Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Wednesday February 26, 2014 :
If there was one thing to be expected from this show, it was the amount of die-hard dedicated Bon Jovi fans that were going to attend. Some fans had travelled far and wide to be at this sideshow and I mean far… with fans flying in from Sweden, and Japan specifically to see Richie Sambora play an incredible set of covers, solo material and Bon Jovi classics.
The band came on stage a little later than expected to a massive roar from the crowd; it was awesome to see fans of all ages ready to enjoy the show from young children to fans that have certainly been there since day one of Bon Jovi’s formation. The sound in the Enmore was incredible, by far the best ever live sound I have heard there. I must give props to Richie’s band all who gave one hundred percent and did an incredible job. For me I must say the only real downer was Orianthi. She is an amazing guitar player and singer songwriter but I’m just not a fan of her onstage presence. She, in my opinion, has always come across as hard to watch, even when playing with Alice Cooper, but there is sure as hell no faulting the way she handles the guitar and vocal duties, I’m just not a fan!
Sambora put on a phenomenal performance from start to finish. There is no question that the Bon Jovi classics got the biggest reactions on the night and were by far the coolest sing-a-longs. ‘I’ll Be There for You’ and ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ for me were the stand outs of the Jovi classics that were performed. Richie’s rendition of the Simon and Garfunkel classic ‘Bridge over Troubled Waters’ was mind-blowing. Richie’s solo material was almost as popular amongst the crowd. It was quite easy to spot the die-hard fans who were singing along to ‘Every Road Leads Home To You’ and ‘Stranger in this Town’, I myself would have loved to have heard him do ‘Ballad of Youth’ but I guess we can’t always get what we want.
Australia’s own Orianthi also took centre stage to play one of her solo tracks ‘You Don’t Wanna Know’ which was appreciated by the crowd, but it was obvious who they were all there to witness live. Richie and Orianthi were both in high spirits all night long, constant smiles and laughter, banter back and forth with the crowd, it was a really great live show that in many ways was stripped right back and yet in your face! Throughout the show, the covers never stopped either and although I’m sure the die-hard Jovi fans would have much preferred to hear more Jovi classics, it was awesome to hear Sambora belt out Inxs’ ‘Don’t Change’, Hendrix’s ‘Voodoo Child’ and one of my all-time favourite songs, Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ and for me that was an incredible way to end what was a phenomenal show.
Reviewer: Cameron Edney
Photographer: Troy Constable
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