!), the venue, the crowd and the band at the top of its game. I can see now why JBJ loves Dublin so much. It's pretty easy to fall in love with the city, the people and the energy there. Between the perfect weather, a crowd hungry for as much as Bon Jovi was willing to put out (and that was a lot), the concert morphed into one of those epic nights that just kept getting more and more unbelievable.

Oh, and by the way, we got Happy Now as well *wink*

This show was the perfect way to close out my five remarkable concerts in the UK/Europe ... a ton of friends, a great band, a fabulous crowd ... and a song from Jon. Doesn't get much better than that!

BUT WAIT!

...as I said earlier, there were TWO shows that defined the first half of the year. It would be criminal not to talk about the show that had a juggernaut hold on the "best of the year" performance up until the very last day of June.

Where Bon Jovi can take an entire crowd of 60,000 on a ride, the performance by the Early Elton Trio of "Madman Across the Water" in January was that kind of rare musical experience where the listener is transported to a place where it is just them and the artist. I equate it to a film sequence where the main characters are in crystal clear focus and the entire world around them is a blur. That's what this performance was like. It is one of those feelings that can't really translate to video ... but here is what I suggest: maximize your screen, turn down the lights, use earphones so you can hear everything -- and when you get to the solo in the middle, just close your eyes and listen. Jeff Kazee knocked it out of the park. Period.

So, there you go...the two stand-out concerts of the first half of 2011. Trust me, it wasn't easy -- Bon Jovi in Hyde Park was really outstanding. I'll write more about that later. And that crazy, rainy night in Bristol wasn't too shabby either. LOL

Until the next time...
xoxo
Big Apple Jen

Ok..Here We Go!

2011-06-20T08:38:00.014-04:00

I know I have been a bit out of touch lately...sorry 'bout that. But, the time has come for...

Big Apple Jen's Bon Jovi UK Adventure

Yep, tomorrow I arrive in Scotland ... then it's off to London ... Bristol ... and finally DUBLIN!!! I'll be meeting up with the crazy Gs --- we had such a blast during my Jukes Euro mini-tour last October that we just couldn't wait to do it all over again!

I think I have struck a deal with T-Mobile so I will be able to tweet, text and post pictures/reviews without it costing an arm and a leg. So, be sure to stay tuned ... if you aren't following me on Twitter, you can find me at @bigapplejen.

So, I'm still trying to finalize what banner(s) I/we should make when I get there. What's in the running?

1. "Hey Jon, I'm an American and I know the verses." (I will refrain from adding "better than you do" as one of my tweetbuddies suggested. Hahaha.)

2. "Sorry 'bout the knee...but you can still sing This Ain't A Love Song."

3. "200 Bon Jovi shows ... 27 years of joy. Thanks!"

4. "I know every agent at Greyhound because of this band!" (LOL..c'mon, you knew there had to be some type of bus reference right?)

Well, then again, I'm not really a banner/sign person.

Before I go, just wanted to give you the heads-up on a few things:

First, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes are going to be playing the Montreal Jazz Festival at the end of the month. You can get more information HERE. I'm bummed to miss this as I like Montreal...and am always up for a timbit from Tim Horton's. LOL

Second, the Early Elton Trio (which y'all know I just love) will be doing a couple of shows in the Northeast including Norfolk, CT and Northampton, MA. You can find more information on their website. Would have loved to catch the Norfolk show, I spent one of the best summers of my life as a fellow at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. Lots of good memories, including hitting an in-the-park homerun off of Toronto Symphony Principal Clarinetist, Joaquin Valdepenas. Hehe!

And finally, a big thank you to all those who made a pledge for Outside the Box's Kickstarter campaign. There is still time to pre-order their debut album. Word is that it should be dropping early-July.

Ok...that's all for now. To my Jovifriends in Europe, I'm on my way! To the girls who will be flying over for the Dublin fan club trip, safe travels.

Next stop: Edinburgh.

p.s. ayyy...totally forgot...calendar alert! Lorenza Ponce will be playing The Living Room in NYC on July 19th. This is the only show of the summer, so make sure you don't miss it!

The Stone Pony: Still (Rocking) After All These Years

2011-06-02T16:22:00.003-04:00

*blog title...don't you just love that Paul Simon tune?!*

Anyhoo, another magical night at the legendary Stone Pony. You can read all about it here.

Thanks!

p.s. countdown for my Bon Jovi UK trip has officially begun. Even bought a new pair of concert shoes at ... get this ... a site called Shoebacca. Haha. Funny. (if you didn't get it, check out this guy from Star Wars)

With or Without JBJ, Jukes Rock The Hamptons

2011-05-31T14:28:00.003-04:00

You can find the article/review I wrote for Jukesnet HERE ... Enjoy!

Elvis, Elton and More ...

2011-05-26T16:20:00.012-04:00

*currently singing Loverboy's "Everybody's Working for the Weekend"*

Greetings folks! Hope this finds you well. Here in the States we are all anxiously awaiting the weekend ... Memorial Day Weekend, the generally accepted start of summer. For me, this weekend means two things:

1. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes tomorrow night in Amagansett. Remember what happened last time I went out there? Luckily, we are not under a hurricane watch this time. As for an appearance by Jon Bon Jovi -- as fun as it would be, I'm actually more excited about possibly hearing "Some Things Just Don't Change" ...c'mon SSJ, you did it at least TWICE in Scandinavia, it's our turn!!

2. The Early Elton Trio out on Long Island on Saturday. I absolutely love these guys. It will be interesting to see them in a large-scale setting (outdoor park, picnics, fireworks, etc.) versus the smaller venues I've experienced. Jeff Kazee's version of "Madman Across the Water" at the January show still remains the single most amazing performance of 2011. Honestly, it's going to be hard for something to top that.

So, bring on the weekend! Good music. Fun times.

Oh! Speaking of good music, fun times ... many of you know I went to see Elvis Costello this week. A bunch of you asked if I took pictures. Is water wet? Is ice best served with vodka? Do you always get ketchup on yourself when wearing white? In other words ... yes! I took pictures. Here are a few.

The fabulous Spinning Wheel used to help the audience determine the setlist. Wouldn't it be a hoot if Bon Jovi used one? Apparently, the Jukes had one several years ago.

...as you can see, it's a pretty big wheel! I'm not a fan of audience participation (as in "you come up here on stage and mangle the song") ... but THIS kind of involvement I fully support! LOL

Elvis is in the building!

...this was a shot I got when he walked up the aisle right next to me. Very cool.

Keyboardist extraordinaire, Steve Nieve.

...and you thought David Bryan's outfits were...ummm...interesting? Haha.

It was a truly fantastic show. Great interaction with the crowd. Wonderful playing. A TON of songs - I Want You (my personal favorite), Alison, Hand in Hand, Hoover Factory, Accidents Will Happen, Veronica ... of course (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding (still trying to process the video on that one) ... and kick-a$$ covers of the Stones' Out of Time and Prince's Purple Rain. If you have never seen Elvis before, I highly recommend that you do! There is a reason why great songwriters cite Elvis Costello as one of their favorites. Brilliant.

Okay...that's all for now. Will be back with thoughts on the Jukes show in Morristown last Friday, as well as Lorenza Ponce's "Apocolypse (Not Quite) Now" show at Stanhope House on Saturday.

Til then. Keep rocking!
xoxo
BAJ

So You Wanna (Help) a Rock-and-Roll Star?

2011-05-24T11:30:00.015-04:00

Ok...I've written about Outside the Box before. Really, truly NICE guys. Talented. Smart. SO YOUNG (but that's not their fault. LOL) I was that young once ... I think. Yeah, I know -- "not old, just older."

Anyhoo, they are in the process of completing their debut album (yay!) but need some help. Here's where all of you, my lovely friends, come in.

How would you like to support this amazing band? You could get everything from a signed CD to concert tickets to dinner with the guys! And ... in the process, you'd be assisting in the development of one of the next great rock-and-roll bands! Every band has to start somewhere, right?

Those who read this blog on a regular basis know my passion for music. I wouldn't write about something I don't feel 100% about ... and that's why I was the first person to jump on board to support them (as a diehard Yankees fan, I even overlooked their producer sporting a Cincinnati Reds hat in the promo video. Haha. j/k JK.)

So, whaddya think? Will you join me?

Step 1: Go to THIS SITE to watch a great video on the project and pledge your support.

Step 2: Pat yourself on the back for doing a good deed. :)

Step 3: Visit Outside the Box's website for more music, tour dates and pictures.

Thanks in advance from me, the blogger formerly known as Big Apple Jovi Girl.

p.s. and if you're in/near Asbury Park on Wednesday nights in June, you can check out OTB live at the Stone Pony! Be sure to let me know you're coming.

*re: Blog title ... gotta love The Byrds*

Bon Jovi in the Buckeye State

2011-05-11T14:45:00.000-04:00

Greetings readers! Hope this finds you well ... sorry it's been so long. I'm ridiculously far behind on posting pictures and reviews from the last couple of weeks. Oops.

Well, while I get my act together, I thought I'd post some images from the Columbus show last night.

This show was all about seeing Bon Jovi with my mom. We hadn't seen a show together since the Blossom one (the Jukes *ahhhh*) So, given it was a couple of days after Mother's Day and this was the only other Ohio show, I knew I had to treat her ... I even (only slightly reluctantly) agreed to forgo pit tickets so my mom could see Tico close up on the circle (ooops - who knew.) But, we ended up with FANTASTIC circleside (non-package!) seats. THANK YOU to the Backstage with Jon Bon Jovi fan club. :-)

I must say that Jon seemed much more playful than last Saturday night at Mohegan Sun. (I promise. Those pictures will be posted soon.)

I tend to use the continuous auto-shutter mode during concerts. The only issue -- sometimes my subject goes missing while the camera is snapping away. LOL

With Richie's absence, only Jon has been coming out onto the circle these days. (I've been affectionately calling this the "Music Minus One" tour. By the way, if you haven't checked out videos with Phil X playing, you should. He sounds great.)

As we all know, we love to have those special moments with the guys ... and we are blessed with loving a band that is happy to indulge us with those moments. I was grateful to have two wonderful moments this show. The first being during Bed of Roses when Jon sang a couple of lines to me and then sat down on the circle right in front of me. Here is the last shot I got until my camera decided to spaz out. UGH!

I must say ... Jon on the circle + 26x zoom = *Sigh*

But why is it that no matter how many times I see the band, I still get a little shaky when Jon comes around?

I have always loved the lighting for When We Were Beautiful ...

Many of you have heard about "the dolls" already ... some fans in the pit had Jon and Richie dolls that Jon asked they throw up to the stage. The whole exchange was funny, but to me what stood out was the poignancy of the moment. Jon's love for Richie came thru at several points during the show including during the added lines of IBTFY and a reference during Blood on Blood.

I can't even imagine how much he misses his friend right now.

...and how wonderful that he made sure "Richie" was sitting on his guitar, leaning against Jon's heart ...

Jon came out onto the circle once again during Living on a Prayer. At one point, one of the robotic cameras got a bit frisky with him, focusing in on ... well ... let's just say, Jon exclaimed something like "watch it there, buddy!" Haha.

He continued to make his way around the circle ...

He then arrived in front of me and my mom. He looked at me and smirked and then offered his hand to my mom. *smile* A bit shy, my mom tentatively reached her hand out to him and he grabbed her fingers and held on ... tight. I give my mom credit for not saying "umm...this is nice, but can you go get Tico?" ROFLMAO. But, seriously ... it was a moment neither of us will ever forget. So, I may have bought the tickets, but it was Jon Bon Jovi who really gave my mom such a great Mother's Day present.

Okay, folks...that's it for now. I'll be back soon with Mohegan Sun pictures and a write up of an amazing night in Asbury Park to benefit former Jukes keyboard player Kevin Kavanaugh. And then, get ready! The schedule so far for the rest of May/June? BonJovi 7x ... SSJ/Jukes 6x ... Outside the Box 4x and a show each by Lorenza Ponce, the Early Elton Trio and Elvis Costello.

So much music, so little time!

p.s. Yes, I changed my Twitter handle to @bigapplejen ... why? Because as much as I love Jovi (and I DO!), I also love a lot of other bands and musicians as well. (Also, a couple of the Jukes kept threatening to come up with a new Twitter ID on my behalf. Now THAT could have been scary. LOL)

Heads Up!

2011-04-06T14:00:00.000-04:00

Hello friends! Just wanted to let you know that I was recently invited to serve as a contributing writer for Jukesnet, the best Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes site around. Y'all know how much I absolutely LOVE that man and that band, so I'm incredibly honored. :-)

Therefore, going forward, most of my reviews and write-ups about the band will appear there before they are posted here on my own blog. In fact, you can go there right now to read my write-up of last Friday's show in New Jersey.

And, here are a few teaser pictures ... more over on the Jukesnet site.

Before You Know It...

2011-04-05T20:15:00.004-04:00

Greetings friends! Well, it seems that the first hints of Spring are trying to break through here in The Big Apple (meaning it's raining and my allergies are kicking in.)

If Spring is coming, then Summer must be just around the corner -- for in New York City, Spring usually lasts for only two weeks before the heat rolls in and you're perched in front of a crappy window a/c unit, praying that the power doesn't go out in your poorly-wired pre-war building. (I am still wondering exactly which war they're referring to, by the way. LOL)

BUT .. with the onslaught of Summer comes the slew of great outdoor concerts -- everything from the New York Philharmonic in Central Park to Southside Johnny at The Stone Pony (which by the way is July 2nd this year.)

Speaking of the Pony, I wanted to mention a great young band I heard when I was at a show there last year.

Outside the Box is four YOUNG guys from New Jersey and New York City. (And, I mean young ... as in I was going to Jovishows before they were even born! Scary!) Regardless of their age, these are musicians that "get it" when it comes to good music. Already a favorite on the Jersey Shore scene, the band seems to have a keen understanding of the history of that place and seem to have embraced it well ... to me, it's a somewhat classic rock-n-roll sound with the fresh, exciting energy that comes with youth.

To check them out for yourself, I recommend you click HERE and download their song Furnace for FREE. When you do, it also serves as a vote for them to win an invitation to perform at the Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee ... so CLICK!! NOW.

Having recently done a mini-tour of gigs throughout the East Coast (complete with amusing road stories, of course), OTB has been in the studio over the last couple of months working on an album to be released later this year (produced by music guru Jeff Kazee.) Personally, I can't wait to hear it and am hoping it will include their extremely popular and catchy (which is NOT a bad thing) song, Suddenly Saturday.

Take a listen ...

Love the opening lyrics to that song ... pretty mature for a bunch of 20-somethings.

I’m picking up the pieces of all the nights we left behind
Arranging all the evidence collecting in my mind
I can use it as a weapon or I can use it as a shield
I’m terrified of myself and the power that I wield.

On top of it, they're also just a nice bunch of guys ... follow them on Twitter at @OTBMusic.

Well, that's all for now, folks. Those of you looking for my review of the Jukes show in Collingswood on Friday (which was a HOOT!) ... it will be published tomorrow on Jukesnet.

So ... what's next? More Jukes! Friday night at Mohegan Sun. :-)

p.s. ... and just in case you forgot already, go to THIS LINK and download the song!

New (Sorta) Music Alert!

2011-03-29T11:47:00.011-04:00

Happy Tuesday y'all! Seriously?! ...it's only Tuesday?! The fact that Opening Day is right around the corner (GO YANKEES!) is the only thing getting me thru the week ... oh, and that Friday is a Southside Johnny show. :-)

Speaking of the Jukes ... just wanted to give you a heads-up that Jeff Kazee (of Jukes and Jovi fame) recently made his 1998 album "No River" available on iTunes. A great collection of original songs, I've had this CD for a few years now and listen to it on an almost daily basis.

