Bon Jovi + Skunk Anansie + Ricky Ross + Alone / Maine Road, Manchester

How my music tastes had changed by 1996… I remember having a debate with my mate about whether we preferred Oasis or Bon Jovi. He said Bon Jovi while I said Oasis. Our sixth-form common room had been playing ‘Definitely Maybe’ and ‘Morning Glory’ on repeat since late ‘95, and all of a sudden, the black clothes disappeared, I started buying the NME and I found myself feeling slightly embarrassed about liking the soft rock of Jon and his chums. Although I was still digging Metallica, Guns & Roses and Thunder. Natch. But I trundled along to this gig anyway, anxious to see more live music. Any live music.

The line-up sucked compared to the year before. First on were an ‘unsigned’ band (possibly) from Liverpool, called ‘Alone’ . They’d won a competition to play because Jon was SUPERKEEN OMG!!! to support new music i.e. he wanted to save cash by not having to pay the openers. Some bands look double cool in uniforms (The Hives, Kraftwerk &c.), some bands look like berks. Guess which category Alone fell into? No? How about if I tell you they were all wearing bright yellow plastic fisherman’s coats. And bright yellow plastic fisherman’s trousers. So bright, that I can still see them when I close my eyes, a full 15 and a half years later. Their music obviously didn’t make the same indelible impression though. All I can remember is that it was averageish Britpop. Probably better than Northern Uproar, but not as good as Shed Seven. They did make me think seriously about joining a band myself though, of which more later.

EDIT: If any proof were needed that the recollections in this blog might be a bit on the sketchy side, I've just found a picture of Alone taken at Maine Road. Only one of them is wearing a big yellow coat. Fisherman's trousers are completely absent. Mind you, I was miles away on the day. They do still look rubbish though, so I wasn't mistaken about that.

Next up was… Ricky Ross!!! He was in Deacon Blue dontchaknow. Wow eh? After trudging through lots of acoustic-based dirges from his, then current, solo album, he played "Real Gone Kid". Everyone cheered. He then went back to the dirges. A few people clapped politely.

Half the day gone and finally a band we’d actually heard of. Seems strange now that Skunk Anansie were ever thrown in with Britpop (they were even on TFI Friday once I believe). And even stranger that they were main support for a Bon Jovi stadium tour. But that they were. And they were pretty good.

Things I can remember about Skunk Anansie at Maine Road:

• Skin had baggy camouflage cargo pants and ALL the bald head.
• The guitarist bloke had dreads and looked like he should have been protesting about motorway expansions in a muddy field somewhere.

Things that I have since realised about my memory of Skunk Anansie at Maine Road:

• That’s what Skin always looks like, so my memory may well have been transplanted onto this gig from seeing a live video on ‘Headbanger’s Ball’. Or something.
• The guy with dreads is actually the bass player.

Anyways… So The Jovi came on and did much the same set as the previous year, except this time they played "Blood On Blood" off ‘New Jersey’. Which iz a SICK tune. Booooooi. They also did FOUR (count em’!) encores, which might be deemed a tad unnecessary.

While we were waiting to leave the stadium car park, a couple poked their head round the door of our transport and said “is this Leeds?”, to which I replied “no, it’s a coach”. The WHOLE place erupted in laughter, and I was lauded as a COMPLETE wag. All. The. Way. Home.

True Story.

Set list (Bon Jovi)

1. Lay Your Hands On Me
2. Bad Medicine / Gloria
3. All I Want Is Everything
4. You Give Love A Bad Name
5. Runaway
6. Diamond Ring
7. Bed Of Roses
8. Rockin' All Over The World
9. Blood On Blood
Acoustic set
10. Wanted Dead Or Alive (Acoustic)
11. I'll Be There For You (Acoustic)
12. In These Arms (Acoustic)
13. Something For The Pain
14. Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
15. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead / Jumpin' Jack Flash / Papa Was A Rolling Stone
16. Keep The Faith
Encore 1
17. (It's Hard) Letting You Go
18. Something To Believe In
19. Hey God
20. Drift Away
Encore 2
21. Always
    
22. My Guitar Lies Bleeding In My Arms
23. These Days
24. Blaze Of Glory
25. Livin' On A Prayer
Encore 3
26. This Ain't A Love Song