Monday, March 1, 2010
Spend My Birthday With Bon Jovi? Yes, Please!
In the Spring of 2001, I heard the radio announcement that Bon Jovi was coming to Salt Lake. I had long been a fan of the New Jersey-based band, and had their latest CD, Crush, on a constant loop. And now they were going on tour. I HAD to be there.
A day or two before the tickets went on sale, I casually mentioned to a coworker that my friend and I were buying tickets for Bon Jovi and we were SO excited.
Somehow, by the end of that conversation, we were not just two single twenty-something girls headed to check out one of my favorite bands. Instead, we became babysitters saddled with a 15-year-old tagalong. My coworker's son was "really into Bon Jovi," but she didn't want to take him because she wasn't.
Our seats directly faced the stage, but we were far, far away. Not terrible seats, mind you. Just...they could have been better.
O how they COULD HAVE BEEN better.
Jon Bon Jovi was singing his heart out on the third, maybe fourth, song when this guy dressed all in black, except the bright red badge hanging around his neck, approached my aisle seat and asked, "Are you two girls here together?"
"Yeah," I nodded, annoyed that some strange guy was trying to talk to me when BON JOVI was ONSTAGE.
"I have two front row tickets for you."
He pulled them out of his pocket.
I looked at them and I looked at him. "There's three of us."
"Sorry, I've only got two," he said, and he disappeared into the crowd before I had the chance to tell the kid not to move until the show was over.
I've replayed that moment a thousand times over the last nine years.
And I've told that story dozens of times.
It's funny the different reactions I get. Some think I was CRAZY for not ditching the boy and taking those seats. Others agree that I was better off for not taking them.
I know I did the right thing. For one, my coworker would never have understood me leaving her son alone in a crowded arena. For another, if ANYTHING had happened, I would never have forgiven myself. The risk just wasn't worth the thrill of two hours within a few feet of the stage.
(Plus, even if nothing had happened, which it probably wouldn't have, I would have spent the whole time worrying that something MIGHT happen, and then I wouldn't have enjoyed the front row anyway.)
I know I did the right thing.
But front row tickets sure would have been nice.
I've always hoped karma would pay me back by giving me that shot again.
Well, it didn't happen this weekend, BUT, we had the BEST time.
It started when Kelli and I spotted these random guys that turned out to be completely RAD and super nice. I just had to get my picture taken with them:
I wasn't shocked they were the opening act. I knew that already. What shocked me was that I could SEE them. Clearly. Like, they actually looked like PEOPLE instead of like ANTS.
"OMG, Kel!" I exclaimed. "These seats are actually pretty AWESOME!"
She agreed.
So we rocked out to some Dashboard Confessional and marveled over our surprising good fortune.
We could see EVERYTHING. Well, we didn't have a view of the front of the stage, really, but we could see the band, we could see the whole backstage area, and were positively GIDDY when we saw this:
David: Dudes! It's totally sweet to be back in Southern California!Okay, I'm sure it was nothing like that, but it was something awesome that you don't get to see if you're sitting, you know...in the front row.
Tico: No kidding! I love these California Girls!
Richie: I hope Karen made it to the front row this time.
Jon: Man, Richie! Your fly's down!
Something else I've never gotten to see at a concert before?
Anyways, the band was amazing. Absolutely amazing. As Kelli observed, Jon really gave it everything he had. These guys are amazing performers and know how to entertain a sold-out crowd of thousands.
Seriously, once the show started, I didn't see an empty seat in the house.
I had a lot of favorite moments, but one of the best parts was when Jon and Richie (and then, for the next couple of songs David and Tico, too) went out onto this second stage, which put them closer to the crowd. They sang a couple of their ballads, which I didn't get to hear at the last concert because they didn't play a single ballad on the One Wild Night tour.
(Notable absence from the setlist: "Bed of Roses," which I have still never heard live.)
It really was an amazing night. Somewhere in between the BEST rendition I've ever heard of "Bad Medicine" and literally singing my voice out in "Livin' On a Prayer," I realized that Bon Jovi is pretty much my all-time favorite band and Jon Bon Jovi is absolutely my favorite singer.
I'm now on a mission to see them on EVERY tour until the end of time.
And someday, I WILL be in the front row.
I honestly couldn't imagine a better way to spend my birthday.
Oh, and a Happy Birthday to JON, who turns 48 tomorrow!
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I would have dropped that kid like a hot potato.
ReplyDeleteUm... what's up with the levi jackets, the levi pants, AND the fanny packs?