To me, there's a straight-forwardness to the songs and this fabulously ironic mix of optimism and sadness which keeps me coming back to them. And regardless of the fact it was issued over a decade ago, it really doesn't feel dated in the least. Standout tracks include She Can't Stand Me, Give, Real Thing and my personal favorite She Could've Been Mine (who knew that a simple octave jump could be so catchy and effective? ...listen to the chorus, you'll understand.)

I am hoping that Jeff makes the liner notes available (originally only published online, I believe) because he has a great way with words (well, he is a songwriter afterall LOL) Here's his intro to the album:

As if writing, recording, and throwing out a bunch of songs
onto the unsuspecting public isn't self-involved enough, I now
present a few liner notes concerning my 10 little punks that
reside on the No River recording. Basically I was trying to
catch a couple of real pivotal years in my life, change a few
names, make up a lot of stuff, channel my feelings, and
turn all of it into Popstuff.

Now, with notes as honest as that, doesn't it make you want to check out the album?

Go HERE to purchase.

The Secret?

2011-03-27T11:56:00.003-04:00

Just a quick post ... for those who haven't seen this yet. You know that Nike slogan, right? Well, this is what "it" is all about!

Soul Kitchen from Soul Kitchen on Vimeo.

For more information, visit wwww.jbjsoulkitchen.org.

p.s. I'll be back soon with more tales and pictures from the road. Jukes in Collingswood, NJ is up next. :-)

Going Global...

2011-03-21T13:07:00.005-04:00

Greetings from soggy New York City. "Rainy days and Mondays always get me down" ... so rainy day PLUS Monday makes for an introspective morning.

I have always held the belief that music is the universal language and ultimate healer. It has a way of bringing people together like no other. It can get you thru the best of times, but more importantly the most difficult of times.

Like everyone else, the people of Japan and the incomprehensible challenges that they are facing have been weighing on my mind ... a lot. I don't know, maybe it's because I'm a Jovifan and there has been such a long and wonderful relationship between Bon Jovi and that country that it has hit many of us so hard. It is because of the band that I have friends there in the first place ... as I have in other parts of the world -- from Christchurch (where they are still reeling from their own disaster) to Berlin, Vancouver to Santiago. It really is an incredible thing, the Jovi family (complete with moments of utter dysfunction. LOL) Ya know, I was thinking ... heck, if each of the 10 million BJ fans on facebook made even a $1 donation, imagine the impact that could have! By the way, if you can donate, please check out this site for various options.

So I wanted to put together a mini-tribute to the band's great history in Japan. FYI: Every Jovifan owes a huge debt to Wowow TV and Burnn magazine. Period. Years and years of great coverage.

...ok, possibly the best vocal performance by Jon Bon Jovi anywhere, anytime, any song over the last 27+ years *sigh* (Yokohama)

...Lost Highway tour (Tokyo) ...

I love this one -- Jon actually messes up the the words a little in the opening of the second verse ... but it certainly doesn't alter the sentiment. :) (Bounce Tour, Club Zepp) ...

Living on a Prayer? Yes.

But not just one prayer -- the prayers of many, many people.

I will be back later this week with more pictures, concert goodies, etc.

Until then, be well.
xoxo
Jen

p.s. I didn't even realize while I was typing this post, a message from JBJ to his Japanese fans and friends was being circulated. :-) I haven't seen it yet (blocked at the office) but as soon as I get home ...

The Big Finale ... (part 1)

2011-03-17T07:33:00.001-04:00

warning: this could be long and rambling ... sorry

Hello all. Well, after getting some grief (in jest) from friends about the fact that I hadn't wrapped up the chaos that was February and early March, here I am to do just that! :-) #WillY'allShutUpNow LOL

Anyhoo, so when I last wrote, I was about to talk about the Mohegan Sun show. Geez, what can I say? That I was a bit sick of getting on a frickin' bus by this point? Oyyy. That the show kicked off with a fabulous set by Lorenza Ponce? That it was the best set list I've experienced in quite some time? That we had a blast staying up until the wee hours of the morning laughing and drinking? Ok ... that works! :-)

There was NO WAY my friend S and I were going to miss Lorenza in Connecticut...so nothing made me happier than to have the opportunity to sit in the friends and family section on her big night and cheer her on ... quite loudly, as my seat neighbor would attest. Hehe. I even wore my lucky concert shirt for her ... (those who know me are VERY familiar with that shirt. LOL)

When you think about how much has happened in the short time between the release of Soul Shifter and now, it really is remarkable. So, Lorenza and her great young band of Andy, Zach, Brett and Greg took the stage just before 8pm, playing a slightly longer set than is usual for an opening act (yay!) We were lucky to get quite a few songs from her album (like my favorite Testify), as well as some great covers ...

We had a great time backstage between her set and when Bon Jovi was due to take the stage. Having already seen the set list for the night (as she was playing on a number of songs), I totally cut Lorenza off from telling me what was on it. I NEVER want to know beforehand. Luckily, my friend C doesn't feel the same way because she was sitting 2nd row in the pit and likes to record (her videos from that night are breathtaking!)

By now, everyone has seen the set list. When the band opened with Radio Saved My Life, we knew it was going to be special. But then to get Wild In the Streets (FINALLY! Don't think I've heard that since Giants on the HAND tour, maybe???), I Got the Girl, the gorgeous acoustic version of Superman Tonight, Living in Sin, Raise Your Hands, Thorn in My Side ... and then, there was, of course, this little gem ...

I yelled. I screamed. I cried. (Ok ... almost cried.) S and I just looked at eachother and shook our heads in disbelief ... then sang EVERY WORD .... VERY LOUDLY! We were all in shock that Jon Bon Jovi had actually given in and did a "European set list" in the U.S.

Here are a few pictures from that night ...

Thinking about it some more ... I just HAVE to include the video for Thorn in My Side ... Jonny's been practicin' LOL ... duo starts around 3:30 ... *sigh*

Okay ... yes ... the show was on the shorter side (damn casino curfews) ... but quality over quantity was definitely the right way to go! After the show, a bunch of us girls hit Michael Jordan's Steak House for the healthiest of post-concert meals -- espresso martinis, truffle oil fries, lobster mac and cheese ... you get the idea, right?

S and I finally fell into bed around 4:00am. But, couldn't sleep long, right? For the next day was ... again ... Bon Jovi Day!

Anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows how much I take the bus. So, you can imagine my sheer delight when my dear friend JerzyJovi called and said "get off the bus, we're coming to get you!" YAY! ...okay, it was a little mean though that I had to sit in the car the whole way back smelling the half-baked Mystic Pizza (yes, as in the movie Mystic Pizza) that she was bringing back for her family. LOL

In any case, we made it home just in time to get ready for MSG 3. The fun that never ends! Admittedly, after the dream show in Mohegan and the marathon show at MSG 2, I wasn't expecting much out of this show. It was a good, solid show ... well, except for that little sound problem (hmmm...twice in one week...wonder what's going on there!) and I'm sure as much as Jon tried to shrug it off (seriously, sh*t happens ... it's live performance), he couldn't have been too pleased this happened in Madison Square Garden.

So ... even though I had taken so many pictures in the previous shows, it didn't seem to dissuade me from taking just a few more. Come back later ... cuz those pictures are up next!

A Message to My Beloved Jukes

2011-03-16T23:34:00.008-04:00

Memo

Date: Today
To: Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes
From: BAJG

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As you are all finalizing your bracket picks for the NCAA, it is time for a REAL unveiling of picks ... my Jukes 40-song set list request for my 40th (shut up!) birthday in April.

Figured I would give y'all enough time to (warning: curse word alert!) ... rehearse.

But, look! ... I was nice ... only a few of them (note asterisks) are non-negotiable. Hehe.

So, heads-up to "the suits" ... hope you're ready for overtime charges in Collingswood. :-)

Part 1:
Coming Back
Broke Down Piece of Man
Take It Inside
Walk Away Renee
Lost*
Don't Call Me Baby*
I Won't Sing*
Into the Harbour*
Lead Me On*
Soul's on Fire*
anything sung by Kazee*
Paris*
Without Love
Love on the Wrong Side of Town
This Time Baby's Gone for Good
You're My Girl
Talk to Me
It's Been a Long Time
Light Don't Shine
One More Night to Rock

Part 2:
This Time It's for Real
Heartbreak City
Cross That Line
Tired Skin
Shiver Me Timbers*
Temptation
Gladly Go Blind
Trapped Again
Leaving Behind
Some Things Just Don't Change*
A Place Where I Can't Be Found*
Woke Up This Morning
Livin' with the Blues
Better Days
Thank You
Fever
All I Want is Everything
I Don't Want to Go Home
We're Having a Party
Hearts of Stone

...There you have it. My birthday Jukes show ... and @Zoe211's first show!

p.s. in truth, Don't Call Me Baby, Soul's on Fire and/or I Won't Sing would probably do it for me ... but a girl can dream, right? :-)

I NEED YOUR HELP!!!

2011-03-10T13:20:00.001-05:00

Greetings friends! I received some great news today that I was chosen as a MEMPHIS Super-Fan (which I would be ... regardless of a title! ... but HONORED that they think so. LOL) ...

As such, they are having a contest to help spread the word ... simply go to THIS LINK and sign up for the newsletter (if you already have signed up, do it again ... just in case hehe)

Y'all know how much I do LOVE this musical and the incredible people who have brought it to life! (I do have pictures somewhere with both David Bryan and Joe DiPietro ... I should find them ... soon.)

It's been an amazing ride so far ...

- May 2009 - Upright Cabaret Features MEMPHIS at Joe's Pub

- September 2009 - Opening Night of Previews

- April 2010 - Chad, Montego and Joe Do Live Webcast

- April 2010 - Cast CD Signing at Barnes & Noble

- May 2010 - MEMPHIS in the Morning

- June 2010 - THE (frickin!) TONY AWARDS
Part 1 (pre-ceremony)
Part 2 (David and Joe)
Part 3 (Best Musical!)

- June 2010 - First Post-Tony Performance

- August 2010 - MEMPHIS at Joe's Pub

...and I'm sure there are many more memories to make...for example, MEMPHIS in Chicago in November :-) ... and I'm thinking I just might need to take a trip to Memphis for MEMPHIS when it opens there (I believe in October???)

Anyhoo, thanks for all your support ... AND DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP ... CLICK THIS LINK!

And Continuing On...

2011-03-07T10:19:00.034-05:00

Going forward with the recap of the last week or so (part 1 is here), we come to a great night at the famous Iridium Jazz Club. The club, best known for the regular Monday night jam sessions by legendary guitarist Les Paul, is a tiny venue with decent food, unfortunately way-overpriced drinks, but almost always awesome music. And for you Jovinuts, if you go there ... be sure to check out the nice quote from Richie Sambora on the wall.

Alas, there was no jazz on the menu Wednesday night ... just a whole lot of good rock-n-roll with a healthy side of soul. If you liked the recent Jon Bon Jovi & Friends Starland show in January, you'd love the NYC Hit Squad gig. Made up of some crack musicians (no, not musicians on crack a la Charlie Sheen ... sorry ... I had to ... inside joke) including Ricky Byrd (guitarist for Joan Jett), the fabulous Christine Ohlman (from the Saturday Night Live band), Billy Joel drummer Liberty DeVitto, the great Jeff Kazee (who y'all know already) as well as Muddy Shews (bass), Chris Anderson (trumpet) and (this time) John Isley (saxophone), it's always a night of "oh I LOVE that song!"

Some of my favorites from the set were Hold On, I'm Coming, CC Rider, Soothe Me, I'm Looking for a Love and Tell The Truth (Who's Been Foolin' You?) as well as outstanding performances by Christine on The Shangri-Las "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" and Jeff Kazee's great cover of Van Morrison's "Domino".

Though the lighting wasn't quite optimal, I did find a way to snap a few pictures (but, of course! LOL)

...funnyman Ricky Byrd (who was, by the way, super-hooked on the whole Charlie Sheen debacle LOL)...

...the ever-hip Christine Ohlman...

...there was some incredible playing and the most soulful singing by Jeff Kazee ...

...and y'all recognize this Juke right? Cool Cat Chris Anderson ...

...and here, along with John Isley and Jeff Kazee...

It really was a fun night with good friends and great music ...

As weird as it was to miss Jon Bon Jovi's birthday show in Philly that night, the NYC Hit Squad only plays a couple of times a year as they are all busy with other work so I just HAD to go. (No worries. I did leave Jon a birthday message via phone telling him exactly where I was and inviting him down for a birthday drink after his show if he so desired.) Anyhoo, if you are ever in NYC when the Hit Squad is playing, definitely check them out. You WILL have fun ... guaranteed.

Oh, and trust me ... any regrets I could have had (which I didn't) regarding missing Philly, were certainly blown away just two days later by the now infamous "uberfan setlist show" at Mohegan Sun on Friday.

I was going to just continue on, but I think that night really DOES deserve its own post. But, here is a sneak peek of what's to come ...

...Lorenza Ponce and Her Kick Ass Band ...

...backstage: Lorenza Ponce and Her Kick Ass FANS hehe ...

...the most gorgeous acoustic version of Superman Tonight...

... and then, well, you know what happened in the encore, right? ... *insert sinister laugh here*

Well, a bottle of merlot and the rest of Keith Richards' book is calling me. So, until later my friends ...

xoxo
BAJG

I Give Up (part 1)

2011-03-06T23:49:00.005-05:00

Greetings Jovinuts, Jukesnuts ... and those that are just nuts in general!

Okay...well, so much has happened over the last week in terms of concerts that my mind is befuddled by all the details. So, I give up! Rather than cover each event with individual posts, I'm just going to do a quasi-improvisatory, stream-of-consciousness, write-it-as-it-comes type of blog post. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. And, I know y'all just come for the pictures, anyway. ROFL

Anyhoo, this is why I'm all crazed:

Thursday 2/24 - Bon Jovi MSG 1
Friday 2/25 - Bon Jovi MSG 2
Saturday 2/26 - Southside Johnny in Montclair
Sunday 2/27 - Bon Jovi in Washington, DC
Wednesday 3/2 - NYC Hit Squad at Iridium
Friday 3/4 - Lorenza Ponce and Bon Jovi at Mohegan Sun (#HolyMaryMotherOfAllSetlists)
Saturday 3/5 - Bon Jovi at MSG

Yeah ... that just about sums up the chaos. I already wrote a bit about that first duo of Bon Jovi MSG shows, so I'll just jump into the Southside show...

All Was Well in Wellmont

So, as if back-to-back nights at Madison Square Garden wasn't exciting enough, they were followed by a much-anticipated Saturday night in Montclair, NJ with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

I had been looking forward to this show for quite some time, knowing that many of my friends in town for Jovi were going to be attending as well. After meeting up near Port Authority, a few of us girls (including a couple of the crazy Gs who were part of my EuroTour adventure) boarded a bus to New Jersey. #AlwaysAnAdventureWithBAJG (lordy I spend a lot of time on buses in the name of music! *rolls eyes*)

After some slightly anxious moments (seems the bus driver wasn't too keen on telling anybody where the bus stops are ... we were just supposed to know by osmosis!) we eventually make it to the venue with plenty of time for the girls to shop for merchandise and for me to catch up with my Jukes family. In relation to many of my fellow Jukians (Juke-ites? Juke-osos?), I came pretty late to the party. Nonetheless, I have made some great friends amongst the gang and shows are always a blast when we are all together.

I had never been to the Wellmont so I really didn't know what to expect ... the venue was fine, though not crazy about all the concrete within the hall itself (which can wreak havoc on acoustics.) As for the show, in usual Southside Johnny fashion, it was ... well ... unique. WONDERFULLY unique. It is no surprise to regular readers of this blog how much I adore the Jukes - the music, the guys, the spontaneity, the chaos. Never a dull moment ... there was a gorgeous off-the-cuff performance of Up On the Roof, amusing stage banter between Johnny and Kazee, a special guest appearance by Outside the Box keyboard player Mark Masefield, a fantastic cover of Loving Cup by Kazee and a show-ending performance of Hearts of Stone, dedicated to my friend T from Atlanta (a fellow JoviJukesGirl.)

