Tuesday 13th June 06 - Bon Jovi at KC Stadium (1/2) By Steve Rudd Photographs by Brigitte Freeman

(1/2), (2/2).

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Fans of rock music in Hull haven't really had much cause to complain over the past couple of years, given the fact that the likes of Bryan Adams and REM have both played at the KC Stadium. I could hardly believe it when Bon Jovi were announced to play as the final date of the band's European leg of their world-wide Have A Nice Day tour, and thus I duly snapped up a ticket straight away.

With Chesterfield band Reminiscence and the soul-stirring indie-rock band Kubb supporting, the huge crowd was beside itself with anticipation for Jon and the boys to hit the stage ASAP, and just as they did - at spot-on 8pm - the rain that had plagued most of the evening suddenly eased off, with Jon bounding around a ramp that cut into the Gold Circle to sing one of the band's newest songs off their latest album, Last Man Standing, before knocking out a corking cover of Status Quo's Rockin' All Over The World for good measure.

What ensued, as soon as Jon had joined his fellow band-mates, in guitar God Richie Sambora, ace keyboardist David Bryan, drum-basher Tico Torres and long-time bassist for the band (since Alec John Such left) Huey McDonald on-stage, was a marathon run-through some of the New Jersey band's greatest hits. Hit songs were interspersed with a spicy smattering of newer tunes and a fair few nice surprises from the past... a past that reaches back into the early 1980's, with the band having released their debut eponymous LP way back in 1984.

Their classic 1986 album Slippery When Wet broke Bon Jovi into the big-time, and the best-known tune from that album in Livin' On A Prayer is still the band's signature tune that everybody goes crazy for. Indeed, when they blasted it out, the resultant crowd sing-a-long was understandably deafening. Another tune that they aired from such an album was the anthemic Raise Your Hands, while the new tunes that they stampeded through included the mightily catchy Have A Nice Day, new single Who Says You Can't Go Home, Complicated and Story Of My Life.

Still, for those people in the crowd who might - for whatever reason - not have been familiar with their latest material, there was still tunes such as I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, Keep The Faith, the truly brilliant Blood On Blood and Born To Be My Baby (both from the New Jersey album) and You Give Love A Bad Name to keep the masses entertained. Jon is sounding and looking the best he has ever looked, yet I'm sure some people might agree that guitarist Richie Sambora is actually a far better singer than Jon in many respects.

Richie's vocals are always immensely soulful and heart-wrenchingly Blues-rooted, and when he took the lead vocals to I'll Be There For You, nobody could really deny the raw emotion-drenched pulling power of his mesmerising voice. For further proof of just how incredible a singer-songwriter he is in his own right, I urge you to check out his two solo albums, Stranger In This Town and Undiscovered Soul.

Continued..... Next Page (2/2).

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Music Reviews - Sunday 25th June 06 - Wireless Festival with The Who, The Eels and Turismo at Harewood House Leeds By Moggy SideWinder (Good friend of Pete Townshend)
	After careful, strategic, military organisation (something that has always come naturally to Hull bands) Turismo and their entourage were ready for lift off which would launch them bang in the middle of Harewood House in Leeds for the Wireless festival. Sadly, much to the distaste of your humble narrator, the organisation committee had exempted me Read more...

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	In the last month I have spoken about trying to publicise different genres on thisisull.com so to this end I accepted the invitation from Outspoken Silence to the half term gig at The Ringside on Beverley Rd. First off I am not versed in the intricacies of the Emo genre, nor do I have any real knowledge about the subculture built around the Emo bands. But I can simply Read more...

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	Tonight was the night that Leeds came to Hull problem was not many turned up for the welcoming party. Sure enough Piper Club on Newland Avenue was peopled with a number of discerning music fans ready to witness the fine selection of bands chosen by the Silver Star/Raw Talent partnership. It also played host to a bunch of students who sounded like they were Read more...

Music Reviews, Galleries - 27th May 06 Star Attraction Photo Gallery at City Hall by Mo
	Checkout this 10 page photo gallery of Magnet Man, Georgia Taylor, Da Maniacs, D-Koy, Hollywood, Dari, Kill Surf City, Ronson Kiplin, Sidewinder, The Maker, Claudette Tiller, Thief, R.D. Terry, Afterglow, Andy Whitehouse and Elf 27th May 06 at Hull City Hall. Read more...

Music Reviews - Thursday 1st June 06 - The Johnsons, Unless, The Everydays and special guests from Japan The Warm at The Adelphi By Michelle Dee Photographs By Mo
	Thursday night saw four different live music acts playing the De Grey Street venue. The night was organised by Matt from The Johnsons and new management team Silver Star Media fronted by Gareth Jones. Their night was once again up against some fairly stiff competition in the form of The Paddingtons who were playing Staks Café Bar fifty Read more...

Music Reviews, Galleries - 22nd April 06 - The Dirty Dreamers do it for thisisUll.com at The Adelphi
	You missed it? You were there? Well, whichever - here are some photos from the gig back in April, organised by local boys with the eye lashes, Dirty Dreamers for thisisUll.com. A brilliant gig - thanks to all of you who filled the Adelphi and showed us all your appreciation for local brilliant bands and a local brilliant website! We're here for you, by you. Don't forget, Read more...

Music Reviews - Thursday 25th May 06 - The Beautiful South at The City Hall with support from Aberfeldy By Michelle Dee Photographs by Matt Rudd
	Yesterday was a very special day. Around five o'clock on Thursday evening, I was listening to The Beautiful South sound check. The hall was a hive of activity with technicians climbing rope ladders to the gantries, erecting barriers at the front of the hall, and making ready for the first TBS gig at the city centre venue for over 16 years. I listened to the band running Read more...

Music Reviews, Galleries - Saturday 22nd April 06 - Dirty Pretty Things in Bristol By Julia Grant
	Sometimes we get photographs of a past Gig in without a review. This Photo Gallery of Dirty Pretty Things in Bristol Saturday 22nd April 06 by Julia Grant is accompanied by an Album Review link By Steve Rudd. Dirty Pretty Things - Bang Bang You're Dead (Vertigo) Reviewed By Steve Rudd Release date : April 24th 2006 Read more...

Music Reviews - 21st April 06 - Chaser at The Bluebell Riverside Restaurant, Driffield By Steve Rudd
	Chaser are a well-known band in Driffield, largely due to having been around for a few years now, and because they are mean purveyors of some truly awesome cover songs. Driffield, unfortunately, is pretty thin on the ground when it comes to great bands worth shouting about. Since the main venue in town, Mavericks nightclub, didn't renew its entertainments license, Read more...

Music Reviews - Tuesday 2nd May 06 - The Sesh With Ivy Sins, Cherry Cob Cartel and The Blueslide Circle By Michelle Dee
	This weeks Sesh night down the Linnet and Lark fell just after yet another bank holiday weekend. This meant that many regulars were spent up or still feeling the effects of partying till the wee small hours. I know my own weekend was full of drunken forays into various different pubs in the Avenues area. The highlight of my weekend was on Sunday night; yes the Sunday Sesh had Read more...

Music Reviews - Wednesday 5th April 06 - John Copley, Afterglow and Sidewinder at Quayside By Emily
	This relatively new night has been running at the Quayside for just over a month now- named Quintessential Sessions- with live bands and fine Indie tunes every week. However, this gig showed the best turn-out so far. Regardless of whether this was due to the bands individual followings or simply word of mouth, it still proved that this night Read more...

Music Reviews - Wednesday 19th April 06 - The Peasants, The Blackouts and The Landaus at Quayside Quintessential Sessions By Michelle Dee
	It was only a week ago when I met The Peasants for the first time but I had heard them being played by Alan on Raw Talent a month or two back. Also Steve Rudd had reviewed their CD on this site and as often happens round these parts I had been bumping into Jody, singer for The Peasants, regularly on the Avenues. Tonight, I was determined to see them. Read more...