Bon Jovi thanks Melbourne fans for loyalty
AAP
Melissa Jenkins December 8, 2013, 5:48 am
After a slow start, Bon Jovi clicked into top gear in the opening show of the Because We Can Australian tour and had fans revelling in their classic hits.
Frontman Jon Bon Jovi was in fine form, the 51-year-old hamming it up for the audience and looking like he enjoyed every minute he was on stage at Ethiad Stadium in Melbourne on Saturday.
"I want to thank you for 30 years. Thirty years of your friendship, your kindness, your support, your patience," he said.
Against the backdrop of a giant 1959 Buick Electra 225, the band kicked off with That's What the Water Made Me from new album What About Now, followed by You Give Love A Bad Name from Slippery When Wet.
It took a few songs to strike gold with Keep The Faith, which featured some mean keys from David Bryan and Richie Sambora's replacement Phil Xenidis belted out an impressive guitar solo.
Bon Jovi invited the audience to have some fun and swung into some cheeky renditions of The Rolling Stones Jumpin' Jack Flash, Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry's Run Rudolph Run.
Jon Bon Jovi stepped it up a notch with Bad Medicine and took the opportunity to head closer to the crowd along a runway.
It would have been great to see him get up close to fans more during the night.
As everyone expected, Bon Jovi capped of the show with Livin' On A Prayer, starting with an acoustic version before the full blown song, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Bon Jovi fans won't be disappointed with the band's energy and commitment to the tour, as it nears the 100 show mark in Adelaide on Wednesday.
