Bon Jovi: Where's The Soul?

I had a recent discussion with a few friends around Bon Jovi's catalog. What most people don't realize is that this band is a great band who does more than write hit singles, but few people realize it. One of the reasons people are not clued into these deep cuts is because the band has chosen to focus on hits in concert, instead of shaking things up. This prompted me to look back to an article I wrote for Unrated Magazine last year. It's republished here for your enjoyment.

November 4, 2005 - United Center - Chicago, IL
Photos by Rob Grabowski

What we need right now is…soul-“I Believe”

On March 5th, 1993, I had an epiphany. I saw Bon Jovi live for the first time. I knew they had been opening most shows with the anthem, “I Believe”, but when Richie Sambora emerged from the shadows and tore through those opening notes on his Fender, I went into another world. Jon Bon Jovi came on stage and began singing…”what we need right now is…SOUL!” He didn’t whisper it like he does on the record, or how he had been doing live for the first two weeks of the tour, but he screamed it on this night. I knew right at that moment, this was not going to be a run of the mill show. For the next 150 minutes, I saw Jon Bon Jovi, Tico Torres, David Bryan, Alec John Such and Richie Sambora put on the show of their career. They added six songs not on the original set list, performed each song with vitality and fought for every second they were on stage. When I left, I had no voice and was drained. I had seen Bon Jovi perform the longest show of their career to that date.

Later in 1993, Jon talked about that very show in depth to Kerrang and RIP magazine as the turning point of the whole tour. I am telling this story for a reason. Since that night a dozen years ago, I’ve seen close to 250 concerts. I’ve seen some with as many as 80,000 people and some with as few as 8 people in the audience. Whenever I walk into the show, I want to love the artist and the music. I’m open to anyone and anything. They hold the keys to my heart, mind and soul. If they give their all, I’ll give them their props. Just recently, someone asked me to name the best concert of the 250 and I refused to answer it because, for me, it’s like asking which child I love more. I love so many for different reasons. Seeing U2 a month after 9/11 can’t be compared to anything else I’ve ever seen as I shed tears from the ambiance and inspiration in their songs. I saw Bruce Springsteen in near tears as he held hands with the members of the E Street Band on the final night of their word tour in Madison Square Garden in 2000, the first concert I actually ever shed a tear at. I’ve seen McCartney, Bowie, Prince and the Rolling Stones completely rip the roof off the buildings with commanding performances. Just last week, I saw two unknown and struggling acts, Marah and Will Hoge, give their all in small clubs in Chicago. I walked out of each of those shows feeling their hunger and appetite to win the audience over. However, I’m not sure if any of the above shows hit me the way the 3/5/93 show did. To this very day, friends give me crap about listening to Bon Jovi. Nothing mean spirited, but they often wonder if my music tastes has expanded beyond the world of melodic rock. In the last few years I have fallen in love with Johnny Cash, The Clash, Southside Johnny, David Bowie, Ryan Adams, Shelby Lynne, Jesse Malin and dozens others. Many of them ask why I still love Bon Jovi since my tastes have drifted away from the style of music they play and the truth is it’s all because of that March ’93 show. On that particular night, I saw a band fight harder on the concert stage than Jake LaMotta ever did in the boxing ring. You would have thought their families lives depended on that gig. I have never seen any artist, at any time in their careers, be as hungry as Bon Jovi was on that night at the Rosemont Horizon. To this day, it may stand as the single greatest live performance I’ll ever witness. I saw something in Jon Bon Jovi’s eyes that night, I saw a fighter, a poet, a lover, a believer, an artist and most importantly…I saw soul.

This brings us to the opening of the Bon Jovi world tour with its second stop in Chicago. Let me admit, I had doubts seeing the second show of the tour. I hate seeing bands early in a tour. I like seeing them a few weeks in after the kinks in the set have been worked out. Let me give you some simple facts on the tour. There is no set opener; each market will have a local act open the show in a chance for exposure. The stage is incredibly impressive. It has a back wall that holds an enormous high definition screen, the best of its kind I have ever seen. Those of you in nosebleeds will be happy as this screen is bright and busting with color and dynamics I rarely see on home theater systems let alone at a rock concert. The two keyboard stations and drum kit are on risers with lights below them. The lighting is excellent overall with them shining brightly when appropriate. From my vantage point the sound appeared to be muffled and a bit too loud, however, it may have been better the further back in the arena you go. There are fan pits on either side of the stage for radio contest winners and planks on the far ends for Jon Bon Jovi to get close with those next to the stage. Now, onto the show…

The lights dimmed at 8:30 sharp and a big screen hid the stage. From my perspective I could see the band members arrive on stage before they kicked into “Last Man Standing”, the best track on their new album, “Have A Nice Day”. It’s an homage to Bob Dylan and on record the song about the war torn road warrior smokes. However, the tempo appeared to be slower live which I was disillusioned to see. They should be coming out of the gates blazing with their musical declaration; instead it felt like they limped through the song, which never quite caught the crowd’s attention. While Richie Sambora gave his first killer solo of the evening, the giant screen that covered the stage slowly lifted to show the smirk that graces the new album cover. As the song came to a close, “You Give Love A Bad Name” unsurprisingly appeared. I understand the need to play this song every night; however, it has been in this slot for 19 years, it’s time to move it to another spot in the set list. The performance of the song was solid, but I felt a further disconnect from the audience and the band. It almost appears as if the band was running through the motions and playing the song merely out of need instead of wanting to play it.

When “Everyday” was kicked in next, it almost seemed like something lit up in each of the band members. Here’s a song that was not a hit, but I admire them for not giving up on it. This performance was first-rate highlighted by a smoking solo by Sambora. As Jon walked on either side of the stage, the crowd immediately went nuts for him. I sat there and watched his interaction with the fans and realized just how damn talented this man is. Winning over an audience is never easy no matter how good your ass looks in leather pants or jeans. He has an undeniable gift, the same one that Bono, Jagger and Tyler have when making eye contact with audience members and hypnotizing them. When Jon began to engage the crowd during these moments tonight we all began to feel connected to the music. “Born To Be My Baby” is where I had my first smile of the evening. Right after the guitar solo and right before they kick back into the chorus again…the band held out kicking into it and teased the audience. “There’s something I know deep inside” kept being repeated in a machine gun fashion as the band showed the Windy City just why they are one of the world’s truly illustrious live bands. This simple act took the crowd and song to another level which continued as the band segued right into “The Story of My Life”, which kept the pace as it came out of a definitive performance of “Baby”.

The box set treasure “Radio Saved My Life” rocked the Chicago crowd and the band nailed the performance. “Runaway”, “Have A Nice Day”, “Last Cigarette” and “It’s My Life” were all presented to near perfection, led by Richie Sambora. As I am looking over my notes from this evening, I have at least one comment about Richie on every song. He was clearly the MVP of the evening as his scorching guitar work showed me a man who is still growing as a musician and the way he shred through those opening chords of “Have A Nice Day” almost knocked me over. He literally was pounding on his guitar like a kid fighting for his life in an after school fight. Watching Richie during this sequence of songs took me back to that first show 12 years ago, that is how extraordinary his playing was tonight. With each string hit and fret board touched, Sambora upped his worth as a guitar God. His playing was all about soul.

There will be an acoustic set performed nightly, which I have been wanting the band to do ever since the “New Jersey” tour. Kicking the acoustic set off was Jon, alone and center with nothing other than an acoustic guitar. “Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night”, reworked as a slow driving acoustic number, went over marvelously. Even in this unrecognizable version, you could hear the arena sing it back to him. It wasn’t about the music, but the lyrics…showing the non-believers that this is a band who does more than write pop songs but ones with passion and emotion as well.

Hey, Man, I'm Alive

I'm taking each day and night at a time

I'm feelin' like a Monday but

Someday I'll be Saturday night

This was such a great moment as there was correlation from the audience to the performer. Not just singing lyrics back, but you could feel something in the air. As the band returned, they all strapped on acoustic instruments. Richie walked over to Jon’s microphone where they ran through “I’ll Be There For You” acoustically, sharing the microphone. The song was done in the vein of the version from “This Left Feels Right” and while I’ve never appreciated that album in any form, the material works better live, which is a testament to the band’s live capabilities. Many fans were complaining they wanted to hear the song as they know it, but here is where I saw the band taking a chance and I thought it worked. “This Left Feels Right” had one song that stood out to me and that was “Lay Your Hands On Me” which had a Peter Gabriel feel to it. Tonight, I was able to see it and feel Gabe’s spirit in the room. While it was not the arena anthem we all know, the band ran through the number with passion and once again, I was taken aback and jovial with the end results.

Next thing I know, the band is slowly working through a mini acoustic jam that I can feel to slowly build. During this time, Jon Bon Jovi disappeared from the stage, however, I hear the crowd start to really go insane and I see Jon appear on top of a seat in the 100 level of the arena with his black acoustic guitar in hand. Just as the band climaxes their jam, Jon begins to sing “Blaze of Glory”. This was the biggest and most welcomed surprise of the evening. The opening jam had a middle eastern flavor to it and the performance by the band was nothing short of exceptional. I also give Jon props as I think he’s insane for actually going out into the crowd to perform a song. When it was over all I could think about is this is why I love this band. I want my artists to challenge me and surprise me when I see them live. Why couldn’t they have put this song on “This Left Feels Right”? It would have raised the album grade in my book to an automatic C+ just for this song.

