Page 51 - Black Velvet Issue 101

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BON JOVI – EUROPEAN TOUR 2019

Bon Jovi kicked off their first European
tour in six years at the end of May. The
band returned to Moscow for the first time
since headlining the Moscow Music Peace
Festival in 1989. Kicking off their set with
the title track of their latest album, ‘This
House Is Not For Sale’, before a set full of
hits old and new, it was a successful run
for the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall Of Famers. The
tour also saw the band visit some lesser-
played cities such as Tallin in Estonia and
Bucharest, Romania, while stopping at
some of their old stomping grounds such
as Dublin RDS Arena, where they played
two nights in a row – the second unsurpris-
ingly seeing it pour down with rain – almost
a tradition with Bon Jovi shows in Dublin.
The UK leg saw Bon Jovi’s first return to
Wembley Stadium since closing it before
its refurbishment in 2000 and won acclaim
for the ‘Most Tickets Sold for A UK Concert
in 2019’.
As the tour progressed, the band
switched the setlist up, with songs such as
‘In These Arms’, ‘These Days’, ‘Roller-
coaster’ and ‘I’ll Be There For You’ making
welcome appearances, while Liverpool
saw a special ‘Happy Birthday’ sing-along
for Liverpool legend Paul McCartney,
whose birthday it was the day before. The
band then surprised the crowd by covering
‘Birthday’ and ‘Twist & Shout’. ‘Always’
was a highlight for many, while a lucky fe-
male fan was picked to dance with Jon on
stage during ‘Bed Of Roses’.
Support acts for the tour included
Santa Cruz, Terminator, Manic Street
Preachers (UK and Ireland) and even Def
Leppard, who are usually headliners in
their own right.
Using a small catwalk as part of their
stage show, Jon Bon Jovi and guitarists
John Shanks and Phil X took trips down
the catwalk to sing and play to fans further
back in the arena. ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’
rounded off most nights on the tour, wrap-
ping the shows up with a huge sing-along
and the sparkling, smile-making positivity
that the band are known for. Positively
wonderful.
Words & Photos By Shari Black Velvet

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