I may have gone a little overboard on the whole picture-taking thing ... I ended up with about 4,000 images. *bows head in shame* But, I can justify it! Jukesfans don't take pictures like Jovinuts do. There isn't as much out there ... I'm single-handedly taking care of that! LOL

Here are some of my faves...

...Southside always wears his heart on his sleeve on stage...

...trumpet player extraordinaire Chris Anderson...

...Jeff Kazee, keeping it all together and moving along...

...and Tom pounding out the beat...

...Jeff and Mark Masefield... (p.s. you should check out OTB's site and listen to their songs. Suddenly Saturday and Silenced the Radio are favorites of mine! Suddenly Saturday has one of the catchiest choruses I've heard in a while.)

...Neal Pawley on trombone...

...quintessential Johnny...

Okay...I better move on given the number of pictures I COULD post of the Jukes. Needless to say, there is no longer a shortage of images. ROFLMAO

So, what was up next? Oh yeah ...

Mr. Bongiovi and the Boys Go to Washington
I always end up going to the DC show, regardless of the "DC curse" that has existed for years. It just happens that the DC show is usually after a big show in either New York or Philadelphia, and as such that show is a bit more lackluster than others. Of course when you are talking Jovi, you are still talking an incredibly high level of performance anyway. Nonetheless, the set list was exactly as I expected. Probably I could have skipped this show, but I'd promised a dear, dear friend of mine that I would take him to his first Jovi concert ever. He loved it ... and got to hear his favorite song off The Circle album (Work for the Working Man.) I got a great dinner and sangria out of it ... and was able to play hooky and work out of my firm's Washington office on Monday. So, in the end, not so bad.

Of course, I took a few pictures ...

...Jon's Mick Jagger impersonation (though in this shot, looks more like the funky chicken. LOL)...

...Richie and Hugh...

...one of my favorites from this show...

...have I mentioned that I love this guitar? (I know...two or three hundred times hehe)...

...Jon's "dance moves" up on the platforms during WGIGO...

...Keep the Faith...

Well, like all good things ... this blog post needs to come to an end at some point. So, until next time (NYC Hit Squad, Mohegan and MSG3) ... ciao for now!

p.s. no worries if you wanted more pictures ... I will be doing some random "images only" posts as I go through the nearly 10,000 pictures I took in the last two weeks. :-)

Now THAT'S What We're Talkin' About!

2011-03-02T14:31:00.004-05:00

So, Friday night at Madison Square Garden. Geez, what can I say?

It was one of those nights that fans live and breathe for -- that perfect combination of a band at the very top of its game, in a legendary venue, doing a never-ending set of your favorite songs (ok, well a number of your favorite songs. LOL)

There was an expectation that night two in Madison Square Garden was going to blow night one away. But, I'm not sure anybody (except for our fearless leader Jon Bon Jovi) knew just how special it was going to be. I have the feeling he was determined to make a significant statement right there in the center of the universe. An epic show that people would be talking about for some time to come ... yeah, that is a nice way to take on The Big Apple.

Up until the encore set, I still thought the show was just a truly good show. The band was considerably tighter than the night before and firing on all cylinders. Transitions between songs were seamless. Every guy on stage was in the moment. Even when they came back on stage and started Dry County, I thought, "ok...not a huge surprise" BUT when they just kept playing ... and playing ... and playing ... When Jon told Tico to sit on down cuz they weren't done yet ... THAT'S when I think the "OH.MY.GOD." realization hit everyone.

With the crowd cheering them on, Bon Jovi ended up doing eight songs in the encore set Friday night. Not sure when was the last time THAT happened. Don't shoot me, but I still don't think it beats that MSG HAND show ... but it was darn close.

As an aside: As Jon kept calling out song after song, I couldn't help but have this HUGE smile on my face. It seemed like Jon was right and "the harder I worked, the luckier I got." I had worked my a$$ off for months to buy those 2nd row tickets ... teaching dozens of extra card classes, spending every free hour working on designs and cutting paper, climbing up and down 5 flights of stairs with all my class materials. It was worth every minute of it. :-)

Well, at some point the evening did have to come to a close. And end it did ... with Just Older. Did you notice that as the more we approached today (Happy Birthday Jonny!) the more that song has shown up in the set list? Hehe. I hear ya, Jon ... I'm having some issues of my own with the whole turning FORTY thing. I really don't feel that old ... well, except after four concerts in four days. But, "It's Alright!" LOL.

It was so great to see so many friends during those two NYC shows -- from Europe, the UK, South America and all across the United States. I know everybody both on the fan club trip and not had a fabulous time because THAT is what Bon Jovi is about ... bringing people together from all around the world.

...oh, before I forget ... yet MORE pictures from that night ...

I love the look on Richie's face ...

He really proved to be Superman that night ...

So close ... yet so far away LOL

Sing it, David!

Yeah, Jon ... it's me ... again ...

I do really love that guitar ...

...and Tico, the one who keeps it all together ...

...my sentiments, EXACTLY! ...

Okay, that's all for now. Yes, I still have many more pictures to go thru. Not sure what I'm supposed to do with all of them now, but ...

Anyhoo, next up on the blog is Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes at Wellmont (one FANTASTIC night) ... and next up in my concert life is the NYC Hit Squad at Iridium tonight. To all those going to JBJ's birthday show in Philly, have fun and sing loud! :-)

Ciao for now ...

Standby for Status...

2011-03-01T11:50:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! It's another indecisive day in U.S. Northeast ... I think Punxsutawney Phil might be slightly bi-polar in his predictions. To Spring or Not to Spring, that is the question!

As for me ... I'm halfway recovered from the four nights/four shows craziness of this past weekend and spending the hours trying to go thru the several thousand pictures I've taken over this last run of concerts. I will admit ... I may have gone a little overboard with the new camera and the continuous-shutter mode. LOL

So...yeah, I know. I owe y'all write-ups on:
- Bon Jovi, Madison Square Garden night 2 (OMG what a night!)
- Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes in Montclair, NJ (OMG what a night!)
- Bon Jovi, Washington, DC (sorry ... just a typical night LOL)

But while I get my thoughts together, how about if I just post some pictures?

a couple of beautiful smiles ...

... LOL (lots of lips!) ...

...and not JUST from the BJ boys ...

Some of my other favorite shots of the last few days (a mix of BJ and Jukes) ...

The two sets of Dynamic Duos:

Okay, then ... I'll be back soon with some words about each of the shows, as well as the unveiling of my 40-song birthday set list request for Southside Johnny. *wink*

MSG1: No Apologies

2011-02-25T12:24:00.003-05:00

The Big Apple. The Greatest City in the Universe.
And at the Center of it All ... Madison Square Garden.

There's nothing like getting excited about your hometown show. Those are the ones you wait for ... the ones you work for. So my friend K and I decided to do the VIP packages for these first two nights (which is why I have taught 3 zillion classes over the past six months. LOL)

I always love shows in NYC because so many people travel here to see them. Some of you know that even two of my crazy Gs (aka "the crazy Germans") decided to fly over at the last minute. Friends from all over the U.S. are in town so every show here is like a family reunion. :-)

So, K and I met at the venue and headed up to the VIP dinner. There was Jovi on the sound system and the video screens and the room was decorated with pictures of the band (most we recognized) as well as some of Tico's artwork ...

and two of the infamous Jovi slot machines. Of course, I HAD to try those out.

Dinner itself was nice. And the never-ending supply of wine always makes BAJG a happy girl. Seems that due to union rules, the raffle they usually have for memorabilia had to be replaced by the staff just randomly giving stuff away. I haven't actually seen the merchandise that comes with the package yet -- but from what we heard it includes a bag, blanket, scarf, hat, leather journal, water bottle and tour program amongst other things. I did get one of my sets of the lithographs ... which are GORGEOUS! ... seriously, my mom is gonna try to steal the one of Tico. LOL

After dinner, we went down to the arena for the show. I was so happy they opened with Last Man Standing. I absolutely LOVE that song and it brings me back to that legendary MSG show during the HAND tour. I took advantage of Jon being at the back to get some pictures of Richie up at the front... :-)

I must say that Jon must have really hauled tush to get back to the stage so quickly because before I knew it, he was up there and they launched into Bad Name ...

Overall, I thought the set list was just fine. The more I listen to The More Things Change, the more I continue to laugh ... the lyrics are just so incredibly spot-on.

"...It’s the same damn song with a different melody

The market keeps on crashin’
Tattered jeans are back in fashion
‘Stead of records, now it’s MP3s

If you hang in long enough they say you’re comin’ back
Just take a look, we’re living proof and baby that’s a fact..."

Seriously! Between Last Man Standing and The More Things Change, we've got some great commentary on the music industry. LOL Anyhoo, I always love hearing In These Arms (encore) and Jon Bon Jovi's vocals on WWWB continue to astound me. Beautiful song ... beautiful lighting!

*sigh*

And certainly one of the absolute highlights of the night was this performance:

No Apologies just works SO WELL live and it seemed to energize Jon even more. As an aside: I must admit, the crowd in Montreal was much more alive (sorry fellow NYC-ites ... tis true.) But Jon was engaging as always, commenting about the Knicks' recent acquisition, the band's history in MSG and (my favorite moment) when he introduced Richie as "Joan's baby boy" ... that was sweet. I didn't see her, but you KNOW Mrs. Sambora was somewhere in the crowd ... singing and dancing, like always.

In terms of the band, I actually felt they played much better in Pittsburgh. There were some strange moments musically throughout that made me think Jon was a bit distracted (totally feasible given the venue and probably being pulled in different directions with family, friends, etc. there) There were transitions that just didn't flow quite right. I have a feeling tonight will be a bit tighter ensemble-wise. As those who read this blog know, I never pull any punches when it comes to writing about music ... #NoApologies. :-)

Overall, it was a great night. I can't wait to see what they have in store for us in round 2!

But, while we wait for this evening to come 'round, here are some pictures ...

...probably my favorite action shot of the night...

I'm a JonGirl thru-and-thru, but ohhh Richie ...

...and I just love this one... :-)

Okay, well that's all for now. I should try to get some work done before, as Yogi Berra said "DejaVu all over again!"

Til later.
BAJG

Oh Canada!

2011-02-21T23:28:00.005-05:00

Bonjour Jovinuts! Hope this finds you all well ... and for those in the U.S., enjoying this Presidents Day holiday. I'm certainly grateful for it after the whirlwind 36 hours I subjected myself to this weekend.

Yes, as many of you know, I decided at the last minute to take a trip up to Montreal for Bon Jovi night 2. So, there I was on the midnight bus from Port Authority ... very much like that scene out of Harry Potter. Luckily, I arrived in one piece as the sun came up in freezing cold, snowy Canada ... hey! they don't call it The Great White North for nothing. LOL

I got a killer rate on a hotel one BLOCK from the venue so I spent the day just relaxing, catching up with friends and watching a bit of tv. By the way, you know you’re in Canada when:

1. Curling is one of the streaming scores on TSN (the Canadian ESPN)
2. You turn on the TV and a classic BON JOVI video is playing ... in this case, “These Days” ... wow, what a treat! They continued featuring the band all day, including the NMS dvd right as I was getting ready to go to the arena. Canada always has great media coverage of Jovi.

Anyhoo, after meeting up with my friend L and her husband for a relaxing pre-concert drink, we headed over to the Bell Centre. With no opening act, we expected 'the boys' to go on around 8ish. Adding to my excitement of the show (for the tales of the Montreal crowds are legendary) was that I was going to meet my friend Juliedreamon in person. She and I have known eachother online for YEARS but always seemed to miss eachother at shows. Not this time!

Well, I thought I was prepared for the cheer from the crowd ... but I wasn't. Holy moly! Those Québécois definitely LOVE their Jovi and that was apparent from the minute the screen started and the roar engulfed the venue. Wow!

Because it was so last-minute, I was happy to get whatever seat I could ... which ended up being a few rows off the circle on Richie's side. Not bad ... but I was grateful for the 26x zoom on the new camera. LOL

Speaking of which, here are a few shots ... (I posted some of these on Twitter that night as well)

...Jon was pumped by the crowd...

...and Richie Sambora was ON FIRE (including a super-bluesy fun LYHOM)...

...probably my favorite shot of the night...

...Living in Sin/Chapel of Love was a great treat...

...I liked this shot as well...

...and it's always a rare thing to get some good shots of Tico Torres...

...there was this great moment with Richie and Hugh rockin' out...

...and I almost missed being close enough to make David do the hand motions during Who Says ...

...Jon DID sing his heart out...

...but the star of the night was the crowd in Montreal which brought Jon Bon Jovi to his knees ...

I have been to a lot of shows. I have experienced some great crowds ... but this one definitely ranked up there in the top 2 or 3 all-time. Absolutely amazing.

After the show, I was back at the hotel in like 10 minutes. LOL I'm DEFINITELY staying there again ... I was uploading pictures while the venue was still clearing out! (Thanks to all who stayed up and joined the post-concert Twitter picture party.)

The next morning, after making the mandatory stop at Tim Horton's for coffee and some donuts for the bus, I headed back to New York. No major drama this time in terms of travel ... though, it was an interesting moment when we stopped at the border and the security dog went BONKERS over the joint that some college kid forgot he had in his pocket. Luckily, the pooch didn't get the munchies too badly ... he would have had to fight me for those donuts! Haha.

So, what's up next? The absolute CHAOS that is the next two weeks ... wanna see the calendar?

Tuesday - Lorenza Ponce at The Living Room
Wednesday - two of my crazy Germans arrive for ...
Thursday - Bon Jovi at MSG
Friday - Bon Jovi at MSG
Saturday - Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes in Montclair, NJ
Sunday - Bon Jovi at Verizon Center

Wednesday - NYC Hit Squad (with Jeff Kazee, Jukes horns, Christine Ohlman) at Iridium (I am missing the Philly Jovishow for the first time in like SIX tours!)
Friday - Lorenza Ponce and Bon Jovi at Mohegan
Saturday - Bon Jovi at MSG
Sunday/Monday - BAJG sleeps for two days straight ROFL

...and the wheels keep on turning... :-)

This is Love...This is LIFE

2011-02-14T11:15:00.006-05:00

Well, Happy Monday morning y'all! *said with totally fake enthusiasm*

It's definitely going to be a slow, lazy Monday for me as I'm still recovering -- mentally and physically -- from the extraordinary show "that damn band" put on in Pittsburgh on Saturday.

I have done some pretty crazy travel things over the years in the name of good music -- so this past weekend wasn't really so out of the norm I guess. Still, it's a lot of time sitting on your tush. Strangely reminiscent of that 18-hour round-trip train ride to Niagara Falls for the Asbury Jukes, my trip to see Bon Jovi in Pittsburgh made me appreciate my iPod and Blackberry even more...the iPod for obvious reasons and the Blackberry so that I could follow Jeff Kazee's play-by-play of the Grammys last night. (If you've never followed one of his "award show evenings in front of the TV" you really should ... some seriously witty stuff. You can find him on Twitter at ... well ... @jeffkazee ... LOL)

Now, on to the show on Saturday. I'm bummed I missed Friday, but after not being at work on Wednesday and Thursday for "the Lorenza show", I figured I should probably put an appearance in at the office before they FIRE me! LOL ...

My friend S and I were blessed with great pit tickets on David's side. I swear that everybody and their brother was there - friends from ALL over the place -- Chicago, Dallas, Seattle, Cincinnati, DC, Philly, Jersey and more! And I was incredibly relieved that both my girls who missed the Starland show due to the snow were there to enjoy this incredible night.

From the moment the screen went up and they launched into "Just Older", you just knew it was going to be one of those nights. Oh, and it was! Any lingering worries I'd had after Wednesday's State College show (yay Lorenza!) about J&R being sick were obliterated by Richie Sambora's wailing guitar and Jon Bon Jovi's unbelievable energy and super-strong vocals. I want some of whatever was in their chicken soup!!

