Bon Jovi or Bust?!

...So my "fran" Charnita is going this weekend to Atlanta to see (squealing and jumping up and down) BON JOVI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited for her I can hardly contain myself. Bon Jovi was my all time favorite band in my high school years. I can still see the Jon Bon Jovi and the Richie Sambora posters that graced my locker doors....and bedroom doors, my bedroom walls, and-well, I am getting off subject.
She is going to see Bon Jovi (minus Alec John Such who left under "mysterious " circumstances some years ago.)! And it only gets better, she asked me to go with her.....and then I sunk into a slump. Of all weekends to have a scheduling conflict, this would be it!! Sledge is a flower girl in a family wedding this weekend. We have equally been so excited about the wedding and being with our family. And so it is, I can not go. (heart breaks with a sigh)
A lump is in my throat, a pain in my heart, a longing in my soul to be that sixteen year old girl again singing along to every word at every Bon Jovi concert that pulled into town. My mom was good, she even allowed me to go with my BFF Jenny down to the civic center during school hours to see them arrive for sound check. We were invited inside by some scroungy roadies. Fortunately I have always had a sense about me and detoured that to only seeBon Jovi from the bottom of a stage but it was good enough for me.

...And so, tonight I went upstairs and found some of my old concert tickets.

Sadly I had many many more in my collection, though I cannot find them. I saved all of my ticket stubs, and still do. My plan is to have them framed for remembrance sake. I saw Bon Jovi six times, but could only find one ticket, seen here......

Check out that price! WOW! Those were the good ole days!

It seems all of my bloggy buds have been taking in some killer concerts recently.


Dullbert went to see his all time favorite band, RUSH, in New Orleans a couple weeks ago. The last time I was in New Orleans, I too was there to take in a show. It was several years ago. It was the Hell Freezes Over Tour by the Eagles. I went with my cousins Gina and Alan. We had such a great time.
Boy! That was a long time ago.....I was a mom of a four year old then. I thought I was so overweight. HA. Little did I know that one day I would really find out.

Abbey took in Robert Plant and Allison Krauss last week at the civic center. That must have been cool. I never had the opportunity to see Plant or Zeppelin, but I have seen Krauss at the Grand Ole Opry and she is a great performer. A great talent. She sang with Vince Gill when I saw her.
Long ago, When I began saving my tickets, I hated that I couldn't see who came with the starring performer/group, so I took a purple pen (always purple) and wrote in the opening act. There was one night though that I saw Mötley Crüe with Guns and Roses. I got to meet Nikki Sixx, Slash and Izzy Stradlin. I got them to sign my pathetic little ticket and then I went and sabotaged it by writing the name of "Guns and Roses" on the ticket. Young and stupid....


I have seen alot of people, but there are those that I miss not ever being able to see live. Those from my old school days, Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac, Lita Ford, Randy Rhoads with Ozzy and lastly Bruce Springsteen.
I think my funniest concert was going to Montgomery to see David Lee Roth. The civic center was so small. I drove with my cousin, Marc and one of his friends and my side kick Jenny. When we got there we separated. It was general admission seating and no one was there, really. I myself wasn't wild about David Lee Roth minus Van Halen. At the time I felt he had gotten to big for his britches, but he did have a guitarist (I had a thing for guitarist) that I was particularly into , Steve Via. So, me and Jenny ran down to claim our sets on the right of the stage, where Steve would be standing. Before the show these two guys come over and start talking to us. They were really nice guys, interesting. They seemed to know alot about the show and confirmed I would be in a great place to see Steve. They told us that they had seen the show several times. And so soon, the lights dim, and the two guys excuse themselves to go to the bathroom.
The next thing I know the lights come on, and the opening act is some band I had never heard of, Tesla. Tesla was new to the road and touring. It was about then that I recognized our two new friends up on stage, playing in the group were the two of the guys that had befriended us-they were part of the opening act. It was the coolest night. It was if the show as for us. They waved at us throughout the show, laughing, throwing stuff at us. After they played they came back out and sat with us the entire David Lee Roth show. I came to know our new friends as Frank_Hannon and Brian Wheat. After the concert, they invited us to the "after show" on the bus, where they said they would introduce us to Steve Via. But once again, I was always a good girl and had enough sense to think that I might find myself in a situation that might potentially be over my head and so politely declined.
Sometime years later we met back up at the Galleria Mall when they came into town. The picture below is me with Tesla lead singer, Jeff Keith. All in all, really nice guys. I loved their music and always felt that they were completely under rated. That show was one fun concert.


Another favorite concert was the Jimmy Buffett private concert. No ticket needed for this show. A day I will never forget. I am going to write about that one very soon. It was amazing!
My favorite concert of today has been Kenny Chesney. I have been to four of his shows and every time I have the best time. Ask any of my friends, they will tell you how much fun I have!He is a real entertainer. You feel like you were invited to a great party of a good friend. Such fun.
And so, that brings me to this question posed to all of you....What was your favorite concert of youth? Of today? Why?Who do you wish you could've seen perform live, that no longer or rarely tours? Who is someone that tours today that you would love to see?
And to Charnita who is getting ready to go to Atlanta to relive the glory days.....I am right there with you in spirit! Have a wonderful time!
"LET IT ROCK, LET IT GO! YOU CAN'T STOP A FIRE BURNING OUT OF CONTROL. LET IT ROCK, LET IT GO! WITH THE NIGHT YOU'RE ON THE LOOSE...YOU GOT TO LET IT ROCK!"