Review: Bon Jovi, Nashville, TN 2/18/17

Bon Jovi brings hits, sets attendance record 

at Bridgestone Arena

Thirty-three years after Bon Jovi released its self-titled debut album, the New Jersey rockers set the attendance record Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena. Exactly 18,514 fans filled the seats, which wrapped all the way around the stage, for the band’s two-and-a-half hour set.

With more than three decades of hits and showmanship under his belt, Jon Bon Jovi not only has the confidence to pack the marathon set with music from the band’s new album “This House is Not For Sale,” he also has the skills to carry the show sans the stage-to-scaffolding viewing screens that are commonplace at most arena shows. (Screens were suspended eye-level with the upper bowl of seats.)

At 54 years old, Jon Bon Jovi is a charismatic dynamo who knows how to work every movement for maximum impact. During “Lay Your Hands on Me” and “Livin’ on a Prayer” the singer was reminiscent of a choir director leading a chorus of 18,000 people as they screamed the lyrics to the group’s biggest hits. Other times he spoke in earnest, setting up songs from the new album. While introducing the album’s namesake “This House is Not for Sale,” Jon Bon Jovi explained how the album’s cover — a two-story house with thick tree roots sinking into the ground — was a metaphor for Bon Jovi.

“You know that story where every picture tells a story?” Jon Bon Jovi said. “Well, this one told ours. As soon as I saw it … all the writing came into focus. The title came to me, ‘This House is Not for Sale’ because it was a big stone house with deep roots, a lot of history and a house that was in disarray, but I embraced it. We spoke of our integrity.’”

The title track is one of six songs from the group’s new album incorporated into the 24-song set list. Other highlights included the band’s new single “Roller Coaster,” about which the singer quipped, “I dare say it’s a hit.” He said “Devil’s in the Temple” was written in Nashville and was inspired by his trip through hell with his long-time record company.

“For a while it didn’t matter how loyal you were, it was about the record business,” Jon Bon Jovi said, putting the emphasis on business.

Following that song, the singer promised a night of hits – and he delivered. Earlier in the show, he sprinkled in staples including “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” and “It’s My Life.” But the last nine songs – fans knew every word. “Born to Be My Baby,” “Have a Nice Day,” “Bad Medicine,” “Keep the Faith,” the band pummeled the eager crowd with every sing-along favorite for which it had been waiting.

The four-song encore kicked off with the late ’80s “Blood on Blood,” skipped forward a couple of decades to land on “Because We Can,” then whipped the audience into a fist-pumping, lighter-waving frenzy with “Wanted Dead or Alive” and “Livin’ on a Prayer.”

Yes, there were lighters. There was also head-banging, mullets, heavy eye-liner and blue eye shadow. Someone might even have had a can of Aqua Net. But there was also a finely-honed, record-setting rock band that proved its music, just like its singer, is ageless.


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