It's a little after eight when the lights go dim and I sit with a racing heart and the kind of knot in my stomach that I haven't felt for 3,5 years. I am about to see Bon Jovi again, in the heart of London, only a couple of blocks down from where it all ended on the last European tour. I feel excited, I feel overwhelmed and maybe I even feel a tiny bit sceptical of what is about to come. My expectations are high but I decided to go in with as little knowledge as possible. I've heard the four songs that have been officially released so far and only loved one of them. The other three I thought were alright.
Is that a good place to start? I don't know, but there is no time to think about it. Tico takes his position behind the drums, David grins as he steps behind the keys, our saviour Phil and our cool-guy Hugh take their places, Shanks is there too. Jon comes walking on, steady and slow, head to toe in black, big smile on. I smile back at no-one in particular and everyone all at once, thinking I'm home and realising I'm already getting sentimental. So here's what happened next...
This House Is Not For Sale is what happened next, actually. The song that is based on that photograph of the tree that inspired the entire concept of the album. It's a nice song but not ideally what I would want Bon Jovi to sound like in 2016. Yet I found a couple of tears running down my cheeks before we even reached the first chorus. I might not be extremely excited about the song, but it's the concept that I can get behind. It has been a strange couple of years in Bon Jovi land for all of us and This House Is Not For Sale is the kind of confirmation we all just needed to hear.
The next song of the night and the album is Living With The Ghost and that is a song that comes pretty close to what I do want them to sound like in 2016. Guitars and the kind of poetry-like lyrics I love so much. 'marry me to the blue sky, bury me in that long last drop of hard rain, meet me where they stop time, that's you to me on the shovel that's digging this grave'. YES. JON.
Knockout, Labor of Love and Born Again Tomorrow are the next three songs we hear and already know and out of these Labor of Love is the one I love the most. Though, I have to admit, I didn't quite feel it as much live, yet.
Roller Coaster however is amazing. Catchy as can be and one of the songs I can't wait to hear the studio-version of. Another song that leaves me surprised and screaming on the inside is The devil's In The Temple. Guitars, a good kind of anger and even more guitars.
On the other hand we also get the part where God Bless This Mess, Reunion and Come On Up To Our House were played in a row. These are the songs that make me all warm inside. They are so cute and framed by just the right amount of country. It made me a bit sentimental, glowy and all filled up with love for everything this band has given me and everything that is yet to come.
The night goes on and I find myself being surprised over and over again by the energy Jon is throwing at us. All thankful, loving and honest he is standing there in a way I haven't seen him for a long time. The guys may be back but more importantly, Jon is back with his guys. He is part of the band again, praising them all, one by one, and making it look like he means it from the bottom of his hart. And I decide to believe him.
I also thought very hard and long about all the ways in which this era already feels so different from What About Now, but it's probably a combination of many of the things alread mentioned.
Most importantly though, the band has returned with passion, drive and stories to tell. Stories that are their own, stories about the past couple of years. And Jon underlines them all with his own anekdotes. My favourite story of the night is one that captures the essence of this entire album pretty well. It's a story about one of the songs and how it would have been another slow-tempo song if it were up to Jon. But as David, Tico and Jon came together in the good old Power Station studio's to record, Tico wasn't having it. He brought the beat in and within a matter of hours the song transformed into a rock song, guitars and all. And Jon was grinning the entire time as he told it, making sure we all realised that it even came together in the same studio it all started in 33 years ago.
The night is almost coming to an end as we reach another, surprisingly loud, song. All Hail The King is probably one of the most rock-influenced songs on the album and I almost couldn't believe that 2016 Bon Jovi knows they can sound like this. And that they can have this many guitars in one song. Then finally, We Don't Run, a song that was already released on Burning Bridges last year, officially closes the night and let's just say I loved Jon goofily referring to the 'play this for your friends in hell' lyric as a good lyric more than the song they also decided to put on this album.
Unofficially Who Says You Can't Go Home (why?) and Bad Medicine (nice) close the night and because of that I am leaving the room the trusty old sweaty mess that I usually am after a Bon Jovi show.
A couple of days on I've seen a few reviews that are giving Jon and his many stories a hard time. They are saying that Bon Jovi should just stick to playing Livin' On A Prayer and I feel like you couldn't be more offensive to the band and to the fans at this point. Because for us this night gave some much needed closure as well as a new beginning. With that lovely cheesy American sauce that Jon does so well poured over top. And I love him for it. Up there on that stage I saw the band I know and love and didn't always get to see anymore and this evening could not have been any more promising if they tried.
I am ready for the next chapter. This heart, really, is not for sale. And will never be.
See you very soon,
x Anjelica.
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