To all those who were disappointed that I didn't do the pbp (awww...thanks!), sorry, but there was just no way to do that and try out my new camera and still actually ENJOY the show at the same time. But, I think my random "Holy Crap!" and "This is insane!" tweets pretty much summed up the evening.

What a treat to hear two of the new songs from the Greatest Hits album - The More Things Change and (my personal fave) This Is Love, This is Life. I have to say that I hope they add This is Love to the regular set list. It worked VERY well live. That was one song where I just put down the camera and sang my heart out. Somehow I feel very connected to the song. *sigh*

Speaking of "the camera" ... a number of you asked last night on Twitter what I got. Well, it's the Nikon P100. And so far, so good. A big THANK YOU to my friend CY who fixed all the settings (since I had just bought the darn thing less than 24 hours before the show. LOL)

So, let's get down to business ...

...this ad for your local dentist brought to you by JBJ...

...those dance lessons are really paying off, my friend!...

Jon: "Damn that Sambora is good! ...

... but, HA! I have a better butt!"

... seriously, folks...the show was great. Jon sounded fantastic on Hallelujah...

...and NOBODY hits like Tico -- and y'all know my mom will be happy I got some decent pics of him! :-) ...

Heck, I even got a good shot of Hugh on the other side of the stage in the dark!

Richie was so funny during LYHOM ... very flirty and bluesy ...

...this was one of my favorite shots of the night...

...and oh, yes, almost forgot David (who sang along and did the hand motions with me on Who Says ... #DefinitelyMadeThatSongMoreBearable LOL) ...

I still have about 300 shots to go thru, so I may post some more later. But, for now, I will leave you with just a few more ...

Ok...I have to get some ACTUAL work done now. Will be back later.

Until then, be safe, be strong, be yourself because ...

THIS IS LIFE!

xoxo
BAJG

Another Opening, Another Show...

2011-02-11T16:35:00.006-05:00

Greetings from the Frozen Apple! Ya know...last year around this time I was in Hawaii, hanging with friends and seeing Jovi shows. Well, as Meatloaf would sing "two out of three ain't bad." Haha.

So...State College, Pennsylvania (... umm definitely NOT Honolulu.)

My attending this show came VERY last-minute. But, I truly believe it was meant to be ... for the sole reason that this was Lorenza Ponce's big solo debut with her band. Thanks to everyone who kept the #TeamLorenza hashtag going. *smile* (And I really appreciate everyone who followed the play-by-play on Twitter and tweeted/texted when they saw me during the live stream.)

As many of you know by now, I don't drive. Haven't had a license since I was maybe 17 or 18. Living in NYC you really don't need one. The only problem is I tend to travel outside of NYC ... A LOT. So I ended up taking the Chinatown bus to State College for the show. The term "Chinatown bus" is actually a general name for several different privately-owned bus companies whose "buses" depart from ... well ... Chinatown. Duh. Please note that the word buses is in quotes ...

After stocking up on roast pork and sweet corn sticky buns (yay, I LOVE food in NYC), my buddy @hugsy2k and I headed for the pick-up point. After several false sightings -- including the bus for the County Jail and what turned out to be a large green sanitation truck -- an old 18-seat Mercedes van-type thing pulled up. L and I said a quick prayer and climbed in. The journey wasn't too bad ... much shorter than "that other trip." There WAS an awkward moment, however, when they purposely left some guy in a McDonald's parking lot somewhere in the middle of Pennsylvania claiming he never paid for his ticket. Ayyy!

Anyhoo, we arrive in State College, meet up with our friend Ryan and head over to the venue. All three of us are fervent supporters of Lorenza and jumping out of our skin with excitement to see her on her big night. Inside the venue, the stage set-up is basically the same as the last leg, though the pit is MUCH smaller ... only six rows this time. Enjoyed talking with old friends--Jovishows are always mini-reunions--until the lights went out.

And then out came Lorenza ... totally rockin' in her leather pants and GORGEOUS White Trash Beautiful top. And she's singing and playing and moving around the stage, working the audience and having a great time. It's amazing to think that just a year ago, she kicked off her first pre-album-release shows at The Living Room. This ride is going FAST so hang on! She did a good selection of songs from her current CD and I happily sang along to every track. LOL

After her set, we went backstage to congratulate her - smiling, hugs, laughter all around. Trying to stay out of the way as the crew got ready for the band to enter, I ended up watching the Bon Jovi boys take their places behind the screen, finally running back to my seat after Jon had gone up the stairs to the stage. A slightly surreal experience.

I know many of you watched the UStream of the show ... how nice that they extended it to over an hour! The set list was as expected for the first show back after the break. And yes, I was happy Lorenza came back on stage for Who Says ... and yes, she totally made me laugh during the whole thing knowing EXACTLY how I feel about that song. (Sorry Jonny...didn't mean to distract her. And for the record, I did raise my hands ... a little. LOL)

Overall, it was a fun "let's get back into it" show complete with some more ... let's just say 'flavorful' chords here and there. I felt for Richie who was fighting a head cold and Jon who seemed on the verge of being the next in his family to get sick. Hope they take care of themselves ... a lot of big shows in a short period of time over the next few weeks. The thing is ... those two guys sick can STILL can kick butt.

I'm not sure if there is a curfew there at Penn State (nice of Jon to throw on a jersey for the final song by the way) because it seemed on the short-ish side. That is, short for a Jovishow ... which is still considerably longer than just about any other touring artist out there. #justsaying

AND, after 15+ shows already on The Circle/Greatest Hits tour, I FINALLY got a frickin' chair. Several times I've been like 1 seat away from "the chair" or ended up in the first row at a venue that wasn't offering "the chair", so getting an extremely expensive metal folding chair (at ticket-only price!) was just the perfect ending to a great night! Though, as I said on Twitter yesterday, at some point during my journey up to my fourth floor walk-up apartment, it went from "the chair!" to "the DAMN chair" LOL Nonetheless, it is proudly sitting in the corner. :-)

So, what's next?

Well, the bus to Pittsburgh leaves at 6:50am tomorrow morning. #IntravenousCoffeePlease

p.s. and good news! I'm getting a new camera today, so hopefully pictures will be MUCH better going forward. #NoGuarantees ;-)

#TeamLorenza

2011-02-08T16:23:00.001-05:00

Greetings Jovifriends! Just wanted to give you the heads up that I will be doing a play-by-play on Twitter (@bigapplejovi) from the first night of the next leg of Bon Jovi's The Circle Tour (are we still calling it that? or is it just BJ Live 2011 now? hmmm....)

TOMORROW NIGHT
Wednesday, February 9th
State College, PA
7:30PM

A public thank you to Jon Bon Jovi because the super-fabulous Lorenza Ponce and her band will be taking to the stage to kick off the night. I CAN'T FRICKIN' WAIT! I'm so excited for her! I'll be using the hashtag #TeamLorenza throughout the set (or at least as much as I can while texting and still singing, smiling and dancing my way thru the show.)

Don't forget that there will also be a live UStream of the first half-hour of the show. Look for me! I'll be front row (yes I get "the chair" LOL) on Richie's side ... maybe I should wear the infamous green shirt? Haha.

Enjoy! See you on the road!

A Night For Lovers...MUSIC Lovers

2011-01-28T10:26:00.016-05:00

Wow! What can I say about last night's JBJ & Friends show at Starland? Well, a whole helluva lot!

Jon Bon Jovi put together a night for MUSIC lovers. With definite influence from Bobby Bandiera, the show was one big rock-n-roll revue featuring my beloved Southside Johnny, as well as Bob Burger and Lisa Bouchelle, among others. Thanks to all who followed the Twitter play-by-play. I had a blast sharing the experience with you.

Even before the screen featuring information on the Parker Pavilion was raised, you could tell there was a LOT of gear on stage. I could see a line of stands for horns (which of course got me all crazy) and percussion plus drum kit plus a BUNCH of mics and amps and ... and ... and ...

Little did we know what we were TRULY in store for!

Okay...so of course, I was trying not to rely too heavily on all the rumors that Southside was going to be up there too. I always love seeing them together, my two favorite guys in the world (who REALLY need to coordinate their concert schedules a bit better so I don't have to run around QUITE so much! LOL)

As the night progressed, it was a constant stream of "oh, man, I LOVE that song" ...

I thought it was poignantly beautiful for them to open with "Help" considering the purpose of the evening's show.

But, it was not to be a night focused on melancholy reflection...it was a night to PARTY! And what better way than a horn-heavy, rockin' version of CC Rider?!

Just about everybody had a chance to sing a song ... and there were some great performances especially by Bob Burger on "She's Not There." If you don't know Bob Burger, you should check him out ... he's a great songwriter sometimes working with Glen Burtnik, another Jersey Shore legend (umm...I'm not sayin' you guys are old, by the way! LOL) I'm hoping somebody got Bob on video.

Well, and, you ALL know of my love of all things Southside Johnny ...

oh, before I continue...must give HUGE shout-out to Deb308 who ALWAYS takes the best video...you should all definitely subscribe to her channel on YouTube #justsaying

Okay, back to the show. As you can see from list, Jon eventually did a few Jovi songs. But honestly, I would have been fine whatever he chose to do. As I said, this was not a show for just Jovipeeps, this was a show for MUSICpeeps ... stuff that has always resonated with me.

This was a night where I felt you see the human Jon ... the fun-loving, likes to hang with his friends, do the songs he loves, rediscover the joy of music, type of Jon. Dancing and singing and swaying his hips, joking and laughing, it makes you think "damn, he must throw a really good backyard barbecue!" LOL

As for the venue, entry, etc. I think most of us thought it would be a similar entry procedure as last time at Starland. I wasn't really prepared to stand out for several hours in line, but if you wanted a relatively decent spot you had no choice but to wait. Luckily, regardless of the 31,486,380 inches of snow we had, the temperature wasn't nearly as brutal as the 2009 show. THAT was ridiculous! (speaking of all the snow...I'm still very bummed my dear friends S and B were not able to fly in...#NotHappyWithMotherNatureRightNow)

We did end up getting a decent spot...here's a picture taken by my pal @hugsy2k who was with me and @Zoe211 and her friend T. I'll be sure to post some of Zoe's pictures in a bit. She was dead center 2nd row. :-) Additional thanks to Z for sending me home with some kick-ass Greek food. LOVE YOU!

Oh, and a note to Starland...hey!...maybe try promoting an UPCOMING show to the people standing in line?! Just a thought.

They had this "welcome to an evening of JBJ and Friends" recording on a constant loop for HOURS. We could all recite it verbatim. And I love how they emphasize he's playing "LIVE" ... well, he certainly wouldn't be playing dead now, would he? Haha.

Gotta go for now...will be back later with more pictures and more mundane commentary. LOL

P.S. Oh, and I got a JBJ guitar pick! Yay!

P.S.2. THIS JUST IN...one of Zoe's pictures...SSJ on harmonica. He and Bobby had a great little impromptu jam session at the end. :-)

Put Me In (Cold), I'm Ready to Play Today

2011-01-17T22:25:00.017-05:00

*blog title sung to the tune of "Centerfield" by John Fogerty*

Greetings friends! Hope this finds you well and enjoying a great start to the new year.

I wasn't going to post for a while, but I just simply had to talk a little about Friday night. I will keep it brief ... ok ... probably not.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I was very much looking forward to the return to the stage of the Early Elton Trio. Having had a less-than-lovely week, I was counting the hours until the start of the show. So, after a completely unproductive Friday afternoon at the office, I headed over to Rockwood Hall. (For those of you who have seen Lorenza Ponce at The Living Room, Rockwood is basically down the block and around the corner.)

After a quick stop at Sugar Cafe for a cup of coffee, I went and got in line. As a Jovigirl, I have no problem with lining up early, but it was frickin' FREEZING outside. I honestly thought I would never get the feeling back in my fingers and toes again! (I am so not looking forward to the parking lot at Starland for Jon Bon Jovi & Friends later this month. #justsaying)

The last time I saw EE, they were playing BB King's so to see them in a much more intimate space was a real treat. It is a split-level venue with only a few tables downstairs close to the stage and mostly standing room. My friend and I were lucky to snag bar stools with a clear view of the piano keyboard ... a MUST for me.

Musicians must learn to perform in whatever environment they are thrown into. Sometimes it's an ideal situation (like Carnegie Hall) ... sometimes ... well ... it's not (for example, playing Haydn 'Creation' in the middle of the Amazon Jungle in Peru. No joke. That's a story for another time, though.)

In the case of Jeff, John and Rich, they had no time in the venue Friday prior to the show. Add to it that, for pianists, they are obligated to play whatever is rolled out in front of them. (Luckily, this seemed to be a pretty decent Steinway.) Add to that, it was like 15 degrees outside and everyone's hands were cold. After just a few minutes of getting some general sound levels and having (as Jeff described it) a "blind date" introduction to the piano, they launched the show with this:

Pretty incredible, huh?

...and then they just kept playing...and singing...and playing...and singing.

All-in-all they played a 1.5 hour set that included better-known songs like Levon, Take Me to the Pilot and Country Comfort (which I always want to call Southern Comfort. LOL) as well as deeper cuts like My Father's Gun. But the highlight of the night for me was an out-of-this-world performance of Madman Across the Water. You can find it on YouTube here ... which is great ... but experiencing it live. Lordy! It left me speechless (and y'all know me ... that is quite a feat!)

Of course, I've seen Jeff Kazee and John Conte play quite a bit (ok, A LOT) as they are both Jukes. Rich Pagano is best known as the drummer for The Fab Faux, but like the others, does a ton of other work. All three can really sing. All three can really play. Listen to this! (Oh, and don't miss Conte's super-cool lick at 4:17 ...)

Then, they followed that with Grey Seal! I honestly don't know how Kazee's hand didn't literally fall off. I am thinking that arm/hand massage gift certificates are going to be his favorite Christmas and birthday gifts. LOL

With the new website and an announcement that they will be playing later in the year in Hempstead, NY, I'm excited that I will be able to see them perform again soon. If you are in the tri-state area I highly recommend you catch their show.

Well, that's all for now folks. Until later ...
xoxo
BAJG

p.s. Videos courtesy of Marc M. who recorded just about the whole show. THANKS MARC! Chocolates are on the way!

p.s.2. Also, be sure to visit the Early Elton Trio's facebook page.

The Year In Review

2011-01-11T20:00:00.011-05:00

Okay...so it's a little late, but nonetheless, here it is. My 2010 in a nutshell (wow! now, THAT'S a loaded statement! LOL)

*I can't find my envelope with all my Jovi ticket stubs...I'm bummed*

Top Ten Shows
I had the privilege of attending A LOT of events this year...some memorable, some not-so-much. Not nearly as amusing as Letterman's Top Ten, but probably more meaningful ... here's the list in order: (you can click on title of each to read the corresponding blog post)

1. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes at The Stone Pony (July)
I went to over 25 SSJ shows in 2010 ... each one of them was an unforgettable and unique experience. But this show, in particular, holds very special memories for me. In addition to an amazing set list on a perfect summer night, there was humor beyond belief as well as some personally poignant moments. I still carry around Andy York's guitar pick as a reminder of that night. It was clearly the #1 show of the year for me.

2. Bon Jovi in Honolulu (February)
Paradise + Bon Jovi = *Sigh*
It was a treat to completely miss the snowstorm in NYC, instead opting for mai-tais on the beach and beautiful evenings under the tiki torches. Less of a concert and more like two open rehearsals, we were lucky to hear some incredibly rare tracks that hadn't been played in YEARS. What a great way to kick off The Circle "Centipede" Tour.

3. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes at The Paradiso in Amsterdam (October)
Don't even know where to begin. A lot of laughter, a bit of sadness. It was an incredible show in an absolutely gorgeous venue with some of my closest friends. It kicked off four wacky days of cars, trains, trams, planes and wine, beer, chocolate and pastries (the 4 major food groups?)

