After weeks and months of discussions, April 14th saw the annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony take place, with musicians such as Nina Simone, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, The Moody Blues, and Dire Straits all receiving the prestigious honour.
However, one of the most talked-about inductions this year came in the form of Bon Jovi, who announced in February that their original lineup was set to reunite for the induction performance, including famed guitarist Richie Sambora, who left the group back in 2013.
“We took that journey together at certain times as a group, and I think it’s wonderful we can re-enact that — not only for us, but for the fans,” said Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan back in February.
“I think when you get together with old friends, there’s always going to be some deep emotions within that.”
As Rolling Stone notes, following a “hilarious” speech from presenter Howard Stern, the members of the group spoke about their history in the band, and what their induction means to them. Following these speeches, the group took to the stage to perform this long-awaited reunion, which also included an appearance from Alec John Such for the first time since 2001, after leaving the group in 1994.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxj_A1DRdR8
“You know where you are?” frontman Jon Bon Jovi asked the crowd. “You’re at a Bon Jovi concert. Out of your seats,” before the group performed classic tracks including ”You Give Love A Bad Name’, ‘It’s My Life’, ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’, and relatively new track ‘When We Were Us’.
Of course, the rest of the evening was not without its other highlights, which also included a ‘greatest hits’ performance from new-wave legends The Cars, a cover of Tom Petty’s ‘American Girl’ by The Killers, and a touching tribute to Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell by Alice In Chains’ Jerry Cantrell and Heart’s Ann Wilson.
Check out Bon Jovi’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:
