Bon Jovi is a true rock icon and it’s clear why he still has such an amazingly devoted following. They are one of those bands who have a huge catalogue of hits that everyone, young and old, know and love. It’s no surprise they have sold so many albums and toured all over the world for decades. Their live shows are legendary and it was no different when the band rolled into St Paul’s Xcel Energy Center on Sunday night as part of the Encore Drive-In Nights series.
The show was great and the crowd went wild for most of the show. However, it wasn’t a perfect performance. There was a big gap in the energy and it was clear that Bon Jovi was struggling with their vocals. The 61-year-old Jon Bon Jovi missed quite a few notes and had an off voice during the entire two hour show. He has never been a technically brilliant singer and he’s certainly not lost all his ability but he was sadly off on Sunday evening.
Thankfully, Bon Jovi’s back-up vocalist Phil X is an outstanding singer and he picked up the slack when Jon was off key or struggled with his delivery. He also gave some excellent harmonies on a few of the songs. The setlist was very generous with a good mix of the hits from their latest album 2020 (Beautiful Drug and Do What You Can) as well as some of the old favorites including Livin’ on a Prayer and Wanted Dead or Alive.
It’s important to remember that Bon Jovi are an arena rock band and this is what they do best. They understand that their fans are here for the anthems and they threw all the hits in the set.
While it’s difficult to get a feel for the quality of an artist’s voice when watching them perform on TV, this was a concert you needed to attend in person. It would have been a lot better if the Xcel Energy Center had been full as it was such an incredible show with a fantastic atmosphere.
You can find the latest Bon Jovi tour dates on this page and book tickets for your local gig by using the buttons above. The venues are sorted by date and location, with the closest to you showing at the top of the list. The ticket buying process is simple and fast, with a Fan Protect guarantee for your peace of mind. If you have any issues or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Bon Jovi will be one of the most exciting live acts in 2023 and this is an opportunity not to be missed. So book your Bon Jovi tickets today. You won’t regret it. Whether you’re an old-schooler or a new-schooler, this is a concert that will not disappoint! Enjoy the music! The show starts at 7:30pm.