Videos: Bon Jovi at Jazz Fest ft Phil X!

Phil X -- guitarist for The Drills and highly sought-after session musician -- filled in for Richie Sambora for the first time in New Orleans on April 30, 2011. It was strange to watch but he did a good job. Unfortunately, some Bon Jovi fans have been taking their anger out on Phil on his Facebook page. All I can say to that is that Phil isn't the one who needed to check into rehab, nor is he the one who made the decision to continue the tour.

Bobby Bandiera played the solos for You Give Love a Bad Name, Lost Highway (which was minus the instrumental section they added on The Circle Tour), The More Things Change, and Have a Nice Day. Also, serpephone filmed most of the show and deserves our gratitude for sharing it on YouTube. Here is a selection of videos.

It's My Life

Phil's first chance to show off his talkbox skills in front of the Jovi faithful. Jon prefaces this with: "So what's been goin' on in your life, anything exciting? Any piece of press out there?" At least I think that's what he said. Someone correct me if I misheard the Jerseymumble. ;)

Bad Medicine / Oh Pretty Woman

All fun and games with Jon and Bobby practically flirting... apart from the bit where Tico Torres makes a mistake and Jon flies off the handle, kicking an amp (about 6:45 into the video). Most of us have seen Jon have a bit of a sulk and give someone the stink-eye when something doesn't quite go right, but I think this reaction had a little extra stress behind it.

Lay Your Hands on Me

Jon on lead vocals again. David Bryan, Bobby and Phil X share out the instrumental that was added at the end of February.

Have a Nice Day

Bobby's best solo of the day.

Keep the Faith

Ripping solo from Phil X!

Wanted Dead or Alive

By no means is this terrible, but if I had to pick one song where the Sambora touch is missed the most, it'd probably be Wanted.

Livin' on a Prayer

"I send this out to our brother Richie."

Whether the band should have continued to tour without Richie is still a polarising issue, but given the decision has been made to keep playing, I'm relieved they got such a capable guitarist. We could certainly be doing a lot worse than Phil X...

New Orleans Jazz Fest set list

Bon Jovi resumed their tour at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. The much-talked about lead guitar role was not filled by Bobby Bandiera, but rather, Phil Xenidis (aka Phil X). Other band members took up parts they normally wouldn't have. Livin' on a Prayer was dedicated to Richie Sambora.

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - New Orleans Fair Grounds - April 30, 2010
Blood on Blood
You Give Love a Bad Name
Born to Be My Baby
We Weren't Born to Follow
Lost Highway
Whole Lot of Leavin'
It's My Life
Runaway
The More Things Change
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead / Dancing in the Streets [Martha & the Vandellas cover] / Start Me Up [Rolling Stones cover]
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine / Oh, Pretty Woman [Roy Orbison cover]
Lay Your Hands on Me
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Work for the Working Man
Have a Nice Day
Keep the Faith

Encore:
Wanted Dead or Alive
Livin' on a Prayer

See Hath's Circle Tour Blog for videos and media links in due course. I'm sure I'll be posting a few too.

Meanwhile, here's a video of Phil X playing Richie's Flying V for Fretted Americana.

Sambora a chance for Jazz Fest?

All reports seem to indicate that Richie Sambora will be in rehab when Bon Jovi takes to the stage at New Orleans' Jazz Fest, but this article by The Times-Picayune's Keith Spera seems to suggest he could still play:

However, as I left the Fair Grounds around 8:45 p.m. on Friday after filing my last reviews, the Bon Jovi road crew was already assembling the band's gear on the Acura Stage. Tico Torres' massive drum kit was in place; it will be moved to the back of the stage as other bands perform Saturday.

Interestingly, at stage right stood a standard microphone and the tube device used for "talk box" guitar solos.

A member of the crew confirmed that this was Sambora's guitar rig. So would Sambora actually make the gig at Jazz Fest? "We'll see what happens," said the roadie, declining to elaborate further.

Intriguing. I guess we will all know soon enough.

Bon Jovi returns to Jazz Fest

Bon Jovi is returning to the New Orleans Jazz & Music Heritage Festival in 2011 after making its Jazz Fest debut in 2009. Other headlining acts this year include Arcade Fire, Sonny Rollins, Kid Rock, Wilco, Willie Nelson, Lauryn Hill, John Mellencamp, the Strokes, Jimmy Buffett, John Legend & the Roots, and Robert Plant.

"The 2011 Jazz Fest lineup will deliver an unprecedented balance of the traditional and the contemporary, in all of the many music categories the Festival presents," said Quint Davis, producer/director of Jazz Fest in a statement. "This lineup reminds us that the artists we grew up with are now the icons of today, and that today's new heroes are tomorrow's heritage. We're honored to be able to once again celebrate the soul of America as only New Orleans and the Jazz Fest can."

Read the full article here.
The festival will take place over two weekends (April 29-May 1, then May 5-8) at Fair Grounds Race Course. For tickets and more details visit the New Orleans Jazz Festival site.