During the tour in April JOP already played 2 acoustic shows - one in Munich and one in Aalst / Belgium. Now they are back for some festivals and as Jon and the guys enjoyed it, they decided to do some acoustic shows inbetween. For tonight they had announced an acoustic show and even if the end of the World Soccer Championship was close, about 150 people came to see Jon Oliva and his Pain.
With the Streets classic New York City Don't Mean Nothing they started off. A song which they played live with JOP every time, but acoustic it surely sounds different. A song which fitted perfectly, but wasn't expected was Stay. As Jon told this song was orginally recorded for Streets, but didn't make it onto the album. Some might know it as a bonus track from 1997 re-release of Hall Of The Mountain King or the US version of The Wake Of Magellan. But the first real highlight was the acoustic version of Jesus Saves which is usually based on heavy guitar riffing. A ballad like When The Crowds Are Gone seems to be more suitable for an acoustic set. Between the songs Jon told some stories about the songs, his life and others - all in his unique style and humor. What a pleasure. 
As Jon explained he is a huge Beatles fan - and that John Lennon and The Fab Four been a big influence for him and his brother Criss - and so some Beatles tunes would be played, but everybody who expected some of the Beatles hits, was wrong. Jon had choose the more unknown, more obscure tracks like You Never Give Me Your Money. But the songs were present in their own way and so fit perfectly into the set - set list see below. After a few more Savatage songs and a track from Tage Mahal it was time for a new one! Only You will only be a bonus track and was written for a movie soundtrack of Batman Begins. Jon explained that the director Christopher Nolan asked him to write some beatlesque tune - so Only You came to life. It's not the first time that one of his songs should be used for a movie soundtrack, but this one was especially written for it and not like Perfect Christmas Night (originally written for TSO by Oliva/O'Neill/Kinkel) only used for the movie How The Grinch Stole Christmas. With Stare Into The Sun they started another excourse into Savatage's history. A medley of Sleep, In The Dream and Eleanor Rigby - another Beatles song, but a bit more known. As I always loved this Beatles song it was great to hear Jon Oliva sing it. Actually Jon is doing extremely well singing Lennon tunes. Thanks for this one!
After Summer's Rain another new song been presented - The Answer which will be at the coming sophomore album Maniacal Renderings. With A Day In The Life and Except Me And My Monkey more Beatles, but between these two they put Strange Reality and Believe.
It was the second time I saw JOP doing an acoustic show and I have to confess that I enjoy the acoustic ones more then the regular ones. At the acoustic shows its more reduced to Jon and his vocals, he also has more time to tell stories... It's great to hear Jon talk about the songs, the music he loves and his life. I hope this wasn't the last time they do an acoustic! And hopefully next time more people show up!
Set list:
New York City Don't Mean Nothing
Jesus Saves
When The Crowds Are Gone
You Never Give Me Your Money*
All That I Bleed / Heal My Soul
A Little Too Far
Fly Away
Only You
Stare Into The Sun
If I Go Away
Walk Alone
Sleep / In The Dream / Eleanor Rigby*
Summer's Rain
The Answer
A Day In The Life*
Strange Reality
Believe
Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey*
* - songs by John Lennon resp. The Beatles
Next were the Italian power metallers of 
Then it was time for the Mountain King and his 
Songs like City Beneath The Surface and Dungeons Are Calling made the fans go crazy, but it turned into a nut house when they played Sirens and Hall Of The Mountain King as a kind of encores. No bad show, but I saw the band in better shape before. And as many fans I would prefer to see the real