Chicago night 1 set list + review

Bon Jovi has played the first of two nights in Chicago that will bring this leg of the Circle tour to a close. I am loath to criticise sets containing "Always", "Bed of Roses" and "Sympathy for the Devil", but I actually thought they might just have pulled out something more for Chicago. Maybe tomorrow.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA - SOLDIER FIELD - JULY 30, 2010
Blood on Blood
We Weren't Born To Follow
You Give Love A Bad Name
Born To Be My Baby
Lost Highway
When We Were Beautiful
It's My Life
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
We Got It Going On
Bad Medicine / Old Time Rock and Roll [Bob Seger cover/ft. Kid Rock] /Shout! [Isley Brothers cover]
Lay Your Hands On Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
Bed of Roses
Diamond Ring
I'll Be There For You
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night [acoustic]
Runaway
Work For The Working Man
Have A Nice Day
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep The Faith / Sympathy for The Devil [Rolling Stones cover]

ENCORE:
Always
Wanted Dead or Alive
Livin' On A Prayer

The BJCT blog should have videos up as they become available.

Anthony Kuzminski has reviewed the show on his blog The Screen Door.

For 150-minutes on Friday night, Bon Jovi fought a bloody fight on the concert stage where they did their best to keep the 55,000 in attendance occupied. I’d be lying to you if I said it was a resounding success. It wasn’t a flawless show, but it didn’t stop Bon Jovi from trying their damndest.

Read the full review at this link.

This Is Our House (another vid + lyrics)

Another video of Bon Jovi's first (and second) ever performance of "This Is Our House" in Regina. Oh lordy Jon, did you just flash the corna ("horns" sign) two minutes in? XD



The lyrics as far as I could hear:

This is our time
This is our night
Are you alive?
Get up, get up, get up, get up, time to fly
Are we gonna raise the roof? (Oh yeah)
Are we gonna touch the sky? (Hell yeah)
Everybody with me let me hear you now
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

This is our house
These are my people, mister, this is my town
This is our house
Ain't nobody know we're gonna knock it down
(Oh whoa oh oh oh oh oh)
This is our house
(Oh whoa oh oh oh oh oh)

With the wind at our side
We have arrived
We won't be denied
Get up, get up, get up, get up, time to shine
Are we gonna turn it up? (Oh yeah)
Are we gonna shake it up? (Hell yeah)
Let me see you raise 'em up and shout out loud
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

This is our house
These are my people, mister, this is my town
This is our house
Ain't nobody know we're gonna knock it down
This is our house
These are my colours, this is sacred crowd
This is our house
Ain't nobody know we're gonna knock it down
This is our house
(Oh whoa oh oh oh oh oh)
This is our house
(Oh whoa oh oh oh oh oh)
This is our house
Ain't nobody know we're gonna knock it down

Corrections welcome. :)

Regina review + This Is Our House debut

Here's a snippet of Jeff Dedekker's review of Bon Jovi's show in Regina for the Leader-Post:

Even Jon Bon Jovi is willing to admit that time flies when you're having fun.

"Somebody told me before the show that it's been 20 years since we were last in Regina. How is that possible?" the 48-year-old rocker asked the estimated crowd of 35,000 at Mosaic Stadium on Wednesday night.

"I like lots of things about Regina. I liked the flyover before the show. I liked the nice things written about us in the newspaper. And I met Jovi, a baby who was named after the band. It won't be another 20 years before we're back in Regina."

Read the full article here.

Meanwhile, Bon Jovi also performed "This Is Our House" for the first time ever at this show (and filmed an official video for it). Here's a fan video:

Regina set list + article

Bon Jovi shot a video for "This Is Our House" at this show, suggesting that it might be the first single off the greatest hits. No offense, but I sure hope the other new songs are a LOT better.

Nice to see "Love's the Only Rule" played.

REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA - MOSAIC STADIUM AT TAYLOR FIELD - JULY 28, 2010
Blood on Blood
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Born to Be My Baby
Lost Highway
It's My Life
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine / Oh, Pretty Woman [Roy Orbison cover]
Love's the Only Rule
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
(You Want to) Make a Memory
I'll Be There For You
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
In These Arms
Work for the Working Man
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep the Faith

ENCORE:
This Is Our House [played twice for live video shoot]
Wanted Dead or Alive
Livin' on a Prayer

Videos on BJCT blog as they come.

Also, an article by Jeff Dedekker appeared in the Leader-Post ahead of the Regina show. It's a nice article but this bit made me smirk, Have a Nice Day style:

"During the course of the late afternoon, we come in every day, even 60 shows in, and do a power sound check. I'd have a list of songs in my head -- 'I was thinking about this one from that album. Why don't we play this one and tomorrow we'll do it.' I always kept them going," explained Bon Jovi. "It became a bit of a game for us so that by the end even Tico was bringing me a list of songs saying, 'We didn't do this one and we didn't do that one.' It became fun, because for whatever it's worth, not that many bands go out there and do 70 different songs in one location."

Read the full article here, and Hath's response at this link. I know us diehard fans can seem difficult to please, but the truth is, we're cynics with faith -- faith in the band, faith that our faith will be rewarded -- or else we wouldn't still be here.

Bon Jovi to play Peru and Costa Rica

Two new dates have been added to the Circle tour:

September 26, 2010: Costa Rica - Estadio Ricardo Saprissa
September 29, 2010: Lima, Peru - Estadio Universidad San Marcos

The link to the announcement about Costa Rica on BonJovi.com isn't working at the moment but the main thing you need to know is:

[Bon Jovi's] number one world tour “The Circle” tour is set to come to Costa Rica’s on September 26th at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa.
...
Tickets will be on-sale on August 7th at 10 AM by www.specialticket.net, authorized retail outlets as Servimas, Bansbach and La Barbería.

As for Lima, Bon Jovi.com says:

One of the most important and established bands in rock history, BON JOVI is going to perform in Lima on Wednesday, September 29th, 2010 at Estadio San Marcos as part of the #1 tour in the world, 'The Circle World Tour 2010'.
...
Tickets will go on sale on Saturday, August 7th at 11 AM online on Teleticket (http://www.teleticket.com.pe) and at outlets at Wong and Metro stores.

Great news!

Reading material for Bon Jovi fans

I've been meaning to do a post like this for a while, but with the reported release today of former tour manager Richard Bozzett's book Sex, Drugs and Bon Jovi, now seems like a timely moment.