The remainder of the main set would be a blast of five fan favorites; “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”, “Bad Medicine”, “Raise Your Hands”, “Who Say’s You Can’t Go Home” and “Livin’ On A Prayer”. I’m surprised to still see “Sleep” in the set as its tired and needs to be put into semi-retirement. If anything, this song should be paired up with “Bad Medicine” in the beginning of the set, if for no other reason than to make a change. Due to the fact it’s a number one single, “Bad Medicine” must be played every night. This song and “Bad Name” should be switched in the set to freshen things up. Also, they should turn “Bad Medicine” into an extended jam with a cover version thrown in for good measure. “Good Lovin’”, “Gimme Some Loving’” and even a jam post guitar solo would be welcomed as it would give the song a new life. “Raise Your Hands” is a grand arena anthem and it makes you wonder how the band only performed this song once between the final “Slippery” show in ’87 and 2001, when it was resurrected. Surprisingly, after “Hands”, Jon talked to the crowd before the band launched into their newest single, “Who Say’s You Can’t Go Home”. Here is where I looked at Jon and saw him alive and not running through the motions. There was a sparkle in his eye as he sang the chorus and saw the fans singing this new number back to him. After the song finished, there was a rousing and spirited reprise. When he looked out into the audience and saw us singing it back to him, that million dollar smile shined brighter than any of the lights or effects on stage. This was a real moment where I felt his soul rattle from the concert stage. “Livin’ On A Prayer” is an anthem for the ages and it had the 17,000 in attendance bouncing off the ceilings the same way “Hey Jude” did a few weeks back when Paul McCartney performed at the United Center. It’s good to see “Prayer” back near the end of the set, as I believe its impact is stronger at the end of the set versus the beginning of the show. At this moment, the band was clearly in control of the audience. Surprisingly, this was an unyielding audience, but not fervent or frantic as the way Chicago audiences usually are for Bon Jovi. The band had to work for it and tonight, at the end of “Prayer” they had them.

When the band came back from their break, “Bells of Freedom” was performed to dead silence from the crowd. It may be my least favorite track on “Have A Nice Day” and even though it was performed well, it was a buzz kill. Can you imagine getting it on, hot and heavy, with a new boyfriend/girlfriend and all of a sudden calling out your ex’s name? That was how the United Center felt during the performance of this song, as its placement should have come early in the set, not in the encore. However, all was not lost as “Wanted” quickly won the crowd back. I’ve seen “Wanted” over two dozen times live, and tonight, something just took it to the top. As Richie performed his trademark solo, the sound of the crowd was deafening. So deafening, in fact, that the only other time in recent memory that I can remember a crowd being this fanatical was six weeks ago when U2 launched into “Where The Streets Have No Name” in the same building. There was a zealous rage in Richie’s fret work and the crowd acknowledged with roars of approval. Upon its conclusion, the band took their bows and headed off stage only to be called back by the now fanatical crowd. Tonight’s bonus song was, ironically, the old soul classic “Treat Her Right”. The song lasted 8 minutes, highlighted by a killer guitar solo by extra guitar player Bobby Bandiera. It left the Chicago crowd wanting more.

As I walked out we all shared our thoughts on the show. I’ll admit that I witnessed a far better show than I expected. For a band that has just began a tour, the sounded incredibly tight. I’ve only seen The Rolling Stones this tight at the beginning of a tour. However, there were a few negatives which hovered over the show. The first is show length. When one is forking over $100 or more for a concert ticket, the show better be close to 2.5 hours, if not longer. The ticket price raised $20 between the last tour and this one and tonight’s show ran around approximately 130-minutes. For a band that has a catalog as big as Bon Jovi, there is no reason to not play 150-minutes at every show.

However, my main complaint has to do with the sequencing of songs in the set list, as they had no rhyme or reason to be performed in the order they were performed. When a band like Bon Jovi has twenty years of music under their belts, more time should be put into what songs are played and where. One of the advantages of being a musician is that you can build story arcs and tell stories on a larger scale in concert by matching thematic tunes together to tell a bigger story. U2 has done this on numerous tours and Bon Jovi is one of the few bands who have the catalog to do this. The end of the main set should be based around faith, hope and redemption to build the audiences reaction and paint a larger painting of the band’s catalog on a vast canvas for 20,000 to see nightly. The main set, every night should climax with “Keep The Faith”. No Bon Jovi show should ever be performed without “Keep The Faith” as it’s their paramount and most vital live song... To help them with this, I will post a “suggestion” set list below at the end of this review.

When I saw the March ’93 show, I left knowing that music was the band’s passion and their life. I don’t get that feeling as much while watching the band tonight. It seems like it’s a job than fun. There are moments where I see that magic in their eyes, but all too often, I feel they are playing too close to the cuff. Bon Jovi is a magnificent live band and deserves to treat their catalog and their fans better. We deserve to be challenged with set list changes nightly, not ignore albums like “These Days”, “7800 Farenheight” and the box set. Most importantly, if you are going to charge upwards of $100 for tickets, make sure you do not leave the concert stage until the fans are exhausted. Artists who say “leave them wanting more” are nothing but lazy. In March of ’93, I saw a man who came on stage trying to prove something and he did not leave the stage until he had to for a fear of physical collapse. Tonight, the band had the audience in the palm of their hand and left them hanging. Someone asked Bruce Springsteen in the early 80’s how long his shows would be and Bruce answered “Whatever comes first- three hours or 28 songs”. Bon Jovi should implement a similar process. There is no reason the band should not perform upwards of 100 different songs on the tour as they have the hits, album cuts and a box set to make those selections from.

There are going to be those who jump on me and tell me that I’m being picky and harsh as the purpose of Bon Jovi concerts are to have fun. I did have fun, but let me tell you, as I get older and face the callous realities of this world, I want my rock n roll to be more than just entertaining; I want it to be life changing. I want it to educate me, rock me and calm me. It is rare you find a band who can manage that balance well. Bon Jovi is one of the few acts that could really dig their heels in deep, write and perform meaningful material and yet somehow, make their encores seem like a gospel church, where when you leave, you feel redeemed and ready to face the world. Artists like this change lives and garner a fan base that will follow them anywhere. Numerous people I spoke to tonight are only seeing one or two shows on this tour instead of seeing multiples. One of the reasons is because they don’t feel challenged anymore. I feel the same way. “Jonny’s Church of Rock N’ Roll” has lost a few parishioners to neighboring churches who are enlightening the soul more. When I pay hard earned money to see a show, I want to feel like that performer is giving the best performance of the tour. I didn’t feel that way tonight.

After the show, a friend came up to me and asked me, “What’s missing from this show that was prevalent at past ones?” We discussed our opinions but as I sit here at 4:39 am typing this and my ipod is playing “Keep The Faith”, I think I finally have the right answer, a “little bit of soul”. After that 1993 gig, Jon Bon Jovi and his band mates continued to rise to the occasion whenever and wherever I saw them live for the next decade. I miss “that” guy. Do you remember “that” guy who gave his all each and every night? I saw him in ’95 supporting his bravest album, I saw him again in November of 2000 when the Windy City dared him to play longer and he did and I saw “that” guy and his band work their magic in 2003 at Jon’s birthday show and again that summer in Minneapolis at a half acoustic-half electric show. Each of these shows took me to a higher plane emotionally, tonight sadly did not. “That” guy who was at the shows above, well, sadly he didn’t show up in the Windy City for the second show of the tour. But if and when he does appear again, on this tour and I’m fortunate enough to see it, I’ll be the first to let you know.

“What we need to get is a little bit of soul” -“Little Bit of Soul” 1992

Here is my proposed set list, which showcases a solid 2.5 hour show with recurring themes meddled together for a more powerful impact. *
Last Man Standing
Complicated*
I Believe*
Last Cigarette / I Want To Be Loved / Novocaine*
Good Lovin’-Bad Medicine
These Days / Something To Believe In/ Welcome To Wherever You Are*
Runaway/ Tokyo Road*
Just Older
Bad Name
Born To Be My Baby
Story of My Life
Radio Saved My Life Tonight*
Acoustic Set:

Saturday Night
I Am*
Living In Sin*/ “I’ll Be There For You
Lay Your Hands On Me
Blaze of Glory*
Electric Again:
Everyday*
Raise Your Hands
Have A Nice Day
It’s My Life
Keep The Faith*
Encore #1:
Who Says You Can’t Go Home

Wanted

Prayer

Encore #2

Radio Radio

Rocking In The Free World

* denotes a spot where there can be nightly changes

Prince & Tamar: It Takes Two

One can only wonder what goes on in the mind of the might Prince. A year ago he was launching his "3121" campaign and I expected a full blown tour, which I was thrilled about as his 2004 outing was off the hook. Here we are a year later and the only news we have is that Prince is rocking out every weekend in Vegas and plans on performing at the half time show during the Super Bowl. While we wait for his might Purpleness to return to the concert stage, here's a review of a club gig he performed earlier this year with his protogee, Tamar.

xTony

Prince & Tamar: It Takes Two
Congress Theater - Chicago,IL - Monday February 27, 2006 11:59pm
By Anthony Kuzminski

The last time Prince graced Chicago with his presence, he was in the midst of reengaging his long time fans by performing close to 100,000 people over a five nights, proving that he still had the magic to rock with the best of them. In fact, I’ll go on record that his 2004 “Musicology” trek found Prince at his prime live power with the finest backing group of musicians he ever assembled. A little over a week ago, on a very cold Chicago night, lines wrapped around five city blocks as people waited to see Prince’s return in a theater around 1am. Instead of being front and center in the spotlight, Prince’s job was musical director and guitarist. The spotlight shined brightly on Prince's latest protégé, Tamar (pronounced "Tay-mar"). In the past, Prince has usually picked his protégé’s who were heavy on sex appeal and deficient in musical talent. Does anyone really think that if not for Prince that Carmen Electra would still have men slipping dollar bills into her g-string? Because of Prince’s past choices I forked over my $31.21 in the hopes of seeing Prince astound me with his axe work. However, to my astonishment, I walked away with more.

