| BON JOVI PLAY THE BUSH! REVIEW FROM CLASSIC ROCK MAGAZINE TRANSCRIBED BY JAN B. |
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| Reviewer Sian Llewellyn. In a Club Style. As they descended on prosaic Shepherd's Bush with their gleaming teeth and Union Jack strides, Bon Jovi had little to prove in their first UK club show for a decade. The set-list was a greatest hits, the vibe was loose and even Ray Davies turned up. Quite a night, then. BON JOVI SHEPHERD'S BUSH EMPIRE, LONDON. There's a particular whiff of excitement in the air as we exit the Tube and head for the venue. No, it's not Wembley Stadium, but the touts are out in force and are flogging tickets for up to 500 quid a pop - and people are paying. Why? Because Bon Jovi are playing the Shepherd's Bush Empire. Yes, you read that right. Not Wembley, not Earl's Court, not even Hammersmith Apollo, but Shepherd's Bush Empire, a theatre that holds about 1,200 people (and incidentally is where the Wogan TV show used to be recorded). The band haven't played an indoor venue in the UK in a decade, let alone one in such an intimate space. Unsurprisingly, the gig sold out in eight minutes. But this show is a little bit special for another reason too. Not only is it being broadcast across the internet, but it's also being transmitted live via satellite to a dozen UCI cinemas across Britain - which is a first. Technology - ain't it great? You can tell just how anticipated this concert is, as the lucky ticket holders stake out their bit of floor at the beginning of the support band's slot - the time usually spent propping up the bar. Lifehouse are entertaining enough, but they're not the reason we're here. Then the lights dim. And instead of a huge, pyrotechnical introduction, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora saunter onto the stage, bringing with them a somewhat dishevelled, older guy in shades. It's a strange way to begin the show. Could this be heralding another Bon Jovi jam session? The audience - equal parts late thirty-somethings and late teens - goes crazy, and all around there are whispers of "Who's that?" "That" turns out to be Ray Davies of the Kinks. After the slightly surreal acoustic collaboration on 'Celluloid Heroes' is over - an unusual choice to open the show in anyone's books - the band proper hits the stage and the ominous synth intro of 'Livin' On A Prayer' takes over. It's a testament to Bon Jovi's longevity that they can kick off their show with two of their biggest hit songs. 'You Give Love A Bad Name' follows hot on the heels of the gargantuan opener, and the pace never lets up once as they work their way through a set-list that reads like a greatest hits. There are six new songs tonight, all of which fit comfortably into the patented 'don't bore us, get to the chorus' Jovi canon. Jon gets political momentarily as he introduces 'Undivided', saying he's unconvinced by the military action against Iraq his president is proposing. (the audience hollers in support, but frankly you get the feeling they would have done the same if Jon had been waxing lyrical about a new Delia Smith recipe.) The title track is typical infectious Jovi,and we 'Bounce' along as one. The rest of the band acquit themselves admirably, as always, with Sambora playing his usual oafish foil to the slick, muscled frontman - although his weird cowboy hat and bizarre Union Jack trousers ensemble might not have been the perfect selection. Although the show is ostensibly to promote the new 'Bounce' album - which was still then a week away from release - let's face it, they could have put the phone book to music and we'd have gone home happy. They came, we saw, they conquered. I bounced all the way home. transcribed by JanB |
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