4. Bon Jovi opening the "New Giants Stadium" (May)
What a crazy whirlwind THAT was! The Big Apple became Bon Jovi Central for that week. Everybody and their brother coming to the States for the shows ... my crazy Germans, the Italians, the Aussies, the UKers. A little bittersweet now - it was the beginning of some great friendships and the end of some others. Let's not talk about night 4 though ... ouch ... poor Jonny.

5. Early Elton Trio at BB Kings (March)
Easily one of my fave shows of the year. What is it about EE shows always happening when I'm having a crap week?! Divine intervention maybe? Whatever the case, there is nothing like rediscovering great songs you forgot about while watching fantastic musicians playing their hearts out. Nice.

6. Bon Jovi at Soldier Field Night #2 (July)
My hometown. My childhood best friend. Turn the Page. Damned. Need I say more? LOL

7. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes in Amagansett (September)
What a night!! There was a hurricane-ish. There were great songs. There was free wine all night. There was Jon Bon Jovi. *smile*

8. Lorenza Ponce at The Living Room (May)
I was lucky enough to see Lorenza perform several times during the year, but this one was made extra-special by the dozens of Jovi-ites who were able to attend and the kick-ass afterparty upstairs. Now, THAT was a record launch!

9. Southside Johnny/Jukes AND Bon Jovi at Blossom (July)
Ahhh, Cleveland ... but not quite. Couldn't miss going to this show knowing that my two favorite gangs o' guys would be there together. Ok, so Jon might have been a little loopy due to the pain meds, but he still rocked the whole evening.

10. The Tony Awards (June)
Theatre-wise, it was the year of MEMPHIS. Sure, I saw other things too but lordy, how many times have I seen that show?! So to be there when they won the Tony was out of this world. Don't think I've EVER cheered so loud. Oh, and the afterparty with the American Idiot guys was fun too ... painful the next morning LOL ... but a lot of fun at the time! Haha.

So there you have it. The year that was.

There were so many other good nights - Lifehouse, Daughtry, Melissa Etheridge, Sugarland, kazeedigs (and its poster that I still covet), Rick Springfield, new artists, old artists, other Jovi shows, other Jukes shows. Hopefully, there are more good nights to come...you never know what tomorrow will bring, so you gotta live every day.

Rose Trees CAN Grow in New York City

2011-01-06T14:45:00.000-05:00

Happy Thursday friends! ...oh and since this is the first post of 2011, Happy New Year! etc. etc. etc.

Well, the year certainly kicked off with a bang ... aka Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes NYE show at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, NJ. I really love that venue ... so many amazing memories over the years. Any of us who had the privilege of attending the Bon Jovi Christmas shows or Bobby Bandiera's Hope concerts there feels the same way I'm sure.

Historically, January and February are two of the slowest months in terms of performance activity. But not this year! The next several weeks look to be incredibly crazy, starting with the Jukes tomorrow night at HighLine Ballroom and ending with the Jon Bon Jovi & Friends show at Starland at the end of the month. And, let's not even discuss February/early March when the many-legged Jovi Centipede Tour struts thru the Northeast.

But for me, the highlight of the month is definitely Jeff Kazee/John Conte/Rich Pagano doing their "Early Elton Trio" show. The first (and actually only) time I've seen them was last March and I've been hoping/begging/praying for another performance ever since. (Note to Maestro Kazee: Sorry for all the cyber-nagging ... well ... not really that sorry.)

Anyhoo, why did I love this show so much?

First off, it's just excellent music. I mean, seriously ... how can you NOT love "Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters"? I don't know ... maybe I have a special affection for that song because I live in NYC. Or maybe because the lyrics feel representative of (my) life -- some paradoxical mix of resignation and optimism. *sigh* Whatever the reason, I can't wait to hear the guys do that one.

And now I know
Spanish Harlem are not just pretty words to say
I thought I knew
But now I know that rose trees never grow in New York City
...
This Broadway's got
It's got a lot of songs to sing
If I knew the tunes I might join in
I'll go my way alone
Grow my own, my own seeds shall be sown in New York City
--Elton John/Bernie Taupin

Secondly, I love to see (good) musicians doing what they love. And, you're talking some awesome talent. By the way, if you ever want to experience true kick-ass bass playing, just go to a Jukes show and listen to John Conte tear it up on "Trapped Again." #justsaying

I think it is important to say that I am not a fan of impersonators and this show is definitely NOT that. We aren't talking fake personalities and questionable costumes (no! the guys actually dress that way 'normally' LOL) ... we're just talking great songs written by great artists performed by great musicians. So, there you have it: beauty can grow in New York City.

Here's the guys at work...

Also, check out their performance of Amoreena.

I will certainly be there. If you live in/near NYC, hopefully you can join me. Here are the details:

Friday, January 14th at 8:30pm
Early Elton Trio
Rockwood Music Hall
196 Allen Street
Tickets: $12 advance/$15 day of (really, $12?! that's sacrilegious ... worth SO much more!)
http://www.rockwoodmusichall.com/

Have questions? Need directions? Feel free to contact me at bigapplejovi@yahoo.com.

p.s. also at Rockwood later in February (2/19) is Outside the Box, a good young band from the Jersey Shore (the real Jersey Shore if you catch my drift)...the 1am start time is a killer, though. I'm getting too old for this!

It Takes A Village

2010-12-30T23:57:00.016-05:00

Greetings friends! Hope this finds you well and surviving the holidays (whoa oh, we're halfway there!) And for those who got slammed with the snow, hope you've been able to entertain yourself while holed-up in your house/apartment/whatever. I DO believe it was for times like these that YouTube was created! LOL

Anyhoo, I wasn't planning on posting until after the new year, but this blog is mostly about my trials, tribulations and triumphs while following around my favorite musicians. So, I couldn't neglect sharing the "fun" that was my day yesterday.

For some reason, I have never seen Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes at The Birchmere in Alexandria, VA regardless of the fact that it is literally five minutes from my old apartment (I spent a year and a half commuting back and forth -- working at our firm's DC office during the week and spending the weekends back in NYC.)

I decided the time had come, so off I went to our nation's capitol.

Well, due to getting dumped on at work (what?! like getting dumped on by Mother Nature wasn't enough?!) I ended up not being able to leave for the show until the same day. No problem though - I've taken the bus ($30 round-trip!!) a zillion times without issue. Well, not this time. *rolls eyes*

The bus was late leaving. Then it took nearly 45 minutes to get out of NYC. Then there was a ton of traffic on the reduced speed NJ Turnpike. Then we get to the last toll in NJ just before you go over the Delaware Memorial Bridge. It was at that time, everything stopped. The road had become a parking lot. As the minutes ticked away, I kept looking at my watch and freaking out. We had managed to go 0.25 miles in 1.5 hours. This was NOT looking good.

I found myself reaching out to the internet via my Crackberry ... and through the wonder of Twitter and Facebook I attempted to keep some semblance of sanity (a preemptive SHUT UP to those who would insert a comment here. LOL)

Ultimately, a 4.5 hour bus ride became an 8-hour marathon. Ugh. But, I appreciate the dozens of tweets and fb posts from my wonderful (yet slightly wacky) friends. As a dear friend said, "it was like tracking Santa on Christmas Eve!" LOL

So...I'd like to say a few special thank yous:

- to @jeanie_ann for sending real-time point-to-point travel estimates via the I-95 website ("...so where are you now?")

- to @zoe211 for consistently sending me positive vibes/tweets/texts for hours and hours *muah*

- even to @jeffkazee regardless of his later admission that he was quite amused by my increasing level of angst (ummm...thanks a bunch for your support...I think)

But "good guy of the night" definitely goes to drummer Tom "Goose" Seguso who chivalrously offered to feign illness in an effort to delay the start of the show. Thanks Tom, you ROCK!

Now, as for the show!

I can see why the band (and many other artists for that matter) include The Birchmere in their list of favorite venues. There is definitely a warmth and intimacy to the place, even though it holds A LOT of people. And the place was PACKED ... totally sold out. (Yay Jukes!) After an "interesting/slightly frightening" cab ride from Union Station, I arrived at 8:29pm (literally only a minute to spare!) and totally lucked out to find a single seat at a table maybe 20 feet from the stage on the keyboard side.

The great thing about a Jukes show is that you'll never get the same thing twice. And I mean NEVER. There were so many great moments during the show last night that I wish I had filmed the whole thing.

Every band frontman needs a sidekick (for lack of a better word) to bounce things off of both musically and in terms of stage banter. And the repartee between Johnny and Kazee is one of the best around. Whether it's Jeff vs Johnny debating the value/spirit/wonder of Christmas or Jeff cheekily informing Johnny that after he brilliantly improvised a version of "Hold on William Searington" that the fan had actually requested "All I Want is Everything." Priceless!

On top of all the laughs was, of course, great music. The new material from "Pills and Ammo" continues to simply astound. I think it was one of the best versions of Cross That Line I'd heard yet ... and I've heard a few. I was delighted to hear When Rita Leaves, which was eventually played after the first attempt morphed into a fantastic cover of Ben E. King's Spanish Harlem. Making the whole transportation ordeal worth it was a breathtakingly soulful 2nd verse of my favorite song (Lost) sung by Mr. Kazee.

Due to where I was in the hall, I didn't feel quite as connected to the horn section as I usually do ... yes, when it comes to the Jukes, location is everything. Nonetheless, as usual, the guys played and "danced" with joy befitting the season and bari sax god Eddie Manion was incredible on Unchain My Heart.

After a good 2.5 hours, the night sadly came to an end ... but with an incredible performance of Hearts of Stone that left everybody in awe and wanting more. *sigh*

Luckily, I don't have to go thru too much withdrawal ... for Friday we ring in 2011 at the Count Basie in Red Bank, NJ. I can't wait to see what magic we get tomorrow.

So, wishing you all a happy and healthy, music-filled new year.
xoxo
BAJG

Note: By the way, the SSJ photos in this post are by the fantastic Jerry Frishman. Isn't that black and white one of Johnny absolutely GORGEOUS?! You can visit his website to see more of his work. :-)

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T10:56:00.003-05:00

Greetings, friends. Just wanted to do a quick post to wish all of you a happy holiday season. Thanks for reading my babbling throughout the year, it's MUCH appreciated. Peace and love to you!

... and, it just wouldn't be Christmas without this video ... *sigh*

"See" you in 2011.
xoxo
BAJG

Sound Familiar...?

2010-12-13T11:13:00.009-05:00

Happy Monday y'all. Ugh.

So ... there are a few web pages I visit every morning as soon as I get to the office (oh, I mean, as soon as I wake up....right...that's it!)

Besides CNN, the NY Times and the ultimate news source, Facebook (!), I always, ALWAYS check in on the Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes site.

And one of the highlights is reading a new Question of the Week answered by Johnny himself. He is really quite good at penning some really funny stuff on a regular basis. (I'll post a few excerpts below...)

Anyhoo, this week's question was this...

... are there songs in the Jukes repertoire/back catalogue that you just can't bear to sing 'again'?
JC - Abu Dhabi

Man, what is you doin' in Abu Dhabi? Catching a ferocious tan? Building some serious skyscrapers? Or just looking for some surf? Yes. mon ami, there are times I get tired of songs. But you know what? Then I just stop doing them for a while. But even when I think I can't do some tune no more, the band starts it and the crowd responds and away we go. Ya see; a large part of a Jukes show is the audience. Sounds corny, but when we get great feedback from you peoples, we immediately perk up and want to play and enjoy. We never go thru the motions. Even when the crowd is not with us, we get angry and try to kick ass to prove ourselves. That's what makes a Juke. Me included. It's cause our parents hated us and beat us and... no... we just like to play. You know, like real musicians. That's us.

Reading Southside's response, I couldn't help but think...and THAT is where Jon Bon Jovi comes from. Sure, there are nights that all you can muster isn't quite as much as you'd like. But, you go out there - you work hard - you let the crowd help drive you - as Jon would say, you try to "win the night." Being fans, we see the ups and downs from show to show and I think that makes us appreciate our favorite bands that much more.

In truth though, isn't that how we all basically live our lives? You do the best you can at any given moment. Sometimes it's great. Sometimes not so much. Sometimes life kicks you in the ass. Sometimes you kick it right back. :-)

Okay ... enough with the philosphical blah blah blah ... here are a few fun excerpts for your reading pleasure ...

a Miss Bongiovanni reference while talking about the "joy" of tour travel ...

We few, we stalwart, we brave, we....JUKES! The bread truck is a rite of passage for new Jukes and an old friend to the vets. Many many card games and movies and naps and pee stops and lunches on the M1. But we try to keep the trips short. If we could afford a big, shiny tour bus, we would all be spoiled like the Bon Jovians and demand bee pollen and Remy Martin backstage, and where would that get us? Happy? Content? Well rested? No No No; such is not the stuff of Jukedom. We must have angst and anger and fatigue to take on stage and fuel our mission. Would the Crusaders have taken Jerusalem if they crossed Europe on a tour bus? Would Hannibal have gotten over the Alps? (Maybe, but I doubt them elly-phumps woulda fit into a busbunk. And who's gonna shovel? Eddy? I don't think so.) No, riches and luxury are not our fate. We are the warriors of the road, and take pride in our bruises... Shootmeshootmeshootmeshootmeshootme!!!!!!!!! Shootmeshootmeshootmeshootmeshootme!!!!!!!!!

...and from Johnny's most recent "Jive" (these come less frequently but are equally amusing...)

The new CD is going to be available soon. When, exactly? How the f*&%k would I know. I'm the LEAD SINGER! You know; the one who stares off into space between verses and has to be told when to go on stage and when to get off, and when to comb his hair and what town we're in and what his name is? That guy. That's me. And I do a damn fine job, too. Basta. ...

...We are having a release party just about everywhere the law will let us. June 5th at BB's in NYC is for the press and radio and dead sea slugs. Prizes will be given for those who can tell the difference. You can come, but you have to wear a fedora with a press card stuck in it. Or just act obnoxious. That'll do it. ...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gotta love that! Now, wouldn't it be great if JBJ took a cue from his idol and wrote something for the BJ site every week? #justsaying

Speaking of Idol ... be sure to check out Crystal Bowersox's debut album "Farmer's Daughter" (out tomorrow) ... I never watched the show so I really didn't know anything about her. But, my musical spirit guide is playing on it and he has never steered me wrong (well, maybe once or twice but I think he was trying to get me "Lost." hehe ... bad pun ... it's Monday ... gimme a break.)

p.s. SSJ pics by Linda T (I think) or maybe Tisha/Tasha ... not sure, but they rock! :)

p.s.2. ...added later...just got my copy (signed and everything!) of Farmer's Daughter ... loading it into iTunes right now. :-)

Happy Birthday Johnny!

2010-12-04T10:59:00.002-05:00

You know how us JoviPeeps always say "blame Jon"? Well, in the case of today's topic it is the absolute truth.

I discovered Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes solely because of Jon Bon Jovi. They always say look at the influences of the artists you like/respect/admire. So I did. And I found a band and a music that spoke to my heart and soul more than any other ... maybe even more than Bon Jovi, itself.

So today we honor the complicated, cranky, intellectual, sensitive, cynically optimistic man that fearlessly leads that gang of magnificent misfits (himself included.) (Oh, and the fact is, I think he's in truth a really kind-hearted, mushy, sentimental guy. But, I won't tell anyone Johnny. Promise.)

Southside probably wouldn't want a party (regardless of the song) ... he'd most likely prefer to be reading a book somewhere quiet or going out in search of rare birds. But, that doesn't have to stop me from celebrating. :-)

Here's a little video tribute to the LEAD SINGER ... (I'll try to be reasonable in the number of videos but there are just so many good songs, it's very hard to choose #justsaying)

...well, this could explain a lot... ("My Parents are Strange")

...perfection...on so many levels...

...one of my great memories from this last trip to Europe... *sigh*

*yeah, and that would be my head in the first few seconds of the video. LOL*

ok, I won't lie...THIS was my greatest memory from the trip... :)

Anyhoo, an all-time favorite song (along with about 30 others!)