Regardless of Prince’s past choices, his newest protégé will sweep you off your feet with her soulful voice, sultry demeanor and magnetic stage presence. Right from the start Tamar performed like an industry veteran. Price was to Tamar’s right as he let his fingers flow freely across the frets for close to two hours. One song into the show it was evident that Tamar has all the makings to be a star. She lit up the stage as she prowled across it with confidence, backed by the two twin backing singers (in school girl outfits) who moved in carefully choreographed seizure-like moves. Besides running through material from Tamar’s new album (due later this spring) other highlights of the main set included a killer rendition of "When A Man Loves A Woman" where Tamar soared as her voice reached new heights on this R&B classic before Prince stepped out at the end for a killer guitar solo. Tamar nailed every note vocally while the crowd cheered her on. I’ve seen A-grade acts try and bring up and coming acts on tour with them only to see crowds treat them like a virus. Tonight was not one of these nights as they embraced Tamar and did not seem disappointed that Prince was there in a support role. However, when Prince did appear in the spotlight, his guitar playing was trancelike. His playing takes me to another world as he's arguably the most talented man to throw a six string around his neck since the great and late Jimi Hendrix. As a musician, Prince is unmatched by anyone on this Earth and the grace and ease with which he performs leaves me in complete and total awe.

In the encore Prince, Tamar and the twins ripped through a classic pair of tunes from the Jackson family. First up was Michael’s “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” which segued right into sister Janet’s “What Have You Done For Me Lately”. Both songs sounded magnificent as Tamar handled lead vocal duties while Prince brought the funk. However, I found the performance to be bittersweet, as I saw an 80’s Pop God shine under the lights proving he is as relevant as ever, while the person who wrote “Don’t Stop” has sadly drifted from the musical greatness he once possessed. Whether one loves Prince’s new music or not, they can not deny that he truly loves music more than anything else. No sooner did “What Have You Done For Me Lately” wind down before “Partyman” kicked into full gear to the sound of elation from the sold out crowd. Prince’s “Batman” soundtrack from 1989 is a power pop masterpiece. It was not meant to be a serious piece of art, but it served its purpose marvelously as it is a fun album and a misplaced classic for Tim Burton’s classic comic noir. It’s been years since Prince has recognized any of this material from the concert stage and it was a welcomed return.

When the band kicked into “Play That Funky Music” Prince brought about twenty fans on stage with him as they danced, sang and proved to me that there is a vibrant night life in Chicago on Monday nights after 2am. By the end of the show the Congress Theater felt more like a communal gathering rather than a concert as the band needed the crowd as much as the crowd needed the band. Two nights previously in Minneapolis, this was where the show came to an end. However, the Chicago crowd willed the band back to the stage. After a little teasing between to two they decided on a slow number off of Tamar’s album, “Stay With Me Baby”. However, if one thought the evening would end on a slow number like this, they would be mistaken as “I Want To Take You Higher”, the Sly & The Family Stone classic, brought the house down. The lights were glaring on the audience as the band tore through the number as if it would be the last song they ever perform. Prince wailed on his guitar as if there would be no tomorrow. The finale was completely off the hook and when the music finally faded most of the people felt their money was well spent for a nearly 2-hour funk and soul review by one of the greatest acts of the last quarter century and a up and comer who held her own against this legend. It may not have been a proper Prince show, however, it was the first chapter in what is shaping up to be an extraordinary year for the purple one. Regardless of whether or not his new album (“3121”) and tour come close to matching his previous trek does not matter, as tonight Prince proved he can command an audience at any time as long as he has a six string in his midst.

Madonna: The Dancing Queen

Earlier this evening, NBC chopped up Madonna's latest concert film to the point where it probably lost a number of viewers as the evening progressed. Virtually every song was followed by a commercial probably forcing people to switch channels. What the editing failed to do is show what a tour de force show this latest concert tour truly was. I had low expectations seeing it this past June but was surprised at it's beutiful marriage of music and theatrics. Below is my review originally published at Unrated Magazine

Madonna: The Dancing Queen

By Anthony Kuzminski

I'm going down my own road and I can make it aloneI'll work and I'll fight til I find a place of my own-"Jump"

Twenty-two years ago both Madonna and Bruce Springsteen unleashed their most commercially successful albums-“Like A Virgin” and “Born In The USA” -to combined sales of over twenty-five million records and that’s just in the US. Recently, I found myself catching both of these acts on back-to-back nights, on tours which are largely developed around their most recent releases. Surprisingly, both of these tours were far more provocative and whimsical than either artist’s $100 million grossing tours of 2003 and 2004. Springsteen’s stadium tour of 2003 was hefty on ego, hits and his most recent album “The Rising”. Currently Springsteen has streamlined his show to smaller audiences focusing on songs by legendary folk singer Pete Seeger and with no major hits in the set. The E Street Band is at home and instead he’s supported by a seventeen-piece band. Amazingly, they were able to divinely radiate a stronger feeling of community and collaboration between band and audience. From the first chord played until the final bow, the band and the fans played off one another giving the audience an exhilarating feeling of unity.

While Springsteen always tends to exceed my expectations, I must say I did not expect much from Madonna as her 2004 “Reinvention” tour left me cold. It was my first time seeing the Material Girl in the flesh, although I’ve followed every tour closely and caught them all on DVD. Even though the show focused largely on her hits, it was surprisingly tedious. At the time, I was happy to have seen her perform an over the top show featuring some of the most recognizable prime pop hits of the last twenty years, but I left feeling she did not enjoy herself one bit. It did not help I had recently seen Prince perform a few of the most potent live performances I had ever witnessed. Prince’s concerts were small on theatrics and big on song and soul. Due to Madonna’s complete detachment from her audience on the last tour, I had low expectations for the “Confessions” tour.

Madonna’s latest album, “Confessions On A Dance Floor” is a vast improvement over 2003’s “American Life” however, it did not grasp me the same way her best work has. In the annals of her recorded history, I’d rank “Confessions” somewhere in the middle of her output; better than “Erotica”, “American Life” and “Bedtime Stories” but not as good as “Ray of Light”, “Music” or “Like A Prayer”. I never imagined a dance heavy electronic album was possibly meant to be experienced live.

Despite my reservations, I was at the United Center ready to be unimpressed when the lights dimmed at 8:30 on the dot. The stage set up was enormous with two gigantic video screens on stage and three extensive catwalks (two on the sides and one down the middle of the arena). Numerous female dancers appeared with men on leashes, giving the opening a very S&M feel. As the giant disco ball descended from the ceiling and opened, Madonna was there in all her glory kicking into the opener “Future Lovers” which set the buzzing dance tone of the evening. Once the masochistic opening came to a close, new songs “Get Together”, “Jump” and “Forbidden Love” with their swaggering beats transfixed the audience, who would remain on their feet the entire evening. In the first thirty-minutes of the show, Madonna proved herself to be dazzling with a supercharged set of songs and visuals that I doubt anyone can top. From a staging perspective, the last time I witnessed an orgy of this many visuals was on U2’s Zoo TV tour from 1992. For the first time, I found myself sucked in by the provocative and seductive visuals she tied to her music.

While Madonna had some stellar sets on the last tour, these were more fan-friendly. The catwalks were put to great use, offering those with seats half way back on the floor the most optimal view of the stage. The first hit of the evening was a reworked dance version of “Like A Virgin” where Madonna strode to the left side of the stage to ride a leather chair (merry go round style) while balancing herself against it for the duration of the song. While her classic material was only performed as a way to enhance the current, she pulled no punches in ensuring it left her audience speechless. “Live To Tell” was the evening’s most scandalous moment, as she appeared on a cross…with a crown of thorns no less. While it may have been appalling to some in the audience (this is Madonna after all), the performance was hindered by poor sound throughout the arena where her vocals could barely be heard. Those who were able to see past the Christ-like imagery, were probably equally discomforted with images of deprived and sick children of Africa. This was not the first time I felt irony at a Madonna show. She had a similar series of images while performing “Imagine” in 2004. I had an issue with these images a few years back because of the amount of money she charges for tickets. I respect Madonna and feel she’s a first-rate performer, but I do take issue with a performer charging upwards of $400 for ticket and then attempting to manipulate her audience with these images. However, one may view Madonna as a woman who is maturing and growing. My two cents, regardless of her idiosyncrasies and shock factor-she is a human being at her core and one whom I feel is growing not only as a human but as a mother of two. This is merely her way of wanting her audience to be aware of the outside world and grow with her.

Only two songs from the entire performance fell flat; “Isaac” and the reworked “Paradise” from 2000’s “Music”. Both were fine, but were also the only two moments where the crowd was not in an incendiary state. These two songs are easily overlooked as the remainder of the show was defiant and intrinsic. “Confessions” second single “Sorry” soared and the audience reached a new peak as the dance number completely prevailed as if it was “Vogue”. Taking off its video dance war of women versus men, the song was so audaciously effective I could not image Madonna ever performing another concert without this song in the set. The frenzy of the evening spilled over into the audience as each song presented itself as an all out tour de force dance party. I saw Cher a few years back on her farewell tour and for what it was, a first rate Vegas styled show, she gave the audience their money’s worth. However, while Madonna’s tickets were far more expensive, she exceeded my expectations in every way imaginable in both song and staging.

“I Love New York” was one of the few songs performed in a straightforward manner, showcasing Madonna performing electric guitar in obscene heels. Even though the chorus heralded a city that Chicago continually feels in competition with, it somehow worked. Without missing a beat and keeping the six string on her back, the band launched into “Ray of Light” entrancing the crowd in the process, proving she does not need a fleet of dancers and theatrics to win over a crowd. As the song worked its way to a close, Madonna jumped up and down in her enormous heels with her Les Paul strapped around her while the sold-out crowd simultaneously mimicked her and shook the foundations of the arena. Madonna slowed things down afterward and modestly showed off her vocals on “Substitute For Love”, performing the song from the steps of the catwalk. While it was the immense production numbers that most will remember, never underestimate Madonna’s ability to still entrance an audience with the sheer power of a restrained vocal performance, which is exactly what she did here. While the “Confessions” tour is arguably her best tour since the “Blonde Ambition” trek in 1990, seeing this series of songs makes me long for a tour where Madonna leaves all of the theatrics and props at home and focuses solely on the music. The highlight of the 2004 “Reinvention” tour was when it was just the five musicians on stage performing “Burning Up” from her debut album. I believe her best concert performances are in front of her, when she leaves the theatrics and toys at home and hits the road with a five piece band varying set lists night to night ensuring no two shows are alike. Next to Elvis Presley, no other artist has had as many hit singles and from a female perspective, she’s untouchable. While I believe this would be her best move from an artistic and financial standpoint, I can’t complain as the dizzying performances of this current tour will be hard to match.

