Phil X has had some major shoes to fill playing lead guitar for over five years, but he does it flawlessly. “It’s been a long time since I said good evening,” said Bon Jovi, before they kicked into “You Give Love A Bad Name.”Īs for the rest of the band, they were in top form. It was also Bon Jovi’s first official concert since the pandemic started - they’d had to cancel a planned 2020 run - and it was clear they were very excited to finally play in front of a crowd. He has a young soul to him, and on Friday, he pulled off an incredible Mick Jagger-like crowd control with the audience that was both engaging and entertaining.

While it’s now occasionally a little difficult for Bon Jovi to project those higher notes to the back of the arena as he did back in the ‘80s, he is still an expert showman, first and foremost. Bon Jovi brought their New Jersey flare to the heartland, led by lead singer Jon Bon Jovi. It was a spectacular showing all around, and certainly worth arriving early for. She emitted a free-spirited energy on stage, and captivated the audience with her pure, unadulterated pop-rock sound. With a full backing band - two guitar players, a bassist, a drummer, and a keyboardist - Ione filled the arena with her soulful voice, reminding one of ‘70s singer-songwriters like Linda Ronstadt and Stevie Nicks. Ione, a singer from Sioux City, IA, was the contest winner of the opening slot for the Omaha tour date. That’s exactly what took place when Bon Jovi kicked off their 2022 tour in Omaha, NE at the CHI Health Center on Friday, April 1st, for their first public in-person concert since the pandemic started.

Arena rock is a genre of music that will never die, as long as crowds convene inside hockey arenas around the country to sing along to our favorite anthems from our favorite artists.

Bonjovi 2022