Live Review: Bon Jovi, Kid Rock

Early arrivals make use of their time by posing against the stage barrier (even if their seats are miles away) for happy snaps with Sophia, Bon Jovi's 150-foot-wide 1959 Buick Electra 225 backdrop for this Because We Can tour. Some opportunists even chat up bouncers in the hope that they'll get some priority treatment later on. Kid Rock, the ultimate redneck-done-good, hits the stage with his trademark long straggly hair and hat. He regularly flips and catches his cordless mic, nearly dropping it a couple of times. Rock's backing players, The Twisted Brown Trucker Band, sure play some dirty riffs and it's infectious enough to get the few people who have arrived in time on their feet and gravitating toward the stage. Didn't realise Kid Rock was so (dated) hip hop! And tonight he unleashes his brand new alter-ego Bobby Shazam, who enquires as to who wants a “backstage boogie”. Rock busts out some dance moves to mimic Justin Timberlake (not even close!) and is actually also a mad scratcher. Then he plays drums wearing a cap emblazoned with “American Badass”, switching headwear at a speed that might suggest he's thinning on top. All Summer Long, which samples both Warren Zevon's Werewolves Of London and Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama, gets us all back on our feet making werewolf sounds and it's a shame more aren't here to witness Kid Rock.
Aside from a couple of Bon Jovi classics such as You Give Love A Bad Name, Raise Your Hands and Keep The Faith, the beginning of the band's set is mostly plucked from their last four albums (2005 onwards). Play us the hits! Jon Bon Jovi sure wears jeans well and his gnashers are blindingly white, but man is he cheesy! He tells us that tonight he'll favour “squawking” over “talking” and we're grateful for this considering what little banter survives is corny (“I've come a really long way just to hear the girls scream” and, later, check this segue into Bad Medicine: “Is there a doctor in the house?”). Even worse though, are Bon Jovi's dance moves: jazz hands and arm movements more suited to Schools Spectacular. We Got It Goin' On? Not exactly.   
Keyboardist David Bryan is definitely worth a look and brings the vibe as best he can with those springy blonde poodle curls. Remaining standing, he often plays both keyboard stations at once while facing downstage, arms extended to 180 degrees and beyond, all the while flashing that Cheshire Cat smile. Bryan also has a very expressive face when singing BVs. Drummer Tico Torres pounds those skins, old-school style and, although not loud enough for this set of ears, instrumentally the songs translate well. Two guitarists – Bobby Bandiera and Phil X – have been brought in to replace Richie Sambora for this tour (although one axeman remains in the shadows). A lady in the row behind wearing a VIP lanyard sleeps in her chair during I'll Sleep When I'm Dead.  
All of a sudden they break away into a segment Bon Jovi calls “jukebox music” and then the band covers Jumpin' Jack Flash (poorly). Shout is just not warranted and then the “jukebox” clicks over for Bryan, who takes on Great Balls Of Fire. Bon Jovi gets amongst Run Run Rudolf. WTF is it with Bon Jovi and Christmas? He later pleads, “Be my Christmas wish and clap along!”
The extended encore is the night's highlight since it's crammed with hits including Runaway, Wanted Dead Or Alive and closer Livin' On A Prayer, which starts off acoustically before the “weh-WAH-weh-WAH” bit kicks in. Bon Jovi throws to the crowd for the Livin' On A Prayer high “Whoa-OH!” notes and you can see him mentally preparing to tackle one challenging section: he looks as if he might pop a vein and then sadly misses the mark – “We'll make it I swe-ear”, indeed. Because We Can? More like, 'On a wing and a prayer'.