Norman Jean RoyThe Barrymore Theater in New York City is a venue best-known for its showcasing of classic Broadway productions like A Raisin In the Sun and The Glass Menagerie over the years. But last night, the 88-year-old venue played host to theater of another kind…and it starred a bunch of guys from New Jersey who didn’t disappoint.
The Great White Way made room for Bon Jovi — the band out on tour in support of their 14th studio album, This House Is Not for Sale. They’ve been doing these “listening events” at smaller venues in the U.K., Canada and here in the U.S. — this was their final act before their world tour kicks off in 2017.
Dressed in black and comfortably grey these days, Jon Bon Jovi led things off with three simple words: “Turn it up.” The band then ripped into the title track of the album, and it was a no-holds-barred rundown from there.
The intimate location solidified the band’s connection to the audience as they pulled through 15 tracks of new music, with Jon taking on the role of storyteller between songs. “Albums meant something to me as a kid growing up,” the singer said.
It showed throughout the performance, as he took the fans on a liner-note-guided tour through songs like “Living With The Ghost” and “New Year’s Day” — “a song about the rebirth of the band.”
Other standouts included the smoldering “Labor Of Love” and the radio-friendly rocker “Born Again Tomorrow.”
It wouldn’t be a Bon Jovi show without a nod to the past: “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” and “Bad Medicine” wrapped up the evening.
Bon Jovi’s full tour kicks off in Greenville, South Carolina, this February. This House Is Not for Sale will be available November 4.
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