The remainder of the evening was a delirious and frenzied dance assault. While the sounds of “Disco Inferno” blasted throughout, her dancers rolled across the stage and catwalk on roller skates until Madonna appeared back on stage in an all white suit as she surged into “Music”. With a completely reworked dance beat to the rhythms of “Disco Inferno”, “Music” was reinvented in a way no one ever could have imagined. Just as I had witnessed with Springsteen the night before, Madonna was continually taking chances with the musical scope of her material and whether she succeeded or failed, one has to admire her desire and need to not live in the past but in the present and the future.

In my heart, I will always be a rock n’ roller and will always like pop music from a distance. While I find many pop songs catchy, I prefer the attitude and aggression of rock, especially when it comes to blistering live performances. Nothing can capture the energy of a band and crowd completely in synch with one another, except for maybe this Madonna tour. As I watched Madonna strip off the white suit into more skin tight work out clothes and run through more rhythmic versions of “Erotica” and “La Isla Bonita”, I couldn’t help but notice the unifying feeling this music brought to the crowd. The audience followed Madonna with every dance beat, skip and jump throughout the entire two-hour show. Two years ago, I felt disengaged from Madonna whereas Prince engaged me, but tonight Madonna caught up with the Purple Prince of pop. Instead of a soulless spectacular based on ego and enterprise, the “Confessions” tour is a unified marriage of theatrics and music bringing a communal experience of elation and elevation to the fans.

As the evening was drawing to a close, the beat from “Hung Up”, the first track and single from “Confessions On A Dance Floor”, began to repeat itself throughout the arena, but not before bits of “Lucky Star” overlapped. Her dancers graced her with a cape, which had the appropriate title of “Dancing Queen” as Madonna and her backing singers swirled around the stage in an ecstatic euphoric state that was contagious. “Lucky Star” was only a tease as it merely played as an interlude to an awe-inspiring finale. As the music segued into “Hung Up”, Madonna headed off stage while two dancers leaped from trap doors in the stage, plowed down the extended catwalk and then ascended simultaneously into the crowd. As if this were not enough, they ran to the back of the arena and began to scale the walls to the second level (there are three levels not including the floor in the United Center). When a DVD is released of this show and people see this, they will wonder if it is as awe-inspiring in person as it appears on film, all I can say is “yes”, it is.

After the dancers’ incredible performance, a mini dance rig appeared front and center with Madonna in her leotard (made infamous from the “Hung Up” video) accentuated by glitzy boots. Before I get any emails asking me the obvious, yes, she shook her ass just like she did in the video and “yes”, its looks even better in person. It was as if the entire evening was building up to this moment as “Hung Up” completely seduced the crowd with its dance grooves and Madonna showed off her inner exhibitionist. The rhythmic assault of “Hung Up” proved to be the defining moment of the evening, which is ironic because while it’s usually great to see an artist play new material, it’s rare for it to steal the show, but “Hung Up” and “Sorry” did just that. Upon its release, I saw “Confessions On A Dance Floor” as a worthy album to Madonna’s cannon, but it’s magnified ten-fold by its stage show. This is a stunning feat for a pop artist as it’s rare a live concert, which usually focuses more on theatrics rather than music, will make you go back to the studio record and look upon it with an entirely different perspective. This tour puts “Confessions on the Dance Floor” into context. It gives the album meaning and should send reviewers back to their original reviews to be reworked. I no longer see it as a mid-grade Madonna album, but an album in the upper echelon of her work.

Over two nights in June of 2006, I saw Bruce Springsteen and Madonna completely reinvent themselves and their music. Neither of their most recent studio albums grabbed me initially (even though I admired both of them). Little did I realize that it would be live and in concert where the sweat pours out of your pores, where each artist unleashed their latest material not only putting it into perspective but giving it a life force. Madonna’s tour de force cabaret was superbly unsubtle and fixating. While I’m normally not a fan of extravaganzas this tour is about reinvention and rededication. Vegas spectacular or not, this tour may not only rank as one of the year’s highest grossing, but arguably one of its best as well.

There's only so much you can learn in one placeThe more that you wait, the more time that you waste-"Jump"

The Who: The Power of Two

Monday September 25, 2006
Chicago, IL
United Center

A few weeks back I pulled out the recent archival Who DVD release of their live performances from “Tommy” in 1989. I was astounded when I saw Pete Townshend; he looked tired, scrawny, disenfranchised and depressed. While he put forth effort, it was far from his best and was as if he couldn’t wait for the evening to end. It wasn’t until a decade later that Townshend became animated once again and since then he’s been delivering potent performances like it was 1970 all over again. The last seven years have found Pete delivering some of the most energetic and radiant performances of his life. After the death of bassist John Entwistle in 2002, both Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey knew they had to take everything to another level if they wanted to continue under the “Who” moniker…and they have done just that.

At the duo’s recent United Center gig in Chicago, The Who were alive and well as they battered their instruments opening the show with a frantic rendition of “I Can’t Explain”. How many acts can continue to kick off every one of their concerts, for close to forty-years, with their first single? Following in quick succession was “The Seeker”, “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere” and “Who Are You” to the raucous screams of the sold out 16,000 in attendance. There are those who have had issues with the Who because they have emerged from retirement one too many times. I feel sorry for these people because the current state of the Who is out to reclaim their music. It's easy to criticize the band for still touring and making money even though it is only half of the original band. Despite what anyone says, this band is timeless and Roger and Pete have really upped their antes after Entwistle's death giving some of the most effervescent shows of their careers in the last four years.

What differentiates this tour from every other tour the band has embarked on since 1989 is that it is the first to incorporate new songs. The good news is that it’s the best material the Who have created in a quarter century…the downside to that comment is that aside from two songs on a throwaway compilation from a few years back, it’s the bands first material since 1982’s “It’s Hard”. Despite being performed alongside legendary classics, the new songs held up surprisingly well. Trying to even compare the new material to their vintage masterpieces is a losing game and one not worth playing. These new songs show there is still life to be breathed into the Who and that they don’t plan on coasting into their retirement solely on the basis of their legacy. Eight new songs from the band’s upcoming album “Endless Wire”, were performed and while not all of the songs were great, they are far superior to the majority of material found on the band’s last two official albums, “Face Dances” and “It’s Hard”.

Even though it does not appear on “Endless Wire”, the Elvis inspired “Real Good Looking Boy” proved the band still has the magic with this gorgeous ballad which was delivered elegantly with heartfelt precision by the six-piece band. Daltrey gleefully sang with a defiant delivery, despite having some coarseness and scuff on his seasoned voice. The evening’s most unexpected moment was when Daltrey had to unexpectedly leave the stage due to an allergic reaction to something he inhaled (no joke) from the crowd. Townshend apologized before he and the remaining band members pulverized the arena with a scorching rendition of “My Generation”/”Cry If You Want”, after which the band took a short break before everyone, including Daltrey, returned for a searing performance of “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. Even with Daltrey’s strained voice, the band exerted themselves giving their all and in truth, they have much more to prove now without Entwistle and Moon than they did thirty-years ago. This alone is reason enough to fork over your hard earned cash to see the Who. Pete and Roger are stretching themselves and as a result, you will see both of them be as animated, gracious, determined and emotional as they have been on a concert stage since before “Tommy”. Every time they play these songs it’s not just for a pay day, but because they still have something to prove.

I’m a third generation Who fan and can’t really accurately compare how the band is today to how they were in their first forty years, but being an avid bootleg collector, I can tell you that after Keith Moon died, the band never quite found it’s footing again, until the son of a Beatle came on their radar; Zak Starkey. Kenny Jones and Simon Phillips handled drumming duties for the band between 1979 and 1989, but neither came close to capturing the essence of Moon. In fact, much like Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, no one ever could replace him as he was one of a kind. But there’s something mystical about Zak being behind the kit. Despite his father being a drummer, Zak received his first drum kit and lessons from none other than Keith Moon. My seats gave me a bird’s eye view of Zak and his drumming was not only manic, but meticulous as well. Zak pushed these songs forward making them feel like Keith was there…which I believe he was. I’ve always been a spiritual person and while Starkey is a first-rate drummer, every time he gets behind the kit at a Who gig, I truly believe Keith Moon is side by side with him in spirit. Zak Starkey is one of the best drummers working in music today and in truth, I’d fork over money just to see him drum for two hours. Zak’s playing may not be as primitive as Moon’s, but it’s equally effective and for the only time since Moon’s death, the Who felt whole again, which made the death of bassist John Entwistle in 2002 even more devastating as I believed the band was set to truly reinvent themselves. In Entwistle’s place, session player Pino Palladino has done a stand up job since stepping in on short notice in 2002. He has found his groove with the band and happily is hiding in the background of the stage amplifying these songs and along with Zak, keeping the beat for Roger and Pete.

Throughout the evening the band performed the old and new with vigorous energy that was forthright and sincere. However, the most surprising moment of the evening was the final number, "Tea and Theatre", a new song which featured only Roger and Pete. It was an odd way to end a show, especially after the “Tommy” suite and the trancelike strobe light jam of “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, but this was something different I nor anyone else had ever seen at a Who show before. The power of these two legends spoke to the masses and as the final note was performed, I grabbed my wife to make a rush for the parking lot, but something happened. The crowd gave a deafening roar that made both my wife and I stop dead in our tracks. It wasn’t the kind of triumphant roar heard at the end of a nostalgic number, but something entirely different. Even my better half looked stunned and said "Wow, now that's a standing ovation". Sure it's nostalgia filled, but the Who may have some fire left in them and even if they don't, if they continue to perform like they did at the United Center recently, I'll make a point of seeing them in concert whenever I can. Despite what anyone says, seeing these two performers push themselves to that next level is not only surprising, but rewarding as well. As far as I’m concerned, as long as these two never rest on their laurels and give half-assed performances, they deserve to play their classics anytime, anywhere they choose. As I watched these two take their bows to the deafening roars of the crowd, I could help but think that despite forty-plus years together; these kids are still all right.

