Jon Bon Jovi in Des Moines

There are some performers whose music I have not consistently followed but who are on my "bucket list"  of those whom I would like to see perform live sometime in my life. Two summers ago I was able to get to a U2 concert, last fall my daughter and I went to see Bruce Springsteen, and this spring I finally made it to a Bon Jovi concert. I enjoy seeing the differences in the audience each band draws, the staging they select for their shows, and their live performance "persona" of each.

Somehow Jon Bon Jovi has stayed pretty much on the periphery of my personal music world for the most part - I don't know why. I had hear his hits, certainly, on the radio or being sung by others in karaoke bars. He caught my attention more when he started to cross over into country music and because his good looks resemble, a bit, my favorite Keith Urban. When I saw Jon would be performing in Des Moines, I figured it was time to take in a show. It was a last minute decision so I didn't have a great seat, but nevertheless I had a good time.

One of the first things to catch my attention was the stage set up. Although it qualified as the familiar "end stage", there was essentially no sides or backdrop to the stage. Seats had been sold all the way around the arena floor including BEHIND the stage! There was a low wall (9 feet?) immediately behind the drums, but fans filled the seats in the rows above that. I was surprised there were no big video screens at the back or the sides of the stage. I guessed I wouldn't be seeing any close-ups of Bon Jovi.

While "no close-ups" turned out to be pretty true, "no blackdrop" to the stage was not. I was rather amazed and fascinated by the backgrounds that seemed to materialize out of nowhere and I still don't know how exactly they did it. But at certain points in the show, there WAS background (walls, Roman columns, and various other "scenes". But were they real, pillars that rose magically from beneath the stage on command, or was it some sort of holographic trickery?? (see photos above)If they were real, then for significant portions of the concert the audience to the rear of the stage must have had their view totally blocked. Is that possible??  At least some portion of this disappearing and re-appearing background was real, because during 1 or 2 numbers Jon walked up a staircase of columns to be close to that rear audience. So interesting and baffling (at least from my distance) staging to say the least!.

Jon sounded good and was an energetic performer. But I'm afraid his onstage persona, like that of a few other 'stars" I have seen, fell into the "immodest" category that I do not care for. More than once he ASKED for the screams of adoration or the applause of the audience. He seemed to be quite full of himself, while I prefer modest, self-effacing artists. He sometimes also had, for me, a rather peculiar body language and dance style. I'm sure it is 'normal' and loved by his ardent fans, but it kind of amused me.
See for example You Give Love a Bad Name http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX0ewX9WQBE

There was a small satellite stage mid-arena. I thought Jon might head out through the crowd to get there, but in fact, a bridge materialized to give him safe passage to that stage. For a while I had a little bit better view : ) Here are two songs from the small stage:

Bed of Roses  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcXNBrcKP7I

Amen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a8Dd29UubE

 Then back to the main stage....

A bit of Who Says You Can't Go Home http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvVi09j_DK0

Old Time Rock and Roll  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-9oTILdDu0

Dead or Alive http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlBmXitD7PY