They began their rocking set at the World’s Most Famous Arena with “This House Is Not for Sale,” which was well-received by all, as the New York audience was reciting the lyrics of the chorus verbatim.
He immediately broke into “Raise Your Hands” and took it back old school with the infectious rock classic “You Give Love a Bad Name.” The band expressed their gratitude to their fans for all their unconditional love and support.
“New York City,” front-man Jon Bon Jovi said. “Here we are in the center of the universe. Welcome to round No. 2. How many of you guys were here last night? All right, then I can’t tell the same jokes. I ain’t gonna waste a lot of time talking. I have a lot of songs to play tonight.”
It was followed by “Whole Lot of Leavin’,” where he accompanied himself on acoustic guitar, and “Lost Highway,” where the stage was graced in vibrant, orange lights, prior to taking their listeners on a “Roller Coaster” musical ride. He threw some adult contemporary and country in the mix by belting out “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” sans Jennifer Nettles. This was the song that earned Bon Jovi a Grammy award for “Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.”
“Are we doing okay?” Jon Bon Jovi asked, and subsequently noted that this marks their 35th year anniversary. “We are just getting warmed up,” he added, and belted out the catchy tune “It’s My Life.” His high energy level was contagious.
Other spitfire rock songs in Bon Jovi’s set included “We Weren’t Born to Follow” and “Keep the Faith,” as well as “Amen” and the power-ballad “Bed of Roses,” where the acclaimed New Jersey rocker interacted well with the audience on the latter two tunes (as he sang these songs in the crowd).
His live rendition of “Lay Your Hands on Me” was refreshing, as purple lights dimmed from the stage. During this song, he was preaching the gospel of rock and roll. Looking back, Bon Jovi noted that 35 years ago, they played Madison Square Garden, where they put on a 30 minute set opening for ZZ Top, and they “never knew that they would be back at Madison Square Garden” headlining the venue. “That was the wildest of all the dreams coming true,” Jon Bon Jovi said, about this milestone (playing at this historic arena).
After the sassy “Captain Crash & the Beauty Queen From Mars,” they closed their set with “When We Were Us” (from their latest studio effort This House Is Not for Sale) and the fan-favorite hard rock anthem “Bad Medicine,” thus leaving their New York fan-base wanting more.
Fortunately, the New Jersey rockers did come back for more with their encore, which included “(You Want to) Make a Memory,” “Wanted Dead or Alive” and their signature hit “Livin’ on a Prayer.”
The Verdict
Overall, Bon Jovi was superb at Madison Square Garden. Their show was upbeat, entertaining and fun. The entire band rocked as a whole. They proved that their recent induction into the prestigious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was long-overdue and based on merit. Their concert at Madison Square Garden earned 4.5 out of 5 stars.
