Bon Jovi 7/21/06 @ Soldier Field

Bon Jovi a 'Runaway' hit at Soldier Field

July 24, 2006

BY BOBBY REED

During his introduction to his band's first hit, "Runaway,'' Jon Bon Jovi recited a canned routine, saying, "I want to take you on a ride. I've got about 60,000 seats on my time machine.'' Then he proceeded to count back the years, one by one, all the way to 1982.

In a 2-1/2-hour concert Friday night at Soldier Field that included eight songs from the two mega-selling discs that made the band rich -- 1986's "Slippery When Wet'' and 1988's "New Jersey'' -- Bon Jovi offered an affordable dose of nostalgia.

Although "Runaway'' hasn't aged well, virtual time travel was achieved through a raucous version of "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead,'' which included satisfying segments of "Dancing in the Street'' and "Jumpin' Jack Flash.'' The ridiculous but infectious "Bad Medicine'' was spiked with an energetic cover of the soul classic "Shout,'' and the band gave a credible reading of Roy Head's 1965 hit "Treat Her Right.''

Going back in time is, of course, a key aspect of most stadium rock shows. Fashion and physique can add to the journey. The fit Bon Jovi is now 44, but he doesn't look that much different from two decades ago. Lead guitarist Richie Sambora -- who was sporting sunglasses, a shiny black vest and a wide-brimmed hat with a scarf tied to it -- dressed like he was using his 1982 wardrobe. Keyboardist David Bryan is still working the curly blond poodle-do, and goateed drummer Tico Torres still looks like a guy you wouldn't mess with at a strip club.

But all the musicians, including bassist Hugh McDonald and a supporting keyboard player and extra guitarist, clearly realized the focus was on the lead singer. Thankfully, no one showboated or slowed the momentum with a bloated solo. Sambora stepped back into the spotlight for an electric guitar solo during the last song of the night, "Keep the Faith,'' and his shredding was fluid and economical if not dazzling.

Friday night, the band's photogenic frontman was an athletic combination of competent singer (bellowing out "Livin' on a Prayer'' with conviction), lively aerobics instructor (engaging in dozens of upward, double-arm thrusts) and good-natured choir director (leading the stadium through numerous, thunderous sing-alongs). He may have lifted several stage gestures from the playbook of his hero, Bruce Springsteen, but he also has adopted his fellow New Jersey native's penchant for working extremely hard in concert.

Even a skeptic who doesn't care for Bon Jovi's insipid lyrics, simple choruses and aw-shucks everyman shtick would have to admit: The dude gives concertgoers their money's worth. He probably lost five pounds in perspiration as he sang lead on all but one of the concert's 24 songs. The sole exception was an excessively long, prom-worthy sludge through "I'll Be There for You,'' sung by Sambora.

And for a stadium gig, tickets for this sold-out show were relatively low, with a range of $45 (for 400-level seating) to $125 (for the pit near the stage).

Those prices meant that many fans spent more money on souvenir merchandise than they did on tickets. A baby-doll-style women's T-shirt went for $60, and some zealots splurged for the $175 autographed jersey for the Philadelphia Soul, the arena football team co-owned by the band's lead singer.

In fact, when the band emerged for the first encore, Bon Jovi was wearing a Chicago Rush jersey in honor of the top team in the Arena Football League. He quipped, "Congratulations to the world champions, the Chicago Rush. You should support your arena team as well as your almighty Bears.''

Here's one for the bloggers to debate: Which was more unusual, the sight of a star wearing a Chicago Rush jersey at Soldier Field, or the presence of an accordion player on a giant stage in the end zone during the lame ballad "Always''?

Bobby Reed is a Chicago free-lance writer.

The review can be found at Chicago Sun-Times' site at:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/entertainment/cst-ftr-jovi24.html