Pet Rock
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Chillin' with Jon Bon Jovi
Photo credit: Newsday/Mark La Monica
Somewhere in between the “Omigod” shrieks and the “I love you” screams, Jon Bon Jovi saw 1,000 faces and he rocked them all.
Inside Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, the New Jersey rocker entertained fans with an intimate unplugged set mixed in with answering questions about his music and discussing his film “When We Were Beautiful.” The 90-minute documentary about the band is available with their new album “The Circle.”
Pet Rock got its hands on a copy of both (and the book!) and as soon as we get a chance to watch the DVD, we’ll tell you all about it. The album, by the way, is very good. Great songwriting from Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, just in case the past 25 years don’t ring any bells.
The event (we’re not really sure what to call it since it wasn’t a concert) had the feeling of a private performance for close friends and family, and in a way, it was. Tickets were only available in one place: Twitter.
American Express, in its first use of Twitter to promote their exclusive cardmember events, posted the tickets link at twitter.com/americanexpress, and the show sold out in a matter of hours. All proceeds from the $50 ticket sales will be donated to City Harvest.
Makes you wish you were a Twitterer, doesn’t it? Or a Tweeter, or a Tweep, or a Twit or a Tweety Bird or whatever they’re calling those 140-character social-networking mavens these days? Well, Pet Rock scored one of the few press seats, so let’s get back to the action on the inside.
After showing a clip from the film, Jon and his hair emerged in all their glory. Seriously, that dude’s hair is still rockin’. Yes, I’m jealous. Deal with it.
Once the applause quieted down, Jon settled into his seat for some back-and-forth banter about life and music with “Beautiful” director Phil Griffin. Within seconds, as Alice Tully Hall sat in anticipatory silence, from somewhere toward the back of the audience came a female scream: “I love you, Jon!”
No confirmation on if that was Gina doing the screaming.
“Thanks, Mom,” Jon responded.
A few seconds later, a more masculine voice bellowed: “I love you, Jon.”
No confirmation on if that was Tommy doing the screaming.
“Thanks, honey,” Jon responded after throwing his head back in laughter. “Wiseass. Only in New York.”
Strong work off the cuff by Jon. Of course, if you spent as much time as I have searching this here Internet for the “Oooooh!” game show clip when Jon last hosted “Saturday Night Live,” you’d know he has some comedic chops.
One more quick example. In discussing U2’s songwriting, he said: “That’s my Irish envy. I have Irish envy . . . Sales in Italy just went down.”
OK, on to the music . . .
Jon played eight songs from various albums (full setlist below, along with two clips from the night) and spoke about each one either before or after. It was very "VH1 Story Tellers." Pretty cool stuff.
Before playing "We Weren't Born to Follow," the first single off their new album, he said any time an athlete or coach hears the lyric "This one's about the one who curses and spits," they think it's about them. "It's about a nun in Philadelphia," Jon said. "True story."
"Superman Tonight," also off the new album is a beautifully written song that will have every woman swooning and yearning for the answer to all of Jon's questions.
After he finished his version of "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen, the entire crowd stood and applauded. Impressive work.
Earlier in the night, Jon performed "Livin' on a Prayer." It was a slowed down, acoustic version. I wanted to be really mad. "Prayer" is an all-time rock classic that needs to be played fast and loud and sung with all your might. Just like we've all done at the bar at 3 a.m., at your friend's wedding, in your car, at the karaoke bar, wherever. It shouldn't be slowed down.
Then, at the end of the song, you realize you're no longer mad because you just experienced the lyrics for the first time in 20 years. You just met Tommy and Gina.
>> See photos of Bon Jovi through the years.
Setlist from Monday Night
(click the link for to watch the music video)
Someday I’ll be Saturday Night
Who Says You Can’t Go Home?
Livin’ on a Prayer
Lost Highway
Whole Lot of Leavin
Superman Tonight
We Weren’t Born to Follow
Hallelujah
Wanted Dead or Alive
"Hallelujah" from Alice Tully Hall on Nov. 16, 2009.
