Bon Jovi at Mohegan Sun
Published: Sunday, May 08, 2011, 2:20 AMUpdated: Sunday, May 08, 2011, 10:14 AM
By Donnie Moorhouse, The Republican
Rocker Jon Bon Jovi (AP file photo) UNCASVILLE, Conn. - Jon Bon Jovi guessed from the point at Mohegan Sun on Saturday night that it has been "29 to 30 days or so" that the fans have been supporting his rock` n` roll dream.
That fan base shows no signs of wavering.
Either does the band.
Bon Jovi played a sold out Mohegan Sun Arena on Saturday, the 4th and last end at the venue on the current tour, and thanked the congregation with a two hour and 15 minute set of high powered rock.
The product alone was a testimonial to the stadium rock milieu. Everything above and slow the circular stage moved, morphed, and slid, from the hi tech video screens to the hydraulic risers that, when they weren`t supporting the principal singer, where also serving as video boards.
There may just be a fistful of bands that can turn an arena rock show like Bon Jovi. In fact, it is this ring that might set the genre.
After the bells rung and the whistles whistled, Bon Jovi emerged from all the moving parts to call up "Last Man Standing," and followed with "You Have Love a Bad Name."
The two songs made sense together but constitute two very different parts of the band`s career. The latter was recorded when critics were putting Bon Jovi in the same hair-band category as Skid Row, Warrant, and Cinderella.
Anyone know where any of those bands were playing this weekend?
The latter song was likewise the first spotlight moment for fill-in Phil X, the guitarist who is winning the office of Richie Sambora while the longtime band member is doing a stretch in rehab. Phil X is a well-known session player (Daughtry, Avril Lavigne, Alice Cooper) who seemed to fit properly in with the group.
After anthems "Superman Tonight," and "Lost Highway," Bon Jovi rolled a small country flavor into the mix with the yearning rocker "Whole Lot of Leaving." Again the newer song was paired with a classic, serving as the overture to "Bad Medicine."
It was during "Bad Medicine" that Jon Bon Jovi took lead of the set list and with prompting from Jersey pal and other Cats on A Smooth Surface (and occasional Asbury Juke) Bobby Bandiera wrestled in Roy Orbison`s "Pretty Woman."
With the lights down, Bon Jovi made his way out to the heart of the area via the circular catwalk and gave acoustic versions of "(You Wish To) Make a Memory," and "I`ll Be There for You."
He returned to the point for "Someday I`ll Be Saturday Night," subtly dedicating the call to Sambora.
"I can see your voices," he said. "You`re all pulling for our friend, right?"
Sambora`s absence seemed to move the mystique of the set more than the music. Phil X was a formidable replacement and Bandiera, a longtime friend and occasional collaborator with Bon Jovi provided stability as well.
The band closed with "Life On A Prayer," and put together a strong four-song encore that included "Wanted; Dead or Alive," with Bon Jovi again thanking the crew for encouraging the band "even when we`re down a man."
Hartford band Lakshmi earned and opening slot on the show thanks to taking a radio station battle of the bands and handled their half hour set like they were exploited to playing arena stages.
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