40 Thousands Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong

THE FAMOUS AUTHOR Mark Twain might've said it best, "Age is an issue of mind over matter, if you don't mind it doesn't matter."
 
The quote was so fittingly right related to Bon Jovi Live! in Asia concert, Friday night at Gelora Bung Karno stadium, Jakarta (09/11/2015).
 
Quality wise, nothing much has changed from Jon Bon Jovi's performance that evening and 20 years ago, when they played in Ancol on May 6, 1995.

Maintaining vocals discipline since the debut album Bon Jovi (1984) to Burning Bridges, release Aug. 21, Jon certainly deserved a praise. Jon, who is now 53 years old, still able to reach those high notes on Bon Jovi's song with excellence.
 
Thanks to walkman and Bon Jovi cassette albums (maybe now it's podcast with a full catalog of mp4) which never go far away from Jon. He always listened to his old songs and sang them in accordance with the sound on the tape so his vocal character won't changed much.
 
The age factor of course is inevitable. Jon's wellknown long brown hair and crazied by millions of women are now trimmed short and already graying. He didn't too often running here and there on stage . That Takamine acoustic guitar, his favourite, was almost never stayaway from his arm throughout the concert, to make him looked active.
 
Without further introduction, the New Jersey's homegrown band shaked Gelora Bung Karno at around 20:35 pm with the song That's the Water Made Me, that were immediately greeted by the thunderous applause from 40 thousand spectators.
 
Thousands of fans who had been sitting in the festival B area, were instantly standing, seeing Jon and his friends took the stage. Leading his friends, Jon went on to sing Who Says You Can't Go Home and Lost Highway.
 
After three songs that were fairly 'new', Jon greeted the audience then, "Hello, apa kabar (how are you)? Good evening Jakarta. It's been a looong time." In 1995, Jon had expressed his desire to play a gig at the Stadion Utama Senayan - the name before it was changed to Gelora Bung Karno. But the Bon Jovi Crossroad concert that time can only be held in Ancol ex-circuit. After 20 years passed, then Jon wishes come true.
 
Bon Jovi Live! in Asia concert this time was haunted with doubt by most fans of Bon Jovi in ​​Indonesia. The reason is because Richie Sambora, the guitarist, have resigned since 2 April 2013. They still doubt the ability of Phil X, Sambora's successor, 'would he be able to match the prestige of Richie Sambora whose name has entered the ranks of legendary guitarists?'
 
Songs like Raise Your Hands, You Give Love a Bad Name, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, Keep The Faith, Bad Medicine, and Runaway seems to be evidence that Jon has chosen the right replacement of Sambora. Phil showed mastery in all of those songs that have dynamic riffs and solos. The roar from Phil's Gibson SG was not less fierce than that of Sambora's Fender Strat.
 
Phil knows the key ingredient, as long as he doesn't replace the patterns of Sambora's playing, nobody's get hurt. He also didn't hesitate to open his mouth in front of the microphone, backing up Jon occasionally. The role that used to be done by Sambora.
 
This time, Phil X was accompanied by Matt O'Ree in the rhythm section, which appeared for the first time replacing Bobby Bandiera. Matt had a strong blues basic which made Bon Jovi's sound more alive, more tighter.
 
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night became one of the highlights from Bon Jovi concert that night because almost the entire audience memorized the lyrics of the ballads which has been a tademark song of Bon Jovi.
 

Phil X and Jon Bon Jovi (Photo: Image Dynamic)
 
THE LOVE SONG MAESTRO
 
Love is an endless subject. Love has infinite angle. Each musician can translate the love in their respective versions. And speaking of a love song, Bon Jovi is indeed an expert.
 
Beads of love pearls scattered from Bon Jovi's song catalog. No one can count how many young people around the world that make the songs of Bon Jovi as the theme song for their love story.
 
Unfortunately, Bon Jovi only performed a handful of love songs that night. Songs like Always, I'll Be There For You, Never Say Goodbye and Bed Of Roses weren't listed on the set that made most of the fans disappointed.
 
Maybe there were just two sweet love song, Born To Be My Baby and In These Arms that Bon Jovi brought in GBK. But it was great enough to make the audience's heart full with romance, catapulted the memories of love from most of the audience that were no longer teenagers.
 
A small commotion had occurred in Festival B area, when Jon started singing What About Now. The attention of the audience in the area was distracted by two lovers kissing tenderly like nobody's around. It turned out that the girl had just accepted the man's proposal. What could be more romantic than propose a woman accompanied by enchanting love song from Jon Bon Jovi live?
 

