Originally Posted by Supersonic

Aloha !

Saying it's justified to cut a show short when a crowd is not up to your expectations is ridiculous. If there's 55.000 people witnessing the band there's no reason to cut a show short. It's their biggest show in Belgium in years. If anything it should be a reason to play longer!

The show gets very bad press though. so it's not just a few die hards complaining on Jovitalk anymore.

"This weak edition of TW Classic wasn't weak because of poor organisation skills. It's weakness was it's artistic factor. Bon Jovi's is just no longer worthy of being a headliner. Jon Bon Jovi can't sing in the right key, not even if he's screaming the notes. And his vocals are always shaky at times they shouldn't be. His voice doesn't blend with the other band members either. Songs like It's My Life, You Give Love A Bad Name, Have A Nice Day and Livin' On A Prayer needed saving from the crowd, who knew this performance was really really bad. It tried not to mind by singing as loud as they could, turning the venue into a giant karaokebar. The band wasn't bad, but if the singer's not up for it anymore you could ask yourself whether visiting a karoaokebar wouldn't be cheaper and just as much fun for the 55.000 people who visited the show".

And from one of Belgium's biggest newspapers:

"Bon Jovi started fifteen minutes late. Probably because Jon Bon Jovi had lost a vocal cord somewhere backstage. He couldn't find it during his performance for 55,000 Belgian fans either.

It was painful to note that the conductor and CEO of NV Bon Jovi turned out to be yesterday's weakest link. We can only guess why, but we think the American singer must've been infected. He looked tired behind his snow-white toothpaste smile and the front man sounded nasal and was too often singing in the wrong key.

The set list was also shortened. For example, Werchter was not presented with a "Bed of Roses", and with "Livin" on a Prayer, there was hardly a single encore. This was by no means a big come back for Bon Jovi, which had not played in Belgium for eight years. "It feels good to be back in Belgium," the singer said at the start of the evening. "We still have a lot to catch up with." The band was steaming on at full power. Well, guitarist Phil X did not have the charisma of Richie Sambora (the departed lieutenant of Bon Jovi was replaced by two guitarists yesterday), but the Canadian did his job properly. The American arena-rock band nowadays also has a conga player, who likes to bare his teeth as well. He had to divert the attention of the singer, who sounded awkward from "Raise Your Hands" and came across in an early "You Give Love a Bad Name". There was clearly a reason to bury his vocals deeper in the mix.

This tour was all about the latest album This House is Not For Sale from 2016. The band realized that hardly anyone was waiting for that. In addition to the title track, only a moderately received "Rollercoaster" was played. "Runaway" came across much better. Through the fresh keyboards of curled ball David Bryan and the young generation who sang along with the song. The song started the band's career in 1982 and is now featured on the Stranger Things soundtrack. Proof that Bon Jovi still builds bridges. Jon, in turn, took off his hat. He thought it was an honor to perform after "a living legend like John Fogerty".

"Keep the Faith" started with a wonderful bass intro, but Jon Bon Jovi was in the wrong key. "Please forgive me", was painful. It seemed like a message adressed to the crowd. The singer only came forward twice on the long catwalk in Werchter. The first time 45 minutes into the set, at "We Weren" Born To Follow. And also in the final during "Lay Your Hands On Me". He almost ran up to the sound tower, to sing and jump on a small platform near the fans. Jon Bon Jovi showed commitment but during these moments he relied on the audience to sing his lines as well. At acoustic moments the singer found peace and his voice could catch his breath. "Wanted Dead or Alive" sounded "plausible." We did not find a better description in our notebook.

The band saved the big guns until the end. After "I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead" Bad Medicine followed. Catchy version, although it was not really necessary to resume it three times. During the closing song "Livin" on a Prayer, there was suddenly a loud crack in the boxes. That typified the evening, with a crack in the throat of the singer.

Bon Jovi advertised his spaghetti sauce, rock cruise and clothing line at the impressive large video wall in Werchter. This performance was not an advertisement for his vote. And that was a pity. Anyone who has seen Bon Jovi at work before knows that this man can do better.

There's another negative review as well but it's behind a paywall.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan