Celebrating SWW30: RARE STUFF #02 - Monsters Of Rock 1986 pictures [Unknown Mag]

On this very day, 30 years ago Bon Jovi played first of their two shows in Monsters Of Rock 1986 in Germany. Those shows were:

August 30th, 1986 in Nürburg
August 31st, 1986 in Mannheim

The band played in full daylight and shared the bill with some of the biggest names in heavy metal:

Running Order:

12.00 - 12.45 Warlock
13.15 - 14.15 Bon Jovi
14.45 - 15.45 MSG
16.30 - 17.30 Def Leppard
18.00 - 19.30 Ozzy Osbourne
20.15 - 22.00 Scorpions

Before these shows they had played 8 shows in Canada (July 1986) and 10 shows in Japan (August 1986) in support of their newly released album Slippery When Wet.

Proper US tour to promote SWW was yet to start but the pictures seen below (and this video https://youtu.be/IxsZ1h34r6w shot in Canada July 23rd, 1986 - just look at the entrance and overall energy) clearly show that the band KNEW they were onto something BIG. Gone were the serious 7800 Fahrenheit shows with a bit too much posing. There's new fresh energy in about everything: the looks, the moves + the playing. Also the NEW SONGS are brilliant & full of hooks.

This is Google's translation of the German text:

"One of the highlights of the German Monsters Of Rock festivals were certainly Bon Jovi. The band from New Jersey, often dismissed as teenage pop-rock band, showed in Nuremberg and Mannheim their two-tedly existing qualities as true-live combo. By the opening number "Raise Your Hands" from the new LP "Slippery When Wet" had frontman Jon and his Boys fans under control. "Breakout". "You Give Love A Bad Name" and "In And Out Of Love" poured more oil on the fire of enthusiasm before Bon Jovi with their hit single "Runaway" in the early afternoon turned the entire festival site into a huge party room.

The reward of breathtaking imagination: in Mannheim east-coasters gave two encores, including the Thin Lizzy cover "the Boys Are Back in Town" - in memory of Phil Lynott. Especially the stage presentation of five east-coasters was at these two festival days outstanding when it came to movement and contact with the public, even unmatched. If the LPs of Bon Jovi sometimes sound a little soft, a reputation as an excellent live band they confirmed anyway." - Renhard Harms