Opening Giants Stadium

It’s a big deal.

MSG was definitely their “in their backyard”, Central Park was historic, but there’s just something about Giants’ Stadium. Giants’ Stadium, for the boys of Bon Jovi, has always been about “coming home”.





From the beginning, Giants’ held a special place in the guys’ hearts, and is the source of many a story from the “days of yore”. Some of my friends’ best Jovi memories are of shows from Giants’. And I get to become part of that history when I am there with one of my dearest friends Willow up in the rafters to celebrate the opening of the stadium.

Around the Fandom, people are talking about Big Things (capital-B, capital-T) happening the first night at Giants’. All sorts of speculation about the kinds of things the guys are going to pull out of their collective back pocket (though I think Dave is the only one wearing jeans baggy enough to get a hand into).

I have to say, I’m swept up in the hoopla myself, and am looking forward to having my socks blown clean off. I’m looking forward to saying, “Damn, I’m never going to see anything better than that.” I’m talking myself out of my vanilla-set list-cynicism, and jumping whole-heartedly onto this band’s wagon.

There are lots of songs I’d love to see live at Giants’ next month. A few off the top of my head – reprisals of past Giants’ performances I’d love to see for myself:

I Am (July 29, 2006) ~ In my opinion the BEST song to follow “Superman Tonight” in the lineup. Jon and Richie are storytellers at heart, and I Am, though written long before Superman, follows perfectly:

Who’s gonna save you when the stars fall from your sky?
Who’s gonna pull you in when the tide gets too high?

When you think that no one is there to hold your hand, I am…

One Wild Night (July 27, 2001) ~ This would be the perfect Second Song in the set list for the first night at Giants’. The first song? Has to be a FULL version (live, not on the soundsystem) of This Is Our House. What could be more appropriate for the band’s First Song on the First Night in their new home?

Dry County (July 19, 2006) ~ I think this one speaks for itself. And it was done last tour, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility. I get all squinchy thinking about seeing Richie’s solos from this track live.

There are other songs I’d love to see as well.

Ride Cowboy, Ride: I totally want to know the danger of a kiss at midnight
99 In The Shade: This is a completely fun song, and I could see everyone having a great time with this. Tell the boys I’m on my way. I hit Jersey in 23 days!
Damned: Gulp, this would be absolutely deadly
This Ain’t A Love Song: How perfect would this be on the circle? JB and Rich sharing the mic?
Bells of Freedom : A great next-song for We Weren’t Born To Follow

Really, far too many “wants” to name. But I think that the ones I’ve listed aren’t outrageous requests. The songs’ ranges are not too taxing for Jon’s voice. They’re not obscure buried tracks that would only appeal to the die-hard fans. They’re long-shots, but not off the table, right?

While I was pondering this post, I came up with a few things that are on my wish list that I’m pretty sure I’m never going to see. Not being fatalistic, just realistic.  It doesn't stop me from coveting, though.


Drift Away


June 11, 1989 - Giants Stadium, NJ

This is far and away one of my top-three favorite covers the band has done.

This has been done many times throughout their touring career. Stuttgart 2008, Sheffield, 1986, Stockholm, 1993

It’s time to bring it back. As the last song in the last Encore.

Like Hallelujah, the song is timeless, though it is one we should be singing to them – and if they gave us a shot at the final chorus, I know we could do them proud.

Give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock’n’roll
And drift away...

I for one, get lost in their rock’n’roll on nearly a daily basis. There’s a song for every mood – either to put me in one or tease me out of one.

To see this live, with them doing the last bit a capella would be just beautiful. I can see them huddled on the stage, clustered together to sing. When it comes to the end of the song, they take their microphones, all of them, and venture out onto the circle, getting the crowd to sing along with them. They space themselves out so that among them, they’ve got command of the entire audience, directing us as we sing to them. Then the slowly come together again to the middle of the circle, as they sing a final chorus, and the lights go out.

The Return Of The Triple Neck

Sweet hell, this is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen (heard).



Richie used to do these long, elaborate intros to Wanted “back in the day”.

In last year’s podcast with MusicRadar, someone asked why he doesn’t do those anymore.

His answer was something like “Do you KNOW how many notes I play a night?  I don't need to play any more, man,” which totally cracked me up.

Does he not get it? That we don’t care how many notes he plays; it isn’t enough?  Seeing him "jam" as it were on his own, playing from the heart without a script -- how beautiful would that be?

Midnight Rider as a lead in to Wanted

I know; the Triple-Neck and Midnight Rider can’t go together at the same show. I’m fully able to accept an either/or on this one.

As far as lead-ins go, it’s a really good one, in my opinion.

I’ve got to run to keep from hiding
And the road goes on forever
And I’ve got one more silver dollar
But I’m not gonna let them catch me, no;
Not gonna let them catch the Midnight Rider…

Richie’s done it throughout his “solo tours” and damned if it doesn’t work for me. Check this video, from 1998 – Japan.



That works for you, doesn’t it? See if the Jovi version works for you – the two of them sharing the mic, harmonizing as only they can do…



Yep, this is one that I’d love to see.



Now, note that I’m not making any speculation about what I think we’ll get that first night at Giants’. If I think about it too much, I start slipping off the wagon and back into my cynicism again. I’m just so freaking excited for this show, I can hardly stand it.

~ Hath