Set list
I Can't Explain, The Seeker, Anyway Anyhow Anywhere, Fragments, Who Are You, Behind Blue Eyes, Real Good Looking Boy, Sound Round, Pick Up The Peace, Endless Wire, We Got A Hit, They Made My Dream Come True, Mirror Door, Baba O'Riley, Eminence Front, Man In A Purple Dress, Mike Post Theme, You Better You Bet, My Generation, Cry If You Want, Won't Get Fooled Again, Pinball Wizard, Amazing Journey, Sparks, See Me Feel Me, Tea And Theatre

2006 Touring Lineup
Roger Daltrey: Harmonica, Vocals, Guitar
Pete Townshend: Vocals, Guitar
John Bundrick: Piano, Keyboards
Pino Palladino: Bass
Zak Starkey: Drums
Simon Townshend: Backing Vocal, Guitar

Buy ENDLESS WIRE: http://www.amazon.com/Endless-Wire-W-Dvd-Who/dp/B000IONLN6

100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong Box Set Review

OK, it's only fitting that one of my first posts on my blog is dedicated to Bon Jovi. There will be those who praise me for their inclusion and others who will probably vow never to return to this blog ever again as a result. However, being a writer, and considering this band is my equivalent of "The Beatles", I'll probably post about them often. In honor of the upcoming Christmas season and the six year anniversary of their epic Crush concert in Chicago, I'm going to reprint a review of the band's epic box set from 2004. I won't beat around the bush, some of the artistic and business decisions the band has made over the last few years have left me scratching my head. Therefore, when the announcement was made that there would be a career spanning box set, I was worried. Fortunately, I had nothing to worry about. This box set exceeded all of my expectations and I feel houses some of the best unreleased music from the last few decades, by any artist.

However, I will say that the biggest shock came a month after the box set hit stores when a member of the Bon Jovi team reached out to me, to "thank" me for giving the band their props. I haven't liked everything the band has ever done, but this box set just blew me away. Two years later, I'm still listening to it and am marveling at how many great pop-rock ditties got left on the cutting room floor. So if you know someone who enjoy's power-pop rock, I suggest you fill their stocking with this underrated box set. After all, can 100,000,000 fans really be wrong?
xTony Kuzminski
11-20-00

All I ever wanted to do was share our music with as many people as possible for as long as possible" - Jon Bon Jovi (9/17/04)

I sit here holding the new Bon Jovi box set in front of me. I'm listening to it onslaught my ears via my earphones (my favorite way to listen to all new music), taking each track in like a gift, piece by piece. I feel like a kid on Christmas, overwhelmed and can't decide which new toy I want to play with first. What I am staring down at is beyond impressive, you know, one of those really cool packages that every band dreams of having one day. However, most acts continue to market their box sets it towards casual fans- the very people who are least likely to buy it. Take for example the Kiss box set from a few years back, it was five discs and four of the discs had previously released material. What a waste of money. When I heard Bon Jovi was putting one together a few years back, I was thrilled…but cynical at the same time. Since 2001, Bon Jovi has tripped over three releases in a row, all of which could have been career milestones and instead became mere products without soul. Their live album, "One Wild Night", liner notes by Lonn Friend aside, was probably the most inadequate live album to ever be released (and there are A LOT of them). The album was rushed without a purpose, sequence and even proper recordings. It was full of edits and they relied too heavily on previously released b-sides many fans already owned. "Bounce" was released the following year and while it was easy on the ears, it was the band's weakest effort since its sophomore record, "7800 Fahrenheit". It appears the most soul searching and pulverizing tunes were left for b-sides. "This Left Feel Right"…I don't think there are words in the English language to illustrate the downer and catastrophe that album was. If you really want to know how I felt, the review should still be up on this site. That being said, I was hoping to get ten or twelve songs off the box set that I did not already own. The band has so many b-sides (live, acoustic, studio, instrumental, etc.) that when I compiled them to save space on CDs a few years back it took twenty-five CDs to amass all of them. I was holding my expectations for this box set at bay, because if I was to judge what would be on the box by the way these three previous releases were handled, I figured 80% of it would have been released before. Boy was I wrong.

Title and cover photo aside, this is one of the greatest box sets ever assembled. In fact, off the top of my head, only Bruce Springsteen's "Tracks" and Bob Dylan's "The Bootleg Series Volumes Volume 1-3" are as comprehensive and full of such vivid music. For every album Bon Jovi puts out, they usually write and record about 30 songs. Over the years, many of these have popped up on international b-sides. To my great surprise, most of those b-sides were out to the side for this box set and the purpose was to give the fans songs that have never been performed before. Because this box contains a 60-page booklet, 50 unreleased songs and a DVD, I'll dissect each one of them below, culminating in a track-by-track review of the box set.

THE PACKAGING: I'm not a fan of the title or cover. It comes off as a little over the top for my taste, but this is strictly my opinion. Bragging about 100 million records sold reminds me of a guy who brags about the number of women they sleep with: it just comes off tacky to me. That being said, the box is nicely put together and not flimsy like other box sets out there. In short, unlike Springsteen's "Tracks" which started falling apart almost immediately, this one should hold up over time.

THE BOOKLET: This booklet goes beyond my wildest expectations. Not only does it have notes from Jon Bon Jovi, but Pierre Robert, a DJ from Philadelphia, adds a personal touch with insider liner notes. The pictures on the inside cover the band's entire career, from the big hair of the 80's all the way up to the gold suits in 2004. The best picture is the full and unedited photo for the first album. Along with the pictures are used concert tickets and even single sleeves from international markets. Many of these pictures I have never seen before. At the end of the booklet each band member gives a personal message to the fans. Inter-dispersed throughout the book are comments from fans around the world and what Bon Jovi means to them. Some of the comments in the book are from people in countries I did not even know existed, showcasing how far and wide Bon Jovi's music has reached. Included are comments on 29 of the 50 songs in the box set and why certain songs were chosen.

THE DVD: This is not some high concept DVD, but one that is bigger on substance than style which is fine by me. Anyone who bought the band's QVC DVD knows that was one of all style and zero substance. I'm happy to say the exact opposite occurs here. That being said, many of the clips in this are from "Access All Areas", the bands out of print documentary from the "New Jersey" tour. There is also home video footage of the band around the world. What I love about this footage is that the band is not "on" for it. Someone in their crew merely had a camera and shows them on the bus, on their planes or in the studio doing what they do everyday. The new footage is comprised of Jon alone in his home studio and of the band in LA discussing the different tracks. Consider this DVD a commentary track to the CDs. It's great to see the band reminisce about certain songs and be in shock at others as they don't even remember recording or writing some of them. The footage of Jon in his home studio is not crisp and glossy and to be honest, it's a tad hard to hear, but I love it because he's not made up for a TV interview and simply talks about what really matters: the music. It has been far too long since I felt like Jon has let us glimpse behind the curtain in the land of Oz.

THE MUSIC: Some of the best music the band ever recorded is spread across these four discs. I'm not lying when I say that. Even the songs that are b-sides at best are incredible to hear and see what the band was venturing into during different eras.

"I was guilty of always looking ahead, always feeling I had to prove to myself and to anyone else who cared to pick a fight that it wasn't a fluke" – Jon Bon Jovi 9/17/04

SMALL QUIBBLES
No box set is ever perfect and I list these small quibbles here in the hope it's seen by people within the organization.

1. Album Cover and Title: I'm not a fan of the title and cover of this album, a bit too gaudy for my tastes, but alas, I don't want to judge a book by its cover. However, the problem is that many people will, which is a shame because the music speaks for itself.

2. Hugh McDonald: Even though the accompanying booklet is 60 pages and has well over 100 photos I only found two pictures of their long standing bass player in the booklet and one is of his back. This guy has played on every single Bon Jovi album. Considering that 95% of this box set was recorded from 1991 on, Hugh most likely played on 95% of the tracks, if not all of them. The band's reluctance to give their hired hand more respect is disturbing. I can understand why Jon does not want to make him an official member, but would it kill you to put more than two pictures of him inside of the box set?

3. Disc Space: If you look at the times on each of the four discs you'll see that over 90 minutes of disc space went unused. Why not combine the music onto three discs then? I respect the band's decision to not make this box chronological and try to sequence the numbers in some organized fashion, but the truth is that none of the four discs play like an unreleased album. It's a box set and they are not supposed to really flow like that anyway. But with that much disc space why not add some of the 40 released b-sides that band has put out over the years: "Every Word Was A Piece of My Heart", "Borderline", "Let's Make It Baby", "Fields of Fire", "The End", "Stay", "Alive" and dozens of others?

4. Missing Gems: One thing that has amazed me about this box set is how out of the fifty songs included on these discs, only four versions have been previously been released. However, apparently Jon and Obie O'Brien made a point to release things that no one, and they really mean NO ONE, ever heard. I respect this immensely, but some gems are missing: "Cadillac Man", the original demos of "Rosie" and "Never Say Goodbye", "Too Much Too Soon" (written the same day as "Wanted") and most importantly none of the other dozen tracks recorded for the "New Jersey" album back in 1988. Granted, many of the above songs were played in concert once or twice or demos have circulated in bootleg form for years. However, it would have been nice to get some of those songs on the 90 minutes of open disc space.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Minor quibbles aside, this is a box set by which all others should be judged and compared to. For the first time since 1996, I really feel like Bon Jovi is catering to their diehard fan base once again. This album was made for us, the fans. Instead of being treated to songs we already own, they have turned the other cheek and shown us another side of Bon Jovi. Let me say this, it's an inspiring side of the band we do not see enough of. Let's hope this overview of the box makes them look inward on future albums and tours. The last few years have been good and bad ones for Bon Jovi fans. For every high, there seemed to be two lows. All too often I felt like they did not care about that core base and was more concerned about the million other fans that may or may not buy their album. In short, my faith in the band was living on a prayer, but I kept the faith and now, it has been rewarded. I can once again say "I Believe" in this band.

