"Good evening Omaha Nebraska! Jon Bon Jovi said Friday night April 1st 2022 at CHI Health Center. "So whatcha been doing for the last two and half years? We got a lot of catching up to do tonight. I won't waste a lot of time talking. We have a lot of songs to play" And with that Jon Bon Jovi launched into a 22-song set.
At 60, looks haven't changed much for Jon Bon Jovi, (born John Francis Bongiovi, Jr.) his feathered hair, gray and silver now, same beautiful smile (it's truly a great smile) a few wrinkles, but well who hasn't aged a bit since the 80's?
The one thing that has changed about Jon is his voice. That anthem type, tough growl, you hear in songs like "It's My Life, Dead Or Alive, You Give Love A Bad Name" Instead is was a little strained, thin or painful to hear at moments.
And since I haven't Googled him in a long time, I don't know if he has been battling any kind of throat issues or hell, maybe he is just battling age.
Whatever the issue, they and I mean he, sells out concerts on world tours all the time, so um, really. I am probably the only one who notices this stuff.
No matter, I had my fist in the air while taking pictures and screaming along with a packed full house arena last night screaming "YOU GIVE LOVE....A BAD NAME!!" And for a couple minutes I was back in time. And his voice was fine. Perfect.
Belting out songs like It's My Life, the audience (consisting of every generation) sang every word, loud and proud.
The crowd was diverse in all ages, singing decades of familiar songs Born To Be My Baby but a song I was unfamiliar with that surprised me. A song titled A Beautiful Drug on their new "2020 album, it just blew me away. Intense and sweet. Emotional and just beautiful. Love is and should always be our most addictive drug. It's definitely rock and roll Bon Jovi.
Things settled down a bit when the band all came to forefront of the stage with and played an acoustic set that included American Reckoning, Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night and a version of We Don’t Run that Jon Bon Jovi said was being recorded for later broadcast in a live concert to benefit Ukraine. This song I have since uploaded to my playlist and hum along too often.
Bon Jovi selected five songs from its latest album, “2020,” as well as a few more from the band’s last few records. Fans didn’t respond all that well, and later I would go on to read comments about how many felt that Bon Jovi "ripped them off" by "cramming the new stuff down their throats" how they paid money to hear the old stuff.
Me personally, I am waiting for my vinyl album Bon Jovi 2020 to get here so I hear the stuff they didn't play at the show.
Just like every time I have ever seen Bon Jovi, I walked out saying "Damn that was a good show!"
Bon Jovi took the second half of the party to a familiar place with some of the band’s most recognizable songs such as “Wanted Dead or Alive,” “Livin’ On a Prayer” and “Bad Medicine.”
It was apparent this was what the fans were waiting for as they screamed the lyrics back to Jon, Richie and the rest of the band in unison as if all driving in the same car or in the same bad karaoke night. The girls danced and the guys pumped their fists and everyone was excited to be with Jon Bon Jovi.
Now I know everyone doesn't see it this way, and most won't read this but I understand that emotions get high when an artist doesn't play your favorite songs in concert. It's a touchy subject sometimes. If an artist, especially one that has been around as long as Bon Jovi, wants to avoid being put out to pasture (so to speak), or put on a bill with four other bands from the 80's, they have to keep moving, keep creating new music and that takes work.
I have always loved Bon Jovi their ability to give their fans what they want musically. They aren't afraid of creating power ballads, love songs, bitch slapping songs, cowboy songs, songs of hope, songs of survival, grit and plain ol' FU songs! Sometimes they write a few in a row. Sometimes a few too many in a row, but I can't complain because I LOVE them all. There really is no such thing as a bad Bon Jovi song. Because, they write what they know you will love. So when I see or hear people bitching about how the Bon Jovi concert didn't play enough of the old stuff I ask myself this question? Did you actually listen to the new stuff they played for you? Because if you had, you probably would have heard something you liked. Because Bon Jovi only writes what we like. Or did you only pay $250 to stand in one place, hold your beer and scream to a song you hear every day on the radio?
SETLIST
Limitless
The Radio Saved My Life Tonight
You Give Love a Bad Name
We Weren’t Born to Follow
It’s My Life
Just Older
Born to Be My Baby
Beautiful Drug
Let It Rain
Keep the Faith
American Reckoning (Acoustic)
We Don’t Run (Acoustic)
Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night (Acoustic)
Who Says You Can’t Go Home
Lost Highway
Wanted Dead or Alive
Do What You Can
This House Is Not for Sale
Have a Nice Day
Livin’ on a Prayeer
Encore
Love’s the Only Rule
Bad Medicine