• Bon Jovi: When We Were Beautiful -- The accompanying picture book to the documentary of the same name. You're mostly buying this for the photos but there are also some comments and reflections from the band. Check out Anthony Kuzminski's review on antiMusic.com.
• Star Man: The Right Hand Man of Rock'n'Roll, by Michael Francis and Paul Elliott -- The son of boxing trainer George Francis spent three decades as a bodyguard for some of the biggest names in music. This is Michael Francis' autobiography, and a large part of it is about his time with Bon Jovi in the 80s. (As a side note, you can spot Michael briefly in the "Wanted Dead or Alive" video and Access All Areas IIRC.)
• Bon Jovi Encyclopaedia, by Neil Daniels -- If you're a diehard fan you'll probably know most of what's covered here, and as an "encyclopaedia" I think it has a few problems, which I outlined in my Suite101 review last year. There are also some issues with editing but I can't really blame the author for that. And credit where it's due, it's a mammoth effort for someone who's not a crazy fan to write something like this, and I think the book would make for a decent stocking filler for casual fans or people who are new to the band.
• Jon Bon Jovi, by Laura Jackson -- This completely unauthorised biography seems to attract mixed reviews for that very reason. Of all the books I mention in this post, this is the one that's had the most time elapsed since I read it, but again: if you're a diehard, particularly one who's followed the band from its early years, you'll know most if not all the content. And being written by someone without connections to the band, there aren't any great insights either. However for a "bio from afar" I seem to recall it being reasonably comprehensive.
• Gospel of Jon, by Rebecca Wilson -- Rebecca's self-published memoir, harrowing and touching in turn, articulates why Bon Jovi's music means so much to her. While her personal story may be vastly different to ours, I think many of us diehard fans could relate to it. (NB: This is temporarily unavailable as a hard copy but you can get a digital copy by e-mailing Rebecca via rwilson311 AT gmail DOT com -- Put "Blame It On The Love" in the subject line.)
• Finally, if you qualify as a "mature audience" and you're okay with the concept of Real Person Fic, you can head to the Bon Jovi Fan Fiction Directory and peruse the stories for some entertainment. :P

Anyway, those are my thoughts... Feel free to add your two cents on these and any others.

As for Sex, Drugs and Bon Jovi, TMZ has posted some images from the book, including one of Jon posing with some naked and topless women back in 1985.

Wanted Dead or Alive: Bon Jovi and Dierks Bentley at HullabaLOU

Another video of that "Wanted Dead or Alive" duet at Louisville's HullabaLOU music festival. Having never heard Dierks Bentley sing before, I have to say the sudden deep voice coming in after Jon sang the first verse and chorus threw me off a little. Then again, Dierks looks like such a little fanboy up there that it's any wonder he could sing at all, LOL. :P



Jon: "That was cool. Anybody else wanna get up and sing with me? I dunno if I can 20,000 up on the stage..."

More Foxboro reviews

A couple more reviews of Bon Jovi's July 24 show in Foxborough.

Here's one by Jim Sullivan for the Boston Herald:

Somewhere, deep inside Gillette Stadium Saturday night, Bill Belichick was smiling.

It had nothing to do with the Patriots, and everything to do with a sold-out concert by the coach’s favorite band, Bon Jovi. He wasn’t alone. About 51,000 others were expressing joy.

Read the full review here.

Mike Hirsh of the Boston Globe was less forgiving:

Such is the reach of Bon Jovi that it’s not even necessary to like the band at all to have known just about every song played Saturday night at Gillette Stadium. Of course, they’re so overstuffed with clichés both musical and lyrical that even new songs sound familiar, but after a quarter century of almost astonishingly consistent hitmaking, they’re practically encoded in our DNA whether we want them there or not.

Read the full review at this link.

Jon & Richie interviews with Boston Globe & JACK

This interview with Jon Bon Jovi was conducted for the Boston Globe prior to the June 24 Foxborough show. There's a bit might be rather distressing if you're a 7800 Fahrenheit fan:

“A lot of bands write a set list and go out and do that all year. We’ve never been that kind of band,’’ the frontman said recently by phone from Philadelphia. Just don’t expect to hear ’80s pop metal anthem “In & Out of Love.’’ Ever again. “Oh lord, no thank you. Pass.’’

Whoa, that's a pretty closed box. :/ Fine, don't play "In and Out of Love"... Play "Only Lonely" or "Tokyo Road" or "The Hardest Part is the Night" instead. ;) Anyway read Sarah Rodman's full article here.

Meanwhile, Tanya from JACK FM caught up with Richie Sambora ahead of Bon Jovi's Chicago shows. Listen to it at this link.

Foxboro review + Bon Jovi/Dierks Bentley duet from HullabaLOU

Here's a review of Bon Jovi's July 24, 2010 show in Foxborough by Matt Kakley for the Sun Chronicle:

It's hard to think of a band more synonymous with summer stadium shows than Bon Jovi, and the band's performance Saturday in front of a sold-out Gillette Stadium did nothing to give that reputation a bad name.

Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and crew commanded the audience's attention for the 2-hour, 30-minute set with an ease that was awe-inspiring.

Read the full review here.

And this is a video of "Wanted Dead or Alive" from the HullabaLOU music festival in Louisville on July 23. The performance featured country singer Dierks Bentley. Thoughts?

Boston set list

Dear Jon Bon Jovi, the lack of songs from The Circle is almost beyond ridiculous now. And the only good thing about "I Love This Town" is that it makes the other songs around it look better... but I suspect that's not your intention in playing it. ;) Nice to see both "Bed of Roses" and "Always" in the set though; at least one of those needs to be played every night.

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, USA - GILLETTE STADIUM - JULY 24, 2010
Blood on Blood
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Born to Be My Baby
Lost Highway
In These Arms
It's My Life
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine / Old Time Rock 'n' Roll [Bob Seger cover/feat. Kid Rock] / Shout! [Isley Brothers cover]
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
Bed of Roses
I'll Be There For You
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night [acoustic]
When We Were Beautiful
Work for the Working Man
Have a Nice Day
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep the Faith

ENCORE:
Always
Wanted Dead or Alive
I Love This Town
Livin' on a Prayer

Richie Sambora Lite Rock interview

Richie was recently interviewed by Lite Rock 105's Tony Bristol. He spoke about The Circle, touring, White Trash Beautiful, being a dad, and the Greatest Hits. Apparently there'll be a single CD and double box set available for purchase. Listen to the interview at this link or directly download the mp3.

Jon Bon Jovi joins Melbourne Heart

JBJ has become the new Number 1 International Ticketholder of Melbourne Heart FC, a new team that will compete in the A-League (Australia's premier soccer/football comp) in the 2010-11 season.

Here's the press release from the Heart's website:

Bon Jovi Announced As Heart's #1 International Ticket Holder
Saturday, 24 July 2010

While his blonde locks and slick rock moves have made him a pop superstar, Jon Bon Jovi’s latest visit to Melbourne resonates with the lyrics of his monster hit, “Living on a Prayer” as he aims to give something special to the battlers among his legion of loyal followers.

In announcing his new role as #1 International Ticket Holder for Melbourne’s new A League side, Melbourne Heart FC, Bon Jovi has decided to keep the faith with those who don’t enjoy his rock star good fortune and to make his association “mean something real to the fans”.

