Bon Jovi stakes his claim in Ottawa with electrifying performance

They set each stone and hammered each nail, where memories live and the dream don’t fail. 35 years of hits and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction all came together for an explosive night at the Canadian Tire Centre as Bon Jovi brought their This House Is Not For Sale Tour to Ottawa on Monday night.

The night started with an energetic set by Chicago based rockers Teeze, who wasted no time getting the packed house pumped up for the headliner.

Upon first glance Bon Jovi’s stage setup looked much less extravagant than the tech heavy setup they brought during their last Ottawa visit 5 years ago in 2013.

But sometimes appearances can be deceiving. The setup may have lacked giant rotating screens but instead delivered one of the best light shows I’ve seen at a concert in years.

Bon Jovi took to the stage hidden behind a screen with the Canada flag on it. As he sang “This House is Not For Sale” images of Ottawa attractions flashed on the screen all leading up to the image of a house. When that screen was lifted the roof of the Canadian Tire Centre went with it. At times the capacity crowd at the arena was louder than Jon and the band themselves.

Over next two hours Bon Jovi demonstrated, with hit after hit, exactly why they deserved their recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, from 1988’s Slippery When Wet all the way to 2016’s This House Is Not For Sale and everything in between.

At one point he took to a microphone placed in the middle of the arena where, surrounded by fans, he performed “Amen”and “Bed of Roses” all the while greeting as many fans as he could and signing autographs. This moment was extra special for me because my 10 year old son happened to be sitting just rows behind where Jon was standing. My son has been coming to festivals with me for several years and is a huge fan of live music. This was his first big name arena show and the fact that he was able to experience Bon Jovi up close and personal was a once in a lifetime moment he is certain to remember for the rest of his life.

I’ve been a Bon Jovi fan for 35 of my 44 years and although This House is Not For Sale is not my favourite album the tour of the same name raised the bar one more notch higher than the last. I can only wish that some day, somewhere, my son and I get to enjoy Bon Jovi perform again. If you’ve never experienced Bon Jovi live, add it to your list. I promise “(You Want to) Make A Memory” as we all did on Monday night in Ottawa.

Bon Jovi heads south for a two night stand at Madison Square Gardens, starting tonight, before returning to Canada for a stop in Toronto on Saturday at Air Canada Centre. The tour wraps up with a two night stand in Montreal starting on May 17.

For tickets and tour information visit www.bonjovi.com/tour