Album grade: "A"

100,000,000 BON JOVI FANS CAN'T BE WRONG Track-by-Track
(All tracks previously unreleased unless mentioned otherwise)
Disc 1: (54:35)
1. WHY AREN'T YOU DEAD?
A catchy tongue-in-cheek rocker from the "Keep The Faith" sessions which was most likely left off the album because they already had "Sleep When I'm Dead" and the two have a similar feel and sound.

2. THE RADIO SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT
This is simply one of my favorite songs on the box. It reminds me everything I love about Bon Jovi. Sure these guys are not Dylan, Springsteen or Zeppelin, but the cliché lyrics are their trademark and no one does them better. We've all been driving in the car when we hear that certain song that elevates us and takes us to another place, just like this song. This was a leftover from "Keep The Faith".

3. TAKING IT BACK
This is a full speed rocker with impressive guitar work from Richie Sambora, as the band tries to prove they are back-even as musical climates drastically changed in 1992, when this was recorded.

4. SOMEDAY I'LL BE SATURDAY NIGHT (DEMO)
This is easily one of their best songs here in demo form. If not for "Crossroad" this song would be facing the same fate as many of the "These Days" songs, forgotten and left behind. There is a different beginning and different lyrics to this now classic song.

5. MISS FOURTH OF JULY
Richie Sambora calls this song his favorite on the box set and he did not even write it, but he does add some stunning harmonizing vocals. Jon's a big Tom Waits fan, and call me crazy, but I could actually see him singing it. A slow moving ballad recorded for the "Keep The Faith" album, this song could be a hit if someone covered it today.

6. OPEN ALL NIGHT
The band has had this title around forever, rumored to be the first title of their 6th album which went on to be "These Days". A song of the same title is on "Bounce" but the real gem is here on the box. Co-written by Eric Brazilian and most likely recorded in the late 90's for "Crush"

7. THESE ARMS ARE OPEN ALL NIGHT
I believe this was demoed by Jon in the late 90's, co-written by Billy Falcon. A slow driving number opposed to the rocker just before it. There are some similar lyrics between the two songs. 8. I GET A RUSHA straight-ahead rocker that is reminiscent of Credence Clearwater Revival's "Rocking All Over The World". This song is further proof that no one can deliver more direct love professions than Jon Bon Jovi.

9. SOMEDAY JUST MIGHT BE TONIGHT
This is a nice mid-tempo number with some great organ and slide guitar. A song that probably needed a little more work but is has some great verses.

10. THIEF OF HEARTS
Left off last year's "This Left Feels Right" at the last minute, it has finally found a home here on the box. Co-written and produced by Pat Leonard, it's a sweet melancholy song which fits nicely here on the box set.

11. LAST MAN STANDING
Left off "This Left…" last year, it has found a home here and on the next Bon Jovi album."Last Man" showcases stunning lyrics where Jon reflects on the current state of the music business and speaks his mind; one of his most truthful lyrics written right after the death of Johnny Cash.
12. I JUST WANT TO BE YOUR MAN
This song starts off moody and mysterious, reminiscent of a Beatles or Rolling Stones song…which slowly builds until the chorus kicks in. The song has a cinematic feel to it; they should push this to movie producers for placement in a film.

Disc 2 (52:09)
1. GARAGELAND
Written for "Crush" and probably should have made the album. It's a great catchy tune that really should have stood as a statement for the "Crush" album. Here the band shows what they do best, playing raw rock ‘n roll. "Garageland" is an anthem that would shine live.

2. STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN
Recorded for "Keep The Faith" and released on the Japan version of the album. However, this is a different and much rawer mix. A great rocker the boys mentioned leaving off because of its high pitch and would have been tough to play live.

3. MAYBE SOMEDAY
A sweet love ballad that eclipses all of the ones released on "Bounce". JBJ and Sambora's harmonizing vocals are seducing on this one.

4. LAST CHANCE TRAIN
The song has a McCartney-esque feel to it. Bon Jovi shows their multiple influences on this track with more cliché love lyrics but delivered with passion that reminds me of Dylan from "Blonde on Blonde". Here we have yet another treasure long forgotten with a killer chorus. Recording date is not given but I believe it was recorded in the late 90's solo by JBJ.

5. THE FIRE INSIDE
This song was recorded for "Keep The Faith" and probably should have made it onto the second half of the album. Stripped of any instruments other than an acoustic guitar and minor percussion, the lyrics excel on this number. Along with "I Believe", "Bed of Roses" and "Dry County", this is Jon Bon Jovi at his best as a solo songwriter.

6. EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART
This song is a saccharine mid-tempo number. Here we have another love song where they profess their undying love..."I live for your love". A solid song but one that probably was one of many "I'd Die For You" songs the band had lying around.

7. RICH MAN LIVING IN A POOR MAN'S HOUSE
Played briefly on Jon's brief solo tour of Europe in 1998, this track was co-written by Dave Stewart. Nice guitar work from Southside Johnny guitarist Bobby Bandiera. This was most likely demoed post "Destination Anywhere" and pre-"Crush".

8. THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY
This was written originally for the Kevin Costner film, "Message In A Bottle". Another Bon Jovi love ballad that would have fit well in the context of the film; restrained and soulful, it's too bad the producers did not pick it up.

9. YOU CAN SLEEP WHILE I DREAM
An incredibly catchy chorus showcases with an optimistic lyric. No date of recording given, a solo composition by Jon Bon Jovi and due to the lyrical theme, I'm going to guess it's from 1992.

10. OUTLAWS OF LOVE
Not sure when this was recorded but I'm going out on a limb and saying 1986. Surprisingly it's as good as or better than anything on "7800 Fahrenheit". The lyrics are a bit advanced for that period of the band so it is most likely a "Slippery" outtake. Either way, it's a worthy inclusion on the box even if no one in the band remembered writing or recording it.

11. GOOD GUYS DON'T ALWAYS WEAR WHITE
This song was originally released in 1994 on the soundtrack to the motion picture ‘The Cowboy Way' starring Keifer Sutherland and Woody Harrelson. It's a straight-ahead rocker bridging the gap between "Keep The Faith" and "These Days.

12. WE RULE THE NIGHT
This song definitely has to be from 1985. The sterile guitar feel and vocals are reminiscent of this period. This song probably owes more to the Scorpions or Dokken than Bon Jovi. You can hear a band still trying to forge its own unique sound here.

Disc 3 (55:51)
1. EDGE OF A BROKEN HEART
This is why box sets exist. Cut and recorded for "Slippery When Wet" but left off and put on a soundtrack to a Fat Boys movie the following year, the airplay of this song brought it to NUM:40 on the "Radio and Records" (a competitor of Billboard) chart in late 1987. If released as a single it would have been a top-5 hit for sure. Come on guys, now that it's out on the box, can we hear it live?

2. SYMPATHY
Written and recorded during the "Keep The Faith" sessions in Vancouver as the band was watching video of the Stones from their "Steel Wheels" tour. It sounds very similar to the bands rendition of Dylan's "Seven Days".

3. ONLY IN MY DREAMS (featuring Tico Torres on vocals)
Anyone who has seen them live knows they are one with their instruments, a set of extraordinary musicians. However, they are all extraordinary vocalists. To date, only the band's Christmas shows in Red Bank, NJ have given us a hint of their talents. Tico Torres' voice is a hybrid of Tom Wait and Steve Van Zandt. "Only In My Dreams" could have been sung by Jon, but thankfully it's not. It would never make a proper Bon Jovi album, but it's one of the highlights of this box set. This song was most likely recorded somewhere between 1992 and 1995.

4. SHUT UP AND KISS ME
One of my least favorite tunes on the box set, but it's a catchy little number co-written by long time collaborator Desmond Child with a chorus a tad reminiscent of "Proud Mary". An interesting number probably best left in the vault but yet another number here showcasing the band's different musical tastes.

5. CRAZY LOVE
This song showcases Jon Bon Jovi in full on pop mode. Co-written by Dave Stewart and most likely recorded between 1996 and 1998 with Jon's solo band.

6. LONELY AT THE TOP
This is hands down, the best song on this box set. This song could turn a non-Bon Jovi fan into a believer. Originally released in 1995 as a b-side, it was written for Kurt Cobain's daughter, Frances. Its haunting vocal gives greater tribute to the most influential rocker of my generation than any journalist has since his death a decade ago. This is coming from a bunch of guys who were thrown into the spotlight like Kurt, but as mentioned in the DVD on this box set, they had people there to get them through the trying times. It includes a spellbinding lyric; "I'm sorry you didn't get to know your Dad, I bet he's sorry he didn't get to know you too". This is the one song on this box that can send shivers down anyone's spine, Bon Jovi fan or not. There is a violin added into the mix of the song that differentiates this from the previously released b-side.

7. ORDINARY PEOPLE
Originally released as a b-side in 2000 for "Say It Isn't So" in Europe, but originally written and recorded in 1995 for "These Days". It's always been one of my favorite unreleased tracks by the band, so much so that I have included it on mixes for friends over the years. "These Days" was the bands masterpiece and while it would have made a nice addition, it is probably best suited for this box set. Another song that may make someone takes notice of the band's extraordinary songwriting ability. Included here is the unedited take of the song, which will make fans laugh when they hear what Jon says at the end.

8. FLESH AND BONE
A bluesy-rocker co-written by David Bryan, who really found his writing groove with Jon and Richie in 1995, unfortunately none of his songs made the "These Days" album. A worthy inclusion here in which Richie shines with a monster guitar solo, his best on the box set.
9. SATELLITEThis track soars with magnificent lyrics and an unbelievable guitar solo by Richie. It was left off "Keep The Faith" because of the arrangement. A little more work on this one with Bob Rock would have possibly given the band another epic masterpiece along the lines of "Dry County" and "Next 100 Years".

