Raise your (jazz) hands.

Last night was a lot of fun as I took in my first Bon Jovi concert. But before we get to anything else, I’d like to give a big thank you to Michelle Krogmeier for inviting me. She had an extra ticket so I figured what the heck, it should be fun. It was.

These guys really know how to put on a concert, the company was great, plus I learned three really important things:
1 – Jon Bon Jovi is a master of deception.
2 – There is no better place to people-watch than a Bon Jovi concert, and finally,
3 – Jon Bon Jovi is a big fan of jazz hands.

First things first though, let’s address the Master of Deception. There we were, the lights were dimming, the band came on stage and then the music began.

But what’s this? Where’s the man of the hour? He’s nowhere to be found! I stared at the stage for a couple of minutes trying to find the band's namesake and then it hit me, he’s in the audience. Sure enough, on the main floor about three-fourths of the way back was JBJ on a small platform. I have no idea how he got there. He must be part ninja.

Secondly, if you enjoy people watching, consider a Bon Jovi concert your Mecca. It was awesome; drunk girls, rednecks, drunk rednecks; tons of people-watching potential. The concert even came complete with someone right in front of us doing the white-guy shimmy. He was really getting down.

Lastly, I have never seen anyone who enjoyed jazz hands quite like Jon Bon Jovi. When he took us back in time to 1982…jazz hands. When he “laid us down on a bed of roses,”…jazz hands. When we “raised our hands,”….well, you get the point. He was really throwing them out there and pretty soon 30,000 jazz hands filled the air in response. It was amazing.

All in all, it really was an awesome show and if you get the chance to see them, go. Michelle even got so fired up at one point she threw her bra onstage. Unfortunately it was the only thing she had to wear so imagine my embarrassment as we took Marta home. What will we ever do with her?