"This week is Canada week in Toronto. "Bon Jovi screamed out to the massive crowd as the band thank Torontonians for their years of support and friendship, and then teasingly adds, "I'll be sure to tell Bono tomorrow." Is something in the works with U2? Come on Jon give us some details! A full house at the Air Canada Center greeted the jump-start opener Sleep While I'm Dead. That was Monday, March 10, night one of a five-show stretch that wrapped up the Canadian engagement on Friday with give-away prizes including a trip for two to London. It was a flawless event even when a blindfolded Jon Bon Jovi slipped on stage while greeting a hand-picked number of fans who won the chance to greet him on stage throughout the performance.
Bon Jovi members love their fans and interact with them every chance they get. After more than 20 years, originating back from the hairband days, Bon Jovi continues forward on a charismatic glide. Thankfully, frontman Jon has still got it! The crowd definitely agrees and did not lack in enthusiasm to sing along on every number.
The energy among the crowd swung sharply like a pendulum from the opening performance of Daughtry to when Bon Jovi took the stage. Bon Jovi is all about the show—doing exactly what feels right, like Jon's exaggerated reaches for the sky, a gesture to emphasize Living on a Prayer. No matter how staged the performance, it feels natural and not overly rehearsed. The edge was there regardless of how many times they've sung the old tunes.
The crowd loves those oldies but also embraces newer songs like Make a Memory. And looking at the nearly 20,000-person audience, it was evident that both young and old filled the Air Canada Center and were enjoying both past and present.
In picking up on the southern vibe of this particular tour, it seems the band is continuing to expand its musical influences, with references to country music duo Big and Rich, a direction definitely geared toward the huge country market.
As for former "American Idol" contestant Chris Daughtry—who, like his fellow rock front-man Jon Bon Jovi, also names his band after his own last name—his most memorable moment of the evening was his duet with Jon upon returning on stage without his band for one song.
For a pure second, the crowd was left questioning who was singing what as their voices melded perfectly. As an opening band, at first glance, Daughtry may have been overwhelmed by such a large crowd. At times, the band showed discomfort by withholding eye contact from the crowd. A bit more interaction could soften the barrier that shielded Daughtry from truly liberating the internal intensity that he has as an artist. There is so much untapped—even though he has come this far—it is evident that there is much more to be seen. All in all, the band received the approval of the crowd. And seeing how well they did, time will be on their side for them to one day command large audiences as a headliner all on their own!
Alisa Carraro is the founder, creator of www.SoundOrbit.com, an independent music download platform.
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