Wury and Huib, the lovers in Bon Jovi concert (Photo: Metrotvnews.com / Agustinus Shindu Alpito)
 
THE ROCK N' ROLL HERO FROM TWO GENERATIONS
 
Bon Jovi is one of the few '80s rock band that still survive until now. They have been standing the test of time, survived the onslaught of grunge, boyband and British invasion in the late 90s, existed from hip hop and techno wave in the new millennium, and still standing tall in the glory days of solo singers of today.
 
Bon Jovi is not the hype now. But they're still able to hold concerts in arenas and stadiums around the globe, which makes them equal standing shoulder to shoulder with bands like U2, AC/DC, Metallica or the Rolling Stones.
 
When Lars Ulrich, Metallica drummer once said, "you only need five great songs (to be famous)," then Bon Jovi has a myriad of hits in which they can count on to sell out tickets for each concert.
 
After 20 years, Bon Jovi certainly doesn't want to show up with the same collection of songs. So it seems natural for Jon to sing some new songs that may sound unfamiliar to the ears of his longtime fans.
 
In addition to the first three songs, Jon also sang We Do not Run, Its My Life, Because We Can, What About Now, We Got It Goin On, and Have A Nice Day - a collections of hits from the post milenium era.
 
It's My Life, the first single from the album Crush (2000), could be considered as a milestone in the career of Bon Jovi when they tried to reach broader and younger audience, who may not have been born when the song Never Say Goodbye played every day on the radio.
 

Jon Bon Jovi (Photo: Image Dynamic)
 
A PIECE STORY FROM A COWBOY
 
Although their debut album, Bon Jovi released in 1984, the seeds has grown since 1982. And over the past three decades, Bon Jovi have sold 130 million records through 13 studio album! An achievement that deserves thumbs up.
 
As a frontman and the motor of the group, Jon is a role model for younger musician. Jon has shown a strong showmanship, that he still be able to make his band survive and respected to this day.
 
Jon has taste the grain of salt in life. Started as janitor in the studio in order to create demos, formed a band, reached the peak of popularity, toured around the world, and parted ways with his longtime mates and guitarist, Richie Sambora.
 
A fragment of the song Wanted Dead or Alive Jon sung in GBK that night might be a summary, the journey of Bon Jovi as a group:
 
And I walk these streets, a loaded six string on my back
I play for keeps, 'cause I might not make it back
I've been everywhere, and still I'm standing tall
I've seen a million faces and I've rocked them all
 
'Cause I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted dead or alive
 

Jon Bon Jovi (Photo: Image Dynamic)
 
40,000 FANS CAN'T BE WRONG
 
In 2004, Bon Jovi released the box set album 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong with Island Records, which contains a collection of demos, songs which haven't been released because did not make it to the studio album, to celebrate 20 years anniversary of Bon Jovi and milestones achievement of 100 million albums sales.
 
It's no secret in the rock world, Bon Jovi is often derided that their music is more suitable for kids; they don't have the image of real rocker; or the lyrics are too sloppy.
 
The title 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong seems to be a statement from Bon Jovi, that they don't need to respond those critics directly. The support of fans from around the world was more than enough to represent them.
 
Rock isn't just about tattoos, long hair, leather jackets, silver accessories and boots. The true essence of rock is about honesty, struggle, beauty, and love.
 
Surely, not all of the 40,000 spectators in Bon Jovi concert at Gelora Bung Karno last Friday were fanatic fans of Bon Jovi. Some may be only interested in the song alone. Some might idolized Jon Bon Jovi as a simple man, courteous, and caring for others. And some others might feel their songs indeed has inspired a positive influence on their life.
 
And should there is a song that is able to invite people to come to Gelora Bung Karno stadium voluntarily, even willing to pay the ticket which is not cheap, it is the song Livin 'On a Prayer, which also ended the performance of Bon Jovi in Jakarta.
 
The entire audience in attendance know that they rediscovered their spirit for life while singing the lyric:
 
We've gotta hold on to what we've got.
It does not make a difference if we make it or not.
We've got each other and that's a lot.
For love we'll give it a shot.
 
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa, livin 'on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it - I swear
Whoa, livin 'on a prayer
 

Bon Jovi's fans at GBK Jakarta (Photo: Metrotvnews.com / Adi Waluyo)
 
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