...and because it just never gets old...

So, thank you JBJ ... I will be eternally grateful. :-)

To Southside Johnny ... raise a glass to the comrades we've lost and may you enjoy your birthday in a place where you can't be found. See you at The Birchmere.

P.S. Wanna give a gift to Johnny? Go and vote for the Jukes by visiting THIS SITE.

Concert Spotlight: MSG 2005

2010-12-02T14:32:00.003-05:00

So, I was sitting here crunching numbers on the big-a$$ JoviSpreadsheet trying to figure out what the heck I'm going to do about tickets for MSG3 when I started down memory lane.

Living in "the greatest city in the universe" (hey, Jon said that, not me. But at least that time he didn't lie! LOL) I am blessed to be within spitting distance (ewww) of one of the greatest venues in the history of mankind. (is that too over-the-top?)

I can't even count how many events I've seen at Madison Square Garden - well, except the number of Knicks games - that would be ONE. I'm just not a professional basketball fan. But anyhoo, I've been to a ton -- from hockey games and lacrosse and tennis matches to concerts by among others Elton John, Billy Joel (both separately and together), Springsteen, Neil Diamond (hey! don't knock him--he's a GREAT performer!) and of course, the Bon Jovi boys.

I think I've been to every MSG JoviShow ... and there's been some great ones. But, one stands out above all others. And the memory of that single show is what drives me to look at that spreadsheet just a little closer.

You know the one I'm talking about.

The legendary one.

The epic one.

HAND tour night 2.

I got out of that show and walked back to my friend's apartment on 23rd and 1st in near-record time. He lived in a fifth floor walk-up and I literally flew up the stairs. I remember calling my mom and telling her it was the best Bon Jovi show I had ever seen -- to which she replied "you've said that about the last 60-some Bon Jovi shows you've seen." LOL

But, this was no lie. The crowd was amazing, often drowning out the band completely. The band was on fire - every one of them. It was the night Richie sliced his thumb open...

...and Jon Bon Jovi worked himself past the point of exhaustion.

There were two encore sets.

There was a "Living on a Prayer" so loud that the floor shook.

There was a "Treat Her Right" that has never EVER been matched ...

*and look...solos by Bobby Bandiera and Jeff Kazee (go Jukes!)* :-)

I've seen dozens of shows since that one. Some truly wonderful ones. But nothing has ever rivalled those three hours in Madison Square Garden. Period.

So...okay...back to the spreadsheet I go.

Checking circulars. Maybe ramen noodles are on sale this week? LOL

P.S. And, hey! Speaking of my beloved Asbury Jukes, please visit Little Steven's website and vote for "the coolest song in the world of 2010." (Now, I won't tell you which to vote for, but I personally like the one that rhymes with "floss that whine" #justsaying.)

Being thankful...

2010-11-24T12:30:00.004-05:00

*warning! mushy post alert!*

Greetings friends! Well, tomorrow is Thanksgiving...probably my favorite holiday. In my family, we had so many traditions when it came to this holiday -- from homemade sweet, hot cinnamon rolls in the morning while watching the Macy's Parade to my dad making his famous cranberry-orange relish to my brother and I fighting over the last of the green bean casserole...oh, and me always getting in trouble for sneaking turkey under the table to the cat. ;-)

But, living in NYC, traditions have changed slightly. I still watch the Macy's Parade...but often in person (like tomorrow...yay to MEMPHIS who will be featured around 9am!) And sadly, my dad is no longer with us to make the relish ... oh, but I do still sneak turkey to the cat. LOL

One thing that hasn't changed over the years, however, is the reminder for me to be thankful...for my friends, my family (complicated as that is) and without a doubt ... for music. In my opinion, music truly is the universal language and the ultimate healer. It can get us thru good times and bad times. It can bring us together regardless of geography or religion. It can remind us of people and places in our past. And it's the reason we continue to make new memories.

So, thank you to...

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, for their uncanny ability to get me out of whatever cranky-ass mood I'm in...

and my beloved Jon Bon Jovi and his band of brothers, for reminding me to always take life by the horns--work hard, play hard and never give up...

And, since Thanksgiving is the official start to the Christmas season (despite the 11 times Kazee has already heard that Mariah Carey song LOL), here is a fun little ditty/video from the Jukes' Neal Pawley and his cohort in crime Thomas Foyer (aka 11 Acorn Lane)...

So, regardless of whether you live in the States and celebrate the holiday or not, it's never a bad day to just stop and say thanks.

p.s. ...and that includes saying thanks to all of you who continue to read my crazy ramblings, send me pictures/videos/comments/etc. and put a smile on my face. See y'all on the road somewhere. :-)

The Greatest New Venue?

2010-11-16T08:30:00.008-05:00

...is it possible that the best new venue could be a parking lot? Haha.

I think I should just hang out in the parking lot at the new Giants Stadium (ok, NMS ... whatever.) First, the Bon Jovi boys open the joint on an absolutely GORGEOUS day (thanks L, for bringing the coffee :-) ...

*video by my twitterpal @mezjovi

...and then last Sunday (when the Giants were painfully slapped around by the Cowboys, UGH!) Southside Johnny and his gang played the pre-game for the second time this season ...

p.s. you might not know, but the power went out in the middle of the game -- there is something about Jukes and Jovi and blowing out the electric -- Jovi did it there at the opening show in May and the Jukes blew out the power in the town on Leicester during their EuroTour. :-) With Jon Bon Jovi and the Jukes BOTH at the stadium, it was bound to happen, right?!

Well, that's all for now folks. Working hard, paying for tickets for "that damn band" ... (y'all saw they added a THIRD MSG show right? Note to Jon Bon Jovi: I'm running out of body parts! LOL)

STILL Smiling...

2010-11-11T12:26:00.006-05:00

Well, it's been over 12 hours since the end of the Best Buy Theatre show and I'm still smiling. :-)

Ya know ... every time I want to slap myself silly for spending an obscene amount of money on "that damn band", they put on a show that reminds me EXACTLY why I spend an obscene amount of money on "that damn band." LOL

What an incredible night! From the moment the band took the stage and Jon started "Not Fade Away" ...

I heard him do this ONCE ... years and years ago at one of the solo shows. Just blew me away. :-)

We don't often have General Admission in the States, but I'm always glad when we do. I was able to get a spot basically between Jon and David in the 2nd/3rd ish row. Ironically, growing up, I hated being the tall girl. Now, I thank my dad at every JoviShow that I'm 5'10". LOL

The set list was what I expected ... similar to Letterman but an extra few songs. But, the energy was completely different than the night before. The stage was pretty bare EXCEPT for this absolutely awesome huge gold heart and dagger at the back that would look lovely in my apartment (though I'd have to knock a big hole in the ceiling. Haha.)

And Jon Bon Jovi is no dummy. He had to know that standing at the mic in the middle of the stage that it would appear as if the wings were coming out from behind him like an angel. Art imitating life? LOL I'll post a couple of the pictures my friend B got a bit later ... serious angel-action going on. :-)

But honestly, it was a great show. Nice of Jon to mention MEMPHIS which plays 6 days a week just a few doors down the street. He also talked about the band opening what was then the Nokia Theatre ... that was a good show too by the way, launch of the HAND album. Seems like forever ago now!

And I loved when Jon messed up the words and totally rolled his eyes. The slip was barely noticeable, but his reaction was adorable. And, man, did he ever jump around and dance. He said he wasn't supposed to get sweaty last night ... yeah right, okay.

After the show, a few of us JoviGirls went out for dinner and margaritas (emphasis on the Texas-sized margaritas! Hehe.) It was a fantastic end to an incredible evening. There is nothing like celebrating the true friendships that have been created because of this band. I have met some of the most incredible ladies (and a few gentlemen too) over the years. Definitely makes up for some of the bad moments we've all experienced in the world of fandom.

So, there it is. One fabulously wild night. Up next? The Today Show ... hope my body can make it through. Ugh.

P.S. A HUGE THANK YOU (once again) to Backstage with Jon Bon Jovi for offering fan club members tickets to this! $50 for 2nd row - can't beat that!! Matt, Rob et al ... MUCH appreciated!

Mid-Week Recap

2010-11-10T09:20:00.013-05:00

Greetings JoviNuts! Well, we're halfway there (yeah, go ahead ... sing the rest of the line) thru record release week of the Bon Jovi Greatest Hits (TWO! as they made sure to point out last night. haha) festivities. I actually finally ordered mine today ... sorry I'm late Jonny, but no worries -- it still will count for units sold during release week. :-)

Standby for Status
So, a couple of my crazy German girls arrived on Sunday and we all went together to watch the "One Night Only" movie at 42nd Street Times Square on Monday. A bit of a wacky night. They actually couldn't get the damn thing to play! Surprisingly, there were only about 30 people or so in the theater ... a good portion of which were JoviStaff and crew, including among others, the mighty (and always kind) Paul Korzilius, the unstoppable Scott Casey and the guy we affectionately refer to simply as "Trainer." They were all great in hanging out and chatting while AMC tried to figure out what to do. It took nearly an hour, a theater change and a couple of mis-starts before we were able to actually view the movie. Hey, but we did get free soda and movie passes out of the ordeal! LOL

As for the movie itself, it was nice to re-live some of those great moments from the Giants shows in May. (No, I still will not call it New Meadowlands Stadium. So there!) I thought the tracking was actually much better than the MSG dvd in terms of songflow. And, yes, it was alright that they chose not to include Who Says You Can't Go Home. ;-) Not shocked they didn't include Runaway from the first night when the sound cut out, but would have loved to see that ... one of my great memories is when the crowd took over and just kept going.

Seeing Bon Jovi perform (even on film) reminds me of why I really do love this band. They can deliver a song. Period. For example, When We Were Beautiful ... on the record, didn't quite love it. But, Jon's vocal performance of it is consistently amazing. It actually became one of the songs I looked forward to each night I saw them on the last leg of the tour.

All-in-all, I enjoyed the movie and hey, got to see a show and not have my feet hurt at the end. Haha. And my commute home was like 5 minutes (I live on 43rd Street.) I did think it was too short ... and I wish they would have kept in more of Jon's comments between the songs (even if we could all recite it verbatim. LOL) I was disappointed to hear, though, that they don't plan on releasing this on DVD. I think it would be a great addition to our collections.

"The New Fab Four"
I know many of you were able to catch the Letterman webcast show last night. Thanks for all the texts and tweets of BigAppleJovi sightings (... ahh, the green shirt was a hit!) Even though the entry was ridiculous and the later people showed up, the better seats they got (ugh) it was a really fun experience. I'm not one of those people who just has to be in the first row (ok, for the Jukes yes) ... I just want to be able to look Jon in the eye. Really ... one look and a big smile from Jon and I'm toast. Still, after all these years. Haha.

For those who asked about Jon wearing a scarf ... it was quite chilly in there and it was smart of him to keep his throat warm. I wore a scarf too for that matter. LOL The place did certainly warm up though as the band played. And it was great to see them all so relaxed and having fun (especially "fearless leader.") Highlight was definitely the whole "Beatles bow" thing ... first Jon commented about playing there and the great history of the Ed Sullivan Theatre. Then he had Richie join him for a bow. And, best was at the end when Tico was able to climb down from the drum riser and do the bow with them. Very cute. (Also funny was when Jon nearly got ran over by one of the camera guys ... the look on his face was priceless!)

As expected, it was about an hour show with many of the hits we know and love. I even sang along and did the arm calisthenics during Who Says haha ... no, that wasn't me that Jon was making fun of during that song. I didn't expect Keep the Faith so that was a nice surprise. And Prayer wasn't on the original setlist so I'm glad they came back and did that. I truly think Jon was "just getting warmed up now" and would have been happy to play a few more songs, but alack and alas I will have to wait until tonight.

So, up next is the Best Buy show. Yet another teaser -- I think it's only 90 minutes. Ahh, but for $50 you can't beat that. Don't even ask how much I just spent on MSG tickets ... lordy! One slightly used, bruised kidney available for immediate purchase! :-)

P.S. Forgot to mention that Richie's mom was the next row over from me. She was standing and singing and dancing the whole time. It was great to see her and she's always so gracious with fans. Thanks, Mrs. Sambora!

Ahhh...Record Release Week

2010-11-08T10:04:00.022-05:00

Happy Monday!! Ok...normally, I would not be so enthused about the start of the week, but this isn't just any week is it? It's Bon Jovi record release week! :-)

Now admittedly, it's not like we're getting anything particularly new with this release - for it is a Greatest Hits compliation and a few songs that we've all already heard via planned "leaks" by bonjovi.com et al.

Still...it's always an exciting time. And an exhausting one too. Blame Jon Bon Jovi. My schedule for the next few days:

Monday - "One Night Only" at AMC 42nd Street with my JoviGirls
Tuesday - Letterman webcast show from the Ed Sullivan Theatre (a huge thank you to Backstage with Jon Bon Jovi, Matt and Rob for getting us in!!)
Wednesday - the Best Buy (aka Nokia) Theater show
Friday - Today Show (ugh, early morning)

So, stay tuned for recaps of these events. I'll be tweeting from Letterman if possible ... you can follow me at BigAppleJovi on Twitter. :)

It feels good to be back in JoviMode as I have been in serious JukesMode for the past couple of months.

Speaking of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, I took a quick trip up to Niagara Falls to catch their show at the Seneca Casino on Friday. Ok, quick would not be the most accurate word ... not even close! Nine hours each way on the train (hell, in that amount of time I could have flown back to EUROPE!)

In any case, it was worth every minute. There is nothing like seeing one of your favorite bands when they are firing on all cylinders. And that's what we got on Friday. Welcoming back bass player extraordinaire John Conte (you JoviNuts might remember that he played the Starland show) it was just one of those nights when all the pieces fit in place ... including some classic funny happenings on stage (flying sneakers, flying money, flying mic stands.) Also bought my 19th (to the best of my recollection) copy of Pills & Ammo ... I swear I am single-handedly putting their kids thru college. ROFLMAO

But seriously people, if you love good music and want to have a great time, simply go to a Jukes show. (that picture of Southside is one of my all-time faves ... courtesy of Tisha ... I mean, Tasha LOL! ... I think??)

And, if you have never been up to see Niagara Falls, I highly recommend it! I will admit, at first I was thinking "it's just water, right? How exciting could it be?" WRONG! It was breath-taking. Wish I would have had more time there.

...the rapids...

...both Falls (American, close and Horseshoe, far right)...

...my view while having a cup of coffee...(that's a whole lotta water going on!)

I did take a walk across the border to Canada for breakfast and some great shots of the Horseshoe Falls but those are on the SD card I forgot at home. *duh* Anyhoo, it was a fabulous mini-vacation.

Okay folks...that's all for now. Til tomorrow. As Obie would say, "Rocketh On!"

P.S. The JoviEuroTour itinerary is set! It's gonna be Denmark, Scotland, England and Ireland. Can't wait to see Dublin! :)

Jukes EuroTour Wrap-Up

2010-11-03T12:24:00.005-04:00

Greetings friends ... hope this finds you all well.

So ... I never really finished my Europe trip did I?

Well, I'm going to do that now ... whether you want to hear about it or not! LOL

The last post talked a bit about our day in Bremen. I was so excited to have the opportunity to visit one of my best friend's home cities ... and what a blast we had!

One of our first stops was the cathedral (or "Bremer Dom") in the middle of the city. As an American, it's always amazing to explore places with such an incredibly long history. I live in such a young country. The cathedral was originally built in 805 I think and then restored after the war ... it's hard to even fathom how old that is! Imagine the stories those walls could tell!

We spent some time just walking around and decompressing a bit. We listened to the organ and lit a candle for a couple of dear people we'd lost. A very soothing and reflective visit. Just what we needed.

