Posted on Thu, Mar. 20, 2003

Bon Jovi, Goo Goo Dolls rock at sold-out show
By Dave Ferman
Star-Telegram Pop Music Critic

DALLAS - Wednesday night, Bon Jovi played three of their biggest hits, Livin' on a Prayer, You Give Love a Bad Name and Runaway.

That wasn't surprising. What was surprising is that they did all three within the first half hour.


That kind of attention to pleasing the fans - along with a string of well-crafted meat-and-potatoes rockers and power ballads, and of course Jon Bon Jovi's handsome mug - has kept these guys filling arenas when so many of their '80s hair-farmer brethren have broken up or gone back to bar gigs.


Bon Jovi's show at a sold-out American Airlines Arena was pure populist rock entertainment, and I mean that in the best way: All the hits, strong sound, enthusiasm to spare and, centerstage, Bon Jovi, who still works the room like it's 1985.


And for this tour, they've added one impressive visual touch. The lights went down to start the show, the music cranked up, and a black curtain behind the band dropped to reveal three 'huge' satellite dishes, looking almost exactly like the cover of their latest CD, 'Bounce.' The dishes were used as video screens throughout the show. That didn't make up for the music on 'Bounce' - which is mostly dreadful - but it was a nice little extra.


As was having the Goo Goo Dolls open the show. The 45-minute set ignored most of the band's best material, and bassist Robby Takac didn't, as usual, get to sing enough, but the band pounded out Name and Slide and all the other tunes you've heard on the radio over and over with accuracy and verve. Still, it would have been nice to hear a few non-hit oldies, such as On the Lie or We Are the Normal. Some of us 'do' remember, guys.