Touring to support album Lost Highway, Bon Jovi rocks the JLC.

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Tue, November 20, 2007

Touring to support album Lost Highway, Bon Jovi rocks the JLC.

By JAMES REANEY, FREE PRESS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT COLUMNIST

Jon Bon Jovi sings with his band Bon Jovi at the John Labatt Centre last night. (DEREK RUTTAN, Sun Media)

The concert of the year roared down the road at the John Labatt Centre last night.

New Jersey superstars Bon Jovi were at the wheel with a near-record crowd of 9,800 ecstatic fans along for a ride of hits from the 1980s, 1990s and 2007's hit, Lost Highway.

Bon Jovi's first four songs were You Give Love a Bad Name, Raise Your Hands, Runaway and Radio Saved My Life -- an explosive start which had the fans jamming the place screaming and shouting and standing.

Band and fans kept it all going for a two-hour main set ending with Livin' on a Prayer, when there were times the sound of the crowd almost overwhelmed the stars. That's the sign of a great rock concert.

"Thanks for coming out on a Monday night . . . we're going to play songs from every era," said frontman Jon Bon Jovi, looking great in a tight jacket. He later worked out in a black, short-sleeved shirt with a strategic, open-neck plunge where the top buttons should be.

Bon Jovi and guitarist Richie Sambora were joined by fellow founding members keyboardist David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres.

During the encore, the frontman said the band "would be back."

Who from the crowd last night wouldn't want to be back with Bon Jovi again?

There were hits -- It's My Life, Last Man Standing and Bells of Freedom, with a husky-voice Bon Jovi starting the encore on a quiet note of reflection, the sign of a mature band that knows it's sold 125 million records -- but still has things to say.

Another memorably quiet highlight in a joyfully noisy unLondon night had Bon Jovi singing unplugged style from a small stage on the boards. As the cellphones and cameras flashed away at the superstar in the middle of the crowd, he sang Lost Highway's love ballad (You Want to) Make a Memory. Bon Jovi sang it, smiled that killer smile, kissed one fan, reached out to others -- and shared a tune with Sambora from the temporary spot.

Also in the band are bassist Hugh McDonald, who plays on the band's 2007 hit CD Lost Highway, a guest guitarist who was likely Bobby Bandiera (also a Jersey legend), a pedal steel player and a violin player -- the one woman on stage.

The pedal steel wasn't too audible in the mix and the violinist -- in a smashing, bare-shouldered dress -- was around for the country-tinged Lost Highway numbers.

The crowd, not far off the John Labatt Centre record of 10,000-plus owned by Shania Twain, was strongly female and adoring. When you see T-shirts saying Blond Highway, or others with the message "Mrs. Bon Jovi," it's safe to say these women love their man and his band.

The frontman hopped and twitched when the songs called for it. He led a big singalong cover of Shout as a detour during Bad Medicine. He even did pushups to show 25 years in the rock game haven't taken away his edge.

Early on, Bon Jovi leaned on Sambora for a little Mick and Keith action.

The singer's longtime friend and guitarist, Sambora has endured the death of his father, high-profile breakups and several stints in rehab for alcoholism.

"(He's) ridiculously single, ladies," Bon Jovi said when his buddy came up to the mic for his solo vocal. The appreciative howls that greeted that intro suggested the issue could be addressed.

"The words kind of catch up with your life sometimes," Sambora said before singing These Days mid-set.

One flaw in the setup had hundreds of fans seated behind the band -- giving them a good look at eight Jersey backs a lot of the time.

Happily, the unstoppable Bon Jovi did his best to keep them in the show, too, waving and running back to make sure no fan was left behind.