Just outside the cathedral I had my first glimpse of the Freimarkt festival. But first we had to get a picture with the "Town Musicians of Bremen" statue (based on the Brothers Grimm folktale.) Supposedly, touching the hooves will bring you good luck -- and being a musician myself, and having so many friends who are also musicians, I held on for dear life knowing we could use all the luck we could get!

We then stopped to listen to the Bremen Glockenspiel ... a system of porcelain bells strung between two roofs. Watch the rotating wooden panels that depict the "Conquerors of the Ocean". You can read all about it here ... it was VERY cool!! I could have stood there for hours.

By that point, it was definitely time to stop for a pretzel and some beer!

After that we headed to Schnoor -- the oldest part of Bremen. I absolutely loved it there ... all these tiny little streets and buildings, shops and cafes. Its exactly what I pictured "old Europe" to be ...

I was SO HAPPY that our friend Iris was able to take the train in to visit!! We have 'known' eachother online for quite some time but finally got to see eachother IN PERSON (here we are, with Rike in the middle.) :-)

We then headed over to the BIG Freimarkt celebration ... oh lordy!!!

So, I learned a couple of universal laws on this trip. First: that firemen in their gear in any country are sexy -- met an awfully nice-looking lot in Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Haha. And, second: no matter where you are, festival food is not healthy ... but tastes darn good! Here's how we tried to justify things ...

A Schaumkuss: this MUST be good for you ... it's just egg whites (dipped in chocolate) ... light and fluffy! Yumm!

And, its important to have protein right? So, how about some bratwurst!?

AND!! Did you know that beer has a ton of Vitamin B in it?! See?! Healthy!!

We really did have a fabulous time at the festival. Our trip to the biergarten is a story for another time ... oh ... and me trying to get these damn frogs onto the lilypads in this game ... oh the videos ... the girls have blackmail material for YEARS to come! Suffice it to say, it's not pretty when a type-A personality is taking on flying rubber frogs! LOL

Now, keeping in mind that all us girls met eachother because of our love of all (ok...most) things Jovi, we had to get this picture ...

...and look! We were even checking out venues they should play in Bremen! Jon Bon Jovi, you can play here.

I was sad to leave Bremen, but we still had one more Southside Johnny show before I had to fly back to NYC.

So, the next day (after I cleaned the city out of the new BJ 4-track maxi single with "What Do You Got?"...we don't do singles here in the States), we headed BACK to Holland on the bus. By the way, what is it with the Netherlands and rain?! LOL

My final show on this little excursion was in Groningen. In a recent interview, Johnny called this show "a disaster". Ok, it was definitely one of the rougher nights. The venue, though attractive, was absolutely atrocious in terms of sound. I was 10 feet away and couldn't hear Johnny at all. Tom was pounding his heart out on the drums and we couldn't hear him. All I heard was bass. It's frustrating to play in those conditions, even potentially dangerous from an over-playing standpoint. Add to that, there was the sadness many were feeling about the sudden passing of former Jukes drummer Louie Appel...Johnny's a cappella performance for him of "My Mother's Eyes" took our breath away.

I was happy, however, to hear them do "Lead Me On" which is hands-down my favorite track from Pills & Ammo -- but I really missed JK's harmonies on it. I sang them myself, not that anybody could hear me in that place! (Oh, and if you don't own Pills & Ammo by now, what is your problem!? I've been talking about it for MONTHS! LOL)

The crowd was really into it ... but I'm not sure the band could feel that given the "wet blanket" acoustics of the hall. I give those guys a lot of credit for forging ahead. And for the record, it wasn't me who yelled out a request for "Soul's on Fire" ... but I fully support it! :-)

So, that was it. Four nights. Four different cities. Three Southside shows. Countless laughs. And a few sad sighs. A helluva way to spend a long weekend.

It was great to meet so many friends I've only known online ... see you all in June 2011 when I'm back for UK JoviChaos. Hugs all around!!

P.S. If you missed any of the other posts, here are the links: Amsterdam, on our way to Melle, the show in Melle and a Bremen preview.

P.S.2. So, what's next? Well, we've got the "One Night Only" JoviMovie thing on Monday, the Best Buy show on Wednesday and the (ugh, I really hate early mornings) Today Show on Friday. But up first, a trip to Niagara Falls to see the Jukes...and the wheels keep on turning! :-)

You're Fooling Yourself...

2010-10-29T13:15:00.005-04:00

Get up, get back on your feet.
You're the one they can't beat and you know it.
Come on, let's see what you've got.
Just take your best shot and don't blow it.
--from Styx "The Grand Illusion" album (1977)

So, taking yet another break from writing my SSJ travelogue (I promise I will wrap up that trip at some point) I took time to go down memory lane a bit last night.

Like Bon Jovi, Styx is one of those bands people call "a guilty pleasure" but not me. I just call it a pleasure. Period. I grew up on their music -- lots of memories of roller-skating parties, sleepovers and sneaking beer with my friends. Years later, a kick-ass version (if I do say so myself) of their "Come Sail Away" got me out of piano proficiency at Juilliard. No joke!

We have so many amazing venues in NYC, it's quite remarkable. Actually, the last time I saw Styx was at another landmark place, Radio City Music Hall. *sigh* Anyhoo, this was my first show at the newly restored Beacon Theatre. And it looks absolutely gorgeous. If you ever have the opportunity to go to an event there, do it! For some reason, I can't get my picture of the ceiling to post correctly, but trust me ... it's amazing.

The band's current tour is called The Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight because they are literally doing both of those records in their entirety, just as they were released on vinyl in 1977 and 1978, respectively. Of course, that takes the spontaneity out of it a bit, as you know what the set list is. But that definitely doesn't detract from the great tunes.

For example, long before Jon Bon Jovi saw a documentary about DHL pulling out of Ohio, there was a truly rocking working man song. Isn't it amazing how some things just don't change?! "Give me a job, give me security. Give me a chance to survive. I'm just a poor soul in the unemployment line. My God I'm hardly alive..."

If you don't know the song, here's a clip with the original line-up. (I do miss Dennis DeYoung, I must say. But, it was a treat to have original bassist Chuck Panozzo join them on stage for a few songs!)

And, talk about the original song about being wanted dead or alive, you can't deny the absolutely powerful vocals of Tommy Shaw on "Renegade". That song never gets old. I was super-excited that my seat was about 20 feet from Tommy's mic stand. I've always liked him, both in Styx and Damn Yankees (the band ... not the Broadway musical. LOL)

All-in-all it was a fun show. Given the structure, I didn't get to hear some of my other fave songs like Lady, Lorelei, Best of Times and Crystal Ball -- though I was happy that one of the encore songs was Too Much Time on My Hands. That's always a crowd-pleaser.

And, as for the "guilty pleasure" thing and whether you like them or not ... whatever. I like a LOT of different stuff -- whether it be Shostakovich or Bon Jovi , Southside Johnny or the Dixie Chicks, The Doors or Billy Joel. Like I tweeted last night, if I actually cared what people thought of my musical choices, I certainly never would have played bassoon. #justsaying ;-)

p.s. oh yeah, and on the JoviFront ... apparently we can see where my priorities are as I have my European tour mapped out already but haven't even started packing my apartment (and I move on Sunday! LOL) By the way, looks like it will be Edinburgh, London and the two Dublin shows for me this time. Woohoo!!

ohhh...and p.s.2. The frickin' power went out at the Jukes final show in the UK last night. The band did an acoustic set for the crowd (until it was shut down by the fire marshall.) Damn, sounds like it was incredible! Argh. Next year, doing the WHOLE Jukes Eurotour!

Power and Poise...A Striking Combination

2010-10-27T11:45:00.009-04:00

I take a break from my regularly scheduled Bon Jovi/Southside Johnny tour chaos ramblings to say a few words about another great musician...and even greater person.
----------------------------------------------------------------
So ... it may be a rainy, dreary day in New York City today but the sun was certainly shining last night in The Living Room on the Lower East Side. It was another fabulous evening with the talented, generous and kind violinist/singer/songwriter Lorenza Ponce.

This gig was the first opportunity I've had to hear her with her new band and ... wow!

Now, don't get me wrong, I liked her previous gang ... heck, one of my all-time favorite people played in it ... but, this new group of young, rocking musicians truly brings a special spark to the music. It's a much smaller group and you really felt the musical connection from person to person.

As I said to Lorenza after the show, there was a different kind of intensity to the songs ... and a feeling of flexibility and freedom that really captivated the room. A certain amount of that comes from the opportunity to work consistently with a group of musicians. There is a synergy that develops ... a trust that grows. It is called a band, afterall (def: a company of people coming together having a common purpose).

And that comfortability (yes, I know there is a debate on whether or not that is actually a word!) often leads to a situation where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I definitely felt a sense of that last night.

Here's what they played ...

Testify
Daddy's Baby
Baby Please Don't Go
Remedy
Soul Shifter
Let It Down
Casual Girl
Ohio
What Happened to You?

I hadn't heard "Daddy's Baby" live before so that was a real treat. On the album, the song took a while to grow on me but having now heard it in performance, I'm sold.

The new arrangement of "Baby Please Don't Go" simply rocks - there is no other word for it. And I think it's quickly becoming a signature piece for her.

Dedicated to a friend, Lorenza and the guys did a FANTASTIC cover of Neil Young's "Ohio" ...if you don't know the song, check out this link. Again, the arrangement was incredibly strong and powerful.

That aggressive feeling carried on to "What Happened to You?" which was on a whole different level than I had heard it previously. I have always loved the story behind that song (which I talked about in my last write-up) and last night's rendition really communicated the frustration, disappointment and disbelief behind the words. Loved it!

I'm looking forward to seeing where Lorenza and her band go from here (hopefully to someplace where they can play a longer set -- hahaha!) Seriously, though, I think she's in for an incredible ride ... and hopefully I can be there to experience some of it.

Next up for Lorenza...two more shows:

November 5th - Bearsville Theater (Woodstock, NY)

November 6th - Stanhope House (Stanhope, NJ)

p.s. I totally dug the Leon Russell tank top she was wearing. Cool. :-)

p.s.2. (trying to read my notes) the band included Jon Loyd (keys), Andy Stack (guitar), Zach Jones (drums) and Brett Bass (bass) ... truth be told, not sure Brett's last name was Bass or if I wrote it because he played bass. LOL. Sorry 'bout that!

Just a Quick Post ...

2010-10-26T11:11:00.008-04:00

Not feeling so well today ... will continue posting about my trek-ito (for it was a SHORT trek) a bit later. But, I just found this video of one of my fave Southside Johnny songs from the show in Melle. Take a listen ...

Anyhoo ...

Next up will be our free day in Bremen (Sandy's home!) with a surprise visit from our friend Iris and a crazy night at the Freimarkt Festival. If you're REALLY nice I might post the video of us singing at the biergarten ... haha ... NOT!! What they did to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" will haunt me for years to come. LOL

Here's a few images to give you an idea of the fun!

The awesome ferris wheel ... of course we HAD to go up on it!

...the view from the top

Elvis like you've never heard him before ...

...just the beginning of the oh-so-healthy eating day ROFLMAO ... (the best frickin' potato pancakes EVER!)

Hope you all have a great day. If you missed the announcement, three new fan club trips are now posted at Backstage with Jon Bon Jovi. DUBLIN here I come! Me, a pint of beer and every James Joyce site known to man. :-)

Countdown has begun to Best Buy Theater show ... and the arrival of a couple of my crazy German girls! Woohoo!

4/4: Night 2 Melle Show

2010-10-22T16:12:00.006-04:00

Continuing on my quick flip through Europe, we come to night 2 of my trip and the Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes show in Melle, Germany.

After all the emotion the night before, the band (and us too) seemed to relax a bit and just have a good ole time at this show. Ok, there were definitely some chaotic moments ... actually right from the get-go ... like when Johnny took my camera during the second song while I was trying to take a picture of Eddie. LOL

...and here's the picture he got for me ... thanks, Johnny!

I always talk about how this band never follows the set list, right? Well, here's a great example of a typical gig. Original written set:

...and here's what was actually played...

Talk to Me
I Played the Fool
Cry to Me
Everybody Needs Somebody
Walk away Renee
Cross That Line
Woke up This Morning
Love on the Wrong Side of Town
This Time It's for Real
Lost
Umbrella in My Drink
Paris
Harder Than It Looks
Coming Back
Forever
Into the Harbour
Sweeter Than Honey
Tango till They're Sore/Alabama Song
Nobody's Fault but Mine
Fever
Trapped Again
Hearts of Stone
Working Too Hard

First Encore:
You Can't Bury Me
I Don't Want to Go Home

Second Encore:
One More Night to Rock

Those in bold were not on the set list ... and then there was "Take It Inside" which was on the set list twice but not played at all. LOL

I was so happy to hear them do a couple of what I affectionately call 'Jeff Kazee songs' ... those with extensive piano parts or particularly Jeffrey-esque harmonies. Of course, sometimes things got a little messed up, but that just adds to the whole joy of a Southside show. In any case, "Into the Harbour" is one of my favorite songs so I'm glad Johnny stuck with it ...

*video by Rike*

You really can't blame Glenn, the intro Johnny sang really DID sound like "Tired Skin" Haha!

And sometimes you want to just do things yourself! LOL

Here's a few other pictures.

A rare clear image of the Energizer Bunny Billy Walton ... stand still Billy, I'm trying to get your picture!

In lieu of Tom's regular set which has a Pills & Ammo bass drum cover, they improvised with just sticking a t-shirt over it! Haha.

and the man himself.

At one point during the show, Billy's guitar string broke so Johnny came over and played a solo on it. Haha.

...and I love this one...

Once again, Johnny took someone's camera ... this time Steffi's! ... and walked all over the stage and took pictures with it. I'll be sure to post those later. He got some really great shots!

...and what is this ... a quick nap Johnny? Or a mini-Vulcan mind probe?

We were all so sad when the show ended as it was our last night together -- Beate and Steffi had to go back home. In Amsterdam we had all joined arms and sang along to "Hearts of Stone" (which got some cute looks from the band members). But tonight, we all did a vodka shot together and celebrated our friendship and the plan to see eachother again. (p.s. Johnny, you missed out ... we had one for you too if you had come out after the show!)

And so ends Day 2 in Europe ... what's next? An amazing day off in Bremen. Stay tuned! :-)

Europe: 4 Nights, 4 Cities con't

2010-10-21T11:48:00.010-04:00

Day 2 (part 1): Road Trip to Melle

"Woke up this morning (in Amsterdam)
Looked around for my (wooden) shoes.
Couldn't find nothing
But this half-empty bottle of booze (wine)"
--from SSJ & the Jukes "Pills & Ammo"
*Okay...so I did a little editing to the lyrics...*

And the journey continues ...

Here's a picture the next morning of me and the girls (Sandy, Steffi and Rike) ... minus Beate who had already left for the train to our next destination. We look pretty good considering the absolute lack of sleep we'd had already at this point.

After checking out of the hotel, we got on the road ... stopping in Amersfoort for some breakfast and a little shopping (if you know anything about my crazy German girls it's that they can shop with the best of 'em!) Luckily it had finally stopped raining ... instead, it was snowing!

It didn't take me long to remember why I could never live in Europe ... CROISSANTS! Dang, I could eat those every day for the rest of my life. Croissants in the States are not nearly as good. Period. But, not just croissants, all kinds of crazy pastries. So I decided to try this traditional Dutch one with spicy meat paste something or another inside (can any of my friends from Holland tell me what it was I actually ate please?! LOL)

Back on the road, we made a quick surprise stop at DavidsRosie's to say "hallo!" ... you Jovifans know her from her infamous "no Jon, not you! David!" moment in London at the 02. Click here to see video. It was so great to meet you Rosie! Hope you like the little MEMPHIS care package. :-)

A few hours later (and one video of us singing Living on a Prayer to the radio that I hope never ends up on Youtube!) we arrived in Melle, Germany and checked into the hotel. What an absolutely quaint little town. We were right by the city hall with this nice view from our room ... and the chimes (which Beate and I called "Bitsy Ben") that went off every 15 minutes ... ayyyy. Haha.