Bon Jovi has purchased 4 premium memberships to the Heart and will donate the prized seats for each home game at AAMI Park to football fans who don’t have the financial means to be able to afford to watch their favourite sport in the atmosphere of a live arena.

A lifelong sports fan, Bon Jovi was involved until recently in the AFL – not our AFL – but the Arena Football League in the US as one of the owners of professional arena (indoor) football team, The Philadelphia Soul. Obviously keen to score the poetic sporting quinella, his new partnership, dare we say it, adds Heart to his Soul.

While he’ll be filling seats on his sell out Australian concert tour later this year, Jon Bon Jovi decided on an original take on the favoured ticketholder role and is hoping to fill some seats at the Heart’s new home with fans who share his passion for sport but who wouldn’t normally get anywhere near the VIP seats.

As he explained: “I like to think I pour my heart into whatever I do, so supporting Melbourne Heart FC seemed pretty natural, but I wanted to see if I could share that feeling a little….especially with Heart fans that maybe have the heart, but not the opportunity to show their support.”

With record sales in excess of 130 million worldwide, a second career as a movie and TV actor and as an inductee of the American Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, Jon Bon Jovi’s fame Is highly visible. Less well know is his long involvement with a range of philanthropic causes including his own Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation.

Bon Jovi’s charity involvements and fundraising efforts particularly focus on building homes and access to opportunity for the poor, homeless or displaced, and his initiative to bring deserving Melbourne Heart FC fans to the game they love reflects his ongoing work.

Details on how fans can apply to use the Bon Jovi VIP tickets will be available from Monday on www.melbourneheartfc.com.au.

Interesting. I know Jon's a big American football fan but I wonder how much he knows about soccer? Though I guess it doesn't matter that much. Huge coup for the club. Maybe if Perth Glory had called themselves Perth Soul or something, Jon would have boarded our ship instead. :P

HullabaLOU set list

Bon Jovi co-headlined the HullabaLOU Music Festival. Country singer Dierks Bentley joined them on "Wanted".

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, USA - CHURCHILL DOWNS - JULY 23, 2010
Lost Highway
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Born to Be My Baby
Superman Tonight
It's My Life
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
We Got It Goin' On
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
Bad Medicine / Oh, Pretty Woman [Roy Orbison cover] / Shout! [Isley Brothers cover]
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
(You Want to) Make a Memory
I'll Be There For You
Runaway
Have a Nice Day
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep the Faith

ENCORE:
Wanted Dead or Alive [feat. Dierks Bentley]
Livin' on a Prayer

Bon voyage: Jovi's stadium mega-shows

There's an interview with Richie Sambora in the Boston Herald ahead of Bon Jovi's July 24 show at Gillette Stadium... here's a taste:

It seems with “The Circle” there’s a bit more grit and reflection. Any thoughts?
It really constitutes a lot of different things. It constitutes growing up. It’s always relying on your influences and rediscovering what your roots are. We’re on a constant quest for evolution. There’s a populist, working-class ethic to it. Jon and I have probably written close to 500 songs, and you draw a lot from what’s happening in the culture and what’s happening in the world. “The Circle” couldn’t have been written at a different time. Those songs were written about how people were feeling about the economic crunch. It’s not a political album per se, but it’s an album about how people were reacting to what was happening in the world. It was right at the time of the election and a lot of people had a lot of hope that Obama was gonna get elected. There’s a string of hope that goes through those songs and there was a string of doubt, a lot of different emotions.

Read the full article by Jim Sullivan at this link.

Videos: Damned + Turn the Page from Toronto 2

Videos of the two most surprising inclusions from Bon Jovi's second night in Toronto (July 21, 2010).

DAMNED - An animated performance with some cool ad libs (and some almost Sambora-like "sex faces" from Jon :P).


And again (The picture comes into focus about a minute in)...


TURN THE PAGE - Obviously if you'd told me before this show that there'd be a Bob Seger cover, I'd have expected "Old Time Rock 'n' Roll" but this is kind of cool too. The cover is pretty close to the original.


Another video of "Turn the Page"... sounds brilliant...

Videos: Always, Beautiful, Bad Medicine from Toronto and Winnipeg

A couple of videos from two of Bon Jovi's recent shows in Canada.

ALWAYS (Toronto: July 20, 2010) - The band apparently surprised Jon with this at the start of the encore, and there's just a hint of stinkeye in the Richie Sambora direction about three minutes in. Nevertheless, Jon seems happy enough by the end of Richie's solo.


WHEN WE WERE BEAUTIFUL (Winnipeg: July 17, 2010) - I quite like the placement of this song further down the set. It's more intimate that way.


And in case we were getting a little ballad-heavy...

BAD MEDICINE/PRETTY WOMAN/SHOUT (Winnipeg: July 17, 2010)


OLD TIME ROCK 'N' ROLL w/ Kid Rock (Toronto: July 20, 2010)


Still looking for videos from the second Toronto show... specifically "Damned" and "Turn the Page".

Two more Australian dates added

From BonJovi.com:

2 FINAL SHOWS ADDED TO THE AUSTRALIAN LEG OF THE CIRCLE TOUR IN MELBOURNE & SYDNEY!
July 21, 2010

Bon Jovi’s Australian fans have spoken with shows selling out across the country within hours! Due to this incredible demand to see Rock’s Global Icons Live on stage, Dainty Consolidated Entertainment are adding 2 FINAL shows to the Australian leg of The Circle Tour.

MELBOURNE
FRIDAY 10TH DECEMBER - Rod Laver Arena

SYDNEY
SUNDAY 19TH DECEMBER – Sydney Football Stadium

TICKETS ON SALE TUESDAY 3RD AUGUST

In Melbourne Bon Jovi will perform an extra special ARENA show at Rod Laver Arena on the night prior to the completely sold out show at Etihad Stadium.

In Sydney there is not a seat left at the 2 shows already scheduled, therefore this extra night at the Sydney Football Stadium will give fans one last opportunity to secure tickets. These shows will definitely be the last chance to see BON JOVI Live on the CIRCLE TOUR!

BON JOVI – THE CIRCLE TOUR
NEW SHOWS ON SALE TUESDAY 3RD AUGUST

Perth
Wednesday 8 December – LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE
Subiaco Oval
Tickets through Ticketmaster 136 100 or ticketmaster.com.au

Melbourne
NEW SHOW: Friday 10th December
Rod Laver Arena
Tickets through Ticketek 132 849 or ticketek.com.au

Saturday 11 December – SOLD OUT
Etihad Stadium

Brisbane
Tuesday 14 December – SOLD OUT Suncorp Stadium

Sydney
Friday 17 & Saturday 18 December – SOLD OUT

NEW SHOW: Sunday 19th December
Sydney Football Stadium
Tickets through Ticketek 132 849 or ticketek.com.au

Makes sense that Melbourne gets another show considering how quickly tickets sold out for the second tour in a row. But unfortunately for Adelaide fans, it looks like their efforts to get their first show since 1995 have fallen on deaf ears.

