Bon Jovi is one of those bands that’s also a frontman. Like Alice Cooper. Only with people throwing their underwear at him. Technically Jon Bon Jovi is the frontman, and Bon Jovi is the band. But no one’s getting worked up about the particulars. Fans get worked up about the anthemic tunes, the New Jersey-hero attitude. The heartland heartthrob aspect. Bon Jovi managed to move from the hair-metal era of the ’80s into radio mega stardom.
Bon Jovi is an entertainer and his philosophy has always been “don’t bore us, get to the chorus.” For evidence of the wisdom of his approach, listen to “You Give Love a Bad Name,” which basically starts with the chorus. In the same way that a band like Journey remains beloved even in the 21st century because of hooky singalong pop artistry, Bon Jovi’s hits, like “Living On A Prayer” and “Wanted Dead Or Alive,” aren’t going anywhere. People might be listening to them 100 years from now.
Weird, but true. The same might not be said of the songs from Bon Jovi’s 2016 record “This House Is Not For Sale,” but who knows. The record has just been re-released with bonus tracks. Bon Jovi also just got inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And if you haven’t read/heard Howard Stern’s induction speech, it’s worth tracking down.
Bon Jovi comes to the Mohegan Sun Arena, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville, on Saturday, May 5, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $130. 860-226-7711 and mohegansun.com.