ReplyDeleteBut other than that I'm SO glad you had an awesome time at the concert! I LOVE going to concerts and having them turn out better than you hoped it would:)
That sounds like SUCH a fun time. I've always tried to avoid seat behind the stage but it looks like you got to see some really cool stuff.
ReplyDeleteI feel so torn for you reading that story!!! I would have been tempted to ditch the kid too, but like you, I would have obsessively worried about him the whole time if I had taken the tickets. :-(
ReplyDeleteI like Bon Jovi much more now than when I was younger, it's so weird. I also never found him attractive until lately....sorry, you didn't ask me any of this!
I'm glad you had a great time with cool seats!!!
so fun! my children are bon jovi FREAKS! and it's great, b/c i totally have the influence over them...my 9 yo daughters favorite song is livin on a prayer...no kidding! they know, like all the words! haha.
ReplyDeleteGen
If I was that kid's mom and you left him alone in a crowded arena, I might have killed you. But I am so glad you had so much fun! You deserved it!
ReplyDeleteHow cool! I got to see Bon Jovi in the 7th grade... Slippery When Wet tour. Loved it! Too bad I was one of those goobery girls that didn't manage to look very cool while attending. Oh well, I digress. I'm hoping that the teleprompter you saw was just the song list, maybe not lyrics. I remember in the old days the song lists were just taped to the stage floor..
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had a blast!
Holy Cow! I am soooo jealous! That is awesome (and those pictures are great!) I LOVE Bon Jovi. MacGyver and I are 100% seriously planning on, if Pip is a girl, making her middle name Jovi - literally after Bon Jovi.
ReplyDeleteYears ago Bon Jovi and Nickleback (another serious favorite of ours) did a few shows together. Not being able to attend continues to haunt me.
Okay, not that I would have thought of it at the time either, but what you should have done (I've thought this through carefully) is one of you taken the kid to the front row with you for half of the show, and then midway through, switched. Except then you wouldn't have been sitting with your friend at all, which would have sucked too.
ReplyDeleteOh, well. It looks like this show was awesome, and I can't wait to see them myself!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
ReplyDeleteI am SO jealous I love Bon Jovi!!
I feel you could sue your co-worker for emotional trauma or something. That sucks!
ReplyDeleteI'm a HUGE fan and have been to a concert and didn't have great seats so I get you.... I would have done the same as you though.... you'll get rewarded don't worry.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures by the way!!!
Oh and happy birthday!!
You totally did the right thing!
ReplyDeleteWhen my fiance was in college, he went with a friend to hear this musician play here in Nashville. Jon Bon Jovi was there...he had come to hear the guy sing for some reason. Because Neil's friend was a friend of the guy singing, they were at a VIP table and someone sat Jon down there...he bought them all rounds of drinks and was SO cool. At some point in the night, he even got up on stage and sang a couple of songs. Neil still has the photo framed, even though it has his ex-girlfriend in it! I have to let him hang it up...I mean...Jon Bon Jovi's in it!
Karen, Karen, Karen. I must be the luckiest person alive to be able to go with you to U2 and now Bon Jovi!!!! The concert was SIMPLY AMAZING! The picture of you with the guys tricked out in 80's wear will make me smile every time I think about that for the rest of my life! I'm so glad you captured how exciting it was when we could see Bon Jovi and no one else could! Priceless! I haven't taken the cd out of my player yet! Ahh, good, good, very good times. Thank you Karen! You are an amazing person. You deserve amazing things to happen to you! And they will! Love you! Kell
ReplyDeleteHow cool is that???? And, you did do the right thing.
ReplyDeleteMy husband makes fun of my deep love for Bon Jovi but it's serious happy music for me.
ReplyDeleteLike I said on an earlier post, I saw them in the same venue a couple of years ago and I thought it was a GREAT show.
I couldn't have lived with the guilt either. So glad you spent your birthday like this! Amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteFANTASTIC post. What a great view of the whole arena - I haven't seen the new stage set-up live yet but heard the new songs at the two shows in Hawaii. Can't wait to see them out on the circle - first up for me is Kansas City.
ReplyDeleteP.S. You absolutely did the right thing - not leaving your co-worker's son alone. Good karma is certainly headed your way.
I seriously thought you'd end this by saying...."And I will love you baby, always!"
ReplyDeleteI like Jon but I've never thought about going to see him in concert...but I'm a little jealous and would totally go front row with you!
I seriously thought you'd end this by saying...."And I will love you baby, always!"
ReplyDeleteI like Jon but I've never thought about going to see him in concert...but I'm a little jealous and would totally go front row with you!
Happy Birthday, Weiner. I'm glad you had a good time at the Bon Jovi concert! :)
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lot of fun and a great way to spend a birthday!
ReplyDelete