BJ finally made good on their promise to return to Perth

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BON Jovi finally made good on their promise to return to Perth.
Bon Jovi
Subiaco Oval
Friday, January 25
Review by Jay Hanna

In 1995 Bon Jovi cancelled their Perth performance after drummer Tico Torres broke his wrist. The band promised to return to make it up to fans, but they obviously took the long way round.

While the Jon Bon Jovi lookalikes in the crowd paraded around in their mullet wigs, tight black pants and hi-tops channelling their idol's 1983 look, the man himself has softened his glam rock look over the years. Dispelling the myth that tight jeans cause impotency the father-of-four looked as if he hadn't aged in 25 years. Sure the wild locks are gone, but his face remains suspiciously wrinkle free. Looking taut and toned in a black sleeveless vest the 45-year-old was full of energy and enthusiasm.

In a set that moved at lightning speed the singer frequently flashed his whiter than white smile sending hearts a flutter across Subiaco Oval. The rest of the band are not quite so genetically (or surgically) blessed, but were in fine musical form. Special mention should be made of the newly clean Richie Sambora who seemed to be having the time of his life manipulating his Gibson Les Paul.

There was little fan fare as the the band strolled on stage to perform Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues". The lingering twilight seemed the wrong back drop for a rock concert and their welcome was somewhat subdued. Without the veil of darkness the crowd seemed reluctant to let it all hang out. That is until Bon Jovi yelled: "This ain't television. Get up out of your seats. I came a long way to be here tonight. I ain't taking no prisoners." Delivered in his New Jersey drawl, it was all the invitation most needed to get up and start moving.

From their low key start the band proceeded to knock off anthem after anthem. Reaching far back into their back catalogue they covered hits from throughout their 25 year career - "Lost Highway", "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Raise Your Hands" and "Runaway".

Meanwhile the insufficient security staff struggled to prevent people from leaving their seats to go and dance in thoroughfares. Time and again a cavalcade of characters tried to allude the fluoro yellow clad security who tried to direct them back to their seats. One such woman impolitely told a concert-goer where to go when they tapped her on the shoulder and politely asked her to move out of their way. Considering the price many paid for their seats the lack of consideration and general rudeness of these opportunists was totally out of line.

Oblivious to this, but mindful that they had to wrap up early due to noise restrictions, the band continued to fire off their hits, sacrificing audience interaction in the process.

"I wouldn't mind taking some of this weather home with me," Bon Jovi told the crowd in a rare address. Someone in the audience invited him to go ahead and relieve us to which the singer quipped back: "Trust me you'd miss it when it's gone."

Their rocking rendition of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" sounded better than the version the Gunners performed at their concert last year. The song segued into one of the nights highlights "Blaze of Glory".

Yet more anthems followed "It's My Life", "Bad Medicine", "Have A Nice Day" and the very fitting "Keep The Faith". Richie Sambora even had a whirl on the mike for torch song "I'll Be There For You".

Surprisingly the set ended with the band's biggest and best song "Livin' On A Prayer". Which left many wondering what the encore would have in store. It was definitely not what we expected.

There has been no escaping the tragic death of Heath Ledger for the people of Perth. The loss and sadness has touched everyone, so it came as somewhat of a shock when the band strolled back on stage with Jon Bon Jovi sporting a disturbing Joker t-shirt. The sinister looking eyes and smile instantly reminding the crowd of early promo pictures of Ledger made up as The Joker from the yet-to-be-released Batman movie - The Dark Knight. No reference was made to Ledger, but as one audience member whispered "surely he knew? Surely it was on purpose?"

The odd choice of encore songs seemed too referential to be purely coincidental. "The Last Night" lyrics: "This is the last night you'll have to be alone, I'll be standing right beside you, If you can't make it on your own" seemed to touch a nerve. Then the "Wanted Dead or Alive" reference to a cowboy riding a steel horse, seemed to add fuel to the fire. The show ended with "I Love This Town" a sentiment Ledger himself made to media during his recent trip back to Perth. Maybe it was all purely coincidental, but for a town in mourning it seemed a little too close to the bone.

Rather than leaving feeling elated, some of the crowd seemed a little baffled and confused. "Was it? Did they?" you could hear them asking. While others were peeved at the fact big hit ballads "Always" and "Bed of Roses" didn't feature. As the crowd filtered out of the grounds one punter asked his partner to marry him. You couldn't help wondering if he had been waiting for one of the two forgotten torch songs to propose, but never got the opportunity.

Having waited so long for Bon Jovi to fulfil their promise it seemed most Perth fans couldn't help feeling they were ever-so-slightly short changed.

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wow!

ya le paquet en ce moment! génial..
Again Thanks Franck !!!! king