Anyway, here's what Aussie promoter Paul Dainty told Triple M:

"We tried everything to get a second show at Etihad [in Melbourne] but physically getting 36 trucks of gear up to Brisbane in 48 hours from Melbourne was an impossibility."

"[Bon Jovi] came back to me and said 'we don't care, you find a solution to do a second show'. And as luck would have it the Friday night was available the night at Rod Laver.

"So I told [Bon Jovi] about that and they said 'go for it, we wanna do it'. So they're going to fly into Melbourne a day earlier and free up a whole lot of demand that's out there."

Toronto night 2 set list

Bon Jovi's second Toronto show..... "Damned"! 'Nuff said.

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA - ROGERS CENTRE - JULY 21, 2010
Happy Now
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Born to Be My Baby
Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars
In These Arms
Lost Highway
When We Were Beautiful
It's My Life
We Got It Goin' On
Damned
Bad Medicine / Oh, Pretty Woman [Roy Orbison cover] / Shout! [Isley Brothers cover]
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
Turn the Page [Bob Seger cover]
(You Want to) Make a Memory
I'll Be There For You
Runaway
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep the Faith

ENCORE:
Hallelujah [Leonard Cohen cover]
Wanted Dead or Alive
I Love This Town
Livin' on a Prayer

Visit the BJCT blog for multimedia links as they become available.

Review: Toronto crowd sings for Bon Jovi

Here's a concert review of Bon Jovi's first night in Toronto, written by Nick Krewen for the Toronto Star:

Oh, what that million-watt smile can get away with.

Jon Bon Jovi exercised his considerable charm over the predominantly female crowd Tuesday night at the Rogers Centre for the first of two shows, and truth be told, all he had to do was flash his pearly whites and the partisan crowd was putty in his hands.

Read the full review here.

From what I've heard about this show, the band apparently played "Always" at the start of the encore without Jon's consent which ought to make for some interesting viewing.

Toronto night 1 set list

Nice to see "Love's the Only Rule", "Always" and "Something for the Pain" back in... Hopefully Bon Jovi's second night in Toronto will be bigger and better! :)

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA - ROGERS CENTRE - JULY 20, 2010
Blood on Blood
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Born to Be My Baby
Lost Highway
Runaway
It's My Life
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine / Old Time Rock & Roll [Bob Seger cover/feat. Kid Rock]
Love's the Only Rule
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
Bed of Roses
I'll Be There For You
Something for the Pain [acoustic]
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night [acoustic]
In These Arms
Work for the Working Man
Have a Nice Day
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep the Faith

ENCORE:
Always
Wanted Dead or Alive
Livin' on a Prayer

Check out the BJCT blog for video links as they become available.

Greatest Hits photo shoot

On Bon Jovi's Twitter page:

In a photo shoot for the... GREATEST HITS!! Any guesses on what songs will make the album? http://fb.me/E7RJG3oV about 6 hours ago via Facebook

Well, whatever the final tracklist may be, I'm hoping it's a worthy two disc career-spanning set... Bon Jovi has been very prolific and they've navigated this decade pretty well for a band that's been around since the 80s, but as one of my favourite New Yorkers, Titan4Ever2488 puts it: "You can't have a Greatest Hits without the GREATEST HITS".

Winnipeg concert reviews

Here are some reviews of Bon Jovi's Winnipeg show.

Rob Williams wrote a pretty positive review for the Winnipeg Free Press, though he disparagingly labels The Circle "mediocre" and suggests this is the reason the band didn't focus on it (as if I wasn't disappointed enough that Jon seems to have already given up on one of my favourite albums):

WINNIPEG — With a thunderstorm warning, rain and lightning strikes Saturday afternoon, Bon Jovi's concert could have been slippery and wet.

Concert organizers were living on prayers throughout the day and they were answered right before the show's 7 p.m. start time. The storm shifted, the weather warnings were called off and the rain stopped.

"Brothers and sisters, there's only one way to hold off the rain tonight -- scream!" frontman Jon Bon Jovi urged following a slight drizzle.

The crowd complied, and so did the weather -- even Mother Nature has a crush on Jon Bon Jovi.

Check out the full review here.

Winnipeg Free Press also ran an article by Melissa Martin about a crowd of people who caught the show for free from outside:

They may not have been the best seats in the house. They may not have had beverage service and they might have been far from the bathrooms.

But boy, was the price worth it.

While about 40,000 Winnipeggers crowded in to Canad Inns Stadium on Saturday night to catch hair-rock survivors Bon Jovi deliver a set of blazing rock 'n' roll, hundreds more gathered on street corners, fence posts, and on Garbage Hill to see the show for free.

Or at least, what they could see of it.

Read the full article at this link.

Meanwhile, Darryl Sterdan wrote a cynically offbeat song-by-song rundown for the Winnipeg Sun... here's a taste:

You Give Love a Bad Name: "This ain't television, baby!" yells Jon to the near-capacity crowd. "Get up outta your seats!" Of course, he says this seconds after a giant closeup of his face was broadcast on a video screen — so it actually is very much like TV, if you wanna be picky. And when you see his mug that big, you notice his teeth are whiter than Chiclets. Seriously, I think they might glow in the dark. If I were lost in the woods with him, I would bash him over the head, knock out those choppers and drop them like bread crumbs in a trail. They're even whiter than his Rod Stewart-style tripod mic stand. The other thing you notice as they dig into this classic: Sambora is already sweating bullets. Dude, it's only the third song. Pace yourself; it's gonna be a long night.

Read the whole review here.

Videos from US/Canada: Blood on Blood, Treat Her Right, Raise Your Hands, Bed of Roses, Always, Blaze of Glory

I haven't really showcased any Bon Jovi videos on this blog since Jon tore his calf, so here we go!

BLOOD ON BLOOD (Calgary: July 14, 2010) - Jon singing "I'm a one-legged singer in a long haired rock 'n' roll band".


TREAT HER RIGHT feat. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes (Cuyahoga Falls: July 12, 2010) - Master and apprentice; very cool.


RAISE YOUR HANDS (Edmonton: July 15, 2010) - Jon's noticeably hopping around on one leg. I would probably look ridiculous (i.e. lose balance and fall over, haha) doing it but he manages to pull it off.


BED OF ROSES (Edmonton: July 15, 2010) - The first Bon Jovi song I remember hearing and still one of my favourites today.


ALWAYS (Edmonton: July 15, 2010) - Although I prefer "Bed of Roses", "Always" deserves to be in the set virtually every night. It's the biggest hit ever around the world, and Jon's improved vocals can do the song justice. Besides, Richie's extended solo on it is awesome.


