BON JOVI

PLUS: Kid Rock
O2 Arena, London
23/06/2010

Words and Photos: Emma Bowdidge

American rockers Bon Jovi have returned to the UK, London England to be pacific. They’ve taken a 12 night residency at the O2 Arena and with just 2 more nights to go we’re here on night 10. Before we witness a whopping 2 and a half hour set from Bon Jovi we’re treated to Detroit’s very own singer-songwriter/rapper Kid Rock who put’s on a tremendous set and ended with everyone out their seats dancing to ‘Sweet Home Alabama’.

Fans are still bundling in finding their seats as it get’s closer to Bon Jovi coming out to perform. A song that goes ‘This Is Our House’ blasts through the PA which the band must have picked themselves as it goes well with their 12 night O2 Arena takeover.

The lights go down and a big screen comes down and sits on the stage showing silhouettes of the band members walking through a tunnel (similar to the cover of their album ‘The Circle’). The fans are roaring with screams especially once the screen goes back up and Jon Bon Jovi takes his position at the mic and starts singing ‘Blood On Blood’. Many of us complained about the over priced tickets for this tour but in the end they’re rather worth it as Bon Jovi prove by belting out fan favourites ‘We Weren’t Born To Follow’, ‘You Give Love A Bad Name’ and ‘In These Arms’ all in the first part of their set. To our surprise next Jon announces “Would you please welcome to the stage a very dear friend of mine Sir Bob Geldof” who joins the band on stage to sing his own song with Jon ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’. During ‘Bad Medicine’ they changed it up a bit by playing a cover by Rod Stewart (Hot Legs) and another cover by The Temptations (Shout) which really fired everyone up jumping up and down with their hands in the air.

For a band that have been going long before I was born they put on one astounding show with bright lights and big screens down to Jon Bon Jovi singing ‘Bed Of Roses’ on the front of their circle making it more intimate for the fans outside of the VIP circle. He then get’s joined by the rest of the band made up of Richie Sambora (Guitar), Tico Torres (Drums) and David Bryan (Keyboard) to perform ‘Diamond Ring’, ‘These Days’ and a slower more acoustic ‘Saturday Night’ with Jon and Richie playing acoustic guitars, Tico shaking some rattler and David playing the accordion. They all move back round to the stage to belt out a few more songs that get’s everyone singing back and jumping to ‘It’s My Life’, ‘Who Says You Can’t Go Home’ and ‘Keep The Faith’ which leads to the bands exit for an encore.

The O2 sounds like a herd of elephants by now as everyone is stamping their feet and screaming for Bon Jovi to return to the stage in which they do and play a song they haven’t played in a long time from These Days album ‘Damned’. Jon then dedicates the next song ‘Wanted Dead Or Alive’ to their touring buddies Kid Rock before finally ending the night on one of their most popular songs ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’.
Have Bon Jovi still got it? Yes, I think tonight proves just that as everyone walks away all sweaty with big grins on their faces and Bon Jovi rest to do it all again the following night.