Last night I worshipped at the temple of Bon Jovi. 

With a light beer in one hand and a ticket stub in the other, I emerged like Moses on the mount, climbing high atop the giant stadium, a mere 10 rows from the roof of heaven.

The Staples Center hosted Bon Jovi’s only tour stop in L.A., and before reaching the ethereal elevation of my assigned seat,  I was granted better than front row access to snap a few pictures of the band.  I stood quietly against the metal barricade, out of the path of the tracked camera, waiting for that singular excitement when lights go out.

A few moments later, without ceremony, the place went dark, the screens came to life, and through the grated underbelly of the stage I watched the almighty Jon Bon Jovi take a few, deep breaths before ascending the small staircase into arena rock glory.

The place was packed.  The screaming was real.  The year is 2008.  WTF is going on here?

They opened the show with the title track off their latest release Lost Highway (Mercury Nashville), and were met by a standing, cheering, smiling, jiggling crowd of true fandom. 

While I wasn’t surprised by the un-ironic adoration, I was indeed surprised to find myself participating in the frenzy.  Especially when Born To Be My Baby started, and I was still within groping reach of my middle school crush. 

The band continued to impress, dancing dorkily to their classic tunes and playing like only a 25 year old band can.  Jon’s tone has ripened with age, and he’s managed to escape the unfortunate “old man voice” that sometimes befalls the post-post-adolescent, medium-core, power tenors.

And although I miss his 80s days as a “glamour lion” ™, far as I can tell JBJ hasn’t aged a wink in at least a decade.  He looks hard, and hot, and fit.  He sounds great, and the man is still showing a respectable amount of skin, mostly of the chestical variety. 

The boys broke loose with a few unexpected and unexplainable covers throughout the night.  We got a Mick impression to accompany a Jovi-esque Jumpin’ Jack Flash.  There was a little Tom Petty in there, a little Isley Brothers shouting and even some Hallelujah c/o Leonard Cohen ala Jeff Buckley. 

60s R&B also made an appearance, though it was not recognizable as such, in a cover of Roy Head’s Treat Her Right.  And British Invasion came calling with a rendition of Glad All Over by The Dave Clark Five.  Given the madness of these selections, I felt at liberty to request Baby Please Come Home For Xmas, if only to my friend sitting next to me.

Chris Daughtry, who is touring as their opening act, joined the band on stage for a smokin’ version of Blaze of Glory (which apparently is everyone’s secret favorite song as the band was drowned in crowd sing-a-long for the entire number).  Richie Sambora also took the mic, singing solo on I’ll Be There For You in that lovely and raspy voice.  Given his recent DUI trouble/lady problems, the typically maudlin and syrupy love song was accidentally transformed into a poignant confessional. 

Luckily, there were spotlights like lasers beams, video screens like a skyscraper of Venetian blinds, and a digital floor that lit up like a chess board to distract the masses from noticing how sad they would have otherwise been to realize this. 

Satisfying offerings of Wanted Dead or Alive, Livin’ on a Prayer, Bed of Roses, Have a Nice Day and Bad Medicine didn’t hurt either. 

Los Angeles teased its hair, leathered out, and packed a stadium to prove its love for Bon Jovi.  The appreciative rockers were given so genuinely a warm reception that Jon was forced to ask aloud before calling it a night, “Are you sure we’re not in New Jersey?”

Photos by Lisa Brenner
Bon Jovi @ Staples Center, 4/9/08