Bon Jovi Soldier Field Review

Friday, July 30, 2010
By Aaron Keker

SOLDIER FIELD, Chicago, IL – When you visit Bon Jovi’s Facebook page under “Mobile Uploads,” you will notice Bon Jovi’s inner circle of photographs with Larry King, John Elway, Doug Flutie and Drew Carey.

Although a majority of the 50,000+ in attendance may never be in Bon Jovi’s inner circle, we were all part of the outer circle, which are the admired fans.

It was like Mardi Gras moved to Chicago in July. There may have been no beads or any topless peep shows, but everyone was enjoying themselves at Soldier Field. The audience was singing alongside Jon Bon Jovi or Richie Sambora on every song on the set list. Others were dancing in the aisles or screaming profusely when they saw Jon Bon Jovi. And as each song concluded, the ear piercing ovations were extraordinary. The excitement even brought a tear to Jon Bon Jovi’s eyes at the end of “Livin’ on a Prayer.”

Bon Jovi opened their evening with “Blood on Blood.” During the song, Jon removed his hand from the acoustic guitar and pointed to the center pit. Certainly there was a joyful argument whether Jon Bon Jovi was pointing to them or not.

The dazzling continued as Jon Bon Jovi commented, “Soldier Field in the summer time. Don’t get better than this!” to Jon sticking the microphone attached to the stand near Richie’s guitar on “You Give Love a Bad Name.” This was similar to the artwork on the vintage t-shirt We Weren’t Born to Follow.

The background imagery during Bon Jovi’s performance was astonishing. Scenes like the Bon Jovi exploding heart on “You Give Love a Bad Name” to the 3-D working men on “Work for the Working Man” were awesome.

Kid Rock, who had just performed earlier that evening, came on stage with his background singers Shannon Curfman and Jessica Wagner and sang Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock & Roll” with Jon Bon Jovi. After the song concluded, Jon disappeared for a song and Richie sang “Lay Your Hands on Me.”

Bon Jovi did this the last time I saw them, so I knew what was going to happen. Jon would appear somewhere else in the stadium. Jon reappeared at center stage of the catwalk behind the seated pit area. Jon Bon Jovi proceeded to sing “Bed of Roses,” while the band was at the main stage. At one point during the song, Jon sat down and continued singing. When the song concluded, Jon called to Richie Sambora to come meet him at center stage.

Jon was holding his black six string acoustic guitar and Richie brought his double-neck acoustic guitar. Jon and Richie then performed melodically “Diamond Ring.” After the song concluded, Bon Jovi did the unthinkable. Jon called out to Tico Torres and David Bryan to meet Jon and Richie at center stage. The four original Bon Jovi members performed “I’ll Be There for You.” When the song concluded, Bon Jovi went back to the main stage and performed there for the remainder of the evening.

Jon Bon Jovi was wrapped up in Blackhawks fever, too, as he proceeded to put on a Chicago Blackhawks No. 10 jersey with a C on the front and Bon Jovi on the back. Bon Jovi then concluded their performance with one of their most popular songs in “Livin’ on a Prayer.” After the song concluded, Bon Jovi took a bow and the concert concluded.

Time is still remaining, but I would have to say that Bon Jovi’s performance might just be the best concert of the 2010 season. The feeling must have been mutual for Jon Bon Jovi because there were tears in his eyes as he thanked the audience for all of their support over the years. Jon Bon Jovi’s most memorable comment of the evening was when he remarked, “I think you’re with me now!” Jon, the audience was with Bon Jovi the moment the band walked onto the stage.

Soldier Field Set List (July 30, 2010):

1. “Blood on Blood”
2. “We Weren’t Born to Follow”
3. “You Give Love a Bad Name”
4. “Born to Be My Baby”
5. “Lost Highway”
6. “When We Were Beautiful”
7. “It’s My Life”
8. “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”
9. “We Got it Going On”
10. “Bad Medicine/Old Time Rock & Roll” (Bob Seger Cover)
11. “Lay Your Hands on Me”
12. “Bed of Roses”
13. “Diamond Ring”
14. “I’ll Be There for You”
15. “Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night”
16. “Runaway”
17. “Work for the Working Man”
18. “Have a Nice Day”
19. “Who Says You Can’t Go Home”
20. “Keep the Faith”

Encore:

21. “Always”
22. “Wanted Dead or Alive”
23. “Livin’ on a Prayer”