SamboraBlog

Bon Jovi gave a scintillating 2?-hour performance that had the 40,000 crowd swaying, singing, cheering and lapping up every second.

On the warmest night of the year this was the hottest show Coventry has ever seen.

Band leader Jon Bon Jovi shrugged off a bout of hay fever to go down a storm and prove why he is one of the top rockers in the world - with 22 years of touring and 100 million album sales on his CV.

From the moment the blond haired, eye-shaded, black-vested singer strutted on to the cat walk, out in front of the stage just short of the centre circle, he was on to a winner.

Backed by six tight-knit musicians, featuring ace guitarist Richie Sambora and whirlwind drummer Tico Torres, the New Jersey football lover gave a faultless display at the home of the Sky Blues.

After an hour's warm-up by Canadian four-piece Nickelback, Bon Jovi took to the stage at dead-on 8pm. They opened with Last Man Standing, swung into Rockin' All Over the World and worked their way through a chant-along repertoire, including hits, You Give Love a Bad Name, It's My Life and Bad Medicine. Another number, Raise Your Hands, had the massed throng doing just that.

The concert-goers had come from all over the country and were of all ages. One poster held aloft by a youngster read "I've been a fan for 12 years and I'm only 11" while another said simply: "You're the best".

Song No 21 was Bon Jovi's anthem, Livin' on a Prayer, but the band came back for two encores and six more songs - before dashing out of the arena and into a waiting car to Baginton Airport.

It was a memorable, magical event - when after nine months of teething troubles, the Ricoh came of age to show its true potential.

Bon Jovi sang Have a Nice Day - we surely did.