Review: Dallas, Night 1

From the Dallas Morning News:


Concert review: Bon Jovi has lost its snarl, but that's not a problem

12:24 PM CDT on Sunday, April 11, 2010
By MIKE DANIEL / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News


Bon Jovi has lost its snarl.

But that's not really a problem. It's by design, as demonstrated by the band's polished-to-a-mirror-shine performance Saturday to a long-sold-out American Airlines Center.

Arguably the U.S.'s most consistent rock act of the last quarter-century, Bon Jovi is two months into its largest world tour in 20-plus years – "The Circle Tour," so named officially after its latest CD and, perhaps, unofficially for its promise to perform some of its oldest songs to complete a cycle of sorts.

With one or two exceptions (most notably "Runaway," Bon Jovi's first hit in 1984 and the three-song encore's cracking opener), the older sounded much the same as the recent – not a bad trait considering the 26-song, 145-minute set's pristine sound and the act's deliberate delivery of it. Age has understandably tempered the band; David Bryan's keys are more prominent while Richie Sambora's guitar is inched back, even during his tastefully flamboyant solos.

Jon Bon Jovi, 48, looks half his age and still gestures with the drama and romanticism of a conductor or Shakespearean actor. His voice has lost little tonality or effective range, as shown by skin-tingling turns through Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and his charge's own "I'll Be There for You."

But Bon Jovi's a stately heartthrob now, unconcerned with exorbitant bombast in favor of solidifying his niche as blue-collar rock's aw-shucks golden boy. For instance, the half-circular stage was small for an arena setup; the money plainly went to the video monitors – one could snap to horizontal and be danced upon, while another could physically split into 64 separate screens above the band.

But even the halcyon-days hits sounded more mature. "Wanted Dead or Alive" had its gritty tension neutered; "Lay Your Hands on Me" was sung by Sambora with an overtness bordering on contrived machismo; "Love for Sale" was plain despite novelty (Bryan on an accordion? Whoa); "Bad Medicine" became an unfortunate medley with two even older covers – the Doors' "Roadhouse Blues" and the Temptations' "Shout."

That Bon Jovi chose this night to film a new video (for the ballad "When We Were Beautiful," the next single from The Circle) was cool, but not novel. It could've been done in any city. When the snarl's faded, a good band – and Bon Jovi's very good – can repeat at will what remains, both old and new.