Review: Bon Jovi @ Scotiabank Place, Ottawa

One less band member can't throw Bon Jovi off beat

OTTAWA — For Bon Jovi, one of the biggest money-makers in the concert biz, the show must go on. Even though one of the key members of the band was missing from the stage, the big-budget operation masterminded by feathered-hair rock singer Jon Bon Jovi didn't miss a beat during Tuesday's concert at Scotiabank Place. It was the second concert without guitarist Richie Sambora, 51, who reportedly checked himself into a rehab facility last week.

No one knows how long Sambora will be off the road, but it's probably going to be a while because a suitable replacement was quickly found, and no refunds were offered. Canadian-born guitarist Phil X, who played his first show as a member of Bon Jovi in New Orleans last weekend, once had his own band, but hard-rock fans may also remember him filling in for Rik Emmett in Triumph in the early 90s.

Jon Bon Jovi seemed to ease into the concert by throwing a few less familiar songs into the opening string, which wasn't a bad idea because there was no opening act and many fans were delayed by the traffic getting to the stadium.

Looking fit and tanned, his shirt unbuttoned past his chest, the musician who's been declared one of the world's sexiest rockers kicked things off with Blood on Blood and We Weren't Born To Follow before satisfying the crowd's desire for hits with You Give Love a Bad Name and Born to Be My Baby. The sold-out crowd of 18,000 remained on their feet through the slower songs, including Lost Highway and Whole Lot of Leavin. No matter what the pace, every thrust of Bon Jovi's hips elicited hormone-fueled shrieks from the hundreds of thirty- and forty-something female fans in the audience.

"Happy Tuesday night to you," declared the '80s rock god, promising a fun-filled night. "It may be cold outside but it's going to be hot and steamy in here. I ain't gonna waste a lot of time talking tonight because I don't have to."

Maybe not, but he wasn't shy about flirting during an expanded take on Bad Medicine that also included a good chunk of Roy Orbison's Pretty Woman. At least one woman in the front row was ecstatic to get a kiss out of him.

However, you didn't have to be in the front row to connect with the New Jersey native. The stage was set up with multiple video screens so that even the fans seated behind the stage were able to catch the slick visuals and see what was going on. The audience engagement continued when the singer took a stroll with his acoustic guitar out onto a catwalk that took him deeper into the crowd, crooning the love songs (You Want to) Make a Memory and What Do You Got. No question, Jon is a pro at stirring up a huge audience, but he also did a great job singing, conveying sincerity where required and letting loose on cue, his voice all but drowned out by fans joyfully singing along.

As for Phil X, the replacement, he handled lead guitar duties seamlessly. What was missing was the comraderie and interaction that Bon Jovi usually shows towards his bandmate and creative foil, Sambora. A brief statement on the band's website indicates the guitarist will still have a job upon his return.

"Our support for Richie is absolute,” stated the online message. “He is, and will remain, a member of Bon Jovi. Although he will be absent from upcoming shows for the time being, we very much look forward to his healthy return. In the meantime, we will keep our commitment to our fans and continue our tour."

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