SamboraBlog

KeyArena was packed to the top row for the New Jersey rock group's triumphant Seattle return.

It was like the band's glory days of the late 1980s, when arena rock ruled and "hair bands" rocked the former Seattle Center Coliseum week after week with loud, raucous, guitar-based rock 'n' roll.

Bon Jovi, led by blond-haired singer-guitarist Jon Bon Jovi, is one of the great survivors of an era that virtually came to an end when the ascendant Seattle grunge scene went international in the early 1990s.

Bon Jovi never went away, but continued to pack arenas and stadiums overseas while grunge, alternative rock, modern rock, hip-hop and other genres ruled the decade.

At KeyArena, it was obvious a lot of longtime fans had been missing the bombastic, fun-loving days that made anthems of "You Give Love a Bad Name," "Last Man Standing," "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" and other songs.

Jon Bon Jovi and his entourage, including guitar star Richie Sambora, took the stage at about 8:20 p.m. following a short, powerful opening set by Marysville rock band Martyr Reef, which won a local KLSY-FM "Have a Nice Gig" talent contest sanctioned by Bon Jovi.

The contest was part of a national campaign to find young talent to open Bon Jovi concerts across the country -- a payback of sorts from a band that got a similar break more than 20 years ago when a New York station played the song "Runaway," launching it nationally.

"Runaway" was part of a 2 1/2-hour set that kicked off with such songs as "You Give Love a Bad Name," which prompted a spontaneous, house-rocking singalong.

A giant video screen flanked by a larger LED screen surrounded by neon created a soaring, multi-colored Vegas-strip ambience.

Jon Bon Jovi, wearing faded jeans and a taffy-colored leather jacket, led the seven-piece touring band in a celebratory romp through the band's vast repertoire of greatest hits from two decades, as well as new songs from the current album "Have a Nice Day." The title song was among the evening's most colorful segments, with smiley-faced LED images accompanying the socially conscious song about America's political divide.

During a multi-song acoustic set late in the show, Jon Bon Jovi stood on a tiny stage in the middle of the audience for a powerful "Blaze of Glory," one of the group's signature songs.

Guitarist Sambora handled the lead vocals for a crowd-pleasing, singalong version of "I'll Be There for You." Jon Bon Jovi returned to the microphone for Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down."

"Bad Medicine" and "Livin' On a Prayer" were among the closing songs in beefy set that had the capacity crowd grinning, cheering and pumping fists for more than two hours.

The show wound to a finish with an encore of "Treat Her Right," "Wanted Dead Or Alive" and "Keep the Faith." The band returned just long enough for Jon Bon Jovi to wind through the crowd, greeting ecstatic fans during a brief finale.

By GENE STOUT
P-I POP MUSIC CRITIC