10. IF I CAN'T HAVE YOUR LOVE (featuring Richie Sambora on vocals)
In early 1992, I remember coming across cassettes of the demos for "Slippery When Wet", "New Jersey" and "Stranger In This Town". Getting these tapes was like winning the lotto. To this date I'm not sure how they circulated, but I still listen to them today. Sadly, of all the amazing tracks on those three cassettes only two songs made this box set. This is one of them. "Stranger In This Town" is the most underrated album of the last twenty years. It is easily one of my three desert island discs. Richie laid his heart and soul on that record. It's a career-defining masterpiece. Nothing Eric Clapton ever moved me as much as "Stranger". One of the outtakes from it is a tune he co-wrote with Desmond Child and Diane Warren. This tune and "Forever Mine" were my two favorite outtakes from "Stranger". Here we have "If I Can't Have Your Love" released for the first time. I don't think this was ever properly recorded and I believe it was recorded specifically for this box set. The song showcases Richie's powerful vocals accompanied by only a piano. It just goes to show what an extraordinary singer this man is. He may even be better than Jon. This is my second favorite song on this box set.

11. REAL LIFE
A song Jon originally co-wrote with Desmond Child and demoed in 1998. In early 1999 the band re-recorded it and was the first band recording released since 1995. This was one of the last songs producer Bruce Fairburn ever worked on. He died a mere three months later. It was chosen to be in the movie "EDTV". It was overlooked back then and it nicely being given a new life here on the box set. This version is remixed from its original album and later UK single release of the song.

12. MEMPHIS LIVES IN ME (featuring David Bryan on vocals)
David Bryan's passion for the last five years has been writing a musical, "Memphis". It's based around a man named Dewey Philips, one of the first men who played early blues and rock ‘n roll on the airwaves in the 1940's. Here we get a stunning track that would fit easily on an Elton John album. It's not a rip off of "Levon", but it gives me that warm feeling listening to Elton's early 70's albums and the conviction with which Bryan sings the song gives me hope that this musical will make it to the stage sooner than later.

13. TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING
A number with some potent guitar work by Richie on the track, not quite worthy of album inclusion but perfect for a box set. Co-written by Richie Supa (co-writer of Aerosmith's "Crazy"), the man Richie did most of the writing with for his second solo disc. I'm guessing this recording is from 1999/2000 as an outtake from "Crush" most likely written by Sambora and Supa with added elements by JBJ.

Disc 4 (61:28)
1. LOVE AIN'T NOTHING BUT A FOUR LETTER WORD
This song was written after Jon spent three weeks on the road with Southside Johnny in 1991 playing rhythm guitar. The song oozes the R&B flavor that dominated Southside's best works with horns and harmonica. This is the finished track with added elements by Sambora and Bryan. This is a great track that did not fit in with "Keep The Faith. Another gem being uncovered for this box set.

2. LOVE AIN'T NOTHING BUT A FOUR LETTER WORD (DEMO)
Here is JBJ's solo demo of the song without the R & B flavor. Instead of the soulful sounds of the previous track, we get an uncompromising rocker.

3. RIVER RUNS DRY
Written by JBJ and Desmond Child, "River Runs Dry" is one of Jon's storytelling songs. This is another song that will startle people who only know Bon Jovi for their big hits. The acoustic guitar that bookmarks the beginning and end sound a bit like "Stairway To Heaven". You could play this for someone who is not familiar with Bon Jovi and I bet they would be taken aback at how good this song is. The chorus reminds me a bit of "Thunder Rolls" by Garth Brooks.

4. ALWAYS (DEMO)
"Always" was originally written for a Gary Oldman film "Romeo Is Bleeding" but pulled back by Jon because he did not like the movie. A&R man John Kalodner urged the band to record it and release it and it went on to become their biggest hit ever. It spent six months in the US top ten and reached a career high NUM:2 in the UK. Here we have the original demo done on the band's European tour in 1993.

5. KIDNAP AN ANGEL
Co-written by Billy Falcon (whom Jon produced an album for in 1991) in the late 90's. I believe "Just Older" came out of these sessions as well. Most likely a demo from for the "Crush" album, driven by the acoustic guitar and harmonizing vocals.

6. BREATHE
"Breathe" is a nice little harmony that would have fit nicely on the "Bounce" album. Surprisingly the "Bounce" demos, which did not make the album, were better than half of the material that did make it. Personally I think "Alive" or "Still Standing" should have been included over "Breathe". However, this is simply a matter of taste.

7. OUT OF BOUNDS
"Out of Bounds" is an outtake from "Slippery When Wet" outtakes, and one of the few from the 1980's on this box set. It was written in 1986 for an Anthony Michael Hall movie of the same name that went unused. The sound and style of the song is definitely from the late 1980's. On the DVD when Jon is talking about this song, he informs us of another possible title for the "Slippery When Wet" album. All I will say is that it is too good to spoil here.

8. LETTER TO A FRIEND
Not much is known about this mid-tempo rocker with dual vocals most likely written in 1992 for the "Keep The Faith" sessions. The bass line in this song sounds like the same one from "In These Arms". This is a good song about yearning, but was done better on "In These Arms". This song is driven by the bass and drums.

9. TEMPTATION
This superbly unsubtle track was originally released in 2000 in Europe as a b-side. The version that was released was raw and dirty, and along with "Let's Make It Baby" the most challenging piece of music I had ever heard the band create. This version is fleshed out and in studio form from the "Keep The Faith" sessions. I prefer the original demo version, but it's a treat to get a different version of the song.

10. GOTTA HAVE A REASON
"Reason" was written in 1993 with the late Michael Kamen for the film, "The Three Musketeers". Here we have a laid back acoustic demo. Not picked up by the movie's producers who went with "All For Love" instead, but once again, perfect for a box set.

11. ALL I WANNA DO IS YOU
This is a bluesy/ R&B number driven by the piano and organ, not a great song, but a fun one and sounds like more Southside Johnny influence here. No recording date can be determined but I'm guessing 1992 as it's similar to "Four Letter Word".

12. BILLY
Once again, no recording date can be determined for this song, but it's an enlivening rocker written by Jon and Richie. There are elements of this song that sound like they are from the recording of "Crush".

13. NOBODY'S HERO/ LIVIN' ON A PRAYER (DEMO)
"Nobody's Hero" is the last track listed on the box. No date is given for the recording. The famous dual vocals by Jon and Richie which have forged their songwriting partnership drives this melodic but slow moving song led by David Bryan's piano. One of the many ‘professions of love' songs Bon Jovi does better than anyone. This is a gem that would have been nice to be included on an album over "Save The World" or "You Had Me At Hello". The duet shared by Jon and Richie on this disc is the best I have ever heard the two on record.

The biggest surprise on this box set is the hidden and unlisted bonus track at the end of "Nobody's Hero". To my great surprise they have chosen to include the original 1986 demo of "Livin' On A Prayer". This version has no talk box, but you can still hear the triumphant energy at the end of the song showing that even before it was fleshed out in the studio, it was always a classic.

The Killers: Rocking Like They Mean It

Congress Theater
October 17, 2006
Chicago, IL

Whether one loves music or not, occasionally an artist comes to the forefront of public consciousness with a driving force so combative, they can not be denied. A few years back, a small band from Las Vegas unleashed an album, whether one wants to deny or not, that riveted the world of rock n’ roll. As a writer, my main fault is that I “like” too much. I find it hard to throw bricks at glass houses when these performers are out there walking the walk while I’m talking the talk. A great album, in the truest sense, is determined usually months down the road and not upon one’s initial listen. The question I always ask myself is whether or not I’m still listening to the album a year later. I find an immense amount of eclectic music every year that I “like”, but most of it fades from my consciousness or gets lost in my Ipod. However, when The Killers released “Hot Fuss” in 2004, I found myself returning to this album time and time again during 2005 and even into this year. “Hot Fuss” was an album that grew on you with every video, single and live performance. Just this year I began to appreciate certain songs like “All These Things I’ve Done” more deeply merely by its astonishing use in the Pierce Brosnan film, “The Matador”.

“Hot Fuss”, an album originally released on June 15th, 2004, is an exuberant pop-rock ditty that people latched onto like a memory from their childhood. The band’s melodic hooks, soaring choruses and raging beats gave people of all ages something to scream about. The bands main obstacle with an album this good is they are in their early 20’s and “Hot Fuss” was their debut. Where do they have to go from here? Nowhere but down, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Why do they have to be the best or worse band on the landscape? Make no mistake, the Killers have enormous potential to be an immense and suave arena act, however, that will come with time. In the meantime, while they may or may not be the rock saviors everyone is hoping them to be, what they are is a damn fine band that is maturing and intensifying with every album and each concert performance. In my mind, there’s nothing more than you can ask of a band who has only reached their mid-twenties.

As mentioned earlier, the immense success the band has experienced is a blessing and a curse, as there are those who want to put them on a pedestal as the torch bearers keeping rock n’ roll alive and those who want paint a picture of a lucky one trick pony. The band’s latest release, “Sam’s Town” has brought out the both sides in heated debates. My personal opinion is that it’s entirely too early to give the album a proper review especially considering that “Hot Fuss” was an album that grew with every listen. I do feel “Sam’s Town” is a step in the right direction for them and a solid follow up which deserves neither unabashed praise nor infamy as a sophomore slump. In support of the album, the band is taking these songs to the road. I find this to be the best way to expose people to new material. Forget late night talk shows, videos or fancy downloads, live is where music truly comes alive.

