Bon Jovi puts the bounce into material, old and new

Bon Jovi

• Where: Verizon Wireless Music Center



By David Lindquist
david.lindquist@indystar.com
July 31, 2003


Jon Bon Jovi: musician, actor, magician.

He earned that last title Wednesday night at Verizon Wireless Music Center, where the singer somehow willed his B-list rock band to shine even when it had no reason to.

These easily could be days of disillusionment in the Bon Jovi camp, considering the lack of excitement surrounding 2002 release "Bounce." Just two years earlier, the New Jersey-based quartet legitimately sneaked one over the goal line with vibrant effort "Crush."

Nonetheless, a bustling crowd of 13,000 turned out for the show, and Jon rightfully basked in the afterglow of two "Crush" standouts, "It's My Life" and "Just Older."

With so much of Bon Jovi's recent songwriting aping the common-man touch of Bruce Springsteen, the band deserves credit for getting it right on "Just Older." This anthem about being comfortable in one's skin is fit for the Boss.

But returning to the secret of overcoming the dead weight of "Bounce," Bon Jovi has added pizazz to this tour by splitting select shows into acoustic and electric halves. Our local date was one of them, and the idea paid instant dividends when the band began with a cover of David Bowie's "Heroes."

But trouble arrived just three songs in, when an overwrought version of "Livin' on a Prayer" found guitarist Richie Sambora and the vocalist milking the chorus to irritating lengths.

Luckily, the duo rebounded for their definitive unplugged moment, "Wanted: Dead or Alive." Just how many songwriters wish they and not Jon had written the line "I've seen a million faces, and I've rocked them all"?

The dilemma of playing a run of acoustic numbers before going electric, of course, is knowing when to make the switch.

This particular 10-song stretch probably ran two tunes too long, and that's leaving forgettable "Bounce" selections "Everyday" and "Joey" in the mix.

"Everyday" sounds unfinished compared to the airtight singles (including "It's My Life") that have defined the band's career. And while "Joey" transmits emotional heft as a studio recording, Wednesday's scattershot live version was overwhelmed by an accompanying short film.

Once the band plugged in, Jon went to work to exploit every arena-rock moment. The carefree '80s were resurrected through "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Runaway." During "Keep the Faith," the singer exerted maximum physical effort.

Sambora, meanwhile, looks to be losing his rock-god physique -- which can't be good, as he still plays electric guitar in colorless and hamfisted fashion.