BLAZE OF GLORY (Calgary: July 14, 2010) - Only the second time this tour.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU - Richie Sambora's birthday (Saratoga Springs: July 11, 2010)

Winnipeg set list

I can only assume Bon Jovi's saving it all for Toronto, though it's good to see one of my top 5 ("Bed of Roses") getting a semi-regular run.

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA - CANAD INNS STADIUM - JULY 17, 2010
Blood on Blood
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Born to Be My Baby
Lost Highway
It's My Life
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine / Oh, Pretty Woman [Roy Orbison cover] / Shout! [Isley Brothers cover]
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
Bed of Roses
I'll Be There For You
When We Were Beautiful
Runaway
Work for the Working Man
Have a Nice Day
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep the Faith

ENCORE:
Wanted Dead or Alive
I Love This Town
Livin' on a Prayer

Check out the BJCT blog for videos as they come.

Mexico City show announced

From BonJovi.com:

CONCERT IN MEXICO CITY SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, AT FORO SOL

Rock Icons Bon Jovi return to Mexico City for a massive concert as part of “The Circle Tour” - currently the number one tour in the world! After several years, Mexican fans will have the opportunity to see Bon Jovi live at Foro Sol on Friday, September 24th.

Bon Jovi have established themselves as one of the world's most dynamic live rock acts, While other artists of their generation slow down, the New Jersey natives are hitting their peak. They are ranked as Billboard's #1 top-selling tour of 2008 worldwide, and have recently released the album The Circle, which debuted at #1 around the world.

With over 120 million albums sold, countless awards and stellar stadium shows year after year, Bon Jovi have little more to conquer. The band has performed more than 2,600 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 34 million fans. Bon Jovi are at their best when they are on the move and that is truer now than ever before.

Tickets will go on sale on July 26 and 27 for Banamex card holders and on July 28 for general public.
To buy tickets please go directly to any of Ticketmaster outlets: Mix Up, Discolandia, Liverpool, Gandhi, on the phone number 5325 9000 and online at www.ticketmaster.com.mx

Bon Jovi Circle Tour by numbers

750,000 Pixels in the large curved video screen
800,000 Total watts that the sound system can generate
21,933 Hours of labour that went into the manufacturing of the stage set and tracking video columns
9,000 Feet of aluminum used to build the stage
6,000 Amps of power generated by the lights during one stadium show
4,300 Square footage of the large high def video screen behind the stage (largest in the world)
1,000 Total number of road cases used to transport all the equipment for the tour including lights, audio, video, stage, band instruments, wardrobe, etc.
905 Total kilowatts of power consumed during one stadium show for lights, audio, video, rigging, motion control and robots
500 Number of cups of coffee made on tour daily
150 Weight of the outdoor stage in tons
135 Number of shows on the entire Circle Tour
97 Number of Bon Jovi songs that the video team had to program content for in case they are played during the tour
80 Number of local crew members recruited in each city to help build and tear down the production/staging
68 Number of touring crew members
30 Number of countries Bon Jovi will visit on the Circle Tour

Source: thestar.com. I mention this article and its interview with Jon in my previous post but figured the number crunching warranted a separate post.

Jon Bon Jovi: He'll be there for you / Richie Sambora on Boom FM link

There's a nice interview with Jon by Richard Ouzounian for the Toronto Star.

I pulled out a couple of quotes that popped out at me. Here's Jon talking describing their overexertion in the 80s:

“As a kid, you’re out there trying to establish a foundation for your career. You want to do everything you can, be all things to all people and so you just look at your life in the short term.

“But once you stop, pull back and look at what you’ve been doing, you can really scare yourself.”

And Jon on faith and philanthropy:

“When you’re a little kid, you see all the bad things in the world and promise you’re going to fix them one day, but then you forget about all it,” he says. “Back when I was 20, it wasn’t the first or even the 10th thing on my mind.

“But when I hit 40, I started looking for something more in my life. Something to believe in. I was raised Catholic, but I have a lot of issues with what’s gone on in that Church. I’m heartbroken by it. The way I was raised was regimented by fear. Eat meat on Friday and you go to hell. What does a kid learn from that?

“You’ve got to find your spirituality wherever you can. I found it in good deeds. The greatest reward I have in my life is putting a roof over someone’s head and handing them the keys when they never thought they’d have a place of their own.”

Read the full article at this link.

Meanwhile, Hath has Richie's interview on Boom 97.3FM up on her blog.

Billboard Q&A: Jon Bon Jovi talks pushing himself on tour

Billboard conducted this interview during Bon Jovi's O2 residency in London. Jon talks about pushing boundaries, cutting his teeth in New Jersey bars, and the YouTube Age. Here's a taste:

Do you ever get stage fright?
Nooooo. Are you crazy? Who would call 70 songs and have fear? If you saw me right now, I'm sitting on a speed boat, we're gonna fly down the river, have Kid Rock meet us to learn a couple songs on the stage [at the 02], and do 'em tonight. That's not fear. There's nothing to be fearful about. They don't shoot you for it.

This bit was kind of interesting too:

There's nothing you can say or do without thinking this can be broadcast right now. I'll give you a case in point where it worked against [us]: I was dying to play these people five new songs that Richie and I wrote for "Greatest Hits," but I said "I can't do it." I knew it would be out now, so I couldn't even get their opinions, I had to wait. But my curiosity was killing me. I wanted to see what they thought of them.

Damn, those would have been great to see/hear. Kind of like the pizza parlour jury on a wider scale. I have seen some artists perform songs before they've been released, at proper concerts let alone fan club functions which is what Jon was talking about, but I don't know how the record company would feel about it in this case.

Anyway check out the full interview on Billboard.

Edmonton set list

Bon Jovi's two "superballads" of the earlyish 90s -- "Bed of Roses" and "Always" -- returned to the set as the band stopped by Edmondton. According to bangacanadian's PBP however, Jon's leg injury "really is bothering him".

EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA - COMMONWEALTH STADIUM - JULY 15, 2010
Blood on Blood
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Raise Your Hands
Superman Tonight
Lost Highway
It's My Life
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine / Old Time Rock 'n' Roll [Bob Seger cover/feat. Kid Rock]
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
Bed of Roses
I'll Be There For You
Something for the Pain [acoustic]
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night [acoustic]
Runaway
Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep the Faith

ENCORE:
Always
Wanted Dead or Alive
Livin' on a Prayer

Visit the BJCT blog for videos as they come.

Calgary review + Toxic Avenger in Canada

There's a review of Bon Jovi's Calgary gig by Heath McCoy for the Calgary Herald. I especially like this bit:

Like Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan said in an interview before the concert: “[Jon's] our race horse,” and that race horse put on an impressive showing at the 'Dome in a sold out gig that went on for a good two-and-a-half hours.

