Quote:
Asbury Park Press: (Bandiera) is spending five days rehearsing with the kids from the Count Basie Theatre of Red Bank’s Rockit! band program...“These kids are going to interject a little fun — they’re going to put a smile on people’s faces,” (he) said. “They’re not up there the whole time, but when they do come up, it keeps it interesting and fun.”
This year’s Hope concert is special for a few reasons. First, there are two concerts in a single night. Second, Jon Bon Jovi is, unlike previous years, an announced performer. “It’s really neat that he’s lending his name to promoting the show,” said Bandiera...“He would always show up to join in the spirit of fun.”
It’ll be the first time Bandiera and Jon Bon Jovi have shared a stage since the frontman returned from the Bon Jovi Live! tour of Asia and the Middle East in September and October...(It was) the first Bon Jovi tour Bandiera wasn’t a part of...since the ’02-’03 Bounce tour.
“We had our druthers,” Bandiera said. “Since the last tour a couple of years ago, life changes when you’re off the road. You get your life back when come back from touring and come home back to living your own life.”
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Not surprised by the kiddie angle: The Basie runs a
Rockit educational program, and just a few doors down, there's a
School Of Rock franchise in Red Bank -- so the battle for kiddie rock music school tuition is stiff!
But I still say Bobby had planned to do the mini-tour, but a last-minute commitment or problem arose. You don't announce a new guitarist for an international tour three days before you're scheduled to leave.