Twenty-seven years after their first album was released, Bon Jovi is still able to sell out enormous arenas and put on a performance that one will be bragging about to their friends who missed it.

The crowd was slowly filing in as the stage was being set for the performance. The band had fans waiting for the much anticipated concert to get going. The sold out Staples Center crowd of 19,874 were all on their feet.

The stadium lights were suddenly shut off, and the spotlight was beamed directly at the stage. As the crowd started to cheer, Bon Jovi hit the stage and immediately started performing. The Staples Center was as loud as I have ever heard it. The arena was buzzing with energy.

Bon Jovi started the evening off with a couple tracks off of their new album, “The Circle.” The new songs had a throw-back feel, kind of like being at a rock concert in the early 1980s with a cigarette lighter in your hand. The old-school rock atmosphere set the mood for the entire evening.

After each song that lead singer Jon Bon Jovi performed, he seemed to be more and more energized. The 47-year-old rocker from New Jersey had enough oomph to put singers half his age to shame.

The night really began kicking into high gear when they started performing the oldies. Greats like “Bad Name” and “It’s my Life” threw the crowd into a complete frenzy. The entire crowd was on their feet singing along with the music. Bon Jovi had come into Staples Center and took complete control of their fans.

On top of the brilliant performance, the special effects on stage were as high-tech as can be. The numerous television screens that were constantly moving provided lighting effects left the fans in awe. The images on the screens would break up into a hundred different pieces, then join together and become one massive television screen.

The singing is the major part of a concert, but the special effects are what separate the good concerts from the bad. Bon Jovi was able to supply his fans with both.
Hours had passed, and the band began to sing what the crowd thought was their last song of the evening.

Fans could not have been anymore wrong. Bon Jovi walked off the stage, but the cheers did not stop. The result of those cheers was exactly what the crowd had hoped for. They came back on stage and played not one, but a four song encore. Talk about going out with a bang.

One message delivered by Jon Bon Jovi himself stood out more than anything else that evening, and that message was simply, “It’s time to move from ‘me decade’ to ‘we decade.'” Basically meaning, we must all unite in this world instead of selfishly trying to put others down. The simplest messages carry the biggest meaning. In a night of unforgettable music, Bon Jovi was able to deliver powerful words.

Only a seemingly immortal band can put on a performance one will be talking about for many days that follow. Bon Jovi delivered like they have been delivering for nearly 30 years.

The nationwide tour continues Thursday through July 30. Tickets can be purchased directly from their website, www.bonjovi.com/tour.