Hitting the stage with Blood on Blood it was clear the singer was working through an injury in that he favoured his strong leg and he wasn't quite as rambunctious as he can be.

He acknowledged as much too, rewriting a line from Blood On Blood as “me, I'm the one-legged singer in a long-haired rock 'n roll band.”

I think Jon debuted the "new lyric" in Cuyahoga Falls but I'm yet to see any videos of it. Anyway, you can read the full review here.

Meanwhile, David Bryan has helped to promote The Toxic Avenger musical in Calgary (It will be playing there from November 10-27):

With his keyboard perched in front of four green toxic waste barrels, Bryan, 48, performed the rock ballad Tore My Heart Out which he described as "a heartfelt breakup song for a monster."

According to Dave...

"We tried to be completely politically incorrect and I think we did a good job of it," said Bryan, describing the rock musical. "That's what comedy is. You're taking the piss out of everything, but (we're not doing it in) a mean-spirited way.

Read the full article here.

And finally some videos thanks to Avenue Calgary. Dave talks about writing the musical and his comedic influences, before performing "You Tore My Heart Out" and "Brand New Day in New Jersey".

Calgary set list

Bon Jovi headed to Canada and played this set. Looks pretty vanilla, but it's nice to see "Blaze" get its second outing of the tour.

CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA - PENGROWTH SADDLEDOME - JULY 14, 2010
Blood on Blood
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Born to Be My Baby
Superman Tonight
Lost Highway
It's My Life
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
In These Arms
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine / Oh, Pretty Woman [Roy Orbison cover]
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
Blaze of Glory
I'll Be There For You
When We Were Beautiful
Runaway
Work for the Working Man
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep the Faith

ENCORE:
Wanted Dead or Alive
I Love This Town
Livin' on a Prayer

Visit BJCT for video links as they come.

Jon Bon Jovi checks in to WPLJ

Jon called in for an interview with Scott & Todd on New York station 95.5 PLJ, and talked about the torn calf he sustained on July 9, 2010.

Check it out on Scott & Todd's Podcast Page or the direct mp3 link on the site.

Thanks to Kelly for dropping this in my inbox.

Cleveland set list

Bon Jovi headed to... well, Jon said Cleveland but BonJovi.com says Cuyahoga Falls, which is also where Wikipedia says the Blossom Music Center is... Then again, Wikipedia also describes Cuyahoga Falls as both a city and a suburb of Akron and Cleveland, which are cities themselves, so now I'm really confused (unless suburb means something else in the US).

Anyway, it was a short set, though it did feature a special appearance from the Jukes. I was kind of hoping that Jon's calf injury would be a chance for him to dust off something like "If I Was Your Mother" or "My Guitar Lies Bleeding in My Arms" because he probably wouldn't have moved around much on those anyway (but they would have demonstrated how far his voice has come).

CUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO, USA - BLOSSOM MUSIC CENTER - JULY 12, 2010
Blood on Blood
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Born to Be My Baby
Superman Tonight
Lost Highway
It's My Life
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Treat Her Right [Roy Head and the Traits cover/feat. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes]
We Got It Going On
Bad Medicine / Oh, Pretty Woman [Roy Orbison cover]
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
(You Want to) Make a Memory
I'll Be There For You
When We Were Beautiful
Runaway
Work for the Working Man
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep the Faith

ENCORE:
Wanted Dead or Alive
Livin' on a Prayer

Hath's Bon Jovi Circle Tour blog should have vids up as they come.

Leg injury update from Jon

The latest from Jon Bon Jovi himself on Facebook, regarding his torn calf muscle:

my friend said ..old guys still rock..in chairs.
that hurt. i tore the calf on the left side at the 2:45 mark of NMS stadium show 4. I was just about to go into an endless encore when i popped the calf.
thanks to all the medical team both at the NMS and Riverview Hospital who have done everything to put Humpty Dumpty back together aga...in. Tonight Cleveland ...see you soon jbj

Saratoga Springs set list

Doesn't look like much on paper -- It would have been cool to get one of Richie's solo songs at his birthday show -- but considering Jon tore his calf muscle in New Jersey two days ago (video here), it's a fair effort to have made it through this concert at all.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK, USA - SARATOGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER - JULY 11, 2010
Last Man Standing
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Born to Be My Baby
Superman Tonight
Lost Highway
It's My Life
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine / Oh, Pretty Woman [Roy Orbison cover]
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
(You Want to) Make a Memory
I'll Be There For You
When We Were Beautiful
Runaway
Work for the Working Man
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep the Faith

ENCORE:
Wanted Dead or Alive
Livin' on a Prayer

BJCT blog will have videos up in due course.

Happy birthday Richie!

It's now past midnight in my particular neck of the woods, which means it's the King of Swing's birthday! Richie Sambora was born on July 11, 1959, which makes him a young 51 today. Happy birthday Rich, have a good one. :)

Leave a birthday message on Twitter using the hashtag #samborabirthday or call 1-201-984-5711 to leave a voice message. There's also a thread on the White Trash Beautiful Facebook group.

To celebrate the occasion, here's a nice long video of one of my favourite Richie songs, "Undiscovered Soul" live in Melbourne in 1998.

Jon Bon Jovi keeps the faith

Here's an article by Sandra Sperounes in the Edmonton Journal, in the lead-up to Bon Jovi's July 15, 2010 show at Commonwealth Stadium:

Jon Bon Jovi sounds a bit bleary-eyed as he sits in a stranger's home, fielding phone calls about his band's upcoming tour across North America.

There's an interesting bit about ticket prices:

Artists are cancelling dates left and right, with Christina Aguilera pulling the plug on her entire tour and Lilith axing as many as 10 shows. (Ticket sales are down by 17 per cent from last year, according to Pollstar magazine.)

Even Bon Jovi isn't safe. Tickets are still available for Thursday's show at Commonwealth Stadium. Prices are now as low as $10. Jon Bon Jovi isn't too worried. Their 12-show run in London netted $18.1 million US, according to Billboard magazine.

"We've been blessed, more than blessed," he says. "Our shows have been up there in the 99 percentile (of ticket sales). Four nights at Giants Stadium, two nights in Toronto, two nights in Chicago, 12 nights in London, it's just beyond our comprehension.

"People with disposable income ... there are so many choices for them to utilize it. I think the A-list entertainer is always going to be OK, but it's going to be harder for the struggling guy, unless he does a festival situation. I'm not quite sure how it's going to go."

Bon Jovi could be contributing to the concert industry's current woes. The band is one of dozens of performers who offer pricey VIP packages to their fans. Then again, you could say those VIP packages allow the band to offer $10 tickets to fans without a lot of disposable income. In a sense, Jon Bon Jovi is as much of a socialist as he is a capitalist.

"If people want to pay X for what they're promised, there's nothing wrong with it," he says. "It's up to the individual. Nobody's stealing anything, nobody's scalping anything. It's all really above board."

