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		12/03/06 - COCA-COLA DOME, JOHANNESBURG Review by Franziska Meinck: Well, just to let you know, it was one of the best concerts I have seen Bryan and the guys play. I got to the Coca Cola Dome around 5 p.m. Because computickets online credit card booking service wasn't working I had to get the ticket at the venue, and sad enough, golden circle standing right around the stage was already sold out. I was lucky to get a ticket for the general admission, by the time the concert started the whole venue was sold out taking 20,000 people. Security opened the gates around 6:30, there was no pushing, no screaming, no getting squeezed and no ru! nning, everybody entered just like going to a doctors appointment. Thumbs up for the crew in charge. Cubic Inch was the supporting act. They were a couple of handsome guys from Durban with voices like "The Calling" and played good music as well. They're definitely ones to watch out for. At 9 sharp Bryan came on stage opening with So far so good, then moving on to Somebody, This Time, Open Road, 18 til I die, Let's make a night to remember, can't stop this thing, back to you, summer of 69, everything I do, cuts like a knife and when you're gone with Sylvia from some place with an afrikans name that Bryan wasn't able to pronounce correctly. It sounded something like Dope though and he happily repeated that Sylvia came from Dopetown. She said she couldn't sing and really couldn't when Bryan let her sing the chorus alone, it was awful. Before calling her up on stage he had told off a girl for showing her breasts with enthusiasm:" Now you better put those two away, ! they won't get you an stage, but they'll get you backstage..." During WYG he played his guitar on Sylvias arse and she seemed to be pretty ok about it. He continued with I'm ready and hearts on fire for which he proudly introduced us to his new sassy, classy and electrifying guitar, looked like a wooden Gibson (Steven: it's the Gretsch). They moved on to Heaven, The only thing, Cloud #9, Run to you and finally The best of me during which Bryan left the stage to once again hug the people in the front row. Encores were Straight from the heart, please forgive me and All for love. The audience was amazing and the guys didn't really want to leave. Bryan mentioned that this concert was an even greater success than the New Years concert a couple of years before and even got the audience to do the "wave" twice. Great concert that lastet for 2:15h with an once again amazing performence by Keith as Tina T. and Mickey as well as Gary and Norm. Setlist: So Far So Good Somebody This Time Open Road 18 Til I Die Let's Make A Night To Remember Can't Stop This Thing We Started Back To You Summer Of '69 Everything I Do Cuts Like A Knife When You're Gone (with Sylvia from Dope Town!) I'm Ready Hearts On Fire Kids Wanna Rock Heaven It's Only Love The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You Cloud #9 Run To You The Best Of Me Straight From The Heart Please Forgive Me All For Love ********** Review by Susi Schoeman: At 09h14 we set off by car for Johannesburg. After a drive of 350 kilometer, we arrived at the Dome. Some major building changes had been made. More parking for the mall and the road outside the Dome around 13h22. We looked for an open gate to get in and finally found one. At the place we waited last time we were told that Golden Circle Standing ticket holders had to wait at somewhere else. We enquired at the security and were shown where to go. One security guy wanted to borrow one of our tickets… the management in the Dome requested that. After a time he came back with the ticket and we proceeded to the appropriate green entrance gate. It was at the delivery bay in front of two huge garage doors. There were already three girls waiting, each one in an entrance booth. We sat down in the next booth. All of us quickly made friends and chatted away. After a while other people slowly started arriving. At 17h30 we were chased back to outside of the green gate. I took on an attitude as many who came late were in front of the rows that we’re supposed to form. I had waited there for hours and wouldn’t let some security guys take away my place. Well, it helped and the five of us that were first, got in first. Our tickets were taken and we were issued with a green wristband that allowed us to enter the Golden Circle. I asked the one security bloke if I could keep my ticket as a souvenir. He said I’m not allowed to. I said please. Okay he’ll go ask someone and gave me my ticket. I disappeared to the garage doors again. The security takes the tickets to prevent one from giving it to another person who hasn’t paid the Golden Circle Standing price, to get in. yeah right, I had to save months to finance my coming here and would let some easy rider in on my costs, hey! Never! They had posted security people, who would do the searching, in front of us. We made a lot of friends, with them and all standing, waiting for the doors to open. South Africa was playing the Aussies in their final ODI Cricket match – where a win to either side could determine the series winner. A bloke, that would end up being my neighbour in the hall, had a cell phone with radio. He relayed to us ball by ball what happened at the cricket. It was quite anguishing; Australia had posted 434 runs (highest ODI score in history) and we had to get 435 to win. Finally, one of our guys scored a run and the teams were tied. The wicket-keeper scored a four, making our country’s total 438 runs, beating the Aussies’ record and winning the series. (Steven, you must know how sweet that tastes!) As one man we all erupted in a ear-deafening cheer (wonder what Bryan must’ve thought inside…) The security people on the second storey to our left all ran to the railing, wondering what mad-house had been let loose and peered down. We were all calm, no violence, just cheering. At 