The sold-out Congress Theater lights dimmed and found the band members striding across the stage where they evaporated into stunning strobe light madness, before segueing into the album’s title track. “When You Were Young”, the album’s first single, was endearing with a defiant performance. Despite the band’s valiant efforts, the crowd proved to be challenging to the Vegas rockers. However, this hesitation would be short lived as the band ran through a pair of songs from their debut; “Somebody Told Me” and “Smile Like You Mean It”. Upon hearing these familiar numbers, the crowd swelled into a delirious state as the golden harmonies encompassed the theater. During these two songs it became apparent that the band has the potential to perform in much larger halls in the very near future. However, despite my previous statement, while the Killers may be playing arenas this coming spring, it doesn’t mean that their live performance is without fault. The stage on the Congress was so overfilled with equipment it made it nearly impossible for lead singer Brandon Flowers to roam the stage freely. Another obstacle for Flowers was the keyboard in front of him, which appeared to distract him. While the keyboard is essential to certain songs, I felt that it hindered his ability to reach out and bring the crowd to a state of nirvana. When they graduate to arenas, it may be beneficial for the band to hire a backing musician to handle all keyboards.

The middle portion of the show found the band showcasing a rather large amount of songs from “Sam’s Town”; “Bones”, “Read My Mind”, and “Uncle Jonny” was performed faithfully, but they failed to capture the audience’s imagination. Now, to be fair to the band, the date of this show marked the 14th day that “Sam’s Town” had been in stores. “Hot Fuss” took time before its songs reeked familiarity and the band is in the beginning stages of what will most likely be a year long tour. The live experience for a rock band is proving to be even more important than records in today’s marketplace. This is where they can potentially earn the bulk of their money; therefore, it’s important these songs take on another life. The new material in Chicago at time stumbled upon itself, until the band performed “Bling” which surpassed its studio counterpart in every way imaginable with its riveting “higher and higher” chorus which found Flowers showing that he can be a persuasive front man who pushes the audience into a direction no one thought possible. The performance of these songs nightly will most likely lead to them taking on another life in six months time.

The evening’s final act showcased why the Killers could be an earth-shattering band for their generation. The main set closer, “Mr. Brightside” took off as the opening guitar riff cued the repressed crowd into a fury. As the band returned to the stage for a four-song encore, they appeared to be more at ease a more confident in their craft. The spare ballad “My List” was deliciously sweet and a lean and direct “For Reasons Unknown” featured dueling guitars with Flowers taking over bass responsibilities. This is a prime example as to why the concert environments is a live or die one for rock bands; because of this performance, I have already discovered a gem I had overlooked on numerous listens to “Sam’s Town”. Make no mistake; “For Reasons Unknown” is a single waiting to dominate radio waves in the near future.

The evenings penultimate song was the tour de force moment; “All These Things I’ve Done”. When a band has a chance to grow without the world looking on, songs like this one take on another life. Tonight the band was confident and suave in their performance as the song took on dimensions one would never envision when listening to its studio counterpart. It was epic in every way imaginable as both band and fan congealed into one. For those fair weathered fans who came to see a handful of songs, they got their money’s worth on this number. The band and crowd soared to the heights I initially thought would be impossible, but once again, the Killers are a band on the move and proved to me, that despite what some odd makers are saying, should never be counted down and out for the count. I believe I will look back on this show years from now as the beginning of their story rather than the end. These guys have the good to be a great band and that does not happen over night…but they’re on the path and at the end of the day, this is truly what matters.

SET LIST
Sam's Town
Enterlude
When You Were Young
Somebody Told Me
Smile Like You Mean It
BonesBling
Read My Mind
Jenny Was a Friend of Mine
Uncle Jonny
Indie Rock & Roll
Mr. Brightside
ENCORE
My List
For Reasons Unknown
All These Things That I've Done
Exitlude

Butch Walker: The Melody Genie

The Metro
Chicago, IL 8/3/06

She sings all the words to my hidden tracks
From my heart of a record, far as I can tell
Sounds like heaven and feels good as hell

Inside the walls of the legendary Metro club in Chicago, the temperature is well over 100 degrees and can be best demonstrated by the sweaty soaked-to-the-skin fans and the saturated walls drenched with condensation. Halos of light emanated from the stage as the band members took their places before their leader, Butch Walker, unleashed a blissful jet wailing riff sending the near sold out club into a frenzy. Two years ago, Butch Walker was merely a name, today he’s one of a handful of artists I watch with a careful eye. His talents are infinite, wide and vastly underappreciated. As lethal as he may be as a hired gun producing records for everyone imaginable (Pink, Avril Lavigne, Bowling For Soup, American Hi-Fi, Puffi-Yumi, Pete Yorn, Hot Hot Heat, All American Rejects and SR-71) it’s his own songs which resonate strongest with me, not just for their sprawling production but because of the intense emotion with which they’re performed. I’ve seen Walker’s audience triple in Chicago over the last twenty-four months however, despite the catchiness of his records, live is where it’s at. When I first heard “The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let’s Go Out Tonites!” it didn’t resonate with me. There are usually two types of albums; those that mature over time and those that collect dust on your shelf. It’s still too early for me to give you a final verdict; however I’m feeling this one has legs. Despite my reservations, I told myself I would wait and see how it sounded live.

Never one to settle into complacency, Walker’s current tour is finding him trying to shake things up. Two platforms near the front of the stage have been added, which light up and are accentuated by smoke giving the small club the feel of a theater or arena. The stage was full with his four-piece band and the addition of two backing female singers (who did their best go-go dancing impersonations during “Lights Out”). When the sledgehammer riff from “Hot Girls In Good Moods” lifted off, my reservations about the album slowly began to evaporate as Walker electrified the audience with his best (according to Steve Van Zandt) Marc Bolan impersonation. If one were to judge the artist Butch Walker based solely on his albums they would only be seeing a small portion of the picture. My wife says it best, “His albums merely make you reminisce for his concerts”. When Walker hits the concert stage, he’s as charismatic as any front man in the business including Bono, Steven Tyler and Mick Jagger. He exudes confidence and the willingness to please his audience in any way imaginable.

Walker’s new album has character and it’s not as easily digestible on a first listen as his previous efforts have been. Despite this, “Ladies & Gentlemen…The Let's Go Out Tonites”, “Bethamphetamine (Pretty Pretty)”, “Taste of Red” & “”Too Famous To Get Fully Dressed” are all stronger in concert with the intensity of the performance brought the swirling grooves to the forefront. I respect Walker for making albums he wants to make, which ironically sound better when performed in a live setting. For someone who has made a name for himself with a gleaming pop sound, it’s under the sweaty lights where Walkers true colors shine through. Today’s artists have a hard time building a fan base to consistently tour because their albums are so over polished that when they hit the concert stage, they fall on their faces. While his efforts to spice up his stage show are honorable, the truth is he doesn’t need it. His fans love him fanatically and will follow him to the ends of the Earth. As long as he continually gives 110% at every show, he could be performing in a bathroom stall and people will fork over their money to see him.

Despite the raw energy brought to the new material, it was his older material that radiated strongest with the crowd. “#1 Summer Jam” and “Maybe It’s Just Me” were perfectly placed early in the set, eliciting fervent responses from the crowd whose singing is so loud, it drowns out Butch’s vocals. The golden harmonies of “Don’t Move” and “Mixtape” dazzled the fired up audience and despite being played hundreds of times, these songs are still growing and evolving with each emotional performance. One of the tests of working for the legendary Clive Davis is you have to bring him a song that could be covered by another artist and become a hit. If I had fifteen-minutes with Clive, I’d probably play him these two songs as they continue to resonate live and should have been enormous hits and potentially could be for someone else. The middle of the show did find a few surprises and some moments that proved to me that while the commercial cycles of his past albums have come and gone, they are continuing to expand and surprise audiences.

The Marvelous 3 song “Indie Queen” was the most appreciated moment of the evening as 1,100 jaws were flapping incessantly to this forgotten and under performed fan favorite. Much of the Marvelous 3 material is overlooked and should be let out of their cages on a more regular basis with certain songs rotating in and out of the set list. The piano set was predictable at first with faithful concert renditions of “Diary of a San Fernando Sex Starr” and “Joan” and as he began to hit the keys on the piano for “Cigarette Lighter Love Song”, I began to feel he was treading on uncreative ground. This song has been part of the piano set for as long as he’s been solo, but about half way through the song, the band made their way to the stage and segued into the song giving a full band effort. While it was blasting throughout the club, my wife reminded me of how she always says this song reminds her of the David Bowie penned “All The Young Dudes”, something she has been mentioning to me since we first heard the song two-years ago. The first concert I took her to was a David Bowie, knowing she loved the charismatic chameleon. Walker is a self-professed Bowie fanatic as well (just look at the title of his most recent album), but neither of us were ready for what happened next as the band segued from “Cigarette…” right into “All The Young Dudes”. Walker’s clever arrangements keep his fans coming back time and time again. His ability to slowly build songs into climactic crescendos has the audience eating out of his hands. No stage lights, props or backing vocalists can replace this.

If one leaves after the main set of a Butch Walker show, they miss out on the evenings most energetic moments. The band returned to the stage to perform an off the wall rendition of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy”. All a concert needs to take it to that next level is one moment for the crowd to grab on to; tonight, this was it. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that this version makes its way to iTunes as it was off the hook. “Lights Out” brought the house down as usual, which found Walker in the crowd mashing it up with them but it was the gentle “When Canyons Ruled The City” that brought the evening to a close. When I first heard this song performed live last fall, I loved it immediately, however, when the new album came out, this was the only song I kept on returning to and I began to wonder whether Butch made the best album he could have? After sitting with the album for well over a month and now seeing many of these songs performed live, I appreciate it far more than I thought I would. I lost ten pounds of sweat watching Walker practically kill himself as the 1,100 patrons had an evening they wouldn’t soon forget. Butch Walker is one of the most enigmatic performers to grace concert stages over the last few years and there is no doubt the man gives 110% in each and every one of his performances.

As “When Canyons Ruled…” faded out, each member of the band exited the stage as Butch conducted the crowd sing-a-long until he finally disappeared into the shadows leaving a hot crowd in a more than a good mood…but an ecstatic one.

Tell me how to not love a hot girl in a good mood
-“Hot Girls In A Good Mood”

Pictures courtesy of butchwalker.com

Original article appeared on Unrated Magazine.