Hmmm. Well, that's a creative spin on it (with spin being the operative word, I'm afraid). Read the full article here.

Jon Bon Jovi calf injury

As has been mentioned, Jon injured himself during Bon Jovi's Meadowlands Stadium "grand finale", which turned out to be a fizzer.

He hurts it about a minute into this video of "Glad All Over". Maybe because I knew it was coming, but I actually winced.


You can see Jon struggling in this one too.

East Rutherford (Meadowlands) 4th night set list

Back to the Meadowlands... Well, I came online towards the end of this play-by-play and it was full of drama... alas none of it was related to the set list. Apparently Jon blew his calf out during "Glad All Over" (tour debut, BTW, though it's a cover) and was limping after that. David Bryan had to carry him off stage.

Thanks to Titan4Ever2488 and bigapplejovi for the PBP. (And to Blue6707 for telling me I initially forgot to type "Born to Be My Baby"!)

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, USA - NEW MEADOWLANDS STADIUM - JULY 9, 2010
Raise Your Hands
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Born to Be My Baby
Superman Tonight
In These Arms
When We Were Beautiful
Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine / Old Time Rock and Roll [Bob Seger cover/feat. Kid Rock]
Love's the Only Rule
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
Open All Night
I'll Be There For You
Squeeze Box [The Who cover]
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
Have a Nice Day
Work for the Working Man
It's My Life
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Keep the Faith

ENCORE:
Wanted Dead or Alive
I Love This Town
Glad All Over [Dave Clark Five cover]
Livin' on a Prayer

BJCT will have videos up in due course.

David Bryan talks about Memphis, Japan and Bon Jovi

Check out a two-part interview with David Bryan by NY Japanese Culture Examiner Justin Tedaldi:

What were your initial impressions on your first visit to Japan in the ’80s, and how do you feel about Japan today?
Japan is like our second home, you know? We’ll be down there in November, and it’s always our second home. I remember going there [in 1984], our first year playing Super Rock [Festival], and it was very isolated, if you will, and now, with the Internet, the world is way less isolated…everything’s becoming everything. It’s a very special place, very special fans, and the Japanese have embraced us, and it’s great, you know? We’re going to go back there and play and I’m going to bring Memphis there, too. Memphis is going to be a huge musical in Japan.

Compared to other Western rock bands, Bon Jovi is still hugely successful in Japan, selling out the biggest stadiums with each tour and enjoying healthy record sales. What do you think is the key to the group’s long lasting appeal over there?
As a band, we’ve strived to stay current. Our new record, The Circle, was Number One in 15 countries, you know, we just strive to be current, not just go, “Okay, the last record did good and that’s it.” You want to hear “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “Wanted Dead or Alive” on the radio, but yet you want to hear us playing the new song “We Weren’t Born to Follow.” So, the idea is that we keep pushing the envelope, keep pushing new songs and keep trying to better ourselves and keep expressing ourselves. Other than that, as a live band, we’ve always committed to walking on that stage and leaving your heart on the stage. We put out 150 percent every time we walk out on stage.

Read the full interview here (Part 1) and here (Part 2).

Coming full circle to NZ + Melbourne sold out

Here's a snippet of an article by Desmond Sampson in the New Zealand Herald, featuring an interview with Jon Bon Jovi:

"But I think the one good thing we've learned from doing that - from pushing ourselves - is that when you think you've had enough and feel like you shouldn't be on the road, you really shouldn't be on the road.

"That's why we're looking forward to coming out to New Zealand now," he adds, excitedly. "This time we're ready and able, as opposed to the first time we came in 1987 when we were completely exhausted and it felt like we'd been pulled across the rack, getting on that plane to Australia and New Zealand.

"When I look back on it, we shouldn't have done that tour because we were beat, so we didn't do ourselves or the fans justice," he admits. "But it wasn't anyone's fault - we were all caught up in the moment and kept hearing: 'there's another great opportunity; a chance to add another date to the tour; to play New Zealand', when really what we should have been told was `take some time off, go to bed ... '

Read the full article at this link.

Also, according to Ticketmaster, the Melbourne show on December 11 is sold out and unlike Sydney there won't be a second date added. Apparently only 20,000 tickets were available when the show went on sale to the general public today, while 30,000 had gone to pre-sales and competitions beforehand. I think Melbourne sold out on the first day of the general sale on the Lost Highway tour as well, so I'm surprised they haven't scheduled another concert.

EDIT: July 9 - Some General Admission (Standing Room) tickets were released for Melbourne today. They're selling on Ticketmaster for $153.

Sambora loving Bon Jovi's stadium gigs

There's a nice interview with Richie on the Sky News Australia website:

Sambora says he's loving the massive shows.

'Anybody that says they don't like it means they can't do it,' Sambora told AAP from his Los Angeles home during a week-long break from the tour.

'The event is so much fun, to take part in that ... it really comes down to us being able to do that and we do it very very well.

'Jon (Bon Jovi) happens to be one of the best frontmen when it comes down to making a stadium seem like a small place.'

And this little tidbit:

Before they hit our shores, Bon Jovi will also have released a best of double album, which contains five new songs and is due out in November. Aussie fans will be among the first in the world to hear some of those songs performed at a live concert.

Hope these new songs are good... is it too much to hope for "Always" and "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night" good? ;) I get the impression Jon has given up a bit on The Circle so it will well and truly be a "Greatest Hits Tour" by the time they reach Australia. This could bode well for a couple of old gems/rarities, though it's a shame that I may not get to hear my favourite Circle songs.

Anyway, read the full article here.

Halfway There: The Screen Door's greatest hits vision

Over at The Screen Door, Anthony Kuzminski has weighed in on Bon Jovi's upcoming greatest hits compilation.

Any “Hits” compilation is a tough sell these days, but if Bon Jovi can seduce the masses into buying far more expensive concert tickets, they should be able to do the same, but only if it’s career encompassing.

The best thing they can do is release a double disc set

Read Tony's blog here.

2nd Sydney date added

From BonJovi.com:

TO OVERWHELMING DEMAND A 2ND GRAND FINALE SYDNEY SHOW HAS JUST BEEN CONFIRMED FOR SATURDAY 18 DECEMBER!
July 6, 2010

GENERAL PUBLIC TICKETS TO ALL AUSTRALIAN BON JOVI SHOWS ON SALE 9AM TOMORROW MORNING THURSDAY 8 JULY!

Bon Jovi pre-sale tickets are on sale now and the response has been so overwhelming that Dainty Consolidated Entertainment has added a second and final Sydney show for Saturday 18 December, which will go on sale to the general public with all other shows at 9am on THURSDAY 8 JULY.

More information at this link.

The Australasian leg of the Circle tour is now as follows:

December 4th, 2010 - Wellington, New Zealand - Westpac Stadium
December 5th, 2010 - Auckland, New Zealand - Mt. Smart Stadium
December 8th, 2010 - Perth, Australia - Subiaco Oval
December 11th, 2010 - Melbourne, Australia - Etihad Stadium
December 14th, 2010 - Brisbane, Australia - Suncorp Stadium
December 17th, 2010 - Sydney, Australia - Sydney Football Stadium
December 18th, 2010 - Sydney, Australia - Sydney Football Stadium

Live Before You Die blog contest

New competition on BonJovi.com!

What is YOUR ideal Bon Jovi concert experience? Now is your chance to share it with us! As the current leg of Bon Jovi's The Circle Tour draws to a close, we're asking YOU, Bon Jovi's most loyal fans, to create a blog describing your dream Bon Jovi concert experience. The winner will receive two tickets to Bon Jovi's last show of this leg of the Circle Tour on July 31st at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL!

Click here for more details. Basically you use the images provided plus your imagination to describe your dream Bon Jovi concert, then e-mail the link to backstagejbj@contests.sparkart.com by July 26.

I had a look at the fine print and it appears only legal residents of the US and Canada are eligible for the prize, which sucks. But I think I might still write something similar anyway... maybe... either way, stay tuned.

Japan tour dates announced

Bon Jovi has released two dates for Japan, just before the Australasian leg:

November 30, 2010 - Tokyo, Japan - Tokyo Dome
December 1, 2010 - Tokyo, Japan - Tokyo Dome

Wouldn't surprise me to see more shows added though.

As a side note, I've been trying to work out the band's flight plans... for example, they're going to be in Japan, then fly eastward to New Zealand, then to Western Australia (which, if my mediocre geography skills haven't failed me, is closer to Japan than it is to NZ), then back to the eastern states of Australia?

Rock solid Jon Bon Jovi

This article by Nui Te Koha was in the Herald Sun:

HIS anthems follow a populist formula, but Jon Bon Jovi is not a rock star cliche.

"This cliche of being in a rock band - who gives a sh... any more?" Bon Jovi says, smiling. "It's not sexy, it's not fun, it's certainly not important.

"If your headlines are more about drink and drug habits, and not records or touring ability, you're an idiot."

Check out the full article here. Australia's on quite the Jovi high at the moment; I actually wouldn't mind if someone grew a pair and wrote something a little less fluffy. :P

Bon Jovi special editions collector's box set (Japan import)

When I got the e-mail about this box set earlier today, two things immediately came to mind:

1. I miss Japan (I spent most of last December and a bit of January in Tokyo). Japan has the coolest stuff. (Tower Records in Shibuya, folks... as close to heaven on earth as you'll get if you love music.)
2. Freaking hell Bon Jovi, how much more money do you freaking need?!

The box set itself is actually pretty sweet:

This fantastic Global Exclusive Bon Jovi Special Editions Collector’s Box Set features Japanese Paper Sleeve versions of all eleven 2010 Special Editions plus an exclusive documentary DVD, Access All Areas: A Rock & Roll Odyssey, all packaged in a superb road case style box.

Each Special Edition includes a re-mastered version of the original album plus bonus live tracks. Each Special Edition also comes with a laminate “Backstage Tour Pass” reproduction and every CD unlocks the "virtual tour experience" consisting of exclusive bonus content, extra tracks, and access to exclusive Bon Jovi tour memorabilia.

Not at US $299 though. I haven't got any of the special editions as yet and would really love Access All Areas but honestly, I would find $300 in Australian dollars on the excessive side, let alone the financial hemmorrhaging that is this price in American currency.

Hath has done a great/amusing cost-benefit analysis of this box set on her blog. And her analysis of the O2 residency with reference to Jon's 70-song promise is worth checking out too.

Backstage at White Trash Beautiful launch + AT&T National set list

Our favourite guitar god turned fashion designer Richie Sambora was interviewed backstage at the UK launch of White Trash Beautiful. Of particular interest to Bon Jovi fans will be this part...

Five new songs on the Greatest Hits before Christmas, huge Europe stadium tour in 2011, and a new musical project for Richie. :)

Here he talks more about making music with Nikki Lund and potentially distributing it with the clothes, as well as a possible reality TV show...

I have no idea if those ideas would work or not, but it's definitely thinking outside the box which is something I feel Bon Jovi the band lacks a bit in its marketing approach for the digital age.

Anyway, you can watch the whole series of videos along with Hath's commentary on her blog. It's actually quite fun hearing Richie talk so passionately about clothes. He also talks about Ava, who modelled White Trash Beautiful at LA Fashion Week.

Also, Jon Bon Jovi & Friends played at a charity function (AT&T National) in Philadelphia yesterday (I think it was June 30 locally)... cheers to Lorenza Ponce and Jeff Kazee for the set list:
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Livin' on a Prayer
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
Wanted Dead or Alive
Here Comes the Sun [The Beatles cover]
That's Alright Mama [Elvis Presley cover]

Feeding my wallet to Jon Bon Jovi

I've got something on my mind... I'm just a little bit depressed...

Well, not really depressed. Happy even. Just a little bit uneasy.

You see, I bought my Bon Jovi ticket for Perth yesterday during the stadium members' pre-sale (one of the things my beloved West Coast Eagles have been good for this season, because winning football games hasn't been one of them LOL).

My original plan when the Australian tour was first announced was to also attend a show in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane but ticket prices soon put an end to that! Tickets for Perth (not including packages or the pit) ranged from AU $101.90 to $306.50 this time around, up from AU $99 to $199 back in 2008. I spent about $140 for Gold seating in 2008, so ended up forking out over double that for Diamond Seating this time around.

I was happy to have secured my ticket for what would be my second Bon Jovi show and to not be up in the nosebleeds, but considering my attacks on ticket prices both on this blog and elsewhere, what was I doing feeding the machine? Australians are already conditioned to think being ripped off is "normal"; we have grossly inflated prices for lots of things. I was helping to make it worse. Talk about hypocrisy of the highest order.

Another part of me was more defensive. Up until 2008, Bon Jovi hadn't done an actual tour in Australia since 1995 and hadn't been to Perth since 1992 (They cancelled their 1995 show due to Tico's elbow injury). It's not like I live in or near a city that Bon Jovi visits every tour and will certainly continue to visit every tour until they retire. Even when I knew they were returning to Australia, I wasn't sure they would come back to Perth until the date was announced. Maybe this will be the last time. I love music but no other other artist has ever had quite this profound a grip on me, and so I splashed out a little. After all, I'm living at home so I don't have a mortgage or rent to pay, I don't have to worry about basic household bills (e.g. water, electricity) or where the next meal is coming from, and I don't really have to look after anyone but myself.

But who's the bigger fool? The fool who doesn't know they're being ripped off, or the fool who does and lets it happen anyway?

Hopefully this fool gets Something to Believe In on December 8.