18h20 the doors were rolled up and we cheered again. We were being searched and let in. I ran, as did the other girls. Security kept slowing our pace. We reached the Golden Circle entrance and these girls took a wrong turn, I didn’t and headed straight to the security guy. The girls were on my heels. Been let thru, we sprinted to get the best spots in front of the stage. I was amazed at myself – these twenty year olds couldn’t outrun me! I went and stood right smack in the middle of the stage. These girls ran bit to the right were three mics were standing. The space filled up quickly and Waltie, who got me t-shirts, joined me too – I had kept a place for her. The two of us stood right in front of Bryan! This dude standing on my left had a too young lady friend with him; she was a total bitch. Dumb thing smoked right there and I told here she’s not allowed to do that – didn’t she see the banners outside. It’s forbidden to smoke in public places in this country anyway. She must’ve smoked pot or something, cuz during the concert the kept jumping on the barrier and thereby poking me with her elbow. She stopped when I poked back. At 20h00 the support band took to the stage. They were four guys from Durban, calling themselves Cubic Inch. They rocked us for 30 minutes. Hope they make it big, cuz they’re good. The stage was being prepared for Bryan and his band. They had a shit-load of stage-lights and two guys were hoisted up to the controls one on either side. The guy on our side kept waving at me. Five different guitars were placed in a row near the keyboard. During the concert, Bryan showed us what he could do with them. At 21h00 the lights dim and the band walks on stage, followed by Bryan, who had got rid of his 3-day beard. The audience cheered to welcome them. Bryan donned a guitar and started with SO FAR SO GOOD. That song rocks! It was followed by SOMEBODY and OPEN ROAD. I just love Bryan playing the harmonica in the latter. With 18 TIL I DIE Bryan moved to the far sides of the stage, ending the song with his trademark tongue out, on the right hand side of the stage. LET’S MAKE A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, CAN’T STOP THIS THING WE STARTED and BACK TO YOU followed. With SUMMER OF ’69 the roof was nearly raised as all sang along. Bryan started the intro for (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU and we started singing with out him. He just looked at us like ‘how dare you start ahead of me, and started singing. Bryan really got the crowd going. As usual he ends holding back the last ‘you’, which we sing and Bryan then slowly lets out his ‘youuuuuu’. It was awesome! Then CUTS LIKE KNIFE followed. Sylvia from Krugersdorp was chosen to sing with Bryan. He couldn’t pronounce Krugersdorp and tried a few times. She then said to Bryan they should just sing the song. What a totally dumb blonde! The more Bryan wanted her to stand closer to him, the farther she backed off. She knew the words, but I wouldn’t know if she could sing – the crowd sang along way to loud for me to hear. She was let go to get t-shirts for her and her friend. Many times Bryan, and at times Keith, moved to the edge of the stage right in front of us, playing guitar. So near, yet so far… It was great!!! I’M READY followed. During this song this bitch next to me started getting wild with her poking me. She kept screaming demands at Bryan. Dumb thing! For HEARTS ON FIRE Bryan introduced his new, classy, mean guitar. Then HEAVEN followed. Here we started singing as Bryan finished the intro… he just looked at us and then he proceeded to sing the song. With IT’S ONLY LOVE, Bryan told us he had sung the song with Tina Turner. She wasn’t here, but we got Keith! During this song Keith really let loose his love for playing the guitar. It was great stuff!! The duel in THE ONLY THING THAT LOOKS GOOD ON ME IS YOU with Bryan’s ‘you’ and ours kept on for a while. You could clearly see that Bryan enjoyed the gig. Then Bryan sang CLOUD NUMBER NINE and RUN TO YOU. Bryan stood on stage and made like he wanted to don a guitar. He looked at the crowd and I anticipated this was gonna be THE BEST OF ME. Sure it was! A guy had brought a ladder for Bryan to climb down into the ‘gutter’. A girl grabbed his arm and he annoyingly he pulled himself free. Bryan went to stand on the metal step just right of the stage. Fans stretched up their hands, which Bryan clapped off one by one. Mine was also up there. I thought, ‘just give me enough of your hand and I’ll squeeze it’. Bryan had started to his left and was moving ‘toward me’. Just before he reached for my hand, Bryan looked down on me… and read my thoughts! Simultaneously we took hold of each other’s hands and held fast. Bryan shook our hands three times to and fro. He let go and moved off to my left, clapping fan’s hands and to the far right as well. For the encores Bryan came back on stage alone and performed STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART, which Bryan said he wrote when he was 18 years old, PLEASE FORGIVE ME (which I loved) and ALL FOR LOVE. He then said, “I must go now” in a manner that he didn’t really want to go and put down his guitar on the floor. Bryan came to the edge of the stage and waved a few kisses at the crowd, then left the stage. Bryan had told us that he had an amazing week in South Africa and that this was his best show. He thought the audience was great; much better than the New Year’s Eve show three years ago. I loved the gig and was quite animated throughout it. This was my 2nd concert and I really do look forward to the next one!!! I had made friends with a polish girl and we exchanged addresses; we want to keep in touch and visit the next concert together! For the life in me I can’t understand why these young girls in the crowd, calling themselves fans, have to scream ‘woooo-woooo’ the whole time when they don’t know the lyrics???

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