Libby's Clothesline: Bon Jovi in Chicagoland

Just a Monday that I don't like and just back from Foxborough, Massachusetts, where the air was hot and heavy with humidity, the smell of alcohol, and the sultry steaminess of Bon Jovi and his comrades-in-guitars. It's a little hard for me to pull away from a weekend away and get back into my routine, especially after a once-in-every-three-years event like a concert featuring my favorite band. So what do I do? I start my internet up and get onto BonJovi.com and see a contest about what my ideal concert experience would be at their last show coming up on Saturday July 31 at Soldier Field in Chicago. Because my ideal concert would include a beach in Maine on a summer's evening, a lobster bake and cookout, 50 friends, and a lot of Bon Jovi unplugged, I will take flight there.

Speaking of which, I'd like to arrive by helicoptor please. After sitting on Route 1 in Foxborough for almost 90 minutes, there is nothing I hate so much as Boston area traffic, esp. after such a winning event as a concert. It sucks the excitement out of me. Make it easy and enjoyable to arrive and to break free.

And because I'm thinking beach, let's make Soldier Field a beach party on the 31st. Hawaiian shirts, surf boards, beach volleyball, sunglasses, sunscreen, and oh, throw in a big lobster feed prior to the show with the band complete with photo op. Let's push off the seating arrangements that we all haggle with our pocketbooks about and sit on beach towels. Every man for themselves for the best spot on the beach. Hey, Bon Jovi fans are fairly civil right? I think it would be fun.

Then sit back (hey, what am I talking about?), get on our feet and hear the classics--for a few songs, but mostly I'd love to hear the new stuff. While I love all the BJ classics, I think the last three albums have gotten the shaft from stations, as well as ticket holders in general. I would love to hear most of Lost Highway and the hits from The Circle and Have a Nice Day, particularly, "Memory," "Superman," "Welcome to Wherever You Are", and "Last Man Standing." Fill up the set list with the last three albums, and I'd be so happy. This new stuff is so fitting for today, speaks to me, and is just great song writing. Play us some of the most popular covers and get us jumping again, and end with a bang. Yes, fireworks are fun. I appreciate that the shows are always 2 1/2 hours straight music and not much talk, but I love to hear the guys talk and experience their comraderie. Add a little of that, and I think it'd be a near perfect ending to a tour. Oh, and keep Frank at the end. Love that touch always. It makes me smile.