The venue Southside Johnny was playing is basically a dance hall attached to a restaurant/bakery. Seems the owner of the place really loves the band and they play there nearly every tour. There's even a great mural of them on the wall of the hall. Can't believe we forgot to get a picture - it's very cool ... yet strange ... all at the same time. It made us contemplate blowing up a picture of Jeff Kazee and doing a cardboard cut-out to put on stage. LOL

Here's me in front of the venue.

I also have a picture of me kissing Johnny's cheek on the poster ... maybe I'll send that to him for his own personal collection. Hahaha.

Next up ... the show in Melle ...

Europe: 4 Nights, 4 Cities!

2010-10-20T14:30:00.012-04:00

Greetings friends! A number of you emailed me to ask if I was going to do a review of the Gulf Shores show. Thanks for checking in, but ... well ... I can't write about it cuz I wasn't there!

Why you ask?

Well, because, as much as I love Jon Bon Jovi and the boys, I couldn’t pass up the chance to go to Europe for the first part of the Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes tour. It was a QUICK trip, but man, we packed a lot into those four days!

Day One: Amsterdam

After a slightly bumpy and raucous crossing, I arrived at my first destination. Okay, I gotta say … y’all know I’m a New Yorker … things move pretty fast here. But that didn’t prepare me AT ALL for Amsterdam. It’s a well-known fact that the Dutch like to bike everywhere, but seriously … there were things coming at me from every direction – trams, bikes, buses, bikes, little cars, bikes, mopeds, bikes, bikes, BIKES! I think I stood there for a good ten minutes trying to cross the street in front of our hotel. It was like being in the middle of an endless video game.

So after dropping my bag at the hotel, I went out in search of coffee (not a surprise I guess LOL.) It was refreshing to not see a frickin’ Starbucks on every corner. In my jet-lagged state I made a beeline for the first coffee shop I could find … ahh! … but one must remember, this is AMSTERDAM. There are coffee shops and there are “coffee shops” where you can get a side of java with your order of cannabis. At this point, I’ve had about 1.5 hours of sleep in the last 36 … you can imagine what happened … walked in and was like “this is the strangest smelling coffee ever” … LOL.

Eventually found coffee and walked around the canals looking at shops and taking in the charms of the city. Made it back to hotel in time to welcome my crazy German girls who were travelling in from all over. After a great reunion, we headed out for a bit to eat before the show. (note: the Dutch make the best mayonnaise I have ever tasted…and with amazing fries! … and thus began the healthy eating during this trip ... oh lordy!)

Ok … I had heard over and over again how great the Paradiso is as a venue. As a musician and a fan of music, I have played in and seen A LOT of music halls both in the States and all over the world … but this place really IS special. An old church that has been converted, there is a main floor and then these fabulous balconies overlooking the stage. There's a wonderful intimacy to the place and with the backdrop of the incredible stained-glass windows, it was an unforgettable experience.

As for the show itself, Jukesfans know that this has been a challenging time as of late. As a result, emotions were definitely running high … but so was the energy of the band. It’s amazing what the human spirit can do in times of adversity. The crowd was great and that helped and inspired the band even more, I believe.

I love that most Jukes shows are general admission … this was my vantage point for this extraordinary night. Nice, huh?

*that would be me on the right*

Here are some of the funny moments I remember…

During “Paris” when Johnny got to the first line of the chorus which is “Paris you're a drug, you won't let go…” and at that exact moment, this HUGE waft of marijuana smoke drifted to the stage. Haha.

When Johnny got frustrated (no worries...that’s a regular occurrence) and chucked his harmonica at the back of the stage and almost took out Eddie’s head! By the way, the horns were on fire during this show. And the famous "dance moves" by Neal and Chris were a sight to see!

Southside is so great with the fans and at one point he took this guy’s camera-phone and began throwing it around the stage. Later in the tour you'll hear about him taking both my camera and Steffi's and taking pictures with it! Anyhoo, Sandy got this great photo when SSJ handed the phone back to the guy.

I hadn't really told anyone I was going (other than my crazy German girls of course) so it was nice to meet so many Jovi/Jukesfans at the Paradiso - both from the States and from overseas. It was also fun to see the looks on some of the band members' faces when they saw me there ... and what a nice welcome from Johnny, which Sandy captured on video.

As usual, the set was called out as they went along ... which always leaves room for absolutely amazing moments like this incredible tribute to Solomon Burke (who passed away en route to play at the Paradiso last week.)

Exhausted from the show and after SEVERAL bottles of wine and a whole lotta chocolate, we all finally crashed into bed! What an unforgettable day!

And that was just the beginning ...

.... stay tuned for Day 2: Melle, Germany

p.s. I was bummed to only be in Amsterdam for less than 24 hours. I definitely have to go back ... so many places I'd like to see there. And heck! who could not like a city that has the Museum of Bags and Purses?! No joke!!

Two More Nights to Rock

2010-10-08T12:33:00.003-04:00

Once again I have back-to-back Jukes shows this weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing what surprises Uncle Southside has in store for us ... maybe another JK solo ...? Gotta get my fill before the boys head to Europe next week. Hopefully it will be a bit cooler on stage than it was in this clip (I heard it was about 115 degrees ... no kidding.)

"Lost" (written by Jeff Kazee during the midnight hour while recording the "Going to Jukesville" record)

A Rare Man Indeed

2010-10-07T13:10:00.008-04:00

Just doing a quick drive-by today to say ... Happy Birthday to Tico Torres -- the heart, the soul, the rock-solid foundation of Bon Jovi.

The man has so many talents it's almost ridiculous - musician, artist, entrepreneur, golfer. Add to that father, husband, friend. Sensitive, playful, observant, loyal.

Hmmm ... certainly makes me wish there were more people like him out there. #justsaying

Got Bail Money? LOL

2010-10-04T12:27:00.002-04:00

Happy Monday friends ... honestly, I'm actually GLAD Monday is here so that I can rest! LOL

I thought that with Jon Bon Jovi and the boys in South America that my schedule would somehow slow down. Ha! In reality, that just means I miss fewer Southside Johnny shows. Three in the last two weekends and another two on tap before the gang heads to Europe.

So, I took a quick trip to Bethlehem, PA on Friday to catch the Jukes at the new "venue" at the Sands Casino. As I found out ... not really a venue, just a BIG tent set up on an asphalt slab. I think they are planning on building something once they've stolen enough patrons' money. Ha! They didn't get anything from me! I came out ahead about $200. :-)

Anyhoo, there are some bands where the venue should just remove all chairs -- and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes is definitely one of them. Performers thrive on the energy that comes back to them from the crowd -- so everyone sitting on their hands the whole time is just cruel. So, after the main set, a few regular Jukesfolks and I finally rushed the stage. At one point I honestly thought we might get arrested, but figured it was well worth it. I look at it as doing a public service by standing up and singing. :-)

I must say, though ... Friday night reminded me why I hate casino shows - whether its Bon Jovi or Southside Johnny or anyone - because there is always some type of time constraint. Even though the performer usually pushes it as far as they can, it often feels like they (and the audience) are somehow short-changed. Nonetheless, the guys put on a great show as usual.

Speaking of performers who push things (in a good way), my weekend closed with the final performance of Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong's guest appearance in the role of St. Jimmy in the Broadway production of American Idiot. I had seen the show on opening night (review here) and was happy to be able to catch it on another special night -- especially as my friend got us house seats which were row H dead center. Woohoo! The show was definitely energized by Billie Joe and the crowd went wild. A cool moment during the bows when he had written a special intro about his stint on Broadway. Someone upstairs was able to capture it on video:

What the video didn't capture was when he gave his brand new Gibson guitar to a fan in the audience after she gave him a bouquet of flowers! That was something!

Not much to report on the JoviFront right now (plenty of Google alerts about Hall of Fame noms, interviews in South America, Heather changing her name, etc., that you can all read ... or not) ...

OH! except there IS the upcoming movie theater showings of the Giants concert(s) in May. Now, THAT should be a blast ... if you're coming in to NYC to see it at the 42nd Street AMC let me know and we can meet up. I'm excited because by that point I will be in my new place -- only about two blocks from there -- nearly smack dab in Times Square. :-)

So, until we "meet" again ...

p.s. SSJ photo credit: Kevin Mingora, The Morning Call

The Last 24 Hours

2010-09-25T23:49:00.038-04:00

disclaimer: this post is a bit long, but it was a busy 24 hours

Greetings friends ... hope this finds you all well and enjoying these last vestiges of Summer (at least here in NYC.) I, personally, am NOT a fan of the season and I'm looking forward to the cool, crisp days of Fall.

I basically had the week from Hades ... family drama, work drama, apartment drama ... too much frickin' drama! I was seriously ready to move to "a place where I can't be found" (points for whoever gets that reference LOL.)

Luckily, at the end of the week comes the week-end. Brilliant, huh?! *rolls eyes* And though I was missing Jon Bon Jovi and the boys in Mexico, I was getting Southside Johnny and his boys in Jersey. That certainly had to brighten my spirits right?

So off I went to Ridgefield, NJ last night to catch the Jukes. Hadn't planned on attending, but my friend B from Seattle was in town, so off I went. After a rather eventful short train ride we headed over to the show eventually finding parking way out in the hinterlands (possibly west of the Mississippi.) This was the first event in this new park and I have a feeling they may have underestimated what kind of turnout they would have. Walking ... and walking ... and walking to the venue was strangely reminiscent of the BJ Soldier Field shows. But, eventually we made it ...

And thank goodness we did because it was QUITE a night.

First off, there was a choreographed gang of spiders on the stage -- they seemed quite frightened of Johnny and headed towards Kazee, but then possibly caught sight of Jeff's hat and all ran the other way. It was totally like that scene out of the Harry Potter movie ... but with a rock-n-roll soundtrack.

Secondly, it was a fantastic set list which included just about all my favorite songs, great horn playing and the occasional interspersed random song quote from Kazee (always a highlight.)

Thirdly, SSJ was in rare form ... though in actuality, its not that rare ... its just HIM. At one point, he took out all the money out of his pocket and ended up handing it all to me when the guys in the band started circling him. So, there I was with this cold hard cash (okay ... more like hot sweaty mushy cash) in my hands. I'm thinking a new iPhone, Jovi tickets, a taxi back to the car after the show! ... but, no, I was nice and gave it back to him. Next time though ... LOL

I didn't take many pictures due to the lighting. Every few minutes we would get blinded by these bright yellow lights, prompting my friend Linda to say that we probably looked like french fries in the front row. Haha. But, look at this blurry one. What is it with him giving me his version of the stink eye? ... see what I mean about the hat? (truth be told, the hat was absolutely FABULOUS)

And so that was last night.

Who knew it would get even better today?!

A couple of months ago I was chatting online with my crazy German girls when one of them mentioned Rick Springfield. Now, I was a devoted fan of his music in the early 80s and drooled over him as Dr. Noah Drake, but Rick fell by the wayside when a few years later, a sandy-brown haired, blue-eyed singer came on the scene.

But, when B mentioned Rick Springfield, I thought I'd check out what he was up to and found he was doing a concert at the Best Buy (better known as the Nokia) Theater and bought a ticket for the soundcheck package.

What a fantastic experience! From the minute you arrive, through entry to the venue, getting to meet the band, talking with Rick, taking pictures and getting autographs.

The whole thing was relaxed and fun and had a feeling of being part of a family. Rick spent quite a lot of time just hanging out and talking. It was a small group of us -- seems they keep it to approximately 25-30 people which makes it not only manageable for the staff, but an intimate, accessible event for those attending. Rick was incredibly sincere and funny and generous with his time. What a wonderfully nice guy!

I have the distinct feeling I will be attending many more Rick shows in the coming years. :-)

So, after the meet-and-greet I was heading over to have some dinner before the show ... and look who I run into!? The beautiful and talented Montego Glover from MEMPHIS (which I saw for the 15th time last Sunday!) Since I was by myself, I did the "hold camera out and pray" technique. This was the result. LOL

After a bite to eat, I ended up meeting up with two of my fellow Jovigirls Chris and Sandy ... who ironically decided at the last minute to buy tickets to the Rick Springfield show. And only a couple of blocks from there Southside was playing at BB King's so off I went ...

Like Jon Bon Jovi said about Southside at Blossom, "I love that man." Me, too. There truly is nothing like a Jukes show and nobody like Johnny, so I take every opportunity to see them. The energy at BB's is always amazing and I think it brings out not only the best, but the craziest out of everyone. But, a little chaos is good for the soul. *wink*

It was slightly odd to walk in and not see Kazee at the keys though -- he was playing a charity gig in Baltimore. But, his sub Bobby Lynch was really terrific ... oh, and what is it with Jukes keyboard players and hats?! LOL

... and they might not be the original Chuck Taylors, but he got the shoes, too ...

... ahhh, them Jukes horns

with my favorite cheerful lad from England Neal Pawley (you should check out his fun stuff at 11 Acorn Lane)

... and the very sweet Billy Walton who gave me his pick and the set list :-)

I've gotta say, seeing two SSJ shows in two days is always a good thing. And it certainly turned my whole week around ... but isn't that what music is supposed to do? Inspire, console, excite, energize, soothe, transcend.

Okay folks, that's all for now. I'm exhausted! Until next time ...

Now, THAT'S a Party

2010-09-23T09:16:00.001-04:00

...just a little something in honor of Bruce's birthday.

Here's a clip from hands-down the best show I ever saw. It was an emotional night. It was an uplifting night. It just simply rocked.

I fell in love with Southside Johnny, Jon Bon Jovi, Little Steven and Bruce all over again that night and the love-affair hasn't ended yet. (and doesn't SSJ look dashing in that suit?! So cool.)

The Divine "Miss L"

2010-09-22T00:26:00.001-04:00

Yes, my friends ... our favorite multi-talented songstress/instrumentalist has just announced a few tour dates for this Fall.

The incomparable Lorenza Ponce (talent, brains and beauty ... its lucky she's so damn nice or we might have to hate her! LOL) will be presenting the following shows:

October 26th - The Living Room (NYC) ... her last show there rocked the house! You can read my review by clicking HERE.

November 5th - Bearsville Theater (Woodstock, NY)

November 6th - Stanhope House (Stanhope, NJ)

You can definitely count me in for the NYC show ... and maybe the Stanhope one, too. Sorry, Lorenza, I'm in Niagara Falls for the Jukes on the 5th ... just think ... I get TWO endless (or would that be incessant?) world wonders in the same night - Southside Johnny AND the Falls. Haha.

Anyhoo, if you haven't purchased Lorenza's Soul Shifter, go to her site NOW and do so.

...and to get you in the mood...here's a little clip recorded by my dear friend Rike (or @RikeBJ on twitter) and even though its not one of Lorenza's original songs (like my personal favorite "Testify") I absolutely LOVE her performance of this George Harrison masterpiece ...

...okay...well since I mentioned "Testify", I might as well include that too :-)

See?! It's a great song, isn't it?

P.S. You can follow her at @LorenzaPonce on Twitter. And be sure to visit her Facebook page as well.

Happy Tuesday!

2010-09-14T13:05:00.005-04:00

Just had to share what my friend sent me as a surprise ... I'm jumping up and down and screaming VINYL!! *co-workers are looking at me like I'm crazy - but that's nothing new LOL*

Cough...cough...I think I feel a cold coming on. Maybe I'll just have to go home early...

No Words Needed.

2010-09-11T09:52:00.003-04:00

*thank you to B for finding and posting this*

Another Clip...

2010-09-09T09:47:00.005-04:00

Here's another video from JBJ's "appearance" at the Stephen Talkhouse. I love how Jon gets a bit flustered when he messes up the words. S'alright Jonny, Southside messes them up all the time! Even wrote that into a song ... LOL

p.s. ... and like they say "boys will be boys" ... last time they were at the Talkhouse, the two of them were pushing eachother around the stage then too. Haha.