Two years after their last shows in Brazil, Bon Jovi returned to São Paulo with the This House Is Not For Sale . The nearly two-and-a-half-hour show filled Allianz Parque to the top of its stands, even though the performance was very similar to the one they did here in 2017.
In reality, Bon Jovi knows exactly what the audience wants to see, and that's all they're going to deliver. If Jon Bon Jovi starts making jokes and eliciting sighs as he enters the stage, that's his role until the end of the night.
Everything is completely calculated. Every hip movement, every wave, and every smile. Of course, the vastness of the screens and the talented band make it a truly great audiovisual spectacle. But the feeling is that the artificiality surpasses the true passion of the artists for their work.
The show opens with the title track “This House Is Not For Sale,” as if it were an introduction to what we'll see from then on. It's not the most exciting way to start, but it works to set the stage.
Next comes “Born To Be My Baby,” which gets more people singing along, but the first real hit is the fifth track, “You Give Love A Bad Name.” Meanwhile, roads, videos, silhouettes of women, and all the expected imagery of a Bon Jovi concert appear on the screens.
Four more songs followed before another big hit, "Runaway," which then engaged in a respectful sequence with "It's My Life," "Have A Nice Day," and "Keep The Faith.".
For the band, there are a few standout moments, again, very well rehearsed. Guitarist Phil X does a short solo and blows a kiss, drummer Tico Torres sticks his tongue out, and so on. Everyone contributes backing vocals, creating a kind of chorus in all the songs, since Jon Bon Jovi can no longer reach the same notes.
It's when the band seems to deviate slightly from the script that the performance truly shines. The talented keyboardist David Bryan takes over the vocals on "In These Arms" and delivers a great performance, which is approved by the audience.
When everything cools down again and it's all smiles and "nananas" once more, the lead singer needs to use all his sex appeal to keep the audience interested. In "Bed Of Roses," as has become customary, the stadium flashes with pink lights and a lucky fan is lifted onto the stage to give the heartthrob a peck on the lips. It's all a bit cheesy, really.
The show's length is felt by the audience, who only get excited again with "Wanted Dead Or Alive," "Bad Medicine," and "Livin' On A Prayer," which closes the performance. It's not that Bon Jovi doesn't know how to deliver, nor that the show lacks cathartic moments, like the final track. It lacks authenticity and going beyond what was promised. But, as a finished product that can be seen every two years in the same cities, it's worth falling for Jon Bon Jovi's charms.
Renan Facciolo 's photos below
