China Club Trip
Well, thanks to my wonderful buddy, NJMike, I got a ticket to see Bon Jovi on Wednesday,
September 20th, at the China Club in New York City. Thank you, Mike!
I left Virginia about 6 p.m. on Tuesday night and hit Tropical Storm Gordon
all the way up the coast. I reached the Lincoln Tunnel about 10:30 p.m.
which was great time - but I was hydroplaning on the Turnpike the whole way!
When you have a date with Jon you don't stop for the rain…
I stayed at my boss's ex-wife's house on W. 54th Street while she was in
Europe so I had the whole apartment to myself to freak out on BJ and
mess around on the computer, etc. I checked the computer for Backstage
listings of Storytellers winners but no luck yet!
When I woke up the next morning I turned on the computer and waited
around till almost 1:00 p.m. before I headed for the China Club.
I was about 12th on line or so and quickly found a new friend, Michele,
that I met on line who came up from S. Carolina. I also met Kristen from
NJ who had been right behind me at Asbury Park! She remembered me!
We stood behind the barricades waiting for the early radio show people
to be let in and for us to start our wait for the 7:30 show.
Mike arrived about 5 p.m. because he had to work. I was able to keep the
spot for us and we signed in shortly thereafter.
While we were waiting I saw Obie and spoke to him - he was doing his usual
"rack check" outside (LOL) - going in and out of the sound truck outside.
They were supposedly running the show for Internet transmission through that thing.
He recognized me right away and we chatted for several minutes before I saw Mike.
He was in and out of the truck too. He said hi and asked how I had been.
We talked about the European trip and he told me about a friend of mine in
Miami who had tried to get into the show there, but made the mistake of bringing
her boyfriend (and you KNOW who you are girl!) so he wouldn't do it!
Make that a lesson to all you girls - NEVER bring your boyfriend to the show! LOL!
Anyway, Mike and I met several people on line and time went by quickly.
We were let in about 6:45 and went directly upstairs inside the club - that floor
holds about 500 people I think. We immediately went to take our places in
front of the stage and I was freaking - I was 3rd from the stage between Jon and Richie
(closer to Jon). I was about 10 feet from Jon's microphone! It was amazing.
Mike was a couple of rows behind me and because he's so tall -
he was given camera duty! We were all crunched up like sardines but ready to party!
The boys got on stage about 7:30 and played till 8:45 or so.
We heard the earlier show was only an hour so we felt privileged.
We also heard that we had one OTHER thing they didn't have at the
first show too (more to follow)…
They started the show with Bad Name, then played other songs like
Livin' on a Prayer, Captain Crash, Born to be my Baby (my all time favorite and
1st time I heard it live); acoustical Runaway (SO nice with just Dave and
Hugh playing and Richie singing backup).
Jon was so into that song - it was quite moving.
They took questions from the audience - including - "Jon, what color is your underwear?"
He lifted his light gray Oriental-type print shirt and said "I'm not wearing any underwear."
Of course we all went NUTS when he did that. He was also wearing medium blue
TIGHT blue jeans and medium brown desert boots. The sleeves of the shirt had about
8 buttons on them and he had the first few unbuttoned. It was cut low in the front
(thank goodness!). We were so close you could see the 5 o'clock shadow on his
face and the wrinkles on Richie's hands. I have to admit - I've never been that close to
Richie before and I have to say that man is gorgeous! I always knew he was
good looking but I was blown away with him that night! It didn't hurt that he had
on a black tank top and dark blue jeans - very tight, of course!
I read those tattoos several times!
The place was air conditioned but still very hot with all the bodies in that place.
It was time for another question and this guy in the back thanked the guys for
making him proud to be from NJ and asked Richie for a favor. He said his wife
was in the 2nd row in front of Richie and was one of his biggest fans.
He wanted Richie to give his wife a kiss on the cheek - and Richie did!
Jon said, "oh isn't that sweet - he's sharing his wife with the band."
It was so funny! Another question was about Jon's appearance on The Sopranos.
He laughed, said he's read the rumors too - but denied that he was on yet.
"If David Chase is in the audience, I would like to be on!" DARN!
That was a disappointment to hear!
You knew time was getting on and the show was almost over -
Jon and Richie were sweating like crazy. Jon wiped his face and hair with
the towel on the stage and a part of his hair went straight up like in
"There's Something About Mary"! He didn't realize it and so the girls next to me
and I yelled - "Jon - fix your hair!" He said, "WHAT?" and we yelled it again.
He laughed and realized what we were talking about and shook it all out.
It's amazing - that man fixes a "bad hair day" with a shake of his head!
Not long after that Jon put on a little beret. It was VERY warm in there
with all the warm bodies and heated-up women!
We thought the guys were going to sit on the stools they had been
provided with - but NO - they pushed them aside and stood the whole time.
Jon even turned around and shook his bon bon when someone asked him
if he could still shake his butt! He was in a good mood and was very playful.
After several songs he reached down and touched the hands of people
in the audience - DAMN I was too far back to reach him!
They began to play Bad Medicine and suddenly my luck changed!
Jon must have stepped on the short barrier in front of the stage
- right in front of my area - and started to lean out over the audience!
He kept getting lower and lower! The girls in front of me and those to
their side were "holding" him up with their hands
(Lord knows where those hands were!).
I had my hand up too but just couldn't reach him! He looked at me
and smiled and was laughing at all of us - and I told him to come closer!
He DID!! He was almost horizontal before my hand reached his right
hand holding the mic. I pushed up from underneath the mic and he
wrapped his fingers around mine so we were both holding the mic!
I just froze not knowing what to do! He was laughing at me - he KNEW
what I was going through! It was really funny! Everyone around was going
absolutely nuts! He pulled himself back up and went back on the stage to
continue the song. Of course, he had been dripping wet by that time and the
girls who had "held" him up were licking their fingers to taste his sweat -
it was disgusting but so hysterical! And yes, I HAVE washed my hand since then!
A funny story - when they began Captain Crash - Richie started the lead-in
and it sounded like the beginning of Revolution! Jon stopped the music
and told us to put this date on the calendar - Richie Sambora had made a mistake!
Richie looked rather sheepishly and said it must have been a bad mark on his fret.
Jon said it must have been the 80's drugs kicking in! They started again and Richie
got it right that time although he made another slight mistake shortly thereafter
but they continued. Dave made a boo-boo too and Jon looked at him but
again they continued. Jon made the Tico comment - in Tico's deep voice
- "I must love you man - I've been staring at your ass for 20 years!"
Other songs included Sleep When I'm Dead and I'll Be There for You,
and probably a few others that I can't remember! They finished their
set and came back to one encore of Wanted. It was fantastic.
They left the stage then and we all took a collective deep breath.
A very memorable concert, especially for me, of course!
Mike and I said goodbye to some of the people we met and decided
to get a bite to eat. We walked to Times Square and ended up at TGI
Fridays but we both were too excited to eat much. The water and iced
tea tasted GREAT, however, after all that hot music and body heat!
(Jon told us we could take a steam bath with him anytime!)
We talked for awhile and then he had to return to Jersey
(had to work the next day) and I was ready to get back and check
the computer and phone to see if either of us had won tickets to Storytellers.
Unfortunately we didn't - but several of our very good friends had!
And yes I saw you Kat and Regina and also 2 of the girls I met at the
China Club too - Michele and Debbie.
The next day I packed up and began my trek back to Virginia.
I was able to meet my friend, Michelle (Shayna to many of you),
in NJ and we had lunch together and she heard the whole story!
I hit the road about 1:00 and arrived home about 5:00 after
500 miles of traveling in 2 days - great weather this time
- and Bon Jovi blaring all the way! I was able to hear some
of the cuts on WPLJ from the night before and it gave me chills
knowing I had been there for the real thing!
Mike's pics came out great although not one of Jon leaning over the audience.
I posted a message to Backstage and have already heard back from one girl
who thinks she got that picture. She said, "were you the one who was so
close to his face? I would have passed out!"
Keep your fingers crossed that hers come out!
I'm scanning some of the best pics this weekend and I'll be
glad to share some of the pics with you all! "
Good for u hun, I sure wish I was there! / Figgster
