BON JOVI – Definitive Cleveland ’84 [Lost And Found Records Japan CD] (2025) HQ *Exclusive*

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With the recent BON JOVI post including previously unreleased ’80s live recordings, many of you asked for more ‘Bon Jovi live’ from the era. The very well done bottleg “Definitive Cleveland ’84 [Lost And Found Records Japan CD]” sounds great, captured at The Agora Ballroom, March 17th, 1994. There’s many versions of this recording, however this Japanese bootleg by ‘Lost And Found Records’ is the best.
The show was a broadcast by WMMS FM, and it’s a real gem because showcases BON JOVI at their very origins. The recording takes place a couple of months after their debut album “Bon Jovi” was released.
“Definitive Cleveland ’84” is loaded with atmosphere and youthful energy as Jon and his boys played most of the tracks from their self-entitled 1983 debut album, which contained raw and excitedly dynamic melodic rock songs, a fair few miles away from the much more ‘safe’ material that they dish out today.

Jon’s voice is so young sounding on this early recording and it sends you on a hard rocking, guitar busting emotional ride through classics such as ‘Runaway’, ‘Shot Through the Heart’ or ‘She Don’t Know Me’, which sound even better in these live versions, and it’s great to hear lesser-known numbers like ‘Come Back’ and the cover ‘Take You Higher’, the latter of which was not originally released on the studio album.

Bon Jovi doesn’t play most of these early songs live on the stage today, which makes this release even more a novelty.
The song that stood out for me is the aforementioned ‘She Don’t Know Me’ which hasn’t been played since 1987. They are reluctant to play it again because they didn’t write it. I think the album version was great but this live version is 10 times better and the song takes you on a roller coaster of emotion.

“Definitive Cleveland ’84 [Lost And Found Records Japan CD]” is a must have for the ultimate BON JOVI collector, well for everyone who loves classic ’80s melodic hard rock. It shows you how tight and brilliant they were since the beginning, and why this band ruled the genre all over the decade.
If you some previous releases / versions of this recording, do yourself a favor and replace it with this Remastered Edition, it sounds million bucks.
HIGHLY Recommended

01 – Intro (Live)
02 – Breakout (Live)
03 – Come Back (Live)
04 – Roulette (Live)
05 – She Don’t Know Me (Live)
06 – Shot Through the Heart (Live)
07 – Love Lies (Live)
08 – Guitar Solo (Live)
09 – Get Ready (Live)
10 – Runaway (Live)
11 – I Want to Take You Higher (Live)

Jon Bon Jovi – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Richie Sambora – lead guitar, backing vocals
Alec John Such – bass, backing vocals
Tico Torres – drums, percussion
David Bryan – keyboards, backing vocals

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