It's My Life (apparently)

OK, I'm now a bit worried - this is becoming a habit - almost an addiction. It's June and last night once again I've somehow ended up at a Bon Jovi concert...

It's really strange. This concert is at Twickenham - 2 stops from me on the train. My friend and I have a pint at a pub on the river and head over to the stadium - the weather is windy but looks like it will hold. Once again I'm amazed at the demographic of a Bon Jovi concert - it's young (most are in their 20s) and it's probably over half female. Guess it proves sex appeal sells.

We have good seats - high up in the gods but front and centre. The support act - Biffy Cyclo - is dreadful. All the other UK dates have The Feeling as support, but tonight they are playing Glastonbury. It's also the same evening as the Mandela concert so I guess getting a decent support act was always going to difficult.

In front of us are a group of people who, as the evening unwinds, act out an episode of a soap opera. One bloke can't handle his drink and goes through the 5 stage of drinking so brilliantly observed by the excellent Larry Miller. At a couple of points his wife/girlfriend is in tears and the security guard keeps a close eye, having a quiet word on one occasion. It's never threatening or hostile, just distracting - he's just a complete pillock who can't handle his beer, makes an idiot of himself and you do wonder if he has 'special needs' and has been let out with his social workers for the evening.

The concert is what you'd expect from a best selling group who have been around for over 20 years. They are a tight unit, completely at ease with each other and the crowd and it comes across. Bon Jovi will never be at the cutting edge nor have artistic credibility - but they do a great concert and give the fans exactly what they want - and really, you can't ask for more. For me the weirdest thing is simply walking all the way home from such a big gig - gradually the crowds ease but they are still several from the concert walking alongside us all the way back to TW11.

Overall, a good evening at the local concert venue.