Review: Bon Jovi rocks Anaheim’s Honda Center
Jon Bon Jovi doesn’t want to be another wave in the ocean. He is a rock, not just another grain of sand.
And he definitely rocked Wednesday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim.
Why? Because he can.
Rock band Bon Jovi made a stop in Anaheim as part of its Because We Can tour, in support of its album “What About Now.” Having started in Washington, D.C., earlier this year, the group is poised to perform across North America, Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America.
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With returns to Wales and South Africa and first-time shows in Bulgaria and Poland, the tour snagged the No. 1 spot in Pollstar’s Top 100 Mid Year Worldwide Tours, having already grossed $142.1 million.
Although it was a dank weeknight, people from Orange, Los Angeles and San Diego counties arrived in hordes to watch their favorite New Jersey boys live. Outside the venue, a selection of bootleg gear stretched for nearly a mile, while audience members -- groups of friends, couples and youngsters -- donned boots, parkas and jackets to ward off the chill.
The show began at 8:30 p.m., an hour later than anticipated, with the musicians stepping onstage amid a flurry of white and blue lights. For a few minutes, only one spot was conspicuously vacant -- behind the main mike.
When Jon Bon Jovi appeared onstage, silhouetted by a glaring spotlight, the crowd roared. People popped out of their seats to accompany his opener, “That’s What the Water Made Me.”
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The guitarist-lead singer, who donned an American flag jacket, said: “This ain’t television. Get out of your seats. Show me what you got.”
In the nearly 2½ hours that followed, the band entertained fans, who were packed into seats all the way up to the nosebleed section, with old and new hits including “Raise Your Hands,” “It’s My Life,” “Runaway,” “Bad Medicine,” “Whole Lot of Leaving” and “You Give Love a Bad Name.”
Missing was the band’s longtime guitarist, Richie Sambora. In his place was Phil X, a.k.a. Theofilos Xenidis, who joined the tour in Calgary, Canada, after having been given only a 15-hour heads-up. His skills were evident, though, as the night wore on.
David Bryan, with his trademark curls, sang backing vocals and played two keyboards at the same time, all with an expression of pure joy. Muscles rippled as drummer Tico “The Hitman” Torres rejoined his mates after undergoing emergency gall bladder surgery and an appendectomy in the span of a week.
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Jon, a.k.a. John Francis Bongiovi Jr., strutted his stuff, which included doing a chicken dance, much to the audience’s pleasure. He performed acoustic versions of “Thick as Thieves,” “Amen” and “Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night,” and invited a girl onstage to sing “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” with him. Nearby, groups of girls erupted into “She’s so lucky... I hate her... It’s not all right -- it’s so not all right!”
“I’m sorry it’s raining outside, but it’s just going to be hot and sticky inside,” said the Bon Jovi frontman. “I don’t care -- I’m having too much fun.”
The fun continued as the band whipped the crowd into a frenzy with a snippet of “Shout” by the Isley Brothers. As they wished everyone good night and began stepping offstage, Ken Sofi, 45, of Hesperia, started a bet about the encore.
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“Wanted Dead or Alive” was a sure bet for the avid hard rock fan, who has taken his wife, Michelle, to every Bon Jovi concert in Southern California since he was 24.
“It’s the one thing she does,” he quipped. “It brings me peace.”
Turns out he guessed right. The returning band played “Have a Nice Day” and his favorites, “Wanted Dead or Alive” and “Livin’ on a Prayer” as well.
Mouthing “come on” and “what’s the matter,” Jon riled up the crowd and said, “I like what I see.”
To this, one concertgoer vigorously waved a glowstick and replied, “So do I.”
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