Bon Jovi / Jeff Healey Band Concert 2-16-93

What Is This?
I was asked by many about my musical influences when making stamps and asked to share some of the stories behind the concerts I have seen. I have been to 1200+ live concerts (all national touring bands/singers with albums, not local club bands or tribute/cover bands, have seen plenty of those too) and have saved every ticket stub and backstage pass (when I had one) and kept notes (like a journal) on every show I have ever seen. So from time to time I will scan in the ticket stub from a show I saw (going in no order, skipping around) and talk a little about the show and my opinion. All information property of dA--stamps/dA--bogeyman (me). This is entry#42.

The Concert:
Bon Jovi
Jeff Healey Band (Opening Act)
February 16, 1993
Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, New York (USA)

Just So You Know:
This was Bon Jovi's "Keep The Faith 1993 World Tour" supporting their 'Keep The Faith' album. This was the fourth night of their new tour and Bon Jovi on this tour was Jon Bon Jovi (lead vocals, guitar), Richie Sambora (guitar, backing vocals, talkbox), Alec John Such (bass, backing vocals), Tico Torres (drums, percussion) and David Bryan (keyboards, piano, backing vocals). The Jeff Healey Band were touring to support their 'Feel This' album. Sadly Jeff Healey died of cancer in 2008.

Personal:
I had seen Bon Jovi twice before on two previous tours and always enjoyed their live shows. My then g/f Cathy was a huge Bon Jovi fan so I knew we were going to this concert when it was announced. Cathy's brother Billy and his g/f Mary bought tickets at the same time we did so we could all go together and sit together. I had also seen the Jeff Healey Band a few years earlier and they rocked so I knew this would be a great evening of live music. I spent $60 at the souvenir booth on Bon Jovi tour merchandise for Cathy (two t-shirts, tour program, two pins, tour patch) and that sucked LOL. Cathy and I would break-up for good about a week after this concert after dating on and off for almost three years.

The Live Concert (Opener):
The lights went out but there were low level lights still on around the stage. You could see the band take the stage and Jeff Healey was led out to his chair (Jeff Healey was totally blind). Jeff Healey had a unique way of playing the guitar, it was laid out flat on a small table (almost like a steel guitar but it was a real guitar) and he would play it that way. They opened up with "Confidence Man" and the crowd applauded their entrance and clapped and danced to the music. The Jeff Healey Band has a sorta blues-rock sound (mixed in with a touch of jazz) that is very pleasing to the ears. If you have ever seen the movie Road House (with Patrick Swayze) the Jeff Healey Band was the house bar band at the road house. The band next played "Baby's Looking Hot", "Lost In your Eyes" and a wonderful cover of the Doors "Roadhouse Blues". Besides singing and playing guitar Jeff Healey also played trumpet with great skill. The next played their monster hit the power ballad "Angel Eyes" and of course the crowd raised their lighters, swayed back and forth and sang along word for word during this song. Cathy and I held hands and kissed a little during this tune (so did many other couples around us). The Jeff Healey Band next did another cover song, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", and Jeff really outdid himself on guitar during this song. They finished up their set with "Blown Away" and "See The Light" and played for almost an hour total. Jeff Healey was truly an amazing and unique musician and I feel so lucky to have seen him a few times before his untimely death in 2008.

The Live Concert (Headliner):
The instruments from the opening band were removed after their set and the black sheets were removed from Bon Jovi's large stage set-up. There was a big backdrop behind the stage with the 'Keep The Faith' album image on it. On both sides of the stage were huge screens so people in the back could see what was going on up on stage (these screens were the norm in concerts by this time). The lights dimmed and the crowd went into a frenzy as Bon Jovi opened with "I Believe" and we were all up and dancing to the music. Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora really looked like they were having a great time throughout the entire show, singing and jamming together, playing to the crowd, each taking turns to talk to the audience and lead song sing-a-longs with them - and the music was just so wonderful and exciting to hear and experience. After the opening song Bon Jovi would go on to play "Wild In The Streets", "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Born to Be My Baby", "I Can't Help Falling In Love" (Elvis Presley cover, sung a-capella), "Bed Of Roses", "Keep The Faith/Sympathy For the Devil" medley, "I'd Die For You", "Blood Money", "Blaze Of Glory", "Lay Your Hands On Me", "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead/Jumpin' Jack Flash" medley, "Blood On Blood", "Bad Medicine", "Shout" and three encores "Wanted Dead Or Alive", "In These Arms" and "Livin' On A Prayer". The crowd never sat down for one second and sang almost every song word for word. Bon Jovi played for just about two hours total and Cathy and I were drenched with sweat from standing and dancing to every tune. Bon Jovi the band is musically very tight and made no real mistakes musically during the concert (which is rare). There were laser lights during some of the big hits and Jon Bon Jovi did ride a tightrope type thingy across the air over half the arena but really the music spoke for itself and the music was superb. Of course Cathy (the big Bon Jovi fan) told me Bon Jovi didn't play two of their hits ("I'll Be There For You" and "Never Say Goodbye") but hey they put on a hell of a show and can't sing every song they ever recorded LOL. Bon Jovi totally rocked live and I would see them several more times in the future on various tours. You live for the fight when it's all that you've got!

Check out my 'Concert Memories' dA gallery for more of my concert